Hanukkah 2026 in Broward and Palm Beach: Dates, Menorah Lightings and Festivals

The Quick Scoop

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12 (Hebcal, Chabad.org). The first and eighth nights both fall on a Friday.

Six public Hanukkah events have 2026 dates from official or organizer pages so far. Wilton Manors' city holiday lighting on Thursday, December 3 also includes a menorah, per Island City Today. The Village of Wellington's Grand Menorah Lighting is Friday, December 4, 5:30 PM, the first night. Two are on Sunday, December 6, the third night: Pompano Beach (4 to 7 PM) and Delray Beach (6 to 9 PM). Fort Lauderdale's city page also lists its menorah lighting on Sunday, December 6 at 6 PM, but another listing shows Friday, December 4 (see the Fort Lauderdale entry). The Chabad of South Broward Chanukah Festival is Thursday, December 10 at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, and the CityPlace celebration in West Palm Beach is Friday, December 11, 4 to 6 PM, free. The Palm Beach Zoo also lists a menorah lighting space as part of Zoo Lights, which runs November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027.

Want the full season, with Christmas lights, boat parades and New Year's Eve? See our Holidays in South Florida 2026 guide and our November 2026 events guide.

Hanukkah 2026 dates

Hanukkah lasts eight nights. In 2026 the first night is Friday, December 4 and the eighth night is Friday, December 11. The holiday ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12.

For the nightly lighting, Hebcal's Chanukah 2026 page says to light the first candle on Friday, December 4 before sundown, the second candle on Saturday, December 5 at nightfall, candles on Sunday through Thursday at dusk, and the eighth candle on Friday, December 11 before sundown. On Fridays that means before Shabbat begins. Exact lighting times and customs vary by community, so check with your own synagogue or rabbi. Hebcal also publishes local Shabbat times for Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton (links in Sources).

Broward County events

Pompano Beach: Festival of Lights, A Hanukkah Celebration

The City of Pompano Beach hosts a community celebration of Hanukkah traditions, history and togetherness on Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 4 to 7 PM at the Palm Aire Gazebo, 623 Oaks Drive, Pompano Beach. The city's fall guide lists it as free and all ages.

Fort Lauderdale: Menorah Lighting Celebration

The City of Fort Lauderdale's Light Up the Holidays series includes a Menorah Lighting Celebration on the third night of Hanukkah, Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 6 PM at Las Olas Oceanside Park. The city lists a traditional menorah lighting, music and customary treats. Cost is not listed. The Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale event calendar lists the same event on Friday, December 4, 6 PM. The city's own Parks and Recreation page shows Sunday, December 6, so confirm with the city before you go.

Pompano Beach: Chabad of South Broward 47th Annual Chanukah Festival, "Rock Simcha"

Chabad of South Broward's festival is on Thursday, December 10, 2026, the seventh night, at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater, 1801 NE 6th St, Pompano Beach. The festival website lists the date and venue. A GoKosher listing says doors open at 6 PM and the show starts at 7 PM. It is ticketed, and ticket details are at chanukahfestival.com. We did not find prices.

Wilton Manors: Holiday Lighting Ceremony (menorah, kinara and tree)

Island City Today reports that the city's Holiday Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 3, 2026, at 6:30 PM at Flippen Park, NE 21st Court and Wilton Drive, lights a menorah, a Kwanzaa kinara and the city's Christmas tree with live entertainment, food and vendors. It is listed as free. This is a broader community ceremony, not a Hanukkah-only event, and it happens the night before Hanukkah begins. We did not find the city's own event page, so confirm with the city.

Palm Beach County events

Wellington: Grand Menorah Lighting

The Village of Wellington hosts the annual ceremonial lighting of the Grand Menorah to kick off Hanukkah on Friday, December 4, 2026, the first night, at 5:30 PM at the Grand Menorah next to the Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington. Cost is not listed. The village page shows the 2026 date and time. Hebcal lists Shabbat candle lighting in West Palm Beach that evening at 5:08 PM, before the 5:30 PM start, so Shabbat observers should check local Shabbat times before planning.

Delray Beach: Chanukah Festival and Menorah Lighting

The City of Delray Beach presents a menorah lighting and an evening of holiday activities on Sunday, December 6, 2026, from 6 to 9 PM at Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave, Delray Beach. Cost is not listed.

West Palm Beach: Chanukkah Celebration with Palm Beach Synagogue West

CityPlace lists live music, a menorah lighting, latkes and donuts on Friday, December 11, 2026, the eighth night, from 4 to 6 PM at CityPlace, 700 S Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach. It is free to attend and part of CityPlace's Harriet Himmel Cultural and Performing Arts Series. The listing does not say where in CityPlace it takes place. Hebcal lists Shabbat candle lighting in West Palm Beach that evening at 5:10 PM, before the event ends, so Shabbat observers should check Shabbat times before planning.

West Palm Beach: Zoo Lights at the Palm Beach Zoo

Zoo Lights runs November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027 on select nights at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society and requires tickets. The zoo's page lists a dedicated space for menorah lighting during Hanukkah, and WPTV describes a nightly menorah lighting during Hanukkah. The zoo's calendar marks the open nights, and some nights are for ages 21 and over only. Check the zoo's calendar for dates, availability and ticket prices.

Still waiting for 2026 details

We did not find official 2026 Hanukkah event listings in the sources we checked for Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Weston, Plantation, Sunrise, Hollywood, Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens. That does not mean none are planned. Many synagogues, Chabad centers and cities post a few weeks ahead, and we add events as they are announced. If your community is hosting a public event, tell us.

Coral Springs Daily reports that the city's Public Art Committee approved a 10-foot LED menorah for the Chabad of Coral Springs campus at 3935 N University Drive. The artist's contract calls for completion by November 15, subject to permitting and possible delays. No lighting event has been announced.

Know before you go

• Two Friday nights. The first and eighth nights fall on Fridays, so check event times against Shabbat.
• Fort Lauderdale date conflict. The city lists Sunday, December 6 and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale lists Friday, December 4. Confirm with the city.
• Two events on December 6. Pompano Beach runs 4 to 7 PM and Delray Beach runs 6 to 9 PM.
• Confirm before you go. Details come from organizer, city and venue pages checked on November 8, 2026. Check the official page for changes, parking and tickets.
• Broward and Palm Beach only. Miami-Dade events are not included.

Sources

Last checked November 8, 2026. Most sources are official city, venue or organizer pages. Secondary sources are Island City Today, WPTV, Coral Springs Daily, GoKosher and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale's event calendar. Missing times, costs and venues are not guessed.

• Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation, Light Up the Holidays: https://www.parks.fortlauderdale.gov/special-events/special-events/light-up-the-holidays
• City of Pompano Beach, Festival of Lights: A Hanukkah Celebration: https://www.pompanobeachfl.gov/events/festival-of-lights-a-hanukkah-celebration
• City of Pompano Beach, Fall 2026 Parks guide: https://cdn.pompanobeachfl.gov/city/pages/parks/Fall-2026-Quarterly-Flip-Book.pdf
• Chabad of South Broward, 47th Annual Chanukah Festival: https://chanukahfestival.com
• GoKosher listing for the festival (doors and show times): https://www.gokosher.com/he/e79457
• Downtown Delray Beach, Chanukah Festival & Menorah Lighting: https://downtowndelraybeach.com/do/chanukah-festival-and-menorah-lighting
• CityPlace, Chanukkah Celebration with Palm Beach Synagogue West: https://www.cityplace.com/west-palm-beach-events/chanukkah-celebration-palm-beach-synagogue-west
• Palm Beach Zoo, Zoo Lights: https://www.palmbeachzoo.org/zoo-lights/
• WPTV, Zoo Lights to return with all-new bioluminescence experience (Oct 1, 2026): https://www.wptv.com/lifestyle/palm-beach-zoo/zoo-lights-to-return-with-all-new-bioluminescence-experience-this-holiday-season
• Coral Springs Daily, committee approves 10-foot menorah for Chabad campus (Oct 21, 2026): https://coralspringsdaily.com/2026/10/21/coral-springs-committee-approves-10-foot-menorah-for-chabad-campus-on-university-drive/
• Village of Wellington, Grand Menorah Lighting: https://www.wellingtonfl.gov/2204/Menorah-Lighting
• Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, Menorah Lighting Celebration: https://www.goriverwalk.com/greater-fort-lauderdale-events/menorah-lighting-celebration-6
• Island City Today, Holidays in Wilton Manors 2026 (Oct 22, 2026): https://islandcitytoday.com/posts/2026-10-22-holiday-events-wilton-manors-2026/
• Hebcal, December 2026 candle lighting, West Palm Beach (Dec 4: 5:08 PM, Dec 11: 5:10 PM): https://www.hebcal.com/hebcal?v=1&cfg=json&year=2026&month=12&c=on&geonameid=4177887&M=on&s=off&maj=off&min=off&nx=off&mf=off&ss=off
• Hebcal, Chanukah 2026: https://www.hebcal.com/h/chanukah-2026
• Hebcal Shabbat times, Fort Lauderdale: https://www.hebcal.com/shabbat?geonameid=4155966
• Hebcal Shabbat times, West Palm Beach: https://www.hebcal.com/shabbat?geonameid=4177887
• Hebcal Shabbat times, Boca Raton: https://www.hebcal.com/shabbat?geonameid=4148411
• Chabad.org, Hanukkah 2026 FAQ: https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/605036/jewish/Hanukkah-2026-FAQ.htm

Keep exploring

• Holidays in South Florida 2026: Lights, Boat Parades, Tree Lightings and New Year's Eve in Broward and Palm Beach
• November 2026 in Broward and Palm Beach: Holiday Lights, Tree Lightings, Turkey Trots and Festivals
• Thanksgiving 2026 in Broward and Palm Beach: Restaurants Open, Turkey Trots, Takeout and Ways to Give

Frequently asked questions

When does Hanukkah start in 2026? At sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026 (Hebcal, Chabad.org).

When does Hanukkah end in 2026? At nightfall on Saturday, December 12, 2026. The eighth candle is lit on Friday, December 11.

Why are the first and eighth nights both Fridays? Hanukkah lasts eight nights, so the first and eighth nights fall on the same weekday. In 2026 that is Friday.

Which Hanukkah events are free? Pompano Beach's Festival of Lights (December 6) and the CityPlace celebration in West Palm Beach (December 11) are listed as free. The Chabad of South Broward festival is ticketed. The Fort Lauderdale and Delray Beach pages we checked did not list a cost.

Where are public menorah lightings in Broward and Palm Beach? Wellington (next to the Wellington Amphitheater, December 4), Fort Lauderdale (Las Olas Oceanside Park; the city lists December 6 and Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale lists December 4, so confirm with the city), Delray Beach (Old School Square, December 6) and West Palm Beach (CityPlace, December 11) have 2026 listings so far. The Palm Beach Zoo also lists a menorah lighting space during Zoo Lights.