Winter Park’s year-end festivities will be called “Holidays on Park,” dropping last year’s Christmas branding, as the executive director and three board members of the business group overseeing holiday decorations for the city exit in the wake of a controversy over what to call the celebration.
Carina Sexton announced Monday she was leaving the executive director’s post she’s had since April 2023, according to Alan Chambers, president of the Park Avenue District board. Exiting the board are Vice President Tracy Brand-Liffey, owner of New General Café; Tracy Klingler, who owns lifestyle boutique Frank; and Ginny Enstad of Ginny’s Orchids.
Chambers said none of the departures were connected to the festivity-naming brouhaha, which blew up several weeks ago when city officials at the urging of some residents asked the group to drop the name “Christmas on Park,” which it had just adopted in 2024.
Alan Chambers of Winter Park is president of the board of directors of the Park Avenue District and vice president of operations at John Craig Clothier, which has two stores in the city and others throughout Florida. (Provided photo)
City officials reasoned that events begin in mid-November, run through New Year’s Day and acknowledge other holidays such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
The Park Avenue District received $182,000 from the city to decorate downtown for the holidays last year — the first year it oversaw the decorating — and $90,000 from the city for this year’s celebration.
Questioned by the Orlando Sentinel in mid-September after the issue arose at a City Commission meeting, Park Avenue District personnel declined to say what they would call the festivities this year. But Chambers said Tuesday that the organization is renaming this year’s festivities “Holidays on Park.”
References to the previous name will remain on the website and materials already printed because of costs involved to change them. The city called it “Hometown Holidays” from 2021 to 2023, and before that, going back to at least 2005, it was promoted as “Holiday Events.”
Chambers credited Sexton’s leadership of the business district.
“Carina’s resignation had nothing to do with the holidays or Christmas,” said Chambers, vice president of operations for John Craig Clothier. “That just happened to coincide with timing but had nothing to do with her departure.”
He said Sexton’s contract was up at the end of last year but she stayed on.
“She was a great friend and support to the organization and did a a great job during her time here,” Chambers said, adding that an interim executive director will be announced Wednesday.
Regarding the three board departures, he cited the challenges members faced running small businesses with the time commitments needed to serve: “Christmas had no impact on any of the people who left.” He said all remain involved in helping steer the organization.
Carina Sexton of Winter Park is the former executive director of the Park Avenue District. She is a Winter Park native who grew up working in the city’s retail sector. (Provide photo)
Although Sexton doesn’t have another job lined up she also said her departure has nothing to do with the celebration’s name.
“That’s not the reason I’m leaving,” she said. “I’m taking a minute to breathe and evaluate my options. I’m just hoping the right opportunity will come along.”
A Winter Park native, Sexton has been involved in the city’s retail sector since she was a teenager. Her family owned Downeast Orvis in Winter Park, where she spent 25 years marketing, merchandising and coordinating special events until it closed in 2016.
Reflecting on her tenure, she said she values the relationships built with the agency.
“It has been one of the greatest privileges of my career to serve this community and to work alongside so many of you in strengthening and celebrating what makes Park Avenue so special,” she said in her public resignation letter.
Winter Park resident Gigi Papa opposes changing the name and started an online petition in early September to “Save Christmas in Winter Park, FL.” Papa, a frequent attendee of and public commenter at City Commission meetings, claimed Mayor Sheila DeCiccio had insisted Park Avenue District change the name or risk losing city funding for decorations.
DeCiccio said the petition was “fraught with inaccurate information,” including how “Holiday” replaced “Christmas” in the name of some events — which is not the case according to the schedule of events and Chambers.
Papa did not respond to emails and voicemail messages seeking comment. Clarissa Howard, the city’ communications director, said officials had no comment on the developments.
