Christmas on Florida’s Historic Coast®

Make your Christmas merry and bright with special events to celebrate the season.

Christmas Light Displays
Christmas Light Shows & Displays
Christmas Light Shows & Displays

Much like our historic roots, our annual events are a local tradition that helps generate the warm buzz of holiday cheer and get everyone in the holiday spirit. Kick-start the holiday season with the Nights of Lights and Lighthouse Illuminations, which sprinkle some holiday cheer in the form of Christmas lights throughout town, starting in late November.

Or take part in tradition by visiting St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum for their annual Luminary Night or by witnessing reenactments at the Colonial Night Watch event. Don't miss out on the many holiday parades, from the Christmas Parade in historic downtown St. Augustine, Palm Valley's Lighted Boat Parade or the Regatta of Lights. Remember the season with Holidays in Hastings or Las Posadas at Mission Nombre de Dios.

Christmas Light Displays

Lighthouse Illuminations

Date: November 20, 2026-January 16, 2027
Location: The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum | 100 Red Cox Dr.

Tides, Tidings, & Trees, the 2026 theme for the annual Lighthouse Illuminations event at The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, sprinkles holiday cheer throughout the museum with 20 decorated Christmas trees and thousands of holiday lights.

Local Tip: Make sure to bring the kids; the museum will have a special space for children to write their letters to Santa within the museum.

Nights of Lights

Date: November 21, 2026-January 18, 2027
Location: Download the Nights of Lights app for the event map

The Christmas season in St. Augustine is known for its sensational Nights of Lights holiday display. During Nights of Lights, white lights glow from the sidewalks to the rooftops, over the Bridge of Lions, and trail through approximately 20 city blocks in St. Augustine’s Historic District. Taking in the soft, magical glow of more than 3 million white lights is an unforgettable experience – which is why it’s considered one of the top light displays in the world. Perhaps the best way to experience Nights of Lights is with a tour. Review our Nights of Lights Tour page for more information.

Local Tip: For the best photos at the Nights of Lights, head over to the Lightner Museum Courtyard and pose among the glistening shrubbery, or Castillo de San Marcos for moody lights and dramatic views. For more suggestions, read our "Where to Take the Best Photos During St. Augustine's Nights of Lights" blog for all our top tips for Instagrammable spots.

Holiday Parades

Christmas Parade

Date: December 5, 2026
Location: Historic Downtown St. Augustine

Experience St. Augustine's annual Christmas Parade with floats, marching bands, cars, horses and the arrival of Santa. The parade starts at 9 a.m. by the Mission Nombre de Dios off San Marco Avenue and continues through the downtown streets of historic St. Augustine.

Local Tip: Take advantage of St. Augustine's free Park & Ride Shuttle, which starts early at 8 a.m., with free parking and drop-off at the Visitor Information Center.

Lighted Boat Parade in Palm Valley

Date: December 5, 2026 | 6-7:30 p.m.
Location: Palm Valley Bridge | 6 Roscoe Blvd.

Celebrate the holiday season with the lighted boat parade in Ponte Vedra Beach. The parade route is 7 miles of the Intracoastal and starts 1 mile south of the Palm Valley Bridge and travels north.

Local Tip: Get there early to grab a seat on the available bleacher seating, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

Holiday Regatta of Lights

Date: December 12, 2026 | 6-7 p.m.
Location: Along St. Augustine's bayfront between the Bridge of Lions and the Vilano Fishing Pier

Typically held on the second Saturday in December, this annual holiday tradition features boats decorated with brilliant lighted displays. The regatta will light up St. Augustine’s Matanzas Bay between the Bridge of Lions and Castillo de San Marcos.

Local Tip: Pack layers (or a cup of hot chocolate); standing by the water for this parade makes it a colder experience than the Christmas Parade.

Holiday Activities & Shows

Luminary Night

Date: December 2, 2026
Location: St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum | 100 Red Cox Dr.

Luminary Night at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum is a family-friendly tradition with activities for all ages. Visit with Santa, enjoy yuletide refreshments and see the lighthouse’s spectacular holiday decorations and lighting displays.

Local Tip: Get the kids dressed up and plan a Christmas photo with Santa at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum.

Colonial Night Watch and Torchlight Parade

Date: December 4-5, 2026
Location: Oldest House Museum Complex | 14 Francis St.

At the Colonial Night Watch, historical interpreters re-create 18th-century combined Spanish, British, French, colonial militia and Native American military arts, culture and lifestyles throughout the day at the Colonial Quarter and Castillo de San Marcos. The St. Augustine Colonial Night Watch Torchlight Parade is at 7 p.m. from the Castillo to the Governor's House Cultural Center & Museum.

Local Tip: If you are sensitive to loud sounds, bring earplugs or headphones to help muffle the musket salute at the parade.

Holidays in Hastings

Date: December 11-12, 2026 | 10-11:30 a.m.
Location: North Main Street | 400 Harris St.

Head to Hastings on the 11th for their Christmas tree lighting event, and continue the celebrations into the following day. The Hastings Hometown Christmas Parade, beginning at 10 a.m. on December 12, will take place down Main Street in Hastings starting at the W.E. Harris Community Center. Continue the holiday celebration after the parade at the Makers Market, where you'll find local vendors and live performances.

Local Tip: Follow the St. Johns County Parks and Recreation Facebook page for parking information for the parade.

Las Posadas

Date: December 12, 2026 | 3-8 p.m.
Location: Mission Nombre de Dios | 101 San Marco Ave.

Las Posadas commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem at Mission Nombre de Dios. The tour begins at 3 p.m. for Las Posadas and the Living Nativity and Eucharistic Adoration. Eucharistic Adoration is not a performance. People will come and go during the time it is open.

Local Tip: If you're looking to attend, reserve a spot! Visit the Mission Nombre de Dios website for more information.

#NIGHTSOFLIGHTS

More 2026 Holiday Events

Find more of our upcoming holiday events by visiting the "Holidays & Seasonal" category on our Events page.

Book a room and spend the holiday season on Florida's Historic Coast. Enrich your visit with historic sites as well as Christmas cheer by using our Places to Stay page to pick local accommodations that suit you and yours!

Explore More

Bushes, trees, and buildings covered in holiday lights during the St. Augustine Night of Lights
Palm trees wrapped in white lights glow at twilight during Nights of Lights in St. Augustine
SAB night market 750 413 i Stock 1285278555
A woman takes a group photo of her friends while dining at a restaurant for the holidays in St. Augustine, FL
Fireworks explode in the sky above a beach in St. Augustine, Florida, as crowds of spectators look on below.
A woman holding a small wrapped gift with a white bow
NOL OTT 1920x1280
Two palm trees wrapped in white lights on the St. Augustine bayfront at sunset during Nights of Lights
Memorial Presbyterian Church
Woman smiling while taking photos of the light displays during St. Augustine Nights of Lights
Lighthouse Illuminations Christmas Trees