Celebrate the Season at Winter Festival on Dec. 7

Jingle Bell Run Online Registration Closes Dec. 6

November 26, 2024

The 38th annual Winter Festival - a Celebration of Lights, Music and the Arts will fill downtown Tallahassee with merriment on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 3-10 p.m.

In addition to delicious food vendors, unique arts and crafts merchants and sparkling holiday displays, this year's Winter Festival, sponsored by the City of Tallahassee Electric and Gas Utility, will include the following jolly happenings:

• Candy Cane Lane in McCarty Park - Enjoy a stroll through this magical holiday scene from 3-10 p.m. on December 7 and come back to enjoy it later in the week. Candy Cane Lane will also be open nightly from 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 8-12, 6-11 p.m. on Dec. 13-14 and 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 15 for visitors to come back to enjoy later in the week.
• Children's Activity Area on Kleman Plaza - From 3-6 p.m., musical entertainment can be found in the Children's Activity Area. Families can enjoy grab-and-go crafts and family-friendly holiday movies from 6-10 p.m., including A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa, The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol and Beethoven's Christmas Adventure.
• Four stages of live entertainment - Find local actors, dancers, musicians and more taking the stage throughout the night in the following locations:
• Choral/Small Ensemble Stage on Kleman Plaza
• Ponce de Leon Park Stage
• Showmobile on Adams Street near City Hall
• College Avenue Stage
• Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m. on the parade announcers' platform, located on South Monroe Street at Bloxham Park - Mark the official start to the season with remarks from local dignitaries and see the official flip of the switch as the Chain of Parks illuminates.
• Capital Health Plan Jingle Bell Run at 6:15 p.m. - Registration online closes December 6. This popular event draws festive runners who traverse a roughly 1.5-mile course through downtown, ending where they began at Park Avenue and Monroe Street.
• Nighttime Holiday Parade at 7:15 p.m. - Grab a spot early for this centerpiece event! Mayor Pro Tem Dianne Williams-Cox and Darius "Doc D" Baker, Tallahassee Nights Live Performing Arts Center, will be at the mic to introduce the sixty parade entries filling Monroe Street with holiday cheer.

Due to the bustling activities of Winter Festival, traffic will be heavy downtown on December 7, and many roads will be closed. StarMetro's Saturday routes will be impacted. Patrons attending Winter Festival are encouraged to arrive early. Get more information about road closures, parking and other traffic-related impacts closer to the event at Talgov.com/WinterFestival.

Winter Festival is coordinated by the City of Tallahassee's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department (PRNA). For more information about the 2024 Winter Festival, please visit Talgov.com, Facebook.com/CityofTLH and X.com/CityofTLH.