Sarasota Holiday Lights & Events: December 2025

Sarasota's best December 2025 holiday events are Selby Gardens Lights in Bloom, St. Armands Circle's tree lighting, Light Up the Ringling, and the Marina Jack Boat Parade — spread across the first three weekends of the month.

TL;DR: Four anchor events, all within about 15 minutes of each other. You can stack two or three into a single day without a car if you're staying on Longboat Key or downtown. Tickets for Selby and the Ringling sell out — buy them now.

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Selby Gardens Lights in Bloom

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (1534 Mound St, downtown Sarasota) runs Lights in Bloom on select evenings throughout December. The 2025 edition wraps its banyan trees, orchid house, and waterfront path in somewhere around 500,000 LED lights. It's not a state-fair light show — it's quieter and more botanical — which is exactly the point.

What to know before you go:

• Dates: Friday–Sunday evenings, roughly 6–9 p.m., through December 28
• Tickets: $30–$35 for adults, $15 for children (ages 4–11), members free. Book directly through Selby's website — third-party resellers mark these up significantly.
• Parking: The lot on Mound Street fills by 6:30 p.m. on weekends. Street park on Hibiscus Court or take the free downtown trolley from the Sarasota Bayfront if it's running evening loops.
• Best night: Tuesday or Wednesday if Selby adds weeknight dates late in the month. Crowds drop by 40% compared to Saturday.

Pair it with dinner at Veronica Fish & Oyster (1830 S. Osprey Ave, about a 7-minute walk) before the gates open. Book that table early — it fills fast on December weekends.

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St. Armands Circle Holiday Tree Lighting

St. Armands Circle (300 John Ringling Blvd, St. Armands Key) does its tree lighting ceremony on Friday, December 5, 2025, starting around 6 p.m. The Circle puts a 20-foot tree at the center hub, live music goes up on a small stage near Café L'Europe, and the shops stay open late.

This one is free. Walk-up friendly. Families with kids do well here because the whole thing is compact — the Circle is literally a roundabout — so there's no "where did everyone go" problem.

A few practical notes:

1. Parking on St. Armands is brutal on a Friday evening regardless of month. Use the lots on Adams Drive off North Boulevard of the Presidents — they're free and a short walk.
2. Restaurants on the Circle (Cha Cha Coconuts, Café L'Europe, Sublime) will have waits starting at 5:30 p.m. Either eat early (before 5) or plan on drinks and dessert only after the lighting.
3. The ceremony itself runs about 45 minutes. Stick around — the Circle stays lit until 10 p.m. and the shopping is legitimately good for gifts.

St. Armands is a 10-minute drive from Selby Gardens, so you can do both on the same night if the tree lighting date and a Lights in Bloom Friday overlap on your calendar.

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Light Up the Ringling

The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art (5401 Bay Shore Rd) hosts Light Up the Ringling on select December evenings — typically two or three Saturdays. The 2025 event is expected on December 6 and December 13.

The 66-acre bayfront campus gets lit along the formal gardens, the Ca' d'Zan mansion facade, and the courtyard of the Art Museum. There's usually a bar setup in the courtyard, live music, and food trucks near the parking area.

• Tickets: Around $25–$30 for non-members. Ringling museum members get in free or discounted.
• Pro tip: Ca' d'Zan looks best from the bayfront lawn, not the front entrance. Walk around the left side of the mansion after entry.
• Parking: The main museum lot off Bay Shore Road is large and usually manageable, but arrive before 7 p.m. on a Saturday to avoid the tail end of the lot.

The Ringling is 10 minutes north of downtown Sarasota, adjacent to the Asolo Repertory Theatre (which also typically runs holiday programming in December — worth checking their schedule for a two-for-one evening).

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Marina Jack Boat Parade

The Sarasota Holiday Boat Parade runs along Sarasota Bay, launching from Marina Jack (2 Marina Plaza) and moving north toward Bird Key and back. The 2025 parade is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, with boats on the water from roughly 6–8 p.m.

Decorated boats — power, sail, and some genuinely absurd inflatables — cruise the bay with lights and sometimes music. Watching is free. You just need a spot on the water.

Best viewing spots:

1. Bayfront Park (adjacent to Marina Jack) — the main viewing lawn. Gets crowded but the sight lines are open.
2. Marina Jack's upper deck — you'll need to be a restaurant guest, but the elevated angle is worth a drink tab.
3. Island Park (236 Bayfront Drive) — slightly less crowded than Bayfront Park proper, with a clear view south toward the parade launch.
4. Bird Key — if you're staying on Bird Key or have access, the private docks along Osprey Avenue give a close pass.

Arrive at Bayfront Park by 5:30 p.m. to get a front-row position on the seawall. Food trucks typically set up along the park perimeter.

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One-Day Holiday Itinerary for Visitors

If you're in town for one day and want to hit the highlights, here's a plan built around December 13, 2025 — the day Light Up the Ringling and the Boat Parade overlap.

Time	Activity	Location
11 a.m.	Lunch at Main Bar Sandwich Shop	1944 Main St, downtown
1 p.m.	Walk St. Armands Circle, browse shops	St. Armands Key
3 p.m.	Check into your rental, refresh	Longboat Key or Lido Beach
5:30 p.m.	Head to Bayfront Park, stake a seawall spot	2 Marina Plaza area
6–8 p.m.	Watch the Boat Parade	Sarasota Bayfront
8:30 p.m.	Light Up the Ringling	5401 Bay Shore Rd

That's three events in one evening without rushing. Distance from Bayfront Park to the Ringling is under 2 miles — an Uber runs $8–$10.

If you want to add Selby Gardens, swap it in on December 12 (Friday) as a standalone evening. Do dinner first, gates at 6 p.m., out by 9.

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Plan Your Stay Around These Events

Sarasota short-term rentals book up fast for the second and third weekends of December — especially anything within walking distance of the Bayfront or on Lido Key. If you're still looking at dates, browse our available Gulf Coast properties or reach out directly and we'll match you to something that's still open.

Book the Selby tickets tonight. Seriously — the Friday and Saturday dates in December 2024 sold out within a week of announcement, and 2025 will move just as fast.

Have questions about getting around Sarasota without a car, or which neighborhoods put you closest to the action? Contact the Beach Plus team — we know this stretch of coast well and give honest answers.