Holiday Magic at Seaside

ice skating under lights and snow
Words by Ashley Locke
Seaside, Florida might be a long way from the North Pole, but you would never know it. During the holiday season, Seaside pulls out all the stops. From Thanksgiving Day, all the way until New Year’s Eve, the small town proves that this truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Seaside kicks off the holiday season on Thanksgiving Day with a performance of The Nutcracker Ballet. However, the center of Seaside’s festivities is a new ice skating under lights and snowtradition––the Holiday Market. Event Director Kevin Boyle says the market is reminiscent of what you would experience at Germany’s old Christmas Markets or Disney’s Christmas events––full of nostalgia and memory-making magic. 

The Seaside Holiday Market is located in the Seaside Lyceum, newly expanded with a stage, an arcade, and new colonnades. There’s a lot to enjoy, like face painting, holiday shopping, and of course, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The holiday magic doesn’t stop there. For the first time, Seaside brought ice skating to Florida! The artificial ice rink offers 30 minute skating sessions, making sure that even tropical Florida can feel like a Winter Wonderland. 

The Seaside Holiday Market is open every weekend in December. Admission is free, so you can wander through the Holiday Market with food and crafts, or visit local restaurants and shops as you please. You might even recognize some friendly faces if you’ve visited Seaside’s Farmers Market!

The events don’t end after Christmas! You won’t want to miss Seaside’s New Year’s Eve Celebration. Spend the last night of the decade with live music, fun face painting, and crafts. The music will start at 5 PM, and fireworks will begin at 9 PM so that your kids can enjoy the celebration before bedtime. 

If you want to learn more about spending the holiday season in Seaside, visit their website https://seasidefl.com/