Executive Summary
- Schedules confirmed for holiday parades across ten Northeast Florida counties, including Duval, St. Johns, and Clay.
- Major maritime events include the Jacksonville Light Boat Parade on Nov. 29 and the St. Augustine Regatta of Lights on Dec. 13.
- December 13 marks a peak activity date with simultaneous events scheduled in Clay, Bradford, Columbia, and Nassau counties.
- Motorists are advised to expect road closures and increased pedestrian traffic near parade routes.
Municipal officials and community organizations across Northeast Florida have finalized and released the comprehensive schedule for the 2025 holiday parade season, covering events in ten counties including Duval, St. Johns, and Clay. The schedule, confirmed by Action News Jax, outlines dates, times, and routes for traditional street processions and maritime light displays scheduled throughout November and December.
In Duval County, the Jacksonville Light Boat Parade remains a central event, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on November 29 along the north and south banks of the St. Johns River. Additionally, the Springfield Holiday Tree Lighting & Lantern Parade is set for November 25 at Sesquicentennial Park. Neighboring St. Johns County will host the St. Augustine Christmas Parade on December 6, beginning at the Mission Nombre de Dios, followed by the Regatta of Lights on the bayfront on December 13.
Clay County features a dense schedule of events, with the Green Cove Springs Parade occurring on December 6. Multiple events are slated for December 13, including the Middleburg Christmas Parade, the Oakleaf Christmas Parade, the Keystone Heights Christmas Parade, and Whitey’s Fish Camp Lighted Boat Parade. The Orange Park Firetruck Parade is scheduled later in the month for December 19 at Orange Park Town Hall Park.
Nassau County organizers have announced the City of Fernandina Beach Lighted Christmas Parade for December 6, alongside the Amelia Island Dickens Illuminated Procession on December 11. Further events include the Hilliard Santa Parade on December 13 and the Yulee Christmas Parade and Festival on December 20. Other regional events include the Palatka Christmas Parade in Putnam County on November 28 and various parades in Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Flagler, and Union counties throughout early December.
Public Safety and Traffic Implications
The concentration of large-scale public events within a three-week window presents significant logistical considerations for local law enforcement and traffic management agencies. With major thoroughfares such as St. Johns Avenue in Palatka and the bayfront in St. Augustine subject to closures, residents should anticipate delays and detours. Local authorities typically coordinate road closures hours in advance of start times to secure parade routes. The specific timing of these events, particularly those occurring simultaneously across different counties on December 6 and December 13, requires heightened situational awareness from drivers to ensure pedestrian safety in high-density zones.
