Holiday Lights, Parades, Arts and Community Events Fill Manatee County Calendar
Manatee County residents and visitors will find no shortage of seasonal celebrations, cultural performances, and community gatherings between December 15 and December 22, 2025, with events hosted by local governments, arts organizations, nonprofits, and community partners across the county.
Holiday festivities continue at Palma Sola Botanical Park with Winter Nights Under the Lights, running Thursday through Sunday, December 18–21, from 6 to 9 p.m. The free, family-friendly event features acres of holiday lights, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday music, a gift market, decorated trees, crafts, food trucks, hot cider, and cocoa. Donations are appreciated to support the nonprofit park, located at 9800 17th Ave. NW in Bradenton.
Downtown Bradenton will celebrate the season with the Holly Jolly Trolley Christmas Parade on Friday, December 19. Santa and his helpers will roll through the streets aboard festively decorated trolleys, continuing a popular City of Bradenton holiday tradition supported by local sponsors and community partners.
The arts remain front and center throughout the week. At the Manatee Performing Arts Center, Frozen: The Musical continues its run through December 21, with final performances leading into the holiday week. The production brings the beloved Disney story to life on stage with music, choreograph,y and family-friendly spectacle, drawing audiences from across Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Music lovers can also enjoy a seasonal concert experience with A CalypSoul Christmas on Wednesday, December 17, at 7:30 p.m. The performance brings an island-inspired twist to traditional holiday favorites, led by steel pan artist John Patti. Blending Caribbean rhythms with jazz and soul influences, the concert offers fresh arrangements of well-known Christmas classics. Songs such as It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, This Christmas and Jingle Bell Rock are reimagined with smooth vocals, melodic steel pan and contemporary grooves.
Patti is known for elevating the steel pan in modern musical performances while highlighting the instrument’s cultural roots. His career includes performances with artists such as Clint Black, Olivia Newton-John, The Four Tops, Les Paul, Jerry Jeff Walker, Paul Overstreet and Mac McAnally. The concert features a lineup of experienced musicians and presents a lively holiday program that offers audiences a distinctive seasonal music experience.
Holiday lights displays remain open across the county, including the Bradenton Holiday Lights Festival at Freedom Factory, running nightly through December 27. The drive-through attraction features large-scale light displays and seasonal décor at 21050 FL-64 in Bradenton.
For those seeking something less traditional, Paranormal Cirque II brings its holiday-themed horror experience to Riviera Dunes Marina in Palmetto from December 19 through December 28. The event is rated R and intended for adult audiences, combining circus performance with intense scares and theatrical effects.
Community-focused events also highlight the week. On Wednesday, December 17, Manatee County and Bishop Animal Shelter will host a Kennels Ribbon Cutting at 11 a.m. at the Bishop Animal Shelter, 5718 21st Ave. W. in Bradenton, celebrating new improvements to shelter facilities.
Community members are invited to attend the Dedication Ceremony for the Dann Bouwer Community Pavilion on Wednesday, December 17, at 1:30 p.m. The ceremony will take place at 5328 24th Street East in Bradenton and will formally recognize the completion of the pavilion and the community support behind the project.
The event will include welcoming remarks, an invocation, comments from an honored guest, and closing remarks. Hosted by The Salvation Army, the dedication marks a milestone in the organization’s ongoing efforts to serve the Bradenton community and provide a gathering space for future programs and events.
Families are invited to attend Art & Literacy Family Engagement Night on Thursday, December 18, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Palmetto Boys & Girls Club. Hosted in partnership with the School District of Manatee County and Boys & Girls Clubs of Manatee County, the evening includes art and reading activities for youth and a movie screening and discussion for teens and preteens.
In Parrish, Pop Up in the Park continues its seasonal series on Saturday, December 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Parrish Community Park. Organized by The June Collective, the event features local makers, artisans and vendors in an open-air market setting.
From lights and parades to performances and community gatherings, the December 15–22 calendar reflects the wide range of holiday traditions and local creativity that define Manatee County during the season.