The winter holiday season in Orlando is usually full of festivals and events celebrating Christmas and other holidays, but with the pandemic, the 2020 holiday season looks very different.
But there are still plenty of events to enjoy, and I’ve picked out the best ones (and the ones adhering to safety guidelines of masks and social distancing).
From ongoing events to limited time events, here are my picks for holiday events to enjoy this season:
Bringing some holiday cheer to Orlando, Dazzling Nights will turn Harry P. Leu Gardens into a magical wonderland December 1 – January 3, 2021.
The annual Winter Wonderland event returns to Wekiva Island in Longwood from December 1 to January 1, 2021, and it has been updated for the safety of its guests.
This year’s Winter Wonderland will feature a Christmas tree forest full of decorated trees that will serve as the perfect backdrop to the festivities. The schoolhouse will be made up to look like a giant gingerbread house, and “snow” flurries will fall nightly from 6 to 9pm weekdays, and 12 to 9pm on weekends.
Earlier this summer, Give Kids the World (GKTW) temporarily closed due to the pandemic, but it has reopened for the holidays to host its first ever “Night of a Million Lights” event for visitors to enjoy.
Now through January 3, 2021, the Gaylord Palms resort is hosting its annual Christmas at Gaylord Palms event, featuring live performances, a festive breakfast with the Grinch, gingerbread decorating and more.
To help Central Florida get into seasonal mode, ICON Park is hosting The Santa Workshop Experience starting Friday, November 6, at 5pm.
For parents who are concerned about having to skip the classic pictures with Santa tradition this year, ICON Park and The Santa Workshop Experience have the perfect, socially-distanced solution.
The halls of the Orlando Museum of Art will look a lot like Christmas when the 34th annual Festival of Trees returns November 12-29, 2020.
This year’s theme is “Joy to the World — Celebrating a Season of Joy,” selected by the Council of 101 to focus on adding a little joy during the holiday season.
Whether you’re Irish or just feeling like you are this time of the year, there are a lot of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the Orlando area that are more than just green beer.
But don’t worry if you don’t have plans…I’ve got you covered!
Here are CitySurfing Orlando’s 2020 picks for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day:
Florida’s Orange County has made it easier to get into the holiday spirit by bringing back the Bright Lights Big County: OCPA Holiday Lights Crowdsourced Map for 2019.
This map is for both holiday decorators and sightseers.
It may not be snowing, but Central Florida loves a good holiday party. But I also know funds are tight this time of year, with everyone shopping to complete their Christmas lists.
So I scoured the web and found every FREE Central Florida holiday event I could find. That’s right…every event listed has no admission charge.
The annual Holidays in Space event returns to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex December 13 – 31, and this year will feel like a 60s retro holiday bash.
Guests will enter a futuristic 1960 wonderland through an illuminated rocket archway. Retro music and décor using 60s era patterns, as well as 10,000 sparkling lights, will set the tone.
The halls of the Orlando Museum of Art will look a lot like Christmas when the 33rd annual Festival of Trees returns November 16-24, 2018.
Council of 101, which sponsors the event, invites you to get into the Holiday mood as you stroll through the halls filled with extravagant, designer-decorated trees, breathtaking displays of wreaths and tabletop trees, gingerbread masterpieces, and appearances by Santa.
Whether you’re Irish or just feeling like you are, there are a lot of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the Orlando area that are more than just green beer.
Here are CitySurfing Orlando’s picks for celebrating like you’re Irish:
Looking for a place to celebrate the end of 2018 and the arrival of the new year? Then check out this list of options to ring in 2019 here in Orlando.
From the theme parks to massive parties to low key celebrations to family events, here are our picks for celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Orlando area:
Start the chainsaws…the third annual Iced Out competition returns to the Rosen Plaza in Orlando on Saturday, December 15, 2018.
This free, family friendly event pits local chefs against each other as they take chainsaws to 300 lb blocks of ice to carve out majestic frozen works of holiday art.