It’s the most wonderful time of the year! December is here and the holiday season is in full swing. From the half-a-million twinkling lights of the month-long First City Lights Festival to lighted boat and street parades, Pensacola is home to some of the most magical moments of the holiday season. Here are some holiday parades and light displays happening across the city that are sure to bring you and the family plenty of holiday cheer!
Season Your Holiday Lighted Boat Parade & Fireworks
This festive boat parade is held annually at Pensacola Beach and is sure to bring everyone some holiday cheer—with a unique Florida twist! This year’s Lighted Boat Parade will set sail on December 6 at 6:30 pm from Sabine Marina in Little Sabine Bay at Pensacola Beach. Boats of all shapes, colors and sizes will be covered in festive lights as they caravan through Santa Rosa Sound, just along the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, and then circle back to the marina. Spectators are invited to watch the parade from Little Sabine, the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, or any participating business along the parade route. Directly following the boat parade, Santa will make his way to the Quietwater Shell on the Boardwalk to greet the children. The event will conclude with a dazzling fireworks display over Santa Rosa Sound starting at 8 pm. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. For details, visit pensacolabeachchamber.com.
Surfing Santa Beach Parade
Head out to Pensacola Beach on December 8 for some holiday fun at the annual Surfing Santa Beach Parade! Starting at 2 pm from Panferio Drive (Avenida 11) on Pensacola Beach, join thousands of childen, parents and spectators as the parade will make its way down Via De Luna toward Casino Beach, ending at the Gulfside Pavilion parking lot. Other parade festivities include Christmas-themed floats, costumes, music, and of course, Santa Claus! Kids are also invited to a special meet and greet with Santa immediately following the parade at the Gulfside Pavilion until 3 pm. Don’t miss this unique and fun-filled holiday event that combines the spirit of surfing with Christmas joy! This event is family-friendly and there is no cost to attend. Visit pensacolabeachchamber.com for more information.
Reverse Holiday Parade
On December 12 from 5 to 8 pm, individuals are invited to attend the City of Gulf Breeze’s annual Reverse Holiday Parade at Shoreline Park’s Community Center Drive in Gulf Breeze. For this reverse holiday parade, visitors will drive through the venue and enjoy a magical light display, live music and festive participants handing out holiday treats along the parade route. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required to attend. Event organizers will be collecting new, unwrapped toy donations for the Toys for Tots Foundation. Shoreline Park is located at 800 Shoreline Dr. in Gulf Breeze. For information, visit cityofgulfbreeze.us/reverse-holiday-parade.
42nd Annual Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade
Sometimes you just have to see Santa riding down the street in his sleigh to really get in the holiday spirit, and the Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade on December 14 is sure to deliver! Drawing nearly 50,000 spectators to the streets of downtown Pensacola each year, the Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. The parade has grown to include more than 100 entries, with more than 50 festive floats and marching bands from high schools across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The nationally-renowned Blue Angels flight team will also take part in this year’s parade festivities. The Pensacola Runners Association has also teamed up with the Cox Pensacola Christmas Parade to host the annual Downtown Parade Christmas Dash immediately before the start of the parade. The parade begins at 5:30 pm and runs along Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola. For complete details and to view the 2024 parade route, visit coxpensacolachristmasparade.org.
Milton Christmas Parade
The City of Milton will host its annual Christmas Parade on December 7 at 6 pm in Historic Downtown Milton. The parade route will begin at the Clyde L. Gracey Community Center and continue north, turning east onto James Street, then south onto Stewart Street, disbanding at Elva Street in downtown Milton. This family-friendly Christmas event is free and open to the community. Come out and enjoy a lighted parade with festive floats, holiday music, caroling and more! Check out the City of Milton Christmas Parade on Facebook for information and to view the parade route.
5th Annual East Hill All-Vehicle Sleigh Ride
Help spread holiday joy throughout the streets of East Hill at the 5th Annual All-Vehicle East Hill Sleigh Ride on December 21. Members of the community are invited to decorate their golf carts, cars, trailered boats, wagons, hitched trailers, dog leashes and bikes for a festive holiday processional through the neighborhood streets. All are welcome to participate, but vehicles are required to be lit up and able to go at least 5 mph. The sleigh ride route passes by three parks (Bayview Park, Zamora Park on 18th Ave. and Estramadura Square on Lakeview Ave.), where spectators are invited to come out and view the holiday processional. The sleigh ride line-up begins at 4:15 pm at the Bayview Community Center parking lot, with the procession kicking off at 5:30 pm. This family-friendly event is free and open to the community. Check out the Facebook event page for complete details.
Sowell’s North Pole Christmas Light Display
Located in Milton, the Sowell family’s annual North Pole display is ready to delight local Christmas light fanatics with a magical experience that has become a holiday tradition for many. Each night through December 26, the public is invited to visit Sowell Farm to take a drive through a dazzling Christmas wonderland. Guests can also tune in to 103.5 FM throughout the ride to listen to music that’s been synchronized with some of the light displays. With more than one million bulbs and at least five miles of extension cords, this spectacular display of holiday lights is nothing short of impressive. The attraction also features a collection of moving Christmas-themed light structures, train rides, camel rides and more! Visitors are also invited to stop by the “Elf Shack” for hot chocolate, holiday snacks and photos with Santa or the Grinch. Sowell’s North Pole will be open nightly from 5:30 to 9 pm through December 26. Admission is $20 per vehicle, and train tickets are $2 per person. Tickets can be pre-purchased online, or cash is accepted at the gate. For tickets and information, visit sowellfarms.com/northpole or check out @sowellsnorthpole on Facebook.
Beulah Night Of Lights
This is one local family that LOVES Christmas! Each year, this Pensacola home is decked out with thousands of festive lights for the community to come out and enjoy. This extravagant holiday display features more than 90,000 twinkling lights synchronized to different holiday songs. The family also hosts Santa and hands out special holiday treats to its visitors. Located at 10790 Beulah Rd. in Pensacola, this annual display attracts hundreds of spectators each night. Visitors are invited to visit the display from 5:30 to 9 pm on Sunday through Thursday and from 5:30 to 10 pm on Friday and Saturday. The display will be open through New Year’s Eve. Check out the Beulah Night of Lights Facebook page for more details.
Pensacola Winterfest
Running select nights from early November through December 24, Winterfest transforms the historic downtown streets of Pensacola into a whimsical winter wonderland decorated with over half a million sparkling white lights. Visitors can enjoy various festive activities and attractions, promising a memorable and enchanting holiday experience for visitors of all ages. The festivities kick off on Black Friday with the enchanting Winterfest Elf Parade and culminate on Christmas Eve, offering a continuous array of live performances, captivating holiday trolley tours, snow cascades, appearances by Santa Claus and a cast of beloved holiday characters. Mark your calendars for the Elf Parade on November 29 at 12:30 pm at Government at Palafox Streets. The judging will commence at 1:25 pm, leading to the grand parade at 2 pm. For tickets and to view the complete schedule of 2024 Winterfest events, visit pensacolawinterfest.org.
2024 VW Christmas Light Cruise
Hosted by Pensacola VW Happenings, this nostalgic holiday cruise features more than 40 classic Volkswagens of all colors, shapes, sizes, makes and models decked out in holiday lights. On Saturday, December 7, the festive VWs will stroll through East Hill, downtown Pensacola and Pensacola Beach to spread holiday cheer throughout the community! Participants, families and friends are invited to meet at Coastal County Brewery in Pensacola at 4:30 pm to mingle and enjoy food and beverages before the cruise. The VW caravan will roll out from Coastal County at 6:30 pm and cruise down Scenic Highway to Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola and make its way to Pensacola Beach and end at the Casino Beach parking lot. Visit bit.ly/PcolaVWCruise for more information.