It’s the most wonderful time of the year in #DTJax! There is so much to do and see in Downtown this holiday season, we want to make sure you don’t miss a thing. Our holiday event guide is full of long-standing traditions as well as new, first time events! From Nutcrackers to Tree Lightings and Santa visits, Downtown has everything you need to get in the holiday spirit.
- 11/24: 31st Annual Christmas on the River Tree Lighting Ceremony | The Jacksonville Landing | 7 p.m.
The show will take place in the Landing’s Courtyard beginning at 7:00 p.m. featuring live musical entertainment and the 31st annual lighting of The Jacksonville Landing’s Christmas Tree.
View a holiday light display synchronized to recorded songs of the season, broadcast on 94.5 FM
This nationally acclaimed event is a fantastic way to ease into your holiday shopping and find that special holiday gift for that “hard to shop for” friend.
Celebrate Small Business Saturday in Downtown Jacksonville! It’s a special holiday created so communities can show love for small businesses like ours. And it wouldn’t be a celebration without customers like you joining us.
There’s a reason Home Alone is the highest grossing Christmas movie of all time. Now experience it like never before as the Symphony plays John Williams’ score live to the film.
The Landing’s 56-foot tree comes to life performing 10-minute light shows set to your favorite holiday songs.
The Landing Courtyard will be decorated for the holiday season with Christmas Trees and ornaments-a-plenty. Live entertainment by Party Solution Entertainment on the Coca-Cola Riverfront Stage.
A monthly, free event for all people interested in shopping with small, local businesses.
The iconic guitarist, songwriter, vocalist and three-time Grammy-Award winner Brian Setzer (“Rock This Town,” and “Jump Jive An’ Wail”) and his 19-piece orchestra whip up a huge dose of retro holiday cheer with their Christmas Rocks! Tour.
Pop quartet, 98° (Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre) return to the stage to perform Christmas classics from their soon-to- be released holiday album, and their biggest hits!
Visitors enjoy gigantic, creative gingerbread houses built by chefs, bakers, architects, engineers, culinary school students, families, young people and other individuals.
The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium rocks the First Friday of every month at MOSH! Experience total sensory entertainment as laser lights, high-def images and digital sound collide to create a Cosmic Concert!
Enjoy the holiday season as local schools, churches and dance groups perform in front of the 56-foot tall Christmas Tree in the Courtyard. Performances take place during lunch and in the evenings.
Every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. enjoy farm fresh produce, artists, artisans and more! Free Admission & Free Parking.
A dozen all-star dancers, on-stage DJ, an electric violinist and special performances by rapper and guest emcee Kurtis Blow (“Basketball” and “The Breaks”) bring the traditional Nutcracker story to life in contemporary New York City.
This free event will feature holiday activities, entertainment and more inside City Hall. In addition, Mrs. Curry will read a holiday book to families at 6:15 p.m. in the City Hall Atrium which will be followed by the lighting of the St. James Holiday Tree by the Curry family at 7 p.m. in Hemming Park.
Bring the entire family to #DTJax and celebrate the holidays at the Spirit of Giving Art Walk! Get the perfect gift for your loved one while exploring over 60+ participating businesses, food trucks, art galleries, local artists and more.
The class will create 3-D holiday ornaments for the season. Join for some 3-D fun!
Jacksonville’s favorite holiday tradition is back and better than ever. Featuring the talents of the Symphony, Symphony Chorus, guest singers, dancers, and the area’s only guaranteed snow fall.
Part of The Main Library’s Not Your Average Christmas Movie Series! Hudsucker Proxy – A naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.
99.1 WQIK’s Jingle Jam for St. Jude brings together country stars Granger Smith, Lauren Alaina, Midland and Dylan Scott on one stage in a Christmas themed acoustic jam setting to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The First Annual Christmas Caravan Tour will feature the band performing classic holiday songs along with Squirrel Nut Zipper hits!
This highly sophisticated production is built purely upon a passion for art and selfless will for an emotionally stirring result. Every performance exudes imagination and creativity. Dancers gracefully twirl and twist in Clara’s winter wonderland, pulling the audience into the jubilant scenes.
Every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. enjoy farm fresh produce, artists, artisans and more! Free Admission & Free Parking.
Tuba Christmas is a music concert held in cities worldwide that celebrates those who play, teach, and compose music for instruments in the tuba family.
Bring your little ones to MOSH the second Wednesday of every month for exclusive programming for preschool-aged children and their caregivers. This program is extremely popular – please pre-register.
Bring your lunch – bagged, boxed or bought from a local eatery – to the Lounge, located just inside the Main Library entrance on Laura Street. Relax to the music while dining solo or with friends.
Design and customize your own holiday ornament using simple and free 3D design software.
Join Hemming Park, Jacksonville Public Library, and AVANT MUSIC for an introduction to Hanukkah and its related traditions. We’ll enjoy music by Cantor Jesse Holzer and Koltrain, story time and crafts with JPL, dreidel games, a menorah lighting and more. And yes, there will be doughnuts! This event is free and open to the public and is the first in a year-long series of Hemming Park events designed to celebrate the diverse cultures of Jacksonville
Over the past 20-plus years, Trans-Siberian Orchestra has become a critically-acclaimed, multi-platinum, musical powerhouse, and its annual winter tours a beloved, multi-generational holiday tradition.
Part of The Main Library’s Not Your Average Christmas Movie Series! Batman Returns – When a corrupt businessman and the grotesque Penguin plot to take control of Gotham City, only Batman can stop them, while the Catwoman has her own agenda.
The First Coast Nutcracker Ballet has been a tradition in North Florida for over 40 years. Experience Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet with the area’s only live orchestra performance.
Every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. enjoy farm fresh produce, artists, artisans and more! Free Admission & Free Parking.
Santa Claus is coming to the library! You’re invited to join the fun and share St. Nick stories and songs, followed by a visit from Santa Claus himself!
First A.C.T., the nonprofit Florida Theatre’s young professional networking group, presents the film ELF, to benefit Feeding Northeast Florida. Admission is FREE for every adult and child with a gift of canned or nonperishable food. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Come early and have your picture taken with Santa, have some hot chocolate, a sweet treat and make an ornament at the crafting area. ELF begins at 2 p.m. Runtime is 97 min.
The Jacksonville Symphony and Symphony Chorus bring you the most powerful performance of the holiday season.
Collectors of Jacksonville will host a special motorized holiday train display on MOSH’s Third Floor. Collector volunteer operators will be on hand to engage visitors about trains, engineering, and model building. The trains will be rotated throughout the day as they travel through a winter wonderland!
Join the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras for their special holiday concert in Jacoby Symphony Hall.
Shop local during the Hemming Park Holiday Market, 11 am to 6 pm on December 18th through December 22nd. Enjoy music, food trucks, holiday decor and artisan goods in the heart of Jacksonville. Vendors are encouraged to contact christina@hemmingpark.org for information about vending.
Quite simply one of the most delightful and enchanting Christmas shows ever, featuring glittering costumes, a dazzling cast and the highest kicking chorus girls this side of the North Pole.
Direct from Australia, The TEN Tenors perform traditional and contemporary versions of holiday favorites “Joy to the World,” “Sleigh Ride,” “White Christmas,” “Amazing, Grace,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Feliz Navidad” and more.
Part of The Main Library’s Not Your Average Christmas Movie Series! Gremlins – A boy inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Join us at the Hemming Park Holiday Market for a dog-friendly happy hour! Meet Henry, Hemming Park’s new dog ambassador. Enjoy live music, holiday libations, shopping, and treats from Bark Downtown.
Join us this holiday season as we partner with Angel’s Envy to host a Home Alone Ugly Sweater Holiday Party! Robbie Freeman of Ice Plant will be here guest bartending with a cocktail menu dedicated to one of the greatest holiday movies of all time: Home Alone. $1 from each cocktail will go to charity with a match from Angel’s Envy. We will also be collecting toys for Toys 4 Tots!
This celebrated Charles Jones adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is rich with thrilling ensemble music, alive with color and movement, and is created to tell this great and enduring tale in a manner that people of all ages will enjoy.
Seven challenges using household items. 60 seconds on the clock. Your pride on the line. Think you can do it? You’ve got a Minute to Win It. Based on activities from the hit TV show, see if you have what it takes to beat the clock and win! For teens 12-18.
The Emmy® and Peabody award-winning story by Charles M. Schulz has been a longstanding tradition, warming the hearts of millions of fans since it first aired on television over 50 years ago. Now, the live on stage adaptation of the classic animated television special brings all your favorite characters to life – all set to the unforgettable sounds of the Vince Guaraldi musical score. Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the Peanuts gang in their journey to uncover the true meaning of Christmas.
“Some movies can be viewed an indefinite number of times. They improve with familiarity. It’s a Wonderful Life falls into that category.” So said Roger Ebert. See Frank Capra’s and Jimmy Stewart’s favorite film with its wonderful score played live by the Symphony and you’ll see it like never before.
Meet up with your friends for Jacksonville’s best brunch all day! Enjoy mimosas or other specialty cocktails along with your breakfast and lunch favorites in our fun and festive atmosphere. The best patio dining downtown!
A monthly, free event for all people interested in shopping with small, local businesses.
Celebrate this Christmas with the experience taking North America by storm! Marking the 25th Anniversary Tour, Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker features over-the-top production and world class Russian artists. Larger than life Puppets, Nesting Dolls and gloriously hand-crafted costumes bring the Christmas spirit to life.
Need free time to finish your holiday shopping and baking? Kindergartners through fifth graders are welcome for a week of scientific fun at MOSH Winter Discovery Camps.
Part of The Main Library’s Not Your Average Christmas Movie Series! We’re No Angels – Three Devil’s Island escapees hide out in the home of a kindly merchant and repay his kindness by helping him and his family out of several crises.
The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without the Community First Jacksonville Light Boat Parade. Each year, more than 200,000 people line the banks of the St. Johns River to celebrate the holiday season.
Meet up with your friends for Jacksonville’s best brunch all day! Enjoy mimosas or other specialty cocktails along with your breakfast and lunch favorites in our fun and festive atmosphere. The best patio dining downtown!
Downtown Jacksonville is the place to be this New Year’s Eve and The Jacksonville Landing is where to celebrate and ring in 2017! The New Year’s Eve Celebration will feature live music, food, drink specials and fireworks!
Celebrate the new year with the Symphony! Internationally acclaimed performer Tomáš Kubínek brings hilarity and charm to the Symphony stage in a work of grand music, madcap brilliance, and old-world panache. At the after party, enjoy refreshments with a perfect view of the fireworks as the Chris Thomas Band performs live!
The City of Jacksonville invites residents and visitors Downtown to the banks of the St. Johns River to ring in the New Year with a fireworks spectacular. The fireworks will begin at midnight on Jan. 1, 2018 and will be choreographed to music that can be heard from loudspeakers at The Jacksonville Landing.
This New Years, Unity Plaza is offering 3 different ways to celebrate! A concert with the Band Be Easy, an Elegant Candle-Lit Dinner at HOBNOB, or VIP Lounge in the HOBNOB Gallery + Event Space. Learn more and purchase tickets here.