Hoffman’s Chocolates Winter Wonderland And Flamingo Gardens’ Garden Of Lights Unite To Spark Magic For The 2025 Holiday Season

In a brand-new holiday collaboration, three notable names, Hoffman’s Chocolates, Flamingo Gardens and Amazon, are joining forces to present a 36-night celebration like no other. This festive partnership will transform ten acres of Flamingo Gardens’ Arboretum of lush botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary into a breathtaking wonderland of lights, joy and holiday cheer, creating an unforgettable experience for families and visitors of all ages. In addition, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is joining the celebration as the presenting sponsor of Santa’s Village in the gardens, and Florida Blue is presenting the 35-foot Christmas tree.

Throughout the five-plus weeks, guests will be immersed in the spirit of the holiday season with:

• Thousands of colorful and twinkling lights and luminous displays throughout the gardens

• A 35-foot Christmas tree, presented by Florida Blue, sparkling with festive brilliance

• Free photos with Santa in Santa’s Village presented by Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, on select nights through December 23

• A mouthwatering experience at Hoffman’s Chocolates Pop-up Shop and The Sweet Ride ice cream truck.

• Toasty s’mores and seasonal bites from Flamingo Gardens’ Flamingo Pond Cafe

• Nightly live musical performances and so much more

“Hoffman’s Chocolates Winter Wonderland has been a beloved holiday tradition for decades, and this year, we’re making it more magical than ever,” said Lois Marino, Executive Director, BBX Capital Foundation and Director of Community Engagement, BBX Capital, Inc., parent company of Hoffman’s Chocolates. “We outgrew our original space, but now, thanks to our amazing partnership with Flamingo Gardens and Amazon, we’re turning up the holiday cheer in a big way. Get ready for dazzling lights, heartwarming moments and unforgettable memories the whole family will treasure for a lifetime!”

Established in 1927, Flamingo Gardens is one of the oldest botanical gardens and attractions in South Florida, and the premier Everglades Learning Center and South Florida Wildlife and Botanical Sanctuary. A registered 501(c)(3) NonProfit, Flamingo Gardens is dedicated to depicting, preserving and educating the public about the natural and cultural heritage of South Florida and the Everglades through its immersive botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary.

“We’re excited to host Hoffman’s Chocolates Winter Wonderland at Flamingo Gardens and collaborate with both Hoffman’s Chocolates and Amazon for this spectacular holiday experience,” said Keith Clark, CEO of Flamingo Gardens. “This partnership aligns perfectly with our vision to expand our holiday lights in a family-friendly way and will allow us to spread even more joy this year!”

Proceeds from the event will support Flamingo Gardens’ educational and conservation mission, with a portion also benefiting the BBX Capital Foundation, which invests in programs focused on the arts, education and human services throughout South Florida.

“Amazon is proud to support the return of this iconic South Florida tradition,” said Angie Santibanez, Head of Community Engagement at Amazon. “We believe in partnering with local community traditions and creating joyful moments for families, and Hoffman’s Chocolates Winter Wonderland at Flamingo Gardens offers exactly that -- holiday magic, community connection and meaningful support for a great cause.”

Winter Wonderland is made possible by the generosity and support of these sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor- Amazon

Title Sponsors- Hoffman’s Chocolates, Florida Blue, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, BBX Capital Foundation, NBC 6 South Florida, Florida Power and Light Company, Baptist Health South Florida

Lead Partners- Broward Health, Greenspoon Marder, JM Family Enterprises, Joe and Katie Masucci Family Fund, Transworld Business Advisors

Partners- City National Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Spirit Airlines, UBS The Garvin Financial Team

Media Partners- South Florida Business & Wealth, South Florida Family Life, Sun Sentinel

For event updates and ticketing information, please visit: www.Hoffmans.com - Or: www.FlamingoGardens.org.

About Hoffman’s Chocolates

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Hoffman's Chocolates is a manufacturer of gourmet chocolates, with five retail locations throughout South Florida. The company is known for its elaborate December holiday displays and beloved products such as chocolate-covered pretzels and gift baskets. Its product line features more than 70 varieties of confections, all handcrafted using time-honored candy-making traditions. Hoffman’s Chocolates is a subsidiary of BBX Sweet Holdings, LLC, part of the BBX Capital Corporation family of companies. Please visit: www.Hoffmans.com for more information.

About Flamingo Gardens

Flamingo Gardens is a 60-acre non-profit botanical garden and Everglades wildlife sanctuary located in Davie, Florida. Home to over 3,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants and one of the largest collections of Florida native wildlife, Flamingo Gardens provides an immersive experience for guests of all ages. Its Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary houses hundreds of rescued animals including alligators, bobcats, otters, eagles and of course, flamingos. Learn more at: www.flamingogardens.org - Or call: (954) 473-2955.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit: www.amazon.com/about - And follow: @AmazonNews.

About BBX Capital FoundationON

The BBX Capital Foundation was created in 1994 as a 501(c)(3) corporate foundation. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $20 Million in contributions and in-kind services to charitable organizations throughout Florida. The BBX Capital Foundation focuses on three key areas: the arts, education, and human services. It considers requests for specific projects, as well as for general programs. For more information, visit: https://bbxcapital.com/community-impact.

About Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric hospitals, offering a comprehensive scope of healthcare services and programs in a caring, compassionate setting designed specifically for children. The level one pediatric trauma center combines advanced technology, the expertise of some of the region’s most diverse, board-certified specialists, and a patient and family-centered focus to heal the body, mind, and spirit. Part of Memorial Healthcare System, the pediatric hospital in Hollywood, Florida, recently doubled in size, adding four floors, including a comprehensive cardiac care floor, an intraoperative MRI, an inpatient rehabilitation gym, family and staff support areas, and the Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone, among other offerings. To learn more, visit: www.jdch.com - And connect with: @jdchospital on Facebook, Twitter X, YouTube and Instagram.

About Florida Blue

Driven by its mission of helping people and communities achieve better health, Florida Blue is the leading health insurer in Florida and part of GuideWell, a Not-For-Profit health solutions company. Florida Blue offers a range of health plans and personalized care programs for individuals, families, businesses of all sizes, and Medicare beneficiaries. For over 80 years, the organization has been member centric and committed to making health care as accessible and affordable as possible. Serving more than six million members across all 67 Florida counties, Florida Blue has more than 8,000 employees and is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, is owned by its policyholders, and is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

For additional information visit: www.FloridaBlue.com. For the latest news and content, visit the Florida Blue Newsroom and follow Florida Blue on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram @Florida.Blue; X (formerly Twitter) @FLBlue.