JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Deck The Chairs Unite with Lights ushers in its brightest season yet by featuring two locations of decorated lifeguard chairs, all featuring student artisans. You'll gaze in wonderment at more than 60 chairs in total. The Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavilion location lights up November 22 through January 1, The James Weldon Park location illuminates December 6 through January 9.
You may know him as the Kris Kringle of the South. Deck The Chairs Founder Kurtis Loftus said this season's display is one that is truly close to his heart. "Our mission is to promote children's arts and arts education and it is our primary focus in 2023 with the Student Decorating Challenge. This is huge for our non-profit."
The Deck The Chairs Student Decorating Challenge includes more than 300 area students and teachers from 18 arts programs from across the First Coast. Schools were invited to participate starting in May. By early August, programs were finalized and in late September chair drawings were approved by Deck the Chair student advisor Cathy Thomasson, Loftus and team. Deck The Chairs provided $500 stipends to each group and partnered with local contractor Angel’s Construction to custom build 20 modified lifeguard chairs.
Loftus insists nothing celebrates the joy of the holidays in North Florida like Deck The Chairs, now in its eleventh year. "This season we double the joy with two locations and even start a new tradition with the student exhibit in downtown Jacksonville." Loftus added this new location gives people a chance to experience Deck The Chairs if they are unable to travel to Jacksonville Beach.
At the Jacksonville Beach Seawalk Pavilion you'll tour through modified lifeguard chairs decorated by Duval Charter at Coastal, Discovery School, Episcopal High School, First Coast Military Homeschoolers, Fletcher Middle School, Fletcher High School, Mandarin High School, Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School, Providence, River City Science Academy.
At the James Weldon Park location in Downtown Jacksonville you'll enjoy chairs designed and decorated by AMiKids Duval, Bolles School, Fort Caroline Middle School, La Villa School of the Arts, Nease High School, Raines High School, River City Science Academy and Historic Eastside CDC.
This season, First Coast News hosts a chair at the new James Weldon Park location. The stations of WTLV NBC12 and WJXX ABC25 are teaming up with United Way of Northeast Florida and the Historic Eastside CDC students arts program. The HECDC arts program is led by Suzanne Pickett. Pickett said her middle schoolers created a vibrantly colored chair that looks like, ‘a ferris wheel of unity.’
First Coast News President and General Manager Tim Thomas said being involved in this is important to him and the stations. "We're living our brand, we're 'On Your Side' partnering with two incredible groups,” said Thomas. “The mission of showcasing unity through a child's eye is humbling, and we need this message this season."
Jacksonville Beach Deck the Chairs Unite with Lights also includes musical light shows, and more than two dozen holiday stage programs nightly from 5 p.m. until 1 a.m.. For more visit www.deckthechairs.org.
2023 Jax Beach Deck The Chairs Schedule of Events
WEDNESDAY, 11/22 OPENING NIGHT
presented by FUSION LIGHT & SOUND
7:00 AM – 3:00 PM Final Chair Decorating
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville, DTC Welcome
Kick-off chair voting
FRIDAY, 12/1 Moonlight Movies “Polar Express”
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM presented by City of Jacksonville Beach
SATURDAY, 12/2 DTC MUSIC AND DANCE PROGRAM I
presented by FUSION LIGHT & SOUND
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Jacksonville Suzuki Strings, Pine Forest Dance Ensemble, Dansations Ensemble, Synergy Dance Company,
Dynamics Dance, Ballet Arts Centre
SUNDAY, 12/3 DTC MUSIC AND DANCE PROGRAM II
presented by FUSION LIGHT & SOUND
3:00 PM- 7:00 PM Twofold, Bravo School of Dance, Fort Caroline Dance Ensemble, Switzerland Dance School,
Fletcher Middle School Dance, Parker’s Lab Band
SATURDAY, 12/9 DTC MUSIC AND DANCE PROGRAM III
presented by FUSION LIGHT & SOUND
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Tuba Christmas
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Atlantic Coast Dance Studio, First Coast Centre for the Arts, Scott Jones School of Dance, Nancy Dance Studio,
Level Up Dance, Showtime USA!
WEDNESDAY, 12/14 UNF Night
SATURDAY, 12/16 DTC MUSIC AND DANCE Program IV
presented by FUSION LIGHT & SOUND
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Navy Band Southeast
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM DTC Chair Awards | Student Exhibit Awards
3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Fletcher High School Dance Team, Fascination Rhythm Studio of Dance, World of Dance,
BLA Dance Academy, Academy of Dance, SET Studios
SUNDAY 12/24 CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
5 PM – 7 PM Presented by Ocean City Church
THURSDAY 12/28 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl Pep Rally
3 PM – 7 PM Seawalk Pavilion
*Dates and times subject to change