State Farm agent Justin Bauknight is spreading again some holiday cheers this season with Picture Perfect Holidays, a free outdoor holiday experience with numerous uniquely-designed photo ops along the Curry Ford West Main Street. This is the 3rd year in a row and it is made possible by State Farm agent Justin Bauknight, event sponsors, businesses and residential members.
Until the end of the year, the community is encouraged to take pictures for their holiday greeting cards and social media profiles, sharing them with the hashtag #PPH2022. The festive stations are free and open to the public until the end of the month. They have been designed to create memorable experiences in both the daytime and in the evening when lights illuminate the scenery.
This event first started as a response to three key issues that impacted Central Florida during 2020 — the COVID-19 pandemic, the temporary shut-down of local small businesses, and the subsequent layoffs and furloughs from the theme park industry. What started out of necessity was quickly realized as an innovative way to engage a diverse community all month long. It was quickly recognized as an Outstanding Event at the 2021 Florida Secretary of State Awards Ceremony through the Florida Main Streets program.
This festive experience to date has utilized the talents of more than 100 individuals who have donated over 7,000 hours of volunteer time to create Picture Perfect Holidays for the Central Florida community.
“It’s a great way to know the holidays are in full swing in the community,” said Sarah Shoulak, Curry Ford West’s Executive Director. “We know that our district is a commuter-heavy stretch of Curry Ford Road, but we want people to take their time (slow down) and stay a while. See how much charm there is, not just in the neighborhoods, but in the unique small business, too.”
Local residents and visitors have also enjoyed the State Farm Picture Perfect Holidays sets with one individual quoted saying, “I love when you put those sets up, we love bringing our dog out to take pictures with them, too.”
This year, the district plans to expand the map of sets to include opportunities for the community to take even more photos inside of iconic local businesses.
