Celebrate Christmas the Small-Town Way in Hastings

A winding path leads through rows of lighted, decorated Christmas trees at night for the Hastings Holiday Experience

Trade the crowds for small-town charm at the Hastings Holiday Experience and Hometown Christmas Parade, December 11–12.

Just west of St. Augustine, the farm town of Hastings is rolling out a two-day holiday celebration that feels like stepping into a Christmas card. The inaugural Hastings Holiday Experience fills downtown's Main Street district with lights, music and family fun on Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12, 2026. Admission is free.

Friday: Tree Lighting Ceremony

Festivities start Friday at 5 p.m. with holiday performances, a festive atmosphere and s'mores to roast. The highlight is the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at 6:45 p.m., when the 30-foot tree lights up downtown. The evening runs until 8 p.m.

Saturday: Parade, Makers Market and Holiday Fun

Saturday starts early, with the Makers Market open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. At 10 a.m., the Hastings Hometown Christmas Parade steps off from 400 E. Harris St., with festive floats, marching bands, classic cars and decorated horses rolling down North Main Street.

After the parade, the Holiday Experience continues until 8 p.m. Families can wander a Christmas tree maze with snow flurries, check in with elves keeping the naughty and nice lists, see the Live Nativity, and stop by businesses throughout downtown for cookie decorating, interactive coloring walls and more. Local artists perform throughout the Main Street district.

Plan Your Visit

  • Where: Downtown Hastings Main Street district, 418 N. Main St., Hastings, FL 32145
  • When: Friday, December 11, 5-8 p.m., tree lighting at 6:45 p.m.; Saturday, December 12, Makers Market 9 a.m.-4 p.m., parade at 10 a.m., festivities until 8 p.m.
  • Cost: Free
  • More info: hastingsfl.org; parade information 904-827-6970

Hastings is a short drive west of downtown St. Augustine, so it's easy to pair a day of small-town holiday fun with an evening stroll through Nights of Lights.

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