101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Tampa - 2023
KidsOutAndAbout is Tampa's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for the Tampa, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2022!
Santa Sightings
Multiple dates starting Nov 9, 2023 | Santa's Flight Academy Photo Experience - International Plaza and Bay Street |
Multiple dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Santa Visits and Photos at Wiregrass |
Nov 19, 2023 | Signing Santa - International Plaza and Bay Street |
Multiple dates starting Nov 22, 2023 | Visits and Photos with Santa - Westshore Plaza |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | The Santa Experience at Citrus Park |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Pictures with Santa - Tree Brothers Christmas (Odessa and Oldsmar Locations) |
Nov 12, 2023 | Free Pictures with Santa - Brandon Sunday Market |
Multiple dates starting Nov 30, 2023 | North Pole Express - Florida Railroad Museum |
Dec 2, 2023 | 12 Oaks Santa's Holiday Market |
Dec 2, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - Dunedin Community Center |
Dec 2, 2023 | 2023 Santa Fest - Curtis Hixon |
Dec 3, 2023 | Sensory Santa - International Plaza and Bay Street |
Dec 3, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - Clearwater Marine Aquarium |
Dec 10, 2023 | The KKG Santa Experience 2023 |
Dec 10 & 17, 2023 | Santa Brunch Cruises - Yacth StarShip |
Old-Time Christmas
Multiple dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Christmas Town Holiday at Busch Gardens - Tampa |
Multiple dates starting Nov, 2023 | Gingerbread Village at Glazer Children's Museum |
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Victorian Christmas Stroll at Plant Museum |
Dec 9, 2023 | Christmas in the Country - Cracker Country Rural Florida Living History Museum |
Dec 9, 2023 | Old Fashioned Christmas & Holiday Parade - Downtown Dunedin |
Light Displays
Multiple dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Symphony in Lights - The Shops at Wiregrass |
Nov 23 - Dec 31, 2023 | Holiday Lights, Ferris Wheel & Carousel - Largo Central Park |
Mulitple Dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Christmas in the Wild - ZooTampa at Lowry Park |
Nov 25, 2023 - Jan 1, 2023 | Holiday Lights in The Garden at Florida Botanical Gardens |
Dec 1, 2023 | Palm Harbor Annual Holiday Tree Lighting - Harbor Hall |
Dec 1 - 30, 2023 | The Wonderland of Lights & Santa's Village - Port Charlotte |
Dec 2, 2023 | Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony - AdventHealth Center Ice |
Dec 16 - 23, 2023 | Twelve Oaks Annual Light Fight |
Holiday Theatre
Nov 21, 2023 | Cirque Dreams Holidaze - The Mahaffey Theater |
Nov 26, 2023 | Holiday Classics: Miracle on 34th Street - Tampa Theatre |
Nov 30, 2023 | Patel Conservatory - It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play - TECO Theater |
Dec 1, 2023 | Holiday Traditions Around The World - Straz Center Ferguson Hall |
Dec 1 - 3, 2023 | The Academy of Ballet Arts Inc. Presents: The Nutcracker - The Palladium |
Dec 2, 2023 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas Film with Live Orchestra - The Mahaffey Theater |
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 | Brandon Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker - Riverview High School |
Dec 8 - 23, 2023 | A Christmas Carol Gets Decked - Carrollwood Players |
Dec 15, 2023 | A Very Broadway Christmas - The Mahaffey Theater |
Dec 17, 2023 | The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays - The Mahaffey Theater |
Dec 21 - 23, 2023 | Next Generation Ballet's Nutcracker - The Straz Center |
Dec 30, 2023 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet - The Mahaffey Theater |
Holiday Concerts
Starting Nov 11, 2023 | Symphony in Lights - The Shops at Wiregrass |
Nov 19, 2023 | Pinellas Youth Symphony Holiday Concert - The Palladium at St. Petersburg College |
Nov 28, 2023 | The Motowners Christmas Kickoff Concert - The Palladium Hough Hall |
Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Concert - Florida College Hutchinson |
Dec 3, 2023 | Patel Conservatory Holiday Music Concert - Ferguson Hall at the Straz Center |
Dec 4 & 5, 2023 | Tampa Oratorio Singers: Handel's Messiah - Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church |
Dec 6, 2023 | An Italian Christmas Night: Andrea Del Principe - The Palladium Hough Hall |
Dec 7, 2023 | Nate Najar's Jazz Holiday - The Palladium Hough Hall |
Dec 8, 2023 | The Florida Orchestra: Handel's Messiah - Carol Morsani Hall |
Dec 8, 2023 | Raymond Arroyo: Christmas & Bright - Straz Center Ferguson Hall |
Dec 9, 2023 | Clara's New York City Christmas - The Palladium Hough Hall |
Dec 15, 2023 | Raymond James Pops: Holiday Pops with The Florida Orchestra - Straz Center Carol Morsani Hall |
Dec 16, 2023 | Holiday Pops - The Mahaffey Theater |
Dec 16 & 17, 2023 | Holiday Sparkle - St. Pete Opera |
Holiday Lights and Parades- Land and Sea
Multiple dates starting Nov 26, 2023 | River of Lights Holiday Cruises - Pirate Water Taxi |
Dec 1, 2023 | 34th Annual Holiday Boat Parade - Tarpon Springs Recreation Division |
Dec 2, 2023 | Santa Fest 2023 Christmas Parade - Curtis Hixon |
Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Boat Parade & Tree Lighting - Dunedin Marina/Edgewater Park |
Dec 8, 2023 | Dade City Christmas Parade - Downtown Dade City |
Dec 16, 2023 | Crystal Beach Christmas Golf Cart Parade |
Dec 23, 2023 | Lighted Boat Parade Dinner Cruise - Yacht StarShip |
Dec 23, 2023 | Holiday Lighted Boat Parade - Downtown Tampa Bay |
Christmas Tree Experience
Opening Nov 10, 2023 | Ergle Christmas Tree Farm |
Opening Nov 14, 2023 | Great Lakes Christmas Tree Farms |
Opening Nov 16, 2023 | Tree Brothers Christmas |
Opening Nov 17, 2023 | Gallio Family Christmas Trees |
Opening Nov 17, 2023 | Gallagher's Pumpkins & Christmas Trees |
Opening Nov 24, 2023 | Lazy Lay Acres Christmas Tree Farm |
Ice Skating
Open year round | Public Skating at AdventHealth Center Ice |
Open year round | Public Skating at Tampa Bay Ice |
Multiple Dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Public Skating - TGH Ice Plex |
Nov 17, 2023 - Jan 1, 2024 (multiple dates) | Winter Village at Curtis Hixon Park |
Dec 3, 2023 - Feb 25, 2024 (select dates) | Crystal Ribbon at Snowcat Ridge - Alpine Snow Park |
Hanukkah
Nov 17, 2023 | After School Art Club: Hanukkah Plate - Practically Pikasso |
Dec 7, 2023 | Chanukah in the City - South Straub Park |
Dec 8, 2023 | Light Up the Night Chanukah Shabbat - Temple Beth El Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch |
Dec 10, 2023 | Chanukah Fest! - Temple Beth El Bradenton/Lakewood Ranch |
Dec 12, 2023 | Chanukah Celebration - Chabad of Pinellas County |
Dec 14, 2023 | Car Menorah Parade - Chabad Jewish Center |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
Nov 9 - 12, 2023 | Junior League of Tampa: Holiday Gift Market - Florida State Fairgrounds |
Nov 12, 2023 | 6th Annual Holiday Vendor Market - Brandon Sunday Market |
Nov 16, 2023 | Holiday Shopping at the Museum Store - Tampa Museum of Art |
Nov 18 & 19, 2023 | Tampa Bay Holiday Market - St. Petersburg Coliseum |
Nov 25, 2023 | Seminole Heights Shop Hop - Shop Hop Seminole Heights |
Nov 26, 2023 | Shop Local Vendor Market - Brandon Sunday Market |
Nov 30, 2023 | Oxford Exchange Holiday Gift Bazaar | Shop & Champagne |
Dec 2, 2023 | Seminole Heights Holiday Craft Fair and Bake Sale - Seminole Heights United Methodist Church |
Dec 2, 2023 | Pioneer Christmas & Vintage Market - Pioneer Florida Museum and Village |
Dec 3, 2023 | Holiday Gift Market - Brandon Sunday Market |
Dec 3, 2023 | Tampa's Holiday Market - Water Works Park |
Dec 9, 2023 | Starkey Market's Annual Holiday Market - Starkey Market |
Dec 16-17, 2023 | Tampa Holiday Winterfest - Perry Harvey Park |
New Year's Eve
Dec 31, 2023 | ZooTampa's New Year Celebration |
Dec 31, 2023 | Downtown Countdown |
Dec 31, 2023 | First Night St. Pete 2023 |
Dec 31, 2023 | Noon Year's Eve - Armature Works |
Dec 31, 2023 | New Year's Eve Cruise - Yacht StarShip |
Miscellaneous
Nov 7, 2023 | Handprint Happy Hour - The Pottery Patch |
Nov 10, 2023 | Christmas Prints Pop In - Practically Pikasso |
Nov 17, 2023 - Jan 1, 2024 | Winter Village - Curtis Hixon Park |
Nov 18, 2023 - Jan 8, 2024 | Winter Wonderland - AdventHealth Center Ice |
Nov 25, 2023 | Christmas Movie Classics Night - Practically Pikasso |
Nov 25, 2023 | Elf On The Shelf Mini Camp - Practically Pikasso |
Nov 24 - Dec 31, 2023 (multiple dates) | Holidays at Legoland |
Nov 24 - Dec 31, 2023 (multiple dates) | Sea of Holiday Joy - Clearwater Marine Aquarium |
Nov 25 - Dec 30, 2023 (multiple dates) | Holiday Dinner Buffet Cruises - Yacht StarShip |
Dec 1 - 3, 2023 | St. Pete Pier Holiday Adventure - Demens Landing |
Dec 1, 2023 | Snow Place Like Tarpon Springs - Tarpon Springs Recreation Division |
Dec 3, 2023 | Holiday Classics: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - Tampa Theatre |
Dec 8, 2023 | Boley Centers 41st Annual Jingle Bell Run - North Straub Park |
Dec 8, 2023 | Christmas Caroling - Feather Sound Church |
Dec 9, 2023 | St. Pete Holiday Boat Parade Adventure - Demens Landing |
Dec 10, 2023 | Holiday Classics: The Grinch - Tampa Theatre |
Dec 12, 2023 | Santa's Calling - Dunedin Parks & Rec |
Dec 15, 2023 | Drive-In Movie Night: Elf - Highlander Park |
Dec 15, 2023 | Kids Night Out: Reindeer Games - Practically Pikasso |
Jan 7, 2024 | Holiday Classics: Sing-Along Frozen - Tampa Theatre |
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!