By Roxanne Brown
More Than 100 Trees Light Up Clermont’s Enchanted Forest
If you haven’t had a chance to walk through Clermont’s Enchanted Forest of Trees, don’t worry; it’s still open. The forest features 103 decorated Christmas trees and they’ll be on display through Jan. 2 at Victory Pointe. Local businesses, churches, clubs and community groups each put their own spin on a tree.
People can walk the trail during the day or come back at night when the lights are on. Either way, families can enjoy Christmas music playing non-stop while strolling through the rows. You can also park at the Clermont Boathouse and take the short walk over.
Over the next few days, the city will post photos of all the trees online so people can vote for their favorites. Voting will be available at clermontfl.gov and on the Clermont Parks & Recreation Facebook page, and winners will be announced either right before or right after Christmas.
The categories are:
• Best Overall
• Most Themed to this year’s “Christmas of Champions”
• Most Creative
With so many groups involved, every tree has its own personality. Some are funny, some are sweet and some are totally over the top and that’s what makes walking through the forest so much fun.
And if you’re already out enjoying the trees, make a quick stop at the Clermont Historic Village at 490 West Ave. — it’s just a short walk away.
Inside the bay window of the Train Depot, you’ll find a miniature Christmas village created by Tommy Candido from the Presidents Hall of Fame Museum. It’s full of tiny details, little characters and fun surprises that everyone ends up leaning in to find.
The Village also added a playful challenge this year: visitors are encouraged to see if they can spot the Bumble and count how many Santas are hidden throughout the display. Anyone who takes a photo, shares their Santa count and posts it on the Village’s social pages, (Facebook: Clermont Historic Village Museum or Instagram: @ClermontHistoricVillage), will be entered to win a $25 gift card to a local shop. A winner will be selected on December 21.
It’s a sweet little bonus stop and another easy way to stretch out the holiday fun while you’re already in the neighborhood.
Originally from Nogales, Arizona, Roxanne worked in the customer service industry while practicing freelance writing for years. She came on board with Akers Media in July 2020 as a full-time staff writer for Lake & Sumter Style Magazine and was promoted to Managing Editor in October 2023—her dream job come true. Prior to that and after just having moved to Florida in 1999, Roxanne had re-directed her prior career path to focus more on journalism and went on to become a reporter for The Daily Commercial/South Lake Press newspapers for 16 years. Additionally, Roxanne—now an award-winning journalist recognized by the Florida Press Club and the Florida chapter of The Society of Professional Journalism—continues working toward her secondary goal of becoming a published author of children’s books.
