2024 Holiday and Christmas Guide
Lakeland, Polk County + Central Florida
✦ Do you want to make Christmas 2024 a holiday season your kids will remember?
✦ Are you tired of trying to find the best Christmas events near you?
✦ Ready to get out there and start celebrating the Christmas season with your family?
You found the ultimate guide to family-friendly holiday fun in Lakeland, Polk County, and Central Florida. Our communities are bursting with holiday cheer this time of year, and we want to help you and your family make memories as you experience the sights and sounds of the Christmas and holiday season.
Below you’ll find all the family-friendly holiday happenings and kids activities in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Mulberry, Auburndale, Haines City, & across Polk County.
Whether you’re looking for a Christmas parade, photos with Santa, live performances, Christmas concerts, places to donate or volunteer, day trips in Central Florida, special events, or the best neighborhood Christmas light displays, your search is over – you’ll find it all here.
See something we missed? Contact Us or Submit your Event. We’ll be adding events and activities daily, so be sure to check back on a regular basis. Sign up for our email “fun-letter” to get new ideas for Christmas activities in Lakeland each week.
HOLIDAY + CHRISTMAS FAVORITES
THINGS TO DO IN LAKELAND + POLK COUNTY FOR CHRISTMAS
Please check directly with event organizers for specific dates, discounts, current ticket prices, advance registration, and any last-minute changes. While we do our best to provide accurate information, we include an outside link so you can verify the details for all events and activities.
✦ Go on a drive and see the best Christmas light displays in Lakeland, Bartow, Winter Haven, and Polk County including the Ariana Village Christmas Lights.
✦ Head to Bonnet Springs Park for Light Up BSP – walk through a canopy of lights and enjoy themed evening activities and music for two weeks in December!
✦ Enjoy floats, bands, and the festive atmosphere of the Lakeland Christmas Parade or one of the 11 other Christmas Parades in Polk County.
✦ Find an outdoor Christmas event, walk through event, or drive through light display.
✦ Pick our your favorite events from our huge list of 150+ Christmas Events in Lakeland + Polk County OR find Christmas Events near you in each of these local cities: Auburndale | Bartow | Davenport | Haines City | Frostproof | Lake Wales | Lakeland | Mulberry | Polk City | Winter Haven
✦ Enjoy FREE Christmas Events near you and activities at home without spending any money.
✦ Print out our 25 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness Calendar and find ideas to spread joy to others this holiday season.
✦ Find a place to take photos with Santa or sign up for a Santa Breakfast.
✦ Sign up for a free phone call from Santa.
✦ Pick out your Christmas Tree at a local Christmas Tree Lot or get adventurous and find a Christmas Tree Farm in Florida.
✦ Browse a Holiday Market or Christmas Craft Fair and find handmade, unique Christmas gifts.
✦ Watch the Nutcracker Ballet performed live or enjoy a Holiday Concert.
✦ Print out our 25 Days of Christmas Fun Calendar for a month’s worth of holiday fun.
✦ See the dancing Christmas Tree lights at Lakeside Village and enjoy snowfall on the hour every Thursday – Saturday evening.
✦ Watch your favorite Christmas Movie or a Holiday TV Special.
✦ Go Ice Skating in Lakeland, Tampa, or Orlando.
✦ Donate Christmas Toys or Food or find places to Volunteer and other free things you can do to spread kindness this holiday season.
✦ Head to Tampa or Orlando for a Holiday Day Trip.
✦ Purchase an Experience Gift this year and make memories with your family – they don’t take up space!
✦ Find things to do during the holiday break in Lakeland while the kids are out of school.
✦ Sign your kids up for a Christmas Break Camp.
✦ Track Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
✦ Ring in 2025 at a Kid-Friendly New Year’s Eve Celebration
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