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Lakeland High School holds its first Winter Wonderland event from 2-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 featuring a variety of activities for the entire family.

This includes vendors, face painting and a visit from Santa Claus ahead of Christmas Day.

Lakeland High School Principal Lori O. White and Lakeland High School Center for Performing and Production Arts Specialist Michael Camenisch both discussed the event.

“We’re having a community-wide event here, open to the public. We’re hoping to bring in Suffolk to celebrate the holidays,” Camenisch said. “It’s $5 admission at the door and then there’s an activity zone for kids that’s an additional $5.”

Carmenisch said those attending the event can expect vendors, artisans, music performances from different Suffolk Public Schools, while the activity zone offers face painting, inflatable bounce houses and other activities.

White said she hopes the new holiday event will be new part of Lakeland High School and Suffolk Public School’s tradition

“This is actually the first Winter Wonderland and that’s really our long-term vision is to build upon this every year and really embed this event in the community as something that our families look forward to every single year,” she said. “I hope they leave just having fun with their family members, making memories, but also just feeling connected to our school community.”

She said the vision and purpose of the event is to build tradition at Lakeland High School, explaining that schools should be the hub of the community.

“We want people to feel welcome and warm and part of our school community,” White said. “We are showcasing our fine arts department, including students from the elementary school through the high school level in hopes to, again, build that connection and sense of community…and have our parents and our families feel connected, because these are their schools. And that’s what we hope, that they leave with that feeling.”