The Jacksonville Beach Pier Dance returned for its 24th year on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the Seawalk Pavilion.
The Pier Dance is one of the holiday events featured in Deck the Chairs, a holiday tradition in Jacksonville Beach.
In 1998, John Miller’s band BayStreet performed at the first Pier Dance, and guests look forward to hearing them each year. The event has had a few different homes over the years including the old pier at 6th Avenue South and the Casa Marina historical hotel.
BayStreet was formed in Jacksonville in 1987. They have been named Jacksonville’s best band three different times and have performed at Springing the Blues, Dancin’ In The Streets and at the Florida Theatre.
The purpose of the Pier Dance is to support local families who are struggling during the holiday season. “From the beginning, we have collected toys and food, which are distributed by Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry and the Gail Baker/Donner Center,” said Miller.
The Student Decorating Challenge was featured at the event with several holiday-themed lifeguard chairs decorated by different schools from around the First Coast.
Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School’s Interact Club spent 30 hours designing their underwater mural featuring a shark and a sea turtle.
The Discovery School, located in Jacksonville Beach, designed the top half body of a shark for their chair featuring their adopted shark Contender, an adult male white shark that was tagged by OCEARCH in January. OCEARCH is a global nonprofit organization that conducts research on sharks to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean.
The Discovery School used wood, plexiglass, lights and tulle to help bring Contender to life.
Other schools featured in the decorating challenge were Sandalwood High School, Fletcher Middle School and Duval Charter School at Coastal.
