TAMPA, Fla. — Ready to start making spirits bright this Christmas season? Well, one week after St. Petersburg held its annual Santa Parade and tree lighting ceremony, it's now downtown Tampa's turn.
Tampa's 43rd annual Santa Fest Parade and tree lighting ceremony, an event held jointly by the city of Tampa and Friends of Tampa Recreation, will be held Saturday, Dec. 2, with the parade kicking off along Madison Street at 1 p.m. and ending north along Ashley Drive.
While the parade is in progress, the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park will hold a host of family-friendly Santa Fest activities, including special crafting projects, culinary treats, photo ops and other special events.
The park will also be the site of the tree lighting ceremony held at 6 p.m. with a performance by local musician and producer, Superstar Cortni. Mayor Jane Castor will lead the lighting of the park's seven Christmas trees. After the lighting, the park will host a free screening of Disney's "Frozen" at 6:30 p.m., presented by the Gasparilla International Film Festival.
According to Friends of Tampa Recreation's website, visitors are welcome to bring blankets, low-back chairs and well-behaved dogs on a leash to the park.
Santa Fest will be just one of many holiday celebrations happening around the Tampa Bay area, with Sarasota holding its holiday parade at 7 p.m. on Saturday and holiday boat parades held in Bradenton and Venice on the same night.
The Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park will continue to hold daily holiday activities, including ice skating and curling, photos with Santa, and other special events as part of the seasonal Winter Village, which will be open all month.