The scent of orange blossoms filled the air at Riverside Park last weekend during A Citrus Christmas: All Things Florida Holiday Celebration. Proceeds from the two-day inaugural event will help provide general operations funding for the Hope for Families Center.

The afternoon was filled with wildlife shows, music, crafts, bounce houses, games, food, shopping and, of course, a visit from Santa. Gone were the traditional snowmen and sleds. In their place were flamingoes, oranges and sharks.

“We wanted to do something a little different this year, focusing on Christmas in Florida because it’s very different from Chicago, where I’m from,” said Diana Grossi, HFC executive director.

Guests took in musical performances while munching on gyros and barbecue, and many took advantage of the opportunity to shop for last-minute Christmas gifts. While mom browsed selections of essential oils, jewelry and handmade soaps, the children met alligators and snakes up close during the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary presentation and encountered some of the critters from Otter John’s Wildlife Show.

Youngsters also chatted with a Hawaiian shirt-clad Santa as he made his rounds in a Florida-style sleigh – a golf cart topped with presents. And still others wrote letters to Santa in the North Pole … just in case.

“We wanted to make it a family event. Something that would bring families together,” said Grossi. “A lot of events are geared toward adults or high-end parties at this time of year. We wanted something that wouldn’t cost people a lot of money. We want to make people aware of who we are. A lot of people don’t know that there is a homeless family shelter in Vero Beach. This is a fundraiser, but we also wanted to establish a family event here in Vero that will continue year after year; an event where children and families can get together and have a good time.”

For more information about the Hope for Families Center, visit hopeforfamiliescenter.org.