ST. PETERBURG, Fla. — In the heart of St. Petersburg is a brewery that has grown into one of the largest independent breweries in Florida since it opened in 2013.

Around the holidays, 3 Daughters Brewing is also known for its Christmas Wonderland village, including a train that zips through the mini-metropolis.


What You Need To Know

  • St. Petersburg brewery features Christmas Wonderland village

  • The owners of 3 Daughters Brewing, the Hartings, share a family tradition

  • The display will be at the brewery through mid-January

  • The Christmas village has six trains, 341 pieces and over 382 people

The massive Christmas village is all thanks to brewery founder Mike Harting's parents, Bruce and Pat Harting, who were gifted their first Christmas house in 1986. 

“It was a Christmas gift from my mother to all of us. They were two Ebenezer Scrooge Department 56 buildings," Bruce Harting explained. 

From there, they expanded their collection every year, adding more houses and small details until the display took up their entire garage. 

Their three grand-daughters eventually wanted to share the tradition with others. So when 3 Daughters Brewing opened, they decided to bring all of the village inside the brewery, and the annual Christmas village was born. 

“In the fall about 10 years ago now when the brewery was first being built, this was an old warehouse and it was empty, and my son said, ‘We have to do something’ And he said, ‘Let's bring in the Christmas village!' First year, we just built some tables and had some pieces out, but people came and they enjoyed it," Bruce Harting said. 

Now in its ninth year, the Christmas village has six trains, 341 pieces and more than 382 people. The display takes about two months each year to prepare and get ready. Even with all the preparations required, the Hartings love the holiday tradition year after year. 

They said they hope it will continue on through the family tree for many more decades. 

3 Daughters Brewing is open seven days a week, starting at 11:30 a.m. The Christmas Wonderland village inside will be on display through mid-January.

For more information on the brewery and its holiday events, visit the brewery’s website.