Holiday Cheer in Tallahassee
Discover Holiday Events, Festivals, and Lights in Tallahassee
What are some family-friendly holiday events in Tallahassee?
‘Tis the season for exciting events, family-friendly-festivals, sports, and of course, shopping! Planning a holiday trip to the Capital City and fill your plans by using this handy guide to make the most of your visit.
November 10
Hearth & Soul Holiday Window Reveal – On November 10th, Hearth & Soul will unveil its highly anticipated tenth annual holiday window at 1410 Market Street, showcasing the stunning new theme, “Get Frosted.” This year’s window transforms the storefront into a sparkling winter dream, a luxurious ode to ice, fur, and cool blues, perfectly capturing the magic of the season. This family-friendly event is open to the public and will feature our life size advent calendar, light bites + libations, and a beautifully crafted scene to gather and discover.
November 15, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Lemoyne Arts’ 62nd Annual Holiday Show is the perfect place to find a variety of handmade gifts created by local and regional artisans.
November 27 – January 1
Holiday Light Display at Dorothy B. Oven Park
The holiday light display will premiere on Thanksgiving evening (Thursday, November 27) and run nightly through the New Year (Wednesday, January 1), weather permitting.
Weekday hours are 6:00 – 10:00 pm with extended hours on the weekends from 5:30 – 11:00 pm. Motorists inside the park and traveling along Thomasville Road in the vicinity of the park, are urged to drive with caution.
This year, Elf Night is Thursday, December 18, from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. If you’d like to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, check in on the front lawn upon arrival to be assigned a ticket number, allowing you to enjoy the festivities until your number is called. While enjoying Elf Night, parents will want to have their cameras ready to record all the smiles and wonderment on their children’s faces.
Both Elf Night and our holiday light display are free and open to the public.
December 6 – 7
Market Days at the North Florida Fairgrounds
Quintessentially Tallahassee, Market Days is one of the Southeast’s largest and best-juried arts and crafts shows, featuring the unique, handmade creations of over 300 artists and top-quality artisans and craftspeople. Market Days offers a beautiful array of works in various price ranges, from breathtaking fine art to charming stocking stuffers. The works include fine arts, ceramics, country furniture, stained glass, woodwork, glasswork, dolls, clocks, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, metalwork, clothing, photography, and calligraphy. This event is volunteer-run and all proceeds go to support the Tallahassee Museum whose mission is to inspire people to transform their lives, community, and the world through an enhanced understanding of our region’s natural and cultural environments.
December 6
The 39th Annual Winter Festival – a Celebration of Lights, Music and the Arts will fill downtown Tallahassee with merriment on Saturday, December 6, from 3 – 10 p.m. Visitors can enjoy delicious food vendors, unique arts and crafts merchants and sparkling holiday displays, including Candy Cane Lane in McCarty Park. There will be a children’s activity area on Kleman Plaza that will show family-friendly holiday movies from 6 – 10 p.m. Four stages of live entertainment will dot downtown and highlight local actors, dancers, musicians and more. The Lighting Ceremony takes place at 6 p.m. on the parade announcers’ platform, located on South Monroe Street at Bloxham Park. The Nighttime Holiday Parade begins at 7:15pm. The parade will be held on Monroe Street
December 11 – 12
37th Annual Victorian Christmas – Journey to the past and experience the days of old as you venture through the historic streets of Downtown Thomasville and encounter the magic of Victorian Christmas!
December 12
“Hallelujah!” The Tallahassee tradition returns to the sanctuary of Trinity United Methodist Church. Few musical works are familiar to as many, and Messiah remains Handel’s best-known piece. There is no better time of year to enjoy this beautiful, sacred oratorio that has long been associated with good will and charity.
December 13 – 14
Tallahassee Ballet’s ‘The Nutcracker’ at Ruby Diamond Hall
The holiday classic, The Nutcracker, is a memory-making performance that is not just about what is behind the curtain but about the magic of the experience. Generations of families mark the holiday season by dressing up and introducing bright-eyed youngsters to the most frequently performed ballet in America and worldwide. Dancers float across the stage with Kathryn Karrh Cashin’s choreography set to the iconic score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed by a live orchestra. TTB’s custom-made costumes and set bring audience members along with them into a timeless story beloved by all.
December 14
Holiday Stroll through Cascades Park
You can sing aloud, or simply listen, to merry melodies as they fill the air of Cascades Park, 1001 S. Gadsden St., from 6-7:30 p.m Sunday, December 14 at the annual Holiday Stroll. About a dozen different acts will showcase their talents throughout the winding trails of Cascades Park, including the Smokey Hollow Commemoration. Free hot cocoa will be available. A beautiful show at the Imagination Fountain will play every fifteen minutes during the event.
December 18
Elf Night at Dorothy B. Oven Park
This year, Elf Night is Thursday, December 18 from 5:30 – 8:00pm. If you’d like to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus, check-in on the front lawn upon arrival to be assigned a ticket number, which will allow you to enjoy the festivities until your number is called. While enjoying Elf Night, parents will want to have their cameras ready to record all the smiles and wonderment on their children’s faces.
December 20
This year, TSO goes Hollywood for the Holidays! Join the orchestra and soprano Amy Owens for a magical concert featuring music from beloved holiday films, including White Christmas, Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, and more. Experience the nostalgia, joy, and warmth of the season through these timeless melodies-don’t miss this unforgettable concert!
December 31
Countdown at Cascades – New Year’s Eve
Visit Tallahassee proudly presents “Countdown at Cascades,” a New Year’s Eve celebration at the Adderley Amphitheater at Cascades Park on Wednesday, December 31, 2024. A free, family-friendly celebration with live music, local food trucks, and two spectacular fireworks displays. The night will feature two talented musical acts, ensuring memorable entertainment for all ages.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
