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West Palm Resort Guide

Holidays in West Palm Beach 2026: Sandi, festivals and what's on

West Palm Beach does the holidays with a sand tree, boat parades and 76-degree afternoons. Here's what's on for 2026, and when to book.

Reviewed October 2026

The big dates

Date Event Where
Fri, Nov. 27 Nights in Northwood Village, with live music Northwood Village, north of downtown
Thu, Dec. 3, 6–10 p.m. Holiday in Paradise tree lighting: the first lighting of Sandi, the city's sand Christmas tree. Free. Waterfront Commons, Meyer Amphitheatre and Flagler Drive, at 100 N. Clematis St.
Fri, Dec. 4 Winter in Paradise, with live music Check the city's listing for the venue
Thu, Dec. 10 to Sun, Dec. 13 Wine Spectator's Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival: chef dinners and tastings, ending with the Grand Tasting on Sunday Venues across Palm Beach County, including the Palm Beach County Convention Center
Early to mid December Holiday boat parades on the Intracoastal North Palm Beach to Jupiter, and Lantana to Delray Beach
Thu, Dec. 31 New Year's Eve downtown Waterfront and Clematis Street

Sandi, the sand tree

West Palm Beach's holiday centerpiece is Sandi, a Christmas tree sculpted from sand on the downtown waterfront and lit up at night through the season. The first lighting is the free Holiday in Paradise event on Thursday, December 3, at the Meyer Amphitheatre end of Flagler Drive. Downtown hotels on and near Clematis Street are a short walk away; see where to stay.

Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival

The 2026 festival runs December 10 to 13 across Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Lake Worth Beach and Lake Park. Events include dinners at the Four Seasons and The Breakers, a kickoff party at The Belgrove in West Palm Beach, and the Grand Tasting at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on Sunday, December 13. Popular events sell out, so buy tickets early.

Holiday boat parades

Decorated boats parade along the Intracoastal Waterway on early December evenings. The Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade runs from North Palm Beach to the Jupiter Inlet, and another parade runs from Lantana south to Delray Beach. Organizers set the dates each fall, so check with them before you plan around one.

New Year's Eve

For New Year's Eve 2025, the city brought back downtown fireworks for the first time in eight years, with a Ferris wheel by Sandi on the Great Lawn. The city hasn't announced its 2026 plans yet; watch its Holiday in Paradise listings.

December weather and crowds

December averages a high of 76.5°F and a low of 61.5°F, with about 5 rainy days, and hurricane season is over after November 30. It's the start of the busy winter season, so hotel prices usually climb through the holidays, with Christmas week and New Year's typically the hardest nights to book. See the month-by-month numbers in when to visit.

Sources