Christmas events in Miami: the best holiday happenings

A much-anticipated precursor to the holiday season in Miami, Night at the Garden (formerly NightGarden) returns in November for its sixth season at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, promising even more psychedelic scenery and interactive artwork than ever before. Running through January 2025, Night at the Garden invites guests to frolic around a neon-lit wonderland of tropical trails lined with holographic sculptures, secret sunken ponds and hidden fairy worlds. Follow winding paths to the disco dance party, snap a pic in front of LED dandelions or visit Archie, the talking tree for a bit of age-old wisdom. This magical event welcomes the whole family and features ADA-compliant trails for wheelchairs. Tickets start at $32 for kids ages four to 10, with discounted group packages available online.

Bring on the dancing rats! Everyone’s favorite holiday show is back at the Adrienne Arsht Center this winter with twice-daily shows from December 13 through December 24. Over 100 performers from the Miami City Ballet will bring to life George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed by a live orchestra. Whether you’ve seen it once or a million times over, this fantastical performance is always a treat. 

Feeling nostalgic for Santa’s Enchanted Forest? Fret not, dear reader. The spirit of Christmas and carnival rides lives on at Tropical Park with Christmas Wonderland, a local holiday production with rockin’ roller coasters, dazzling light displays and the largest traveling Ferris wheel in North America. Now in its second year, Christmas Wonderland returns with a Candyland-inspired spectacle made with five million lights, giant lollipops, swirly-twirly gumdrops and six immersive installations that make for epic photos. Plus, culinary pop-ups and boozy coquitos from local vendors, unlimited rides and complimentary parking. Pro tip: book online for a $10 discount! 

It’s winter in Miami—well, kind of. This year, Magic City Flea is bringing all the cozy seasonal vibes to our subtropical paradise at Downtown Miami’s Holiday Village, running on Saturdays and Sundays from November 16 to December 29. You'll find over 60 local vendors showcasing festive holiday goodies and handcrafted wares, plus Flagler Street’s very first outdoor ice skating rink, Santa appearances and more. Along the way, expect a fun lineup of community activities on Sundays, including toy drives, bounce houses and face painting for the little ones. To kick things off, there will be a magical tree and menorah-lighting ceremony on November 15 from 6 to 10pm, which includes a free performance by the Miami Symphony Orchestra.

Jungle Island's enchanting nighttime wonderland returns for a third year with over 40 all-new lantern installations inspired by fairytale worlds and kawaii culture, plus a first-ever Holiday Village and marketplace (Nov 14–Jan 5) featuring more than 100 Christmas trees, food stands with holiday treats like elephant ears and mulled wine, a bazaar with seasonal crafts and gifts and a 30-foot decorated centerpiece tree. 

A Drag Queen Christmas is back for its 10th anniversary tour with four titillating performances across the state of Florida, including a finale show on Sunday, December 29 at The Fillmore Miami Beach. Cheer on a cast of fabulous queens as they lip-sync, twirl and twerk to holiday classics live on stage in full regalia. This year’s tour features an ensemble of crowned queens and crowd favorites from Ru Paul’s Drag Race, including All-Stars Season 9 winner Angeria Paris VanMicheals, avant-garde S12 queen Crystal Methyd and many more. Note there may be some adult content; as such, this show is restricted to ages 18 and older. 

From November 30 to January 3, Downtown Doral is getting decked out for the holidays with its new World of Nutcracker experience. Step into the classic Christmas tale at this ticketed event that includes live performances, animated light projections and decadent seasonal treats. The immersive show features a variety of iconic Nutcracker vignettes, including the epic duel between the Nutcracker Prince and the Mouse King. Running Tuesday through Sunday from 5 to 9:30pm, the timed-entry experience lasts around 45 minutes. General admission tickets cost $35 for adults and $18 for kids. VIP tickets cost $60 for adults and $35 for children and include paintable nutcracker keepsakes, fast-pass photos with Santa and discounts at The Doral Yard and Main Street restaurants.

Playwright Aaron Mays’ zeitgeist-capturing satire Black Santa is set in an upper-crust day school, where, in the days before holiday break, in the classroom of the school’s only African-American teacher, a third grader named Sharifa declares “Santa Claus is a Black man from Detroit.” The comment sets off a firestorm that spreads to the school’s administration, which pressures the teacher to create an ad campaign that reinforces Kris Kringle’s essential whiteness.

On Saturday, November 23, Downtown Miami Lakes will host its 39th annual Main Street Festival of Lights, a local tradition filled with live performances, Santa meet-and-greets and lots of holiday lights. Start your celebrations early at the Miami Lakes Farmers Market, then stick around for a ceremonial tree lighting and free activities such as arts and crafts and face painting. Has your kid been begging for a furry friend this year? Stop by the holiday adoptions center hosted by Miami-Dade Animal Services and surprise them with a gift they’ll never forget. 6700 Main Street, Miami Lakes

Assemble along the 12-mile, 2.5-hour route to watch the "World's Most Watched Boat Parade," in which dazzling displays and illuminated vessels of all sizes travel down the Intracoastal Highway with the likes of Rudolph, Santa Claus and other Christmas favorites. The procession begins at 6:30pm with live bands, celebrities and radio personalities providing entertainment throughout the night. You could probably watch the parade anywhere along the route, however the parade viewing area brings you opportunities to pose with Santa and grab a hot chocolate or a cocktail. The Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade will stage from the Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park on the Southeast corner of Las Olas Boulevard and the Intracoastal Waterway.

The fifth annual winter festival at The Berry Farm is a family-friendly holiday event with acres of holiday-themed activities from morning to night. There are meet-and-greets with Santa, hay rides and tons of Instagram-worthy photo backdrops and at night, the farm lights up with thousands of tiny bulbs during their Berry Bright Winter Nights. (Great news: your day and evening tickets are the same). Depending on when you go, you can catch classic holiday flicks on the lawn or live music and as a special gift from Mother Nature, strawberry-picking season kicks off in December! 

All South Florida Bodega locations are getting into the holiday spirit as they deck the halls for their annual Holiday Bar pop-up from November 29 through December 25. This year's Tropical Christmas theme is a play on the classic, old-school tiki bar with a festive twist. Think flamingos and neon, Surfing Santa mugs and a lineup of fun, fruity holiday cocktails, plus the usual Mexican staples Bodega is known for.

A perennial radio show with an always-stellar lineup may have outdone itself this year. Prepare for big-name overload at Kaseya Center on December 21 as Camila Cabello, The Kid LAROI, Benson Boone, Jasoooooon Derulo (sorry, that’s the only way to properly say his name), Khalid, T-Pain and others come together for one bumpin’ evening. The marathon of music starts at 7:30pm on a singular stage, so let’s see how late it goes.

Deering Estate is a fascinating historic landmark in Miami. The 450-acre estate is home to eight natural habitats, museum exhibits, archaeological sites and fun-in-the-sun activities that make for an exciting visit any time of year. We’re partial to winter time, when Deering Estate’s Designer-in-Residence, Alfredo Brito, and a team of local designers transform historic rooms into immersive wonderlands. This year’s design theme is inspired by classic holiday carols like “Frosty, The Snowman” and “Jingle Bells” (roasted chestnuts, anyone?). Plan your visit around the 7th annual Mistletoe & Martinis event, a seasonal soiree with lavish hors d’oeuvres, artful pastries and a whole lotta martinis.

Bah Humbug! Ebenezer Scrooge just won’t budge on his disdain for Christmas. Perhaps a few singing ghosts will do the trick? Charles Dickens’ holiday classic gets a musical twist at the Actors’ Playhouse this year in a family-friendly adaptation everyone can enjoy. A Christmas Carol, The Musical shows on Saturday afternoons from November 18 through December 22, with a sensory-inclusive performance on December 15.  

When it comes to holiday lights, the zoo goes wild. One million bright, animal-shaped lights illuminate the premises during Zoo Lights Miami, which takes place every weekend between November 29th and December 30th. Families can stroll around while sipping hot chocolate and listening to carollers and if you're lucky, you might just get a glimpse of Santa, or The Grinch. Check the Zoo Miami website to see what the theme is for the weekend (Galactic night should be interesting) and don't miss Merry Meadow from December 20 to 23. There will be rides, a human snow globe photo spot and a gaming trailer where you can try out new games to add to your holiday shopping list.

On select nights from December 6 through January 4, Pinecrest Gardens hosts its annual Nights of Lights, inviting families to roam the sprawling grounds during the evening as the gardens come alive with shimmering lights and special holiday activities. For the kids, expect pajama parties, photos with Santa, face-painting, storytelling hours and more. Adults can enjoy themed cocktails and partake in an ugly sweater contest. A full schedule of festive dance performances and holiday concerts at the iconic Banyan Bowl is available to peruse on the Pinecrest Gardens website.

You won't find many Miami bars with an actual, functioning fireplace. The Commodore at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove is one of them, and come the festive season, it's an ideal spot to cozy up and hang a while. Special for the holidays, The Commodore has partnered with Miami cocktail influencer (and Time Out contributor) Gio "Chat Chow" Gutierrez for a special menu that pairs Puerto Rico's famously boozy coquito cocktail with fresh-baked cookies. From 5pm to midnight throughout December, order one of four delicious coquito variations for $20 and receive three gourmet cookies with your drink. Or opt for the $39 flight to try them all.

When it comes to holiday events, Coral Gables goes all out. Festivities kick off on Friday, December 6 with the annual tree lighting in front of City Hall, a free public event with carnival games, holiday-themed crafts, and chance sightings of Santa Claus. From December 4 to December 8, enjoy live performances by the best local choirs of Miami-Dade County at the annual Merrick Festival Caroling Competition. There’s also the Junior Orange Bowl Parade on December 15, live music on Giralda Plaza and plenty of pit stops for holiday shopping. 

Oh, the weather outside is actually delightful! Which means that watching movies on a rooftop is quite a joy. Throughout November and December, Rooftop Cinema Club is showing all the box office holiday hits, including Home Alone, Elf, It’s A Wonderful Life and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as mini-marathons of holiday-themed episodes from Gilmore Girls, Friends and The Office. Bonus: Florida residents get 25% off with voucher code FloridaResident2024 and proof of ID. 

Pack your picnic baskets—New World Symphony WALLCAST Concerts are back! These free concerts in Miami Beach take place at SoundScape Park, where indoor symphony performances are live-streamed outside on a 7,000-square-foot projection wall. Save the date for Sounds of the Season on Saturday, December 21 and watch your favorite holiday pieces performed by New World Symphony Fellows, all decked out in their festive best.