Holiday lights and Christmas events in Melbourne 2026

Last checked Nov. 2, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: the City of Melbourne’s special events list and holiday notices, Brevard Zoo’s events calendar, Melbourne Main Street’s downtown calendar, Melbourne Square and the Eau Gallie Arts District.

The holiday season in Melbourne starts with Santa at the city’s Holiday Market on Friday, Nov. 20, at the Melbourne Auditorium and runs through a 3K past the holiday lights at Brevard Zoo on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, Dec. 4.

Updated Nov. 2: added a free Melbourne BandWorks holiday concert (Nov. 29), Paws & Claus pet photos (Nov. 30 and Dec. 7), Sensitive Santa (Dec. 6) and a free cookie workshop at Melbourne Square (Dec. 12). The Nutcracker and EGAD dates are still unconfirmed for 2026.

Updated Oct. 26: Breakfast with Santa tickets are on sale. Added Mannheim Steamroller (Nov. 18) and Derek Hough’s holiday dance show (Nov. 21) at the King Center, and Meet the Grinch at Melbourne Square (Dec. 4-5).

The downtown Christmas parade (Saturday, Dec. 12) and the downtown tree lighting have their own page: Melbourne Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Who to call

• City Parks, Recreation and Golf (Eau Gallie Civic Center): 321-608-7400
• Melbourne Auditorium (Holiday Market): 321-608-7420
• Wickham Park Community Center (Breakfast with Santa): 321-608-7490
• Brevard Zoo: 8225 N. Wickham Road
• Melbourne Main Street: 321-724-1741

The 2026 holiday calendar so far

Santa visits

• Holiday Market, Friday, Nov. 20, 3 to 8 p.m. The city’s free market at the Melbourne Auditorium has photos with Santa, local makers, live entertainment and cookie decorating, with a Kidzone from 5 to 8 p.m.
• Breakfast with Santa, Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 to 10:30 a.m. At the Wickham Park Community Center, 2815 Leisure Way. Tickets went on sale Oct. 26 through the city’s online ticket site, linked from the event page; the city does not list a price there.
• Melbourne Square, Nov. 20 to Dec. 24. Santa’s Coastal Cottage, near JCPenney, opens Friday, Nov. 20, with an arrival celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. The mall’s schedule lists most days 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays noon to 6 p.m., closed Thanksgiving Day. Photo reservations are open on the mall’s page. It also lists Paws & Claus pet photo evenings on Nov. 30 and Dec. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. and a Sensitive Santa session from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, before the mall opens, with story time with Mrs. Claus; reservations are required. On Saturday, Dec. 12, from noon to 2 p.m., its free cookie workshop with Buddy the Elf is open to the first 200 children. Its free Santa’s Merry Mission, Nov. 20 to Dec. 24, sends families around the mall hunting hidden holiday pictures, with entry forms at the cottage and a prize drawing announced Dec. 28.
• Meet the Grinch, Friday, Dec. 4, 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free photos with the Grinch, a holiday craft and a prize drawing in the Melbourne Police Community Room near Macy’s at Melbourne Square, hosted by the Melbourne Police Foundation and the mall.
• EGAD tree lighting. The Eau Gallie Arts District’s tree lighting page has Santa arriving at Eau Gallie Square Park at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 (see below).

Holiday shows

• Mannheim Steamroller, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18, King Center; doors at 6:30 p.m.
• Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays, 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, King Center.
• The Most Wonderful Time, 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28, King Center. The Brevard Symphony Orchestra’s family holiday pops concert has vocal soloists, a sing-along and a visit from Santa.
• Melbourne BandWorks: Holiday Favorites with Rock & Roll Revue, 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road. Free.
• Disney’s Frozen, Nov. 20 to Dec. 13 at the Henegar Center, 625 E. New Haven Ave. More on our arts and exhibitions page.

The Nutcracker with the Space Coast Ballet and the Brevard Symphony played the King Center on Dec. 6-7, 2025. As of Nov. 2, neither the ballet nor the King Center had posted 2026 dates on its own site.

Brevard Zoo

• Kids’ Holiday Hangout, Saturday, Dec. 12, 5 to 8 p.m. A drop-off night for children with animal encounters, holiday games, crafts and a pizza dinner. $34 for members, $40 for nonmembers.
• Winter Sprinter 3K, Tuesday, Dec. 22, 5:30 p.m. The zoo’s first evening holiday race, for runners and walkers of all ages, follows holiday light displays along a zoo-wide course.

The zoo is closed on Christmas Day, according to its visit page.

Eau Gallie Arts District

EGAD lights its tree at Eau Gallie Square Park, shown above. Its tree lighting page lists Dec. 5: Santa arrives at 5:30 p.m., the tree is lit at 6 p.m. with live music and a hot chocolate bar, and at 8 p.m. the park gets a snow effect while the band Tru Phonic plays. The page also asks visitors to bring an unwrapped gift for the Space Coast Early Steps angel tree.

EGAD’s Deck the District market fills Highland Avenue between Montreal Avenue and Eau Gallie Boulevard from 4 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 14, with vendors, live music, food trucks and an alternative Santa contest.

Neither EGAD page gives a year, and both were unchanged from last season when we checked. Confirm the 2026 dates with EGAD before you go; we will update this page when it posts them.

Downtown and processions

Downtown Melbourne’s tree lighting, Candlelight Shopping Saturdays and the Sheriff’s Office holiday parade are covered on our parade and tree lighting page.

Last year Jesus is the Key, Inc. held its 36th annual Christian Christmas Procession, “Bible on Parade,” on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, from 2 to 5 p.m., starting and ending at the Melbourne Auditorium and looping along Hibiscus Boulevard, Hickory Street, Fee Avenue and Babcock Street, according to the city’s street event notice. A 2026 date had not been posted.

Light displays and menorah lightings

We have not found a public drive-through light display or a public menorah lighting in Melbourne with 2026 dates yet. Hanukkah runs from sundown Friday, Dec. 4, to Saturday, Dec. 12. If your congregation, neighborhood or business is holding a public lighting, send the date, time and address through our contact page and we will list it here.

After Christmas

• Trash: last year the city said there would be no curbside collection on Christmas Day and that garbage and yard waste would be picked up on the next scheduled day. Christmas 2026 is a Friday. See our trash and recycling guide.
• City Hall: closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 last year.
• Real trees: the city’s curbside guidelines say natural trees go out with regular yard waste, cut into sections no longer than 8 feet and no heavier than 50 pounds, with tinsel, ornaments and decorations removed. Keep them out of the street and at least 15 feet from fire hydrants.

What this means for you

• Breakfast with Santa tickets are on sale now through the city’s ticket site.
• Dec. 12 is a full day: the parade downtown at 10 a.m. and the zoo’s kids’ night at 5 p.m.
• Check EGAD’s pages in November before planning around Dec. 5 and Dec. 14.

More: Black Friday and holiday shopping, New Year’s Eve in Melbourne and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Where can kids see Santa in Melbourne in 2026?

Santa arrives at Melbourne Square on Friday, Nov. 20, with a celebration from 5 to 7 p.m., and has photo hours at the mall through Dec. 24. He is also at the city’s Holiday Market Nov. 20 and the city’s Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 5. Breakfast tickets went on sale Oct. 26 through the city.

Are there Christmas lights at Brevard Zoo?

The zoo’s Winter Sprinter 3K on Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 5:30 p.m. takes runners and walkers past holiday light displays along a zoo-wide course. The zoo had not announced a separate lights event when we checked.

When is the Eau Gallie Arts District tree lighting?

EGAD’s tree lighting page lists Dec. 5 at Eau Gallie Square Park, with Santa at 5:30 p.m., the lighting at 6 p.m. and snow at 8 p.m. The page does not give a year; confirm with EGAD before you go.

How do I get rid of a real Christmas tree in Melbourne?

Put it at the curb with your regular yard waste. The city says sections must be no longer than 8 feet and no heavier than 50 pounds, with all decorations removed, and not within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.