Local Living · Holiday Season 2026

From the glow of Lake Eola to snowfall on Market Street, Central Florida does the holidays in style. Here are the local events worth putting on your calendar this season, whether you live here already or are getting to know the neighborhoods before a move.

Downtown Orlando & Lake Eola

Downtown's holiday season centers on Lake Eola Park, one of the most loved settings in the city and a short drive from College Park, Baldwin Park and the historic neighborhoods around downtown.

  • Tree Lighting Celebration · Friday, December 4 at the Lake Eola Amphitheater, the official start of the season downtown.
  • Eola Wonderland Christmas Tree Show · December 4 through January 6, with light-and-music shows at 5:45, 6:45, 7:45, 8:45 and 9:45 p.m.
  • Free holiday movies on the East Lawn · 7 p.m. on December 5 (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), December 12 (Elf) and December 19 (A Christmas Story).
  • Merry Market · select evenings December 4 to 22, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., on the east side of the park.
  • Holiday Train · Fridays through Sundays, December 4 to 20, 5:30 to 9 p.m.
  • Snowfall at Lake Eola House · select evenings December 5 to 21, every half hour from 6 to 9 p.m.
  • Meet Santa · select evenings December 5 to 22 at Lake Eola House, plus a Sensory Night on December 13 for families who prefer a calmer visit.

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

  • Frontyard Holiday Festival · November 27 through December 31 on the center's front lawn.
  • Holiday performances · Handel's Messiah on November 15, A Christmas Nutcracker Tale on November 19 and 20, and Clare and the Chocolate Nutcracker on November 28.
  • Sunday Movie Nights on Seneff Arts Plaza · Elf on December 6 (7:45 p.m.), then Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (December 13), The Year Without a Santa Claus (December 20) and a Greatest Showman singalong (December 27), each at 6:30 p.m.

Nearby, the Orange County Regional History Center hosts a Holiday Projection Show on its facade every 15 minutes from 5:30 to 10 p.m., December 4 through January 2.

Winter Park

Few places feel more like a hometown holiday than Park Avenue. The 74th Annual Ye Olde Hometown Christmas Parade, billed as the oldest continuous holiday parade in Central Florida, steps off on Saturday, December 5 from 9 to 10:30 a.m., traveling south on Park Avenue from Cole Avenue to Lyman Avenue with more than 80 bands, groups and, of course, Santa.

Winter Park traditionally kicks off the season the evening before with Winter on the Avenue, a tree lighting and street party in Central Park. Watch the City of Winter Park's website for this year's details. Thinking about living here? Explore our Winter Park community guide.

Celebration

The 28th annual Now Snowing Nightly returns to Celebration Town Center from November 28, 2026 through January 1, 2027, beginning at 5:30 p.m. each night. Admission and parking are free. Extras include ice skating ($15 for 30 minutes), wagon rides ($7), train rides ($10), horse-and-carriage rides ($85 for up to four) and photos with Santa through December 24. Learn more about life in Celebration.

Fall in Love with a Neighborhood This Season

Holiday events are one of the best ways to experience a community before you buy. If one of these places catches your eye, Audrey would be glad to show you the homes and neighborhoods nearby.

Talk with Audrey Explore Communities

Event details are from the official listings of Downtown Orlando, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and Celebration Town Center as of November 6, 2026. Dates and times can change, so please confirm with each organizer before you go.