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HOLIDAYS 2026, Broward and Palm Beach: illustrated waterfront lights, boat parade and holiday tree with The Friendly Scoop branding
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Holidays in South Florida 2026: Lights, Boat Parades, Tree Lightings and New Year's Eve in Broward and Palm Beach

Updated October 27, 2026

By Chris Cusimano · The Friendly Scoop · 14 min read

We only list events with 2026 dates confirmed by an official source in the dated sections. We add more every week as cities announce them; many city events are posted about 6 to 8 weeks out. Events awaiting 2026 dates appear separately under Coming soon. Confirm details on the official page before you go.

Holiday lights

4 events

  • Broward County · Coconut Creek

    Holiday Fantasy of Lights

    Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027

    Time:
    Nightly 6 to 10 PM
    Venue:
    Tradewinds Park North Entrance
    Cost:
    $34 per car

    3-mile drive-through light show.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Coconut Creek

    Stroll Through the Lights

    Nov 13, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 9 PM
    Venue:
    Tradewinds Park North Entrance
    Official event page

  • Broward County · Coconut Creek

    Bike Through the Lights

    Nov 15, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 9 PM
    Venue:
    Tradewinds Park North Entrance
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · West Palm Beach

    Zoo Lights 2026

    Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027

    Venue:
    Palm Beach Zoo

    Evening walk through the lit zoo with a tree show every 20 minutes.

    Official event page

Tree lightings and city festivals

16 events

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Light Up Lauderdale

    Nov 5, 2026

    Time:
    5:30 to 8:30 PM
    Venue:
    Esplanade Park on the Riverwalk

    Lighting at 6:30 PM, kids zone and Santa.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Light Up the Galt

    Nov 12, 2026

    Time:
    5:30 to 8:30 PM
    Venue:
    North Beach Restaurants and Shoppes, NE 33rd Ave and NE 33rd St

    Tree lighting at 6:30 PM and Letters to Santa station.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Light Up the Beach

    Nov 19, 2026

    Time:
    5:30 to 8:30 PM
    Venue:
    Las Olas Oceanside Park

    50,000+ lights, a 20-foot snowman and Santa.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Light Up Sistrunk

    Dec 3, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 8 PM
    Venue:
    Sistrunk Blvd between NW 9th and 11th Aves
    Cost:
    Free

    Tree lighting at 7 PM, toy giveaway and Santa.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Light Up Carter Park

    Dec 11, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 8 PM
    Venue:
    Carter Park
    Cost:
    Free

    Rides, crafts and tree lighting.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Coral Springs

    Light Up the Lawn

    Dec 5, 2026

    Time:
    5:30 to 9:30 PM
    Venue:
    Coral Springs City Hall Lawn, 9500 W Sample Rd
    Cost:
    Free

    Tree lighting, snow zone, cookies and food trucks. Train rides are for residents only.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Deerfield Beach

    Ocean Way Holiday

    Dec 3, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 9 PM
    Venue:
    Deerfield Beach Main Beach Parking Lot, 149 SE 21st Ave
    Cost:
    Free

    Santa Parade at 5:30 PM, beach light-up. Free shuttle 4:30 to 9:45 PM from St. Ambrose, 363 SE 12th Ave.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Wilton Manors

    Wilton Manors Holiday Lighting Ceremony

    Dec 3, 2026

    Time:
    6:30 PM

    Lights the city tree, a menorah and a Kwanzaa kinara, with music and vendors.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

    Christmas By-The-Sea

    Dec 2, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 8 PM
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Delray Beach

    Delray Beach 100 Ft. Christmas Tree Lighting

    Dec 1, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 9 PM
    Venue:
    Old School Square, 51 N Swinton Ave

    Downtown Delray Beach, tree lit at 7 PM. The tree and Santa's Village stay up through New Year's Day per organizer.

    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · West Palm Beach

    Holiday in Paradise Tree Lighting

    Dec 3, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 10 PM
    Venue:
    Waterfront Commons, Meyer Amphitheatre and Flagler Dr, 100 N. Clematis St
    Cost:
    Free
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Jupiter

    Jupiter Tree Lighting Ceremony

    Dec 4, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 7 PM
    Venue:
    Town Green, 210 Military Trail
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Boynton Beach

    Boynton Beach 55th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting

    Dec 5, 2026

    Time:
    4 to 10 PM
    Venue:
    Centennial Park and Amphitheater, 120 E. Ocean Ave
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Palm Beach Gardens

    Palm Beach Gardens Tree Lighting

    Dec 5, 2026

    Time:
    4 to 8 PM
    Venue:
    Gardens North County District Park, 5101 117th Ct N
    Cost:
    Free

    Tree lit at 5:45 PM.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    64th Annual Christmas on Las Olas

    Dec 1, 2026

    Time:
    5 to 10 PM
    Venue:
    Las Olas Blvd between SE 6th and SE 11th Aves
    Cost:
    See official page
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Boca Raton

    City of Boca Raton Holiday Tree Lighting

    Nov 21, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 10 PM
    Venue:
    Mizner Park Amphitheater
    Cost:
    Free

    Ceremonial tree lighting at 7:30 PM.

    Official event page

Parades and boat parades

5 events

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade

    Dec 12, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 8:30 PM; non-motorized boat pre-show 5:30 PM
    Venue:
    New River from Stranahan House east, then north on the Intracoastal to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach (about 12 miles)

    Organizer notes dates may change. Tickets: see official page.

    Official event page

  • Broward County · Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point and Deerfield Beach

    64th Greater Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade

    Dec 11, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 9:30 PM
    Venue:
    Intracoastal through Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point and Deerfield Beach
    Cost:
    Free from shore; Chamber Boat Experience $200 per person; VIP Viewing Party at The Cove in Deerfield Beach $100 per person
    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Boca Raton

    54th Annual Boca Raton Holiday Street Parade

    Dec 2, 2026

    Time:
    7:30 to 9 PM

    Route not set yet because of Federal Hwy road work; see official page. A 1-mile Boca Holiday Mile Run is held before the parade, and the theme is Boca by the Beach; details coming soon on the official page.

    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · North Palm Beach and Jupiter

    32nd Annual Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade

    Dec 5, 2026

    Time:
    Starts 6 PM; reaches Jupiter around 8 PM
    Venue:
    Intracoastal from North Palm Beach to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
    Cost:
    Free to watch

    Rain or shine. Bring a new unwrapped toy for the toy drive. Viewing spots include Juno Park, Lighthouse Park, Jupiter Riverwalk and Harbourside Place.

    Official event page

  • Palm Beach County · Lantana, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach

    Boynton Beach Holiday Boat Parade

    Dec 11, 2026

    Time:
    6 to 9 PM
    Venue:
    Boynton Harbor Marina, 735 Casa Loma Blvd

    Toys for Tots donations encouraged.

    Official event page

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

0 events

Wilton Manors Holiday Lighting Ceremony on Dec 3 lights a menorah and a Kwanzaa kinara; see Tree lightings and city festivals. The Fort Lauderdale Menorah Lighting Celebration remains under Coming soon because city pages list both Dec 4 and Dec 6.

Holiday shows

25 events

New Year's Eve

1 event

  • Broward County · Fort Lauderdale

    Orange Bowl Downtown Countdown

    Dec 31, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027

    Time:
    4:30 PM to 1 AM
    Venue:
    SW 2nd St and SW 5th Ave
    Cost:
    Free

    Street festival, live music and lighted anchor drop at midnight.

    Official event page

Coming soon

14 events

Gift ideas

Sources

Official organizer and city links appear on every event card. Last checked October 27, 2026. Missing venues, times and costs are not guessed. The Fort Lauderdale menorah lighting has conflicting city dates and remains under Coming soon. No official page was supplied for the Mounts Botanical Garden lantern festival.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Winterfest Boat Parade in 2026?

The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale is Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 PM, with a non-motorized boat pre-show at 5:30 PM. The route runs from Stranahan House east on the New River, then north on the Intracoastal to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach, about 12 miles. The organizer notes dates may change; check the official page for tickets.

Where can I see drive-through holiday lights in Broward and Palm Beach?

Holiday Fantasy of Lights is a 3-mile drive-through at Tradewinds Park North Entrance in Coconut Creek, running nightly from 6 to 10 PM from November 21, 2026 to January 2, 2027. Palm Beach Zoo's Zoo Lights in West Palm Beach is an evening walk, not a drive-through, from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027; check its official page for hours and tickets.

When is the Delray Beach Christmas tree lighting?

Delray Beach's 100 Ft. Christmas Tree Lighting is Tuesday, December 1, 2026, from 6 to 9 PM, with the tree lit at 7 PM. The tree and Santa's Village stay up through New Year's Day per the organizer; see the official page for venue and costs.

What free holiday events are there in Broward and Palm Beach?

Free events include Coral Springs Light Up the Lawn on December 5, Deerfield Beach Ocean Way Holiday on December 3 and Fort Lauderdale's Orange Bowl Downtown Countdown on December 31. In Palm Beach County, the City of Boca Raton Holiday Tree Lighting on November 21, Holiday in Paradise Tree Lighting in West Palm Beach on December 3 and Palm Beach Gardens Tree Lighting on December 5 are free, and the Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade on December 5 is free to watch.

When does Hanukkah start in 2026?

Hanukkah begins the evening of Friday, December 4 and ends December 12, 2026. Fort Lauderdale city pages list both December 4 and December 6 for the Menorah Lighting Celebration at Las Olas Oceanside Park, so check the official page before you go.

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