It’s snowing in Florida!Walt Disney World is one of the best places to visit during the holidays, but it isn’t the only game in town. There are many other glorious ways to celebrate the season! Celebration, Florida, has not one, but two free events that are favorites of both locals and tourists alike.
I’ll start with The Lights on Jeater Bend. Jeater Bend is a street in Celebration, and the lights are the creation of several families who want to spread some cheer. It’s free to attend, and any donations are given to local charities. This is most likely the final year for The Lights on Jeater Bend, so if you can make it, do it. The Lights on Jeater Bend will begin on Thanksgiving, and run nightly through December 31. The hours are 6:00-9:30. This is a residential neighborhood, so please be respectful.
It is an incredible display Now Snowing takes place in the center of Celebration. It will start on Saturday, November 26, and runs through December 31. It “snows” on the hour from 6:00 through 9:00, and it’s a big deal for Florida kids! There’s ice skating, carolers, horse drawn carriage rides, train rides, Santa, and much more. It’s a lot of fun, and if you go on a weekday it will be much less crowded.
There is an extra reason why you might want to visit Celebration on Saturday, November 26. Not only can you enjoy all that Now Snowing has to offer, that is also the Tree Lighting Ceremony. The tree is lit at 6:00, followed by the first “snow” of the season. Celebration itself will make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time, and the Tree Lighting Ceremony adds to the illusion. It’s magical.
Street parking in Celebration is free, and some businesses and churches will allow you to park in their lots for a modest fee. We’ve never had a problem finding free parking on side streets. Again, remember that these are residential neighborhoods. Take pictures of the street signs, and use the parking feature on your phone’s GPS so that you won’t wander aimlessly at the end of the evening.
What a great holiday experience!One more note about driving in Celebration. Pedestrians in the crosswalk have the right of way, and there will be a lot of pedestrians! Many of them will be children, who may not realize that they need to look both ways before crossing. There are also a lot of four way stops.
While it’s a bit of a walk, it’s easy to park your car and experience both Now Snowing and The Lights on Jeater Bend in one evening. What my family and I will usually do is park somewhere in the middle. While Jeater Bend is about 1.4 miles from Market Street (Celebration’s main street), the weather in the evening is usually so beautiful at this time of year that it’s a nice walk!
Other holiday events to consider outside of Walt Disney World include Universal Orlando Resort, Christmas Town, SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, and Night of a Million Lights.