Tallahassee Winter Festival

When Downtown Tallahassee transforms into a storybook wonderland for the thirty-ninth annual Winter Festival, it will feel as if you’re seeing the holidays once again through the eyes of a child. Lights will glow brighter. Music will ring louder. Every turn down “Candy Cane Lane” will hold the possibility of magic. For families, it’s a chance to watch the next generation gleam with that familiar holiday joy.

From afternoon until night, attendees can wander between food vendors teeming with delicious treats, booths overflowing with handmade holiday gifts, and performances that showcase Tallahassee’s creative spirit. Four stages of live entertainment will dot our downtown, highlighting local actors, musicians, and dancers. The festival’s arts programming gives both celebrated performers and emerging talent a rare chance to shine before a crowd of tens of thousands.

As the sun sets and the sparkle of hanging lights illuminates, the festival’s most anticipated traditions will come to life. At 6 p.m., all eyes will turn to the parade announcers’ platform at Bloxham Park on South Monroe Street for the official lighting ceremony. In an instant, streets, palm trees, and rooftops will burn bright, wrapping downtown in a blanket of holiday cheer. Just minutes later, at 6:15 p.m., the clang of bells will signal the start of the Jingle Bell Run, a spirited dash when hundreds of participants—from seasoned runners to families in matching pajamas—bound down the streets.

Photos Courtesy of City of Tallahassee

The Nighttime Holiday Parade will step off at 7:10 p.m., bringing with it the core of what the Winter Festival represents: community. This beloved procession is more than a present for the eyes; it’s a living snapshot of Tallahassee. Schools, neighborhood groups, marching bands, and public servants all take part. It’s the kind of scene that makes strangers feel like family—the perfect reminder that the holidays are best when shared.

The 2025 Winter Festival: a Celebration of Lights, Music, and the Arts is the city’s tinsel-coated invitation to embrace all the warmth, color, and possibility the season has to offer. The festival is free to attend and will take place December 6, from 3 to 10 p.m.