You might catch Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” in the hot chocolate line.
A captivating new holiday attraction set to open Friday is bringing a winter wonderland right here to St. Johns County.
The 49-acre Ancient City Farmstead will host the holiday extravaganza, featuring everything from a synthetic skating pond to Florida’s tallest living Christmas tree, a massive 48-foot spruce imported straight from snowy upstate New York.
The property’s owner, Dan Laubacker, told The Citizen that propping up the massive blue spruce took more than a day and required the help of a crane.
“This is the largest live Christmas tree in the state of Florida,” he said. “We decorated it with more lights than the Rockefeller tree.”
The spread at 395 St. Marks Pond Blvd., northwest of St. Augustine off of U.S. 1, will also dazzle locals with appearances by Santa Claus, reindeer carnival games, a bouncy house, steaming hot chocolate for the kids, and beer and mulled wine for parents.
Laubacker said he secured 2,000 trees from the Empire State, and they’ll be available for purchase at the site.
Buying at that volume, he said, allows him to sell the sturdy green articles at well below normal market rate, with the most affordable version on sale for $100.
“I grew up in west New York where it was like a Norman Rockwell scene where we had horse drawn sleighs that went around the town every year,” said the Buffalo-area native. “I wanted to create something here that allowed families to have that same type of experience obviously without the snow.”
More than 400 locals attended the Rockefeller-tier tree’s lighting ceremony, and organizers are expecting similar crowds during the event.
Laubacker said he plans to hold the attraction annually — and had some tricks up his sleeve to keep kids and their parents mesmerized moving forward.
“Family is very near and dear to me and all my kids will be working here,” he added. “It’s going to be a very magical experience.”
