9 ways to celebrate the holiday season in Winter Park

WINTER PARK, Fla. — A packed events calendar this month is helping to put the “winter” in Winter Park.

The city is hosting a flurry of events throughout December to help you get in the holiday spirit.

Here are nine ways to celebrate the festive season in Winter Park:

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1. The Park Avenue Holiday Market will be held Thursday, Dec. 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Winter Park Farmers’ Market, located at 200. W. New England Ave. Enjoy festive music as you stroll through the market. Santa Claus will also make an appearance from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, click here.

2. The city of Winter Park and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art will host the 44th annual Christmas in the Park Thursday, Dec. 1. The two-hour program featuring the lighting of turn-of-the-century Tiffany windows and a performance by the Bach Festival Choir begins at 6:15 p.m. in Central Park. Click here to learn more.

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3. The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and the City of Winter Park will host Winter on the Avenue on Friday, Dec. 2, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The holiday street party will feature the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, a symbolic Menorah lighting, Santa Claus, Popcorn Flicks in the Park, live music, snow slides from the Parks & Recreation Family Fun Program, s’mores from the Winter Park Fire-Rescue Department, and more. For more information, please call 407-644-8281 or visit winterpark.org.

4. Before and during the Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 3, Leadership Winter Park will host the annual Leadership Winter Park Pancake Breakfast at the Central Park Main Stage from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Enjoy pancakes, sausage and beverages for $7 per person. Proceeds benefit the Winter Park Improvement Foundation in its efforts to develop adult and youth leaders through Leadership Winter Park programs. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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5. The 70th Annual Winter Park “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade, hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, will march down Park Avenue starting at 9 a.m. The parade will feature holiday-themed floats, Santa Claus and well-known local figures. The parade will travel down Park Avenue, turn west on New England Avenue, and end at the Winter Park Community Center. For more information, call 407-644-8281.

6. A special Holiday Pops concert, performed by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, will take place Sunday, Dec. 4, at 5 p.m., on the Central Park Main Stage. For more information, call 407-599-3342.

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7. The Winter Park Holiday Boat Parade, sponsored by the Winter Park Rotary Club, sets sail on Lake Virginia on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. Family and friends can gather in their backyards on Lake Virginia or at Dinky Dock Park to see the boat and dock holiday decorations created by residents and local business sponsors. To register a boat in the parade, visit winterparkboatparade.com. For more information, call 407-256-6369.

8. During Winter Park’s annual Merry Tuba Christmas, enjoy the rich sounds of Christmas as tuba, euphonium, sousaphone and baritone players of all ages gather to perform a free concert from the main stage in Central Park beginning at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17. Registration for musicians is $10 and begins at 9 a.m., with rehearsal from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information, please call 407-599-3463.

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9. Chabad of Greater Orlando will present Chanukah on the Park Sunday, Dec. 18, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Central Park. The event will include entertainment, kids’ activities, food and a grand menorah lighting. For more information, click here.

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