Santa officially arrived at the Bridgeport Police Athletic League’s Christmas Village, where families brought their children Tuesday to walk through holiday displays and take photos with Santa.

Children under 12 received gifts as part of the celebration.

Former Mayor Leonard Paoletta reflected on the village’s history and his time in office when a fire nearly destroyed it decades ago.

“In 1982, we had a devastating fire, and I was in office at the time. It was truly a miracle. They call it ‘The Miracle of Christmas Village,’ because in three days, the building was completely redone.”

Paoletta said the recovery remains a defining story for the community. “It was Christmas! All the kids were looking forward to getting $10,000 worth of toys and presents,” he said.