Celebrating the holiday season Downtown has been a tradition for decades.
About 50 years ago, the urban core was the location for department stores and specialty shops and Hemming Park was where Santa Claus arrived each year.
The holiday season officially begins Friday with a longstanding tradition along the banks of the St. Johns River.
By the time the season wraps up after New Year’s Day, some new Downtown festivities will have debuted.
When the Rouse Co. opened the Jacksonville Landing in June 1987, the first major promotion planned for the new riverfront retail center was lighting a Christmas tree in the courtyard, followed by a fireworks display.
The tradition continues at 7 p.m. today with the 29th annual Christmas on the River Tree Lighting Ceremony. A full slate of entertainment will be presented, highlighted by flipping the switch to illuminate 78,000 LED lights and more than 100 ornaments on the 56-foot tree in the courtyard.
Unity Plaza along Riverside Avenue in Brooklyn is starting another tradition today with its inaugural Jacksonville Holiday Extravaganza.
Beginning at 4 p.m., carolers and a bluegrass Christmas band will perform as horse-drawn carriages circle the plaza. The Florida Ballet will present at 4:30 p.m. selections from “The Nutcracker,” Santa Claus will arrive at 5 p.m. and a tree lighting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m.
Also adding to the holiday mood, the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus is debuting “Downtown Dazzle: An Illumination Celebration” at 6 p.m. today at 225 E. Duval St.
In celebration of the chorus’s 20th anniversary, its headquarters at First United Methodist Church is decorated with lights synchronized to seasonal songs recorded by the chorus. Through Dec. 31, 12-minute shows will be presented from 6-9:30 p.m.
The Community First Light Boat Parade will cruise along the Northbank and Southbank riverwalks at 7 p.m. Saturday. Brightly decorated vessels of all types and sizes are entered in the procession, which will be followed by a fireworks display.
That’s just the beginning of Downtown’s holiday activities.
Mayor Lenny Curry will light the Christmas tree in Hemming Park at 7 p.m. Wednesday during Art Walk. Then he’ll head to City Hall for the annual holiday open house when visitors may tour the mayor’s office and City Council suite.
The Holiday on the River Dance & Concert Series begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Landing when the Pine Castle Chorus will be the first of more than 40 groups invited to perform in the courtyard.
Singers, dancers and musicians from public and private schools are scheduled during the day and evening through Dec. 21.
Nearing the end of its third decade, the annual series is crossing generations, said Landing General Manager Janice Lowe.
“We’ve been doing this for so long that parents, and now even grandparents, of the kids who perform can remember when they were on stage here years ago during the holidays,” she said.
Two events are scheduled Dec. 6 at the Landing.
Chanukah at the Landing is from noon-6 p.m. along Hogan Street near the Gazebo with music, kosher food and lighting a giant menorah.
Also Dec. 6, dogs and their people are invited from 2-5 p.m. for Yappy Hour Christmas “Paw”ty, the final Yappy Hour of 2015.
More than 100 Sousaphone, euphonium and baritone players are expected to play holiday tunes at the Landing at 2 p.m. Dec. 12, marking the 21st annual Tuba Christmas.
For a more “classical” holiday experience, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra will perform Holiday Pops concerts Dec. 10-13. Four performances of First Coast Nutcracker will be on stage Dec. 18-20 in the Moran Theatre. The orchestra and chorus present Handel’s “Messiah” at 8 p.m. Dec. 19 in Jacoby Symphony Hall.
The Florida Theatre hosts this year’s Community Nutcracker for three performances Dec. 4-5.
For more details about holiday happenings Downtown, visit jacksonvillelanding.com, unityplaza.org, jaxchildrenschorus.com, jaxsymphony.org and iloveartwalk.com.
(904) 356-2466