The holidays are where Central Florida does its best work, and December 2026 is stacked. Clermont lights its tree downtown, Winter Garden runs a month-long celebration, Mount Dora, Tavares, and Leesburg all parade, Minneola caps its centennial, and the theme parks go all-in. Here is the whole month mapped out.
Clermont: the tree goes up December 4
Light Up Clermont, the city's big tree lighting and street party, lands Friday, December 4 in City Hall Park and downtown, the moment South Lake officially flips into holiday mode. Right before it, the Enchanted Forest of Trees opens downtown in late November and runs into early January, with 70-plus trees decorated by local organizations and businesses lining the streets. It is free to walk and a nightly tradition once the lights go on.
Clermont Celebrates already kicked the season off on November 21 with snow, Santa, and live music downtown, so December 4 is the second act, and the bigger one.
Winter Garden: a whole month of it
Winter Garden runs 'Tis the Season from Friday, December 4 through January 3, organized by the City of Winter Garden with the Garden Theatre and the West Orange Junior Service League. December 4 is Light Up Winter Garden at Centennial Plaza, the 39th annual kickoff with the tree lighting at 6:15 PM, live entertainment, snow play, and vendors.
Saturday, December 5 is the city's Christmas Parade downtown at 10 AM, then the Holiday Night Market from 4 to 8 PM, the 14th annual Winter Garden Christmas Golf Cart Parade at 6 PM, and holiday street performers through the evening. The Merry Winter Garden light show projects onto City Hall on Friday through Sunday nights, and the Main Street Holiday Stroll and $5 Holiday Flix at the Garden Theatre round out the month.
Lake County: Mount Dora, Tavares, and Leesburg
Mount Dora starts with Light Up Mount Dora on Saturday, November 21, then the 34th Annual Christmas Walk on Friday, December 4 from 6 to 9 PM with downtown shops open late, and the 64th Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 5 at 10 AM from Donnelly Park, organized by the Mount Dora Lions Club.
Tavares holds its Christmas Parade and Celebration on Saturday, December 5, with festivities starting at 5 PM in historic downtown and Wooton Park. Leesburg lights up the lake with Light Up Venetian Gardens on Sunday, December 6 at Ski Beach Park, where Santa leads a 6 PM countdown to thousands of lights, then its Christmas Festival and 59th Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 12 in Towne Square with live music and an ice skating rink.
Minneola and Groveland close the loop
Minneola caps its centennial year with a grand Centennial Celebration on Saturday, December 5 at 2 PM at Minneola Trailhead Park, then the Moonlight Parade and Santa's Workshop on Saturday, December 12 from 6 to 9 PM. Groveland holds its Christmas Tree Lighting and Block Party at Lake David Park on the second Friday of December, December 11, with Santa photos, the South Lake High band, and the tree lighting around 7 PM.
The theme parks go all-in
Walt Disney World's holiday season runs November 13 through January 6, headlined by Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom on select nights through December 22 and Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios, which for the first time extends into January. EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays runs November 27 through December 30 with the Candlelight Processional and holiday kitchens.
Universal Orlando runs its Holidays celebration November 14 through January 3 across all three parks, including Grinchmas in Seuss Landing and the debut of Snoggletog at Epic Universe's Isle of Berk. SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration runs select nights November 6 through January 4 with Winter Wonderland on Ice and holiday fireworks.
The market angle
December is the most photographed month in Central Florida, and it is also a real selling window. The buyers touring now are serious, the competition thins out, and a well-marketed home can close before the new year. The neighborhoods near all these lights, downtown Clermont and the communities around the trail, are exactly where Kelly works every day.
Sources: City of Clermont (clermontfl.gov), Clermont Main Street (clermontdowntown.com), City of Winter Garden (wgfl.gov and cwgdn.com), City of Mount Dora (mountdora.gov), City of Tavares (tavaresfl.gov), City of Leesburg (leesburgflorida.gov), City of Minneola (minneola.us), City of Groveland (groveland-fl.gov), and the Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld event calendars.
Thinking about a move around the holidays? Kelly knows the neighborhoods closest to the lights, the parades, and the trail. Book a call and talk through your plan, no pressure.
Book a Call with KellyOr start with the numbers. Grab a free home valuation built on what is actually selling in your neighborhood, and see how much equity you could keep.
Get My Free Home ValueTalk Later
Kelly Wheeler, the Real Estate Ninja, is a Clermont FL Realtor with eXp Realty (SL3352000). He works with buyers and sellers across Central Florida, from Clermont to Winter Garden to Davenport.