South Walton Holiday Parade & Seaside Turn on the Town

Combine the small-town atmosphere of a beach community parade, throw in a dash of Santa Claus and mix with the official lighting of a remarkable town on Florida's Emerald Coast, and you have the perfect makings to kick off the holiday season in beautiful Seaside. The parade begins at 4pm in Seagrove Beach and proceeds west to the town of Seaside. At 5pm it's party time in the amphitheater with holiday festivities and of course pictures with the jolly bearded one. Soon, the master of ceremonies asks all the kids to the stage to sing to the crowd of smiling faces, and after jingle bells, the count down begins in unison to "Turn on the Town". 

Here's the schedule of events for Friday and Saturday festivities in Seaside (Nov 24-25):

Friday, Nov. 24
Central Square Cinema: ELF
7pm Seaside Amphitheater
​Enjoy the start of the holiday weekend with a special Central Square Cinema holiday movie under the stars in the Seaside Amphitheater Friday night at 7pm. Bring the whole family out for the hilarious holiday classic Elf starring Will Ferrell. Remember your favorite blankets and chairs for a relaxing evening after the busiest shopping day of the year. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. 

Saturday, Nov. 25
Every Christmas Story Ever Told
4pm special outdoor performance in the Seaside Amphitheatre
Three actors, in what starts out as a pared-down version of the Dickens classic, stage a mutiny and, in an effort to breathe new life into an old tradition, attempt to tell “Every Christmas Story Ever Told” in the space of 50 minutes. Nothing is spared in this rollicking tour de farce! The story of the stingy and sour Ebenezer Scrooge is there too, but it seems the actors have overlooked “It’s a Wonderful Life,” so Scrooge morphs into Jimmy Stewart combining two of the greatest Christmas stories ever told.Free outdoor performance by Seaside Repertory Theatre.

South Walton Holiday Parade
4pm along Scenic Hwy 30A Seagrove Beach to Seaside
​Grab your spot along Scenic Hwy 30A for the Annual South Walton Holiday Parade, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. Residents and visitors share in the glory as participants march or ride 1.5 miles down Scenic Highway 30A from Seagrove Plaza decked in their Christmas best on festive holiday floats. The parade ends in Seaside as visitors welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to town. Registration for parade participants is required; please visit www.seasidefl.com.
 
Seaside Turn on the Town
5:30pm Seaside Amphitheater
The celebration continues with Turn on the Town at the conclusion of the parade as Santa and Mrs. Claus take the stage in the Seaside Amphitheater. Santa, master of ceremonies for the evening, will invite all of the kids to join him in front of the stage for a sing-a-long before magically brightening up the town. Then, the countdown begins in unison to “Turn on the Town” and exactly on cue, the magnificent 24-foot tree lights up. All of downtown Seaside is illuminated with bright, holiday lights! Following the lighting, bring your camera for photos with the jolly man from 5:30 – 8 p.m. 

 
SEASIDE is a blast with festivals, Friday night movies, concerts in the amphitheater, Saturday farmers market, children's outdoor theater and special events all year long thanks to Seaside Merchants. The Seaside Repertory Theatre has a great lineup of comedy, music and performances coming to the stage. Seaside shops and restaurants are open daily. Don't miss cocktails on the deck at Bud and Alley's or happy hour on the porch at Great Southern Cafe. We love food shopping at Modica Market and meeting friends for coffee at Amavida. Just chill in Central Square and watch the town go by.  Check out Wendy Mignot's fine leather and pearl collections at La Vie Est Belle - a unique shop on the square. Browse the open air market at Perspicacity by the Gulf and get all your SEASIDE tee shirts and gear at Seaside Style shops. Shop the unique art galleries and specialty shops around Central Square and Ruskin Place.  

Seaside is the picture-perfect little town where you can reach every shop, restaurant, art gallery and more by foot or bicycle. You'll delight in discovering the unique shops, beachfront accommodations, galleries and more in Seaside. Follow Seaside New Town Old Ways on Facebook for fun updates and photos of everyone's favorite place by the sea. Read more about this SoWal beach town: SoWal.com/Towns and seasidefl.com.