Jacksonville’s winter calendar fills with waterfront parades, large-scale light displays, ticketed concerts, and neighborhood traditions that define the city’s end-of-year rhythm. You can plan around confirmed dates for downtown spectacles, beachside installations, and museum-run exhibitions that keep December busy through New Year’s Eve. The breadth of programming makes it easy to focus on your interests — music, lights, lakefront neighborhoods, or historic settings — without leaving the metro.

Use this guide as a clear, current snapshot of Jacksonville FL holiday events scheduled for winter 2025. Each section outlines what happens, where it takes place, and what separates it from nearby options, so you can compare experiences with practical detail instead of guesswork.

The Jacksonville Light Boat Parade returns to the St. Johns River on Saturday, November 29, 2025, with decorated vessels moving along both riverbanks. The evening program starts at 6 p.m. and culminates with a fireworks display, including the signature pyrotechnic “waterfall” effect off downtown bridges. The route gives you long sightlines from the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalks, plus balcony and patio views at riverfront spots.

This is one of the anchor Jacksonville FL holiday events because it blends a parade format with a skyline backdrop and a fixed, city-managed schedule. If you want a single downtown event that feels distinctly local, the boat lighting, river staging, and finale timing make the parade hard to match.

Deck The Chairs lights up Jacksonville Beach with illuminated, artist-designed lifeguard chairs and installations at the Seawalk Pavilion. For 2025, the display runs nightly from November 26, 2025, through January 1, 2026, with lights on from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. It’s a predictable window that accommodates weeknight and late-evening visits.

The event includes opening-night programming and rotating performances across the season. As a recurring coastal installation with set hours, Deck The Chairs is one of the easiest Jacksonville FL holiday events to plug into a beach day or dinner in the Beaches communities while still seeing a full-scale light environment.

Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens hosts Colors of the Wild, a nighttime lantern experience presented on select nights from November 22, 2025, through February 8, 2026. The walk-through format emphasizes illuminated wildlife scenes and themed zones that change year to year, with clearly posted operating dates.

Because it extends past New Year’s, the exhibit bridges late-December and early-January scheduling for visitors who want a light show outside the core holiday week. It also differs from drive-through displays by focusing on designed lantern sets and pedestrian pathways across the zoo’s grounds.

The Jacksonville Symphony’s Holiday Pops runs December 4–7, 2025, at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts. The program features the full orchestra, Symphony Chorus, and guest vocalists Carole Bufford and Campbell Walker Fields, delivering a concentrated weekend of performances in Jacoby Symphony Hall.

As a downtown, ticketed concert with multiple showtimes, Holiday Pops serves audiences looking for a polished indoor option among Jacksonville FL holiday events. Its consistent staging, strong chorus, and reliable run of dates give it a clear role in the city’s end-of-year lineup.

The Jacksonville Historical Society’s Gingerbread Extravaganza moves forward at the Jacksonville History Center December 13–27, 2025. Expect a curated exhibit of gingerbread structures, a holiday gift shop, and special theme nights programmed during the run. The shift to the History Center setting provides a central downtown backdrop with extended exhibition hours.

This event focuses on crafted displays and an indoor gallery experience instead of outdoor lights. Its mid-December start date also positions it as a reliable stop for visitors who arrive after early tree-lightings but before New Year’s festivities.

Riverside Avondale Preservation schedules Luminaria for Sunday, December 21, 2025, at dusk, when streets and sidewalks are lined with candlelit bags across the neighborhood. The design intent is simple: block after block of low, even light creates a cohesive look best appreciated on foot or by slow local transit.

Complementary programming includes the Garden Club of Jacksonville’s Luminaria Festival on the same evening, which offers lawn-viewing, music, and neighborhood tours. Together, the street-level lights and the Garden Club vantage point give you two vantage points on the same night.

San Marco’s annual Festival of Lights 5K is set for Saturday, December 6, 2025, in and around San Marco Square. On-site activities will be held from late afternoon into the evening. After the race, the square will transition to Holiday Magic programming with live entertainment and themed experiences organized by the San Marco Merchants Association.

This pairing gives San Marco its own signature entry among Jacksonville FL holiday events: a timed race at street level followed by a neighborhood-run celebration in the same footprint. The tight schedule and defined location make it straightforward to plan around dining in the square.

Jacksonville caps the season with a midnight fireworks display over the St. Johns River on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The show is city-produced and timed to launch at exactly 12 a.m., with recommended viewing along the downtown riverfront. The official listing confirms the schedule and format.

For a single-night celebration that spans both banks and highlights the skyline, this is the city’s definitive year-end event. It also serves as the natural bookend to the boat parade that launched the season on the same waterfront.

Jacksonville’s holiday season showcases the city’s vibrant culture, from waterfront parades to neighborhood traditions. If you’re considering making Jacksonville your home, working with a team that understands its communities is essential. KST Real Estate offers deep local knowledge and a proven track record helping buyers and sellers find the right fit across the city’s most desirable neighborhoods.

Contact KST Real Estate today to begin your home search or plan your next move in Jacksonville. Their insight into local trends and lifestyle-driven amenities can help you secure a property that keeps you close to the holiday excitement and the city’s year-round attractions.