Preston Howell to Debut His First Holiday Song During a Stage Performance
Shops at Merrick Park, Coral Gables’ pristine destination for fine shopping and dining, will present its 20th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, November 16, at 5 p.m. On this special night, attendees will witness the illumination of a towering 50-foot tree and enjoy a live performance by South Florida’s own Preston Howell, a former contestant on NBC’s The Voice.
“As we mark our two decades of creating holiday magic, we are grateful for the opportunity to brighten the season in our Coral Gables community,” said Carlos Limontes, senior general manager at Shops at Merrick Park. “Shops at Merrick Park looks forward to keeping this cherished tradition alive with music, family fun and a heartwarming holiday atmosphere.”
South Florida native Preston Howell, known for his smooth vocals and dynamic stage presence, will return to the Shops at Merrick Park stage to perform his debut holiday single “Christmas Without You.” The song, written by Beth Cohen as a tribute to her late father, was produced by Doug Emery and Preston himself. Howell gained national recognition with his stunning rendition of “America the Beautiful” at the 2018 U.S. Open Men’s Semi-Finals and furthered his success on “The Voice” Season 17, impressing all four celebrity judges and his chosen mentor, John Legend. He’s been a part of an elite, talented youth singers’ group called “Acapop! KIDS,” created by Grammy-award winning Pentatonix creators in collaboration with Warner Records, and he also appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Preston’s career is on the rise, with three featured films, one to be released this holiday season, featuring the song he will debut at Shops at Merrick Park.
The Miami Royal Ballet and Coral Gables Senior High School Gablettes will add to the festive spirit along with holiday costumed characters, a 360° photo booth and a highly anticipated appearance by Santa Claus who will kick-off the festive season.
Santa will make his grand arrival down San Lorenzo Avenue on the Coral Gables Fire Department’s fire truck. To mark the official start of the holiday shopping season, Santa and Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago will ceremoniously light up the majestic 50-foot tree. Shoppers can view and pose with the holiday tree through early January 2024.
For more information about Shops at Merrick Park, please call (305) 529-1215, visit www.shopsatmerrickpark.com or follow Shops at Merrick Park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shopsatmerrickpark and Instagram @shopsatmerrickpark.