Jacksonville is gearing up for its biggest holiday kickoff of the year. Holiday River Fest, presented by Bank of America, returns to Riverfront Plaza in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, November 28, bringing the city's annual Light Boat Parade, a Christmas tree lighting, fireworks and a holiday market back to the St. Johns River.
Holiday River Fest is set for Saturday, November 28. The festival is expected to include many of the elements that have become staples downtown, including the Jacksonville Light Boat Parade, a tree-lighting ceremony and fireworks sponsored by Bank of America.
Boats, Bridges and a Fireworks Waterfall
The headline attraction is the 41st Annual Jacksonville Light Boat Parade, with dozens of decorated boats set to begin their journey across the St. Johns River at 6:30 p.m., according to First Coast News. Boater registration for the parade remains open through November 20, the station's report notes. Fireworks will follow at approximately 8 p.m., timed to create a waterfall effect cascading from the Main Street and Acosta bridges, the same report states.
The event also includes a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony at Riverfront Plaza alongside the boat parade, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. Accounts of the exact lighting time vary: First Coast News reports the tree's lights switch on at 6 p.m. with Mayor Donna Deegan and Miss Florida in attendance, while the Daily Record reports the ceremony begins at 5 p.m. with the lighting itself at 6:15 p.m. The city's own event listing at events.jacksonville.gov lists a 6:25 p.m. lighting time sponsored by Community First Credit Union, adding a third figure to the mix.
Performances, Food and Family Activities
Starting at 5 p.m., visitors can catch performances from local dancers and musicians, including a number from Alhambra Theatre's “ELF the Musical,” per the same First Coast News account. Snacks, hot cocoa, adult beverages, food trucks and face painting will also be on hand, according to the Free Press of Jacksonville.
The festival's JAX Artist Walk on Ice is set to run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a holiday market open from 2 to 8 p.m., the Free Press reports. Those activities build on programming that has defined recent editions of the festival, including Silent Disco at Friendship Fountain, ice skating near Artist Walk and a holiday market at Riverside Arts Market, as documented by Jacksonville.com following last year's event.
Road Closures Expected Downtown
Anyone driving through downtown that evening should plan ahead. First Coast News reports that all lanes and sidewalks on the Main Street Bridge will close from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., while the Acosta Bridge will close from 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. for fireworks.
Jacksonville's 2025 Holiday River Fest drew hundreds of people to its own tree-lighting ceremony on November 29, 2025, alongside the Light Boat Parade and a fireworks show, according to Jacksonville.com's recap. That event took place in the newly built section of Riverfront Plaza, the park constructed on the site of the demolished Jacksonville Landing, per the Daily Record. The first phase of that park carried a $38 million price tag and includes a rooftop playground, an event lawn, a new bulkhead and expanded Riverwalk space connecting to the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, the Daily Record reported.
