Seminoles and Employees Celebrate at Annual Christmas Party

Micki Free, Fat Joe and Tracy Byrd entertain the crowd

By Jaime Restrepo

HOLLYWOOD — Tribal citizens, employees, invited guests and dignitaries were treated to the wonderful annual Christmas party at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s Pavilion. The party was presented by the Chairman’s Office, which decided the Hard Rock venue was the perfect setting to celebrate this year’s annual festivities.

Over 2,000 people were in attendance. The settings, decorations, and the entertainment were second to none. The performers included Grammy and Nammy Award winner Micki Free, country musician Tracy Byrd and multi-platinum hip-hop artist Fat Joe with the Terror Squad.

The annual party was previously held at the Broward Convention Center. This year, the Tribe celebrated in grand style, in its own back yard, in its new state-of-the-art facility.

The Pavilion was decorated throughout with an intricate arrangement of draperies, wall decorations, and table center pieces, projecting the ambiance of a winter wonderland. Accommodations were plentiful, with the serving lines providing a wide variety of food fit to satisfy the tastes of all the guests.

Throughout the event, the guests were treated to a variety of music, including serene and soothing sound of woodwinds, the latest hip hop hits, and good ‘ole country music. There was a DJ to keep the guests on their feet and moving on the dance floor in front of the stage. Even the children had a place all their own, to play, create arts and crafts, and even take in a holiday movie.

Parents could enjoy the adult side of the party with peace of mind while the children remained in their area, content and secure, with plenty of their favorite food on hand.

This year’s event was beautifully orchestrated. All guests parked down the road and were transported to the Pavilion by bus. Each guest had a numbered wristband that would later serve as their potential winning ticket when their lucky number was called by the evening’s emcee and Ft. Pierce Liaison Sally Tommie, from the Chairman’s Office. And generous were the door prizes, with the lucky winners receiving $500 each.

Food was plentiful with little, if any, lines and plenty of room to walk about and mingle. It was a perfect setting for all present to greet each other, mingle and enjoy a wonderful holiday party. Though this may have been the first annual Tribal Christmas party held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the new facility will be the home of many more parties to come.