Your Complete List of Suncoast Holiday Events - Don't Miss These
Ellenton Holiday Village: This family-fun holiday event at Ellenton Premium Outlets features midway rides and games for all ages, fair food and socially-distanced Santa visits. 6-9 pm Dec. 3-23 and 1-4 pm Dec. 24; Ellenton Premium Outlets; 5461 Factory Shops Boulevard, Ellenton; 866-666-3247; dreamlandamusements.com
UTC Holiday Festival of Lights: UTC celebrates the holiday season with lighted displays, including light shows choreographed to holiday music every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. along Cattlemen Road. It also plans to offer horse-drawn carriage rides 6-10 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 6-8:30 p.m. Sundays ($5 per passenger); holiday movies under the stars most Fridays and Saturdays starting at 7 p.m. (see below); an outdoor holiday market Dec. 5-6 in the Mall at UTC parking area adjacent to Brio Tuscan Grille; fireworks shows at 9 p.m. Saturdays and more. Now through Jan. 3; University Town Center, 210 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota;facebook.com/utcsarasota
UTC's Holiday Movies Under the Stars: Screenings include “Elf” (Friday), “A Christmas Story” (Saturday), “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Dec. 4), “Home Alone” (Dec. 5), “The Polar Express” (Dec. 11), “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (Dec. 12), “The Santa Clause” (Dec. 18), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (Dec. 19), “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” (Dec. 26), “Frozen II” (Jan. 1) and “Jumanji: The Next Level” (Jan. 2.) Seating is in the area across from DSW. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 26 and Jan. 1-2; University Town Center, 210 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota; free; facebook.com/utcsarasota
Photos with Santa at UTC's - Santa’s Flight Academy: Photo sessions at UTC this year will be by reservation only and require pre-payment, with Santa’s Flight Academy staff wearing masks and Santa maintaining a 6-foot distance from guests. Santa’s Flight Academy will be located at the mall’s Grand Court. Now through Dec. 24; The Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota; $39.99-$49.99 photo packages; 941-552-7000; mallatutc.com/pages/sfa
The Mall at UTC Holiday Lights Show: As part of UTC’s larger holiday celebrations, this 3D projection show will take place outside the mall’s East Grand Entrance, featuring nightly shows every 30 minutes from 6:30-9 p.m. Dec. 9-20; The Mall at University Town Center, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota; 941-552-7000;mallatutc.com
Hunsader Farms Country Christmas: Enjoy over 300,000 lights along with hayrides, train rides, appearances by Santa and a Christmas village, petting zoo, Christmas movies on a big screen and snow tubing. Attendees can also purchase lots of foods as well as arts and crafts and pony rides. 6-10 p.m. Dec. 11-13 and 18-20; Hunsader Farms, 5500 County Road 675, Bradenton; $10 admission cash only (free for children 5 and younger); free parking; 941-322-2168; hunsaderfarms.com/country-christmas
Jiggs Landing Outpost Boat Parade: Despite the major boat parades in Sarasota, Bradenton and Venice all being canceled this year, this decades-old tradition in Manatee County, which organizers describe as a "little boat parade on the Evers Reservoir and upstream on the Braden River," will continue. Organizers note they can provide "a safe distance for spectators and the boats, of course, will be distanced." Participants can come early to decorate their boats and there will be live music, food, and beverages. Call ahead to reserve a private mosquito tent at the waterside. 12-7 p.m. Dec. 12; Jiggs Landing Outpost at Jiggs Landing Preserve, 6106 63rd St. E., Bradenton; 941-727-4181; jiggslanding.com or facebook.com/jiggslandingoutpost
Showfolks Holiday Circus Festival: Instead of its annual indoor Showfolks Circus, the Showfolks of Sarasota will hold an outdoor, open-air festival featuring dozens of local and international circus artists including Bello and Annaliese Nock. Performances will be scheduled throughout the day along with exhibits, food vendors, arts and crafts, flea market booths, family-friendly activities and Santa Claus. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 12 and 13; Sarasota Fairgrounds, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota; $10, $50 family six-pack; free under 3 years old; 941-870-7444;showfolks.com
Lights in Bloom: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens annual “Lights in Bloom” (now with “An Open-Air Holiday Light Show” added to the name) will feature more than two million lights illuminating the gardens with the walkways transformed into sensory light tunnels. There will be glowing flowers, rainforest butterflies, dragonflies and more including those adorable “Florida reindeer.” Activities will include spray-on face painting, balloon artistry and photo opportunities, but Santa will not be visiting this year and interactive games will not be available. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at locations throughout the gardens, including the Selby House Cafe. A trolley will be available from 5:30-10 p.m. from the Sarasota Friendship Center (1888 Brother Geenen Way). The number of tickets sold each night will be limited to ensure a safe environment. Guests are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets in advance online. 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12-23, 26-31 and Jan. 1-2; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 1534 Mound St., Sarasota; $20-$35 with discounts for children and a four-night pass option for $80-$100; 941-366-5731; selby.org
Sarasota Trolley’s Holiday Tour of Lights: See homes decorated for the holidays from the comfort of the Sarasota Trolley with tours departing nightly at 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. Dec. 4-30. Guests are welcome to bring along a beverage and a snack. The trolley departs from the parking lot at Burlington Coat Factory at the corner of Cattlemen and Bee Ridge roads. Tickets are $15 per person. Reservations and masks are required and trolleys are sanitized between each tour. Private tours are available. Info: 941-346-3115 or sarasotatrolley.com
Discover Sarasota Tours’ Holly Jolly Trolley Tour: This tour hosted by guide Jenny Jingle will visit city spots with Christmas story connections, hear about Sarasota traditions during the holidays and sing along to favorite Christmas songs. Tours depart from the Trolley Cottage, behind The Breakfast House on Fruitville Road in downtown Sarasota, with free cocoa available before the tour. Masks are required and temperatures will be checked. 11 a.m. Dec. 16 and 23 and 1 p.m. Dec. 20; $34.99, $18.99 children 6-11; 941-260-9818; discoversarasotatours.com
Pinecraft Christmas Day Parade: The 25th annual Christmas Day parade is scheduled to roll through Sarasota’s Amish and Mennonite community of Pinecraft. The parade starts at 3 p.m., with participants meeting earlier at the Der Dutchman parking lot at 3713 Bahia Vista St., and then winds through the neighborhood. Bringing a lawn chair for a sidewalk seat is recommended with folks usually lining Birky Street an hour or more ahead of the parade start time. 3 p.m. Dec. 25; Pinecraft neighborhood, Sarasota
Sailor Circus Presents ‘Season’s Greetings’: Watch students ages 8-18 “flip, fly and soar to new heights” in this annual holiday production that’s part of the Sailor Circus tradition dating back more than seven decades. The family-friendly production will showcase aerial artistry and acrobatics like acrobatic roller skating and lightning-fast juggling. Sailor Circus also plans to offer a digital version of the show for purchase. Dec. 26-31; Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St., Sarasota; $20-$30 (live), $25 (digital); 941-355-9805; circusarts.org