Celebrate the Season

A Guide to the Best Local Holiday Events

Photo by Shannon Henriksen on Unsplash

The holiday season is a time of cheer and celebration with family and friends. The Tallahassee area offers a line-up of festive events to capture the warmful spirit of the season. From dazzling light displays to joyful performances, the city has events for everyone, perfect for making the most out of the season. To make life-lasting memories, here’s a list of five holiday activities and events in the Tallahassee area that will make this season unforgettable.

1. The Lights of Dorothy B. Oven Park

Every year for the past two decades, Dorothy B. Oven Park, located on Thomasville road, has transformed into a magical winter wonderland, decorated in multi-colored lights and Christmas decorations. This 6-acre park, landscaped garden and 1930’s manor house are covered in over 250,000 bulbs every winter season. Visitors can drive through and view the lights, or they can hop out of the car and explore. On Dec. 19, the City of Tallahassee will present Elf Night at Dorothy B. Oven Park, where visitors can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus while enjoying hot chocolate and cookies. Whether visitors walk through the park, taking photos and enjoying the lights, or driving through listening to holiday music, Dorothy B. Oven Park offers a magical holiday tradition.

2. The Winter Festival

The Winter Festival of Tallahassee takes place every year, offering a variety of holiday performances and activities. This year, the festival took place Dec. 7, starting off with a Celebration of Lights, Music and Arts in downtown Tallahassee. The festival was filled with food vendors, kid-friendly movie showings, craft merchants and live entertainment from local theatre troupes, musicians and dancers, which made for a multitude of festive activities. The festival extended to the Capital Health Plan Jingle Bell Run, which is a family-friendly 1.53-mile run in downtown Tallahassee. To close out the Winter Festival, the Nighttime Holiday Parade began at 7:15 p.m. Drawing in huge crowds of local residents, the parade and its entries highlighted local businesses, groups, dancers and more.

3. Menorah Lighting and Events

The Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU is hosting a variety of events this holiday season for Hanukkah. On Dec. 26, the C-kids Chanukah Block Party will present an opportunity for individuals to create a sculpture menorah and enjoy food trucks and a Dreidel Dash. The Chanukah Shabbat dinner will take place on Dec. 27, which includes a Kosher home-cooked meal. Then, on Dec. 29, the annual Chanukah Celebration at Cascades park will take place, featuring a 9-inch menorah. The final event hosted by the Chabad of Tallahassee and FSU will be the Menorah Car Parade on Dec. 30.

4. Christmas in Thomasville

Adding to the holiday spirit, 40 miles North of Tallahassee lies Thomasville, Ga., where the downtown shops, cafes and restaurants are covered in twinkling lights. In this small town, the Flower Foods headquarters presents “Christmas in Lights,” a drive-thru Christmas lights display. Until Dec. 31, the light display will be open and free to the public from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. With 25,000 multi-colored lights, the display brightly fills the night sky, spreading holiday festivity.

5. The Nutcracker Ballet

Every winter, The Tallahassee Ballet performs the holiday classic, “The Nutcracker.” The Ballet, accompanied by a live orchestra, will take place at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall on Dec. 21 at 10:30 a.m., Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 22 at 10:30 a.m. and Dec. 22 at 2:20 p.m. The whimsical characters, Tchaikovsky’s beautiful scoring and the captivating choreography in scenes like the Snowflake Waltz capture the magic of the holidays. “The Nutcracker” is a timeless holiday ballet, and attending the performance is a magical way to embrace the spirit of the season with loved ones.

Tallahassee offers a variety of holiday events and activities to make the winter season special. From spectacular light displays to community celebrations with meals, there is a holiday activity in the Tallahassee area for everyone. As the holiday season unfolds, the holiday events Tallahassee has to offer are perfect ways to make life-long memories.