Holiday Lights Near Wellington FL 2026: Light Shows & Events

Holiday Lights Near Wellington, FL 2026: Light Shows, Tree Lightings and More

Looking for holiday lights near Wellington, Florida? Beyond Wellington's own tree lighting and boat parade, the 2026 season brings a lantern festival at Mounts Botanical Garden, Zoo Lights at the Palm Beach Zoo, Sandi the 35-foot sand tree on the West Palm Beach waterfront, a real outdoor ice rink and a drive-through light show at Okeeheelee Park, just east of Wellington. Here's what's on and when.

Holiday lights near Wellington at a glance

In Wellington: Tree lighting Dec. 3; Grand Menorah Lighting Dec. 4; Holiday Boat Parade Dec. 12; Holiday Parade Dec. 13
Closest drive-through: Lights 4 Hope at Okeeheelee Park, Forest Hill Blvd.
Garden lanterns: ILUMINA at Mounts Botanical Garden, select nights Nov. 18 - Jan. 17
Zoo Lights: Palm Beach Zoo, select nights Nov. 20 - Jan. 3
Waterfront: Sandi the sand tree lights up Dec. 3 in West Palm Beach
Ice skating: Winter Wonderland at The Ben, Nov. 1 - Jan. 3

Dates for events outside Wellington are from Discover The Palm Beaches' 2026 holiday announcement (Nov. 9, 2026). Wellington dates are from the Village of Wellington. Hours, tickets and weather plans can change, so check each event's website before you go.

Holiday lights and events in Wellington

Holiday Cultural Celebration and Tree Lighting, Thursday, Dec. 3: 5 to 9 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater, with the tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. Free.
Grand Menorah Lighting, Friday, Dec. 4: 5:30 p.m. next to the amphitheater. Free.
Holiday Boat Parade, Saturday, Dec. 12: decorated boats light up Lake Wellington from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; watch from the Town Center Promenade. Free.
42nd Wellington Holiday Parade, Sunday, Dec. 13: 1:30 p.m. along Forest Hill Blvd. Free.

Full details are in our Wellington holiday events 2026 guide, and Santa photos at the mall are covered in our Mall at Wellington Green guide.

Lights 4 Hope at Okeeheelee Park (closest to Wellington)

Every holiday season, Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd., just east of Wellington, hosts Lights 4 Hope, a drive-through light show put on by a local nonprofit. You stay in your car and follow a route through the park past light displays set to holiday music, and proceeds help local families with a child facing a serious illness, according to coverage by the Town-Crier and WPTV. Because you stay in the car, it works for all ages and for grandparents who don't want to walk far. Check the Lights 4 Hope website for 2026 dates, nightly hours and ticket prices before you go.

West Palm Beach

ILUMINA: A Tropical Garden Lantern Festival at Mounts Botanical Garden, select nights Nov. 18, 2026 to Jan. 17, 2027. More than 500 handcrafted silk lanterns inspired by plants and wildlife glow after dark in the garden. Good for all ages.
Zoo Lights at the Palm Beach Zoo, select nights Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027. This year's route has three parts: a traditional holiday area, a polar dreamscape and bioluminescent pathways, plus a towering tree, projections, menorah lightings during Hanukkah, crafts and Santa photos.
Sandi and Holiday in Paradise, Dec. 3-31 on the West Palm Beach waterfront. Sandi, billed as the world's only 35-foot, 700-ton holiday sand tree, lights up Dec. 3, with nightly music-and-light shows all month, Ferris wheel rides from 6 to 10 p.m. in December and a New Year's Eve celebration with fireworks over the Intracoastal.
Season of Glow at CityPlace, Nov. 14 to Dec. 31, with a new Discovery Tree, a property-wide light display, daily snowfall shows, Santa's Workshop and outdoor holiday movie nights. It kicks off Nov. 14 with the first snowfall and tree lighting.
Winter Wonderland at The Ben, Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027, with what's billed as South Florida's only real outdoor ice-skating rink, overlooking the Intracoastal, open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

More holiday lights around Palm Beach County

Boca Raton: Mizner Park's tree lighting kicks off Boca Jolly Days on Nov. 21, 6 to 10 p.m., when 50,000 LED lights light up 75 palm trees. Gumbo Limbo Nature Center's "Aglow!" nights run Dec. 12, 19 and 26 and Jan. 2, 6 to 8 p.m.
Delray Beach: the 100-foot Christmas tree returns for its 33rd year, with festivities starting Dec. 1 and a Holiday Village with ice skating and a carousel on select dates.
Boynton Beach: a Grinch and Whoville-themed tree lighting on Dec. 5, 4 to 10 p.m., at Centennial Park, with a drone show.
Jupiter: Harbourside Place's tree lighting is Nov. 28, and the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse debuts Luminary Nights on Dec. 11, 12, 18 and 19, with glowing pathways and a tunnel of lights.
Boat parades: the 32nd Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade travels the Intracoastal from North Palm Beach to Jupiter on Dec. 5.

Tips for a holiday lights night

Buy tickets early for ILUMINA and Zoo Lights; weekend nights close to Christmas are the busiest.
Go on a weeknight for shorter lines at drive-through shows.
Pack for South Florida: bug spray for outdoor garden events and water for kids.
Make it a night: grab dinner first with ideas from our kid-friendly restaurants or desserts and ice cream guides.

What do you think?

What's your family's favorite holiday lights tradition near Wellington? Do you know a neighborhood in Wellington that goes all out with lights? Tell us and we'll add it.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see holiday lights near Wellington, FL?

Close to Wellington, Okeeheelee Park on Forest Hill Blvd. hosts the Lights 4 Hope drive-through light show each season. Wellington's own tree lighting is Dec. 3 at the Wellington Amphitheater and its Holiday Boat Parade is Dec. 12 on Lake Wellington.

When is Zoo Lights at the Palm Beach Zoo in 2026?

Zoo Lights runs on select nights from Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027, according to Discover The Palm Beaches.

When does Sandi the sand tree light up in 2026?

Sandi, the 35-foot holiday sand tree on the West Palm Beach waterfront, lights up Dec. 3, 2026, with nightly music-and-light shows through Dec. 31.

Is there ice skating near Wellington for the holidays?

Winter Wonderland at The Ben in downtown West Palm Beach has an outdoor real-ice skating rink from Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027, open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sources

Details on developments and schools can change. We update this guide as new information is announced. Spot something out of date? Send us a tip.

By Ben Siegel. Ben is a Wellington resident and entrepreneur who founded Wellington List to bring local news, guides and businesses together in one place. More about Ben · Our editorial standards