The small-town charm of downtown Winter Garden is even more pronounced during the holiday season when its historic streets become adorned with festive decorations and a full-line of entertainment that will delight all ages. From spectacular light shows, Santa hayrides, horse-drawn carriage rides, to live music, carolers, a holiday movie night, merry farmer’s markets, and photo vignette stations, downtown Winter Garden is one-stop holiday central.
Visitors can enjoy an old-fashioned hayride with Santa and sleigh bells on December 8, 6 pm -9 p.m.; romantic horse-drawn carriage rides on December 8, 15, 22, 5 pm – 9:30 p.m.; watch The Polar Express under the stars on Dec. 15, 6 pm -9 pm, including a pre-show with Dickens-era carolers, (Christmas pj’s optional) at the Winter Garden Downtown Pavilion; see a live performance of “A Christmas Story” at the historic Garden Theatre, and visit Santa at the Very Merry Farmers Market on Saturdays, December 8, 15, 22, from 9 am – 2 pm. The magnificent animated Light Show projected onto the front façade of City Hall in sync with holiday music will be shown on December 7, 8, 15, 22, from 6 pm -9 pm.
Music will fill the streets of downtown Winter Garden with special holiday live musical performances on every Friday during the month, December. 7, 14, 21, 28, from 7 pm -9 pm., at the Centennial Plaza Gazebo. In addition, Dickens-era carolers will perform on December 15 from 6:30 pm 7:30 pm. Besides live performances, holiday music is broadcasted through the City’s sound system to sing-along to while strolling.
The already picturesque downtown area is turned into a holiday postcard with a variety of photo vignettes that provide the perfect backdrop to capture holiday memories at Centennial Plaza, Winter Garden Heritage Museum, City Hall, and the Police Station, to name a few. All holiday events are family-friendly and are complimentary, except for the horse-drawn carriage rides and theatre show.
Established in 1903, Winter Garden spans 17 square miles and is home to nearly 43,000 residents and 2,000+ businesses. Nestled on scenic Lake Apopka, this former citrus town embodies a wealth of historical, cultural, and natural assets including a historic downtown and an award-winning bike trail. Winter Garden’s unique combination of small-town appeal coupled with contemporary amenities makes it an ideal location to live and work.
