Brett Price helps erect the holiday tree inside Riverfront Plaza on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Price previously built Jacksonville's holiday tree in James Weldon Johnson Park for the previous five years. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
Published on November 25, 2025 at 4:16 pm
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Jacksonville begins its official holiday celebrations on Saturday with its inaugural River Fest at Riverfront Plaza and around Downtown’s north and south riverbanks.
And the city’s annual holiday event will give folks a preview of the first phase of the new Riverfront Plaza along Water Street on the site of the former Jacksonville Landing.
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- The free, family-friendly event kicks off a 5 p.m. with performances from Alhambra Theatre’s “ELF the Musical” and others, ending with the 6:15 p.m. tree lighting with Mayor Donna Deegan. Snacks, hot cocoa and adult beverages will be available courtesy of Friends of JWJ Park, along with food trucks, face painting and more.
- AT 6:30 p.m. is the city’s annual Lighted Boat Parade on the St. Johns River. The parade will begin at the west end of the Shipyards, travel along the Northbank, and turn south just before the Acosta Bridge. Parade participants will be judged on overall look and decoration composition in the categories of boats under 30-feet; boats over 30-feet; sailboats; and corporate, city officials said. It will continue east along the Southbank. The night ends with an 8 p.m. fireworks display including a “waterfall” effect cascading off the Main Street and Acosta bridges into the river below.
- More activities will be held starting at 6 p.m. at Friendship Fountain on the Southbank, including a holiday lights and music show; a Silent Disco featuring a holiday music channel, plus food trucks and a bar serving hot chocolate and special holiday beverages. A silent disco runs from 6 to 9 p.m. with headphone rentals $10 per adult, and free for children 17 and under with paying adult.
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Celebrating River Fest
The first phase of Riverfront Plaza focused on the Northbank Riverwalk, with curving walkways, native plant gardens in a large greenspace and a cafe building with a rooftop playground. The plaza’s second phase will focus on the eastern side of the site next to the Main Street bridge, including a pedestrian ramp from the bridge and the biergarten beneath it, along with a fountain and other elements.
The Main Street and Acosta bridges will be closed to set up the fireworks waterfall and light them off, along with some area roads and bridge on- and off-ramps. And the Main Street bridge will be locked in “up” position from 6 to 10 p.m., so the fireworks barge pass underneigth it.
More details about Saturday’s events can be found at events.jacksonville.gov.
