Downtown Pensacola is ready to start “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” on Nov. 5, kicking off the holiday season with its annual First City Lights Festival, where over half a million lights will be lit ablaze at 5 p.m. outside of the Pensacola Museum of History.
“Here comes Santa Claus, right down Palafox Street! Just like the iconic Christmas song, all will be merry and bright beginning Nov. 5 as Downtown Pensacola lights up with the launch of a seven-week celebration of holiday magic,” according to a social media statement by the Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board. “With dazzling lights, festive shopping, family fun, and a jolly lineup of events, it’s beginning to feel a lot like the holidays in the heart of the city.”
Santa himself will be making an appearance outside the Pensacola Museum of History from 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m., weather permitting, where families can snap photos and share their wish lists, followed by the downtown tree lighting at 5 p.m., which is conducted by the Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board with support from ParkPensacola and the Saenger Theatre.
The lights will be visible from the Museum of History and along the Palafox corridor, with Winterfest’s mini-train circling Plaza Ferdinand from 5 to 8 p.m.
Holiday Haul on Palafox kicks off Nov. 5
After the tree lighting tradition, the ninth annual Holiday Haul on Palafox commences from 5 to 8 p.m., where guests can “shop and enjoy the magic of the season” with a holiday open house inside many of downtown’s boutiques and shops with live music, pop-ups, giveaways and holiday treats.
There will be donation boxes at every participating shop to help spread joy to children receiving care at Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart during the holidays, according to a statement by the Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation. The Change Makers will also be present at the Holiday Haul, offering complimentary gift wrapping services.
If you do some downtown shopping, don’t forget to save your receipts between Nov. 5 and Dec. 17 for the “All I Want” Holiday Giveaway, which allows shoppers any entry for every $10 spent at participating downtown businesses to win daily prizes, weekly $100 gift cards and a $1,000 grand prize in downtown gift cards.
Palafox Market’s Holiday Edition is every Wednesday
The Palafox Market’s Holiday Edition will also kick off Nov. 5 at Plaza Ferdinand, repeating every Wednesday through Dec. 17 in the MLK Jr. Plaza, offering unique gifts for your loved ones. The market will be in addition to the regular Saturday Palafox Market, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at MLK Jr. Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand.
To help find parking downtown during the busy holiday season, refer to the interactive parking map on parkpensacola.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: The holiday season starts Wednesday in downtown Pensacola with annual lighting ceremony
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
