Highlights for 2011 Tybee for the Holidays

Highlights for 2011 Tybee for the Holidays:

• The Lights On for Tybee Celebration begins on Friday, December 2 at 6:30 p.m., when Mayor Jason Buelterman lights the Christmas tree at the Tybrisa/Strand Roundabout on the east end of the street. The evening will include variety of entertainment, extended store hours and special offers and complimentary refreshments at locations throughout downtown Tybee Island. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will also make a special appearance at this much-loved event.

•  The Tybee Island Christmas Parade kicks off Saturday, December 3 at 1 p.m., running from the 14^th Street parking lot to the YMCA on 5^th Street. Get into the holiday spirit at this old-fashioned Christmas parade filled with the spirit of the season.

• The annual Holiday Shop-n-Stroll offers the opportunity to find gifts for everyone on your shopping list Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4. Shoppers can obtain raffle tickets from the merchants they do business with in order to register for special drawings Saturday evening.

• The popular Tybee Floating Christmas Parade, which features boats, skiffs and yachts decorated in their holiday finery, departs from the dock at the Crab Shack on Saturday, December 10 at 7:15 p.m. Don’t miss all the fun!

• Tybee Island will feature New Year’s Eve Fireworks on Saturday, December 31 to ring in 2012 at the stroke of midnight. Enjoy the fireworks display from the pier, the beach or wherever you choose. This year, the Tybee Island Tourism Council will offer a free on-island New Year’s Eve shuttle to help revelers ring in the new year safely.

• The following morning, the annual Polar Bear Plunge will offer the opportunity to jump into the Atlantic Ocean for a brisk and refreshing way to start the New Year. On Sunday, January 1 at noon, don your favorite costume and gather at the pier on the island’s south end for an invigorating dip.

Tybee for the Holidays is an annual series of events jointly sponsored by the City of Tybee Island, Tybee Island Better Hometown Program, and the Tybee Island Tourism Council. The events attract visitors from across the Southeast and around the country. For more information about Tybee for the Holidays and for a complete schedule of events, please visit www.tybeefortheholidays.com.