The holiday season officially begins Downtown on Friday with the 27th annual "Christmas on the St. Johns" tree-lighting ceremony at the Jacksonville Landing.
Presented by Sleiman Enterprises, in partnership with Action News and PRI Productions, the 56-foot tree with 78,000 LED lights and more than 200 ornaments will be illuminated shortly after 7 p.m.
Also on the schedule are live music and a fireworks show above the river after the tree is lit.
The Jacksonville Light Parade and Fireworks Spectacular is scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday. More than 100 vessels of all types are expected to participate in the lighted boat parade along the Northbank and Southbank near the Landing and Friendship Park.
One of the year's largest fireworks displays, including a pyrotechnic "waterfall" from the Main Street Bridge, is planned to cap the parade, along with live music in the Landing courtyard.
Synchronized tree light shows are scheduled hourly every night through Dec. 31. Four shows are scheduled from 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; seven shows are scheduled from 6 p.m.-12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Chanukah at the Landing is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Sunday near the Hogan Street gazebo. The event includes live music, food, games and the lighting of Downtown's menorah.
The 2013 "Holiday on the River Concert and Dance Series" begins Monday with more than 100 local school groups, dance troupes and entertainers scheduled to perform daily through Dec. 22 in the courtyard at the Landing.
The fifth annual Yappy Hour Christmas "Paw"ty is scheduled at 2 p.m. Dec. 8. Dogs and their people are invited to the Landing for a pet-food drive, photographs with Santa Claus and live music by the George Aspinall Band.
More than 100 tuba players will assemble at 2 p.m. Dec. 14 in the courtyard at the Landing for the 19th annual Tuba Christmas. A program of traditional holiday music will be performed.
The season wraps up Dec. 31 with the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl New Year's Eve Celebration. Team pep rallies in the courtyard are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. In between, the annual Gator Bowl Parade will pass by the Landing at 3 p.m.
The sixth annual Smokin' Aces New Year's Eve Bash is scheduled from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at Mavericks Rock N' Honky Tonk upstairs at the Landing.
For the entire schedule of holiday events, visit jacksonvillelanding.com.
(904) 356-2466