Christmas 2026 in Jupiter: Santa at The Gardens Mall from Nov. 14, real snow in Abacoa Dec. 12 and Busch Wildlife's Holiday Hootenanny Dec. 19.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: the Town of Jupiter’s There’s Snow Place Like Jupiter and Santa Letters pages, Busch Wildlife Sanctuary and The Gardens Mall.
Jupiter’s Christmas season is built around a handful of big free events, not a single light show. The town’s tree lighting and the lighted holiday boat parade open December on Dec. 4 and 5, real snow and Santa come to Abacoa on Dec. 12, and Busch Wildlife Sanctuary holds its first Holiday Hootenanny on Dec. 19.
The tree lighting and the boat parade, with bridge times and viewing spots, are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page. This page covers everything else.
Who to call
- Town holiday events and Santa letters: Jupiter Community Center, 561-741-2400
- Holiday Hootenanny: Busch Wildlife Sanctuary
- Santa photo reservations: The Gardens Mall
The 2026 holiday calendar
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. | Santa’s Arrival Parade | The Gardens Mall, Palm Beach Gardens | Free |
| Nov. 14 to Dec. 24 | Santa photos | The Gardens Mall, Lower Level Grand Court | See mall |
| Thursday, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m. | Merry & Muddled holiday mixology workshop, 21 and over | Busch Wildlife Sanctuary | $85 |
| Friday, Dec. 4, 5-7 p.m. | Town tree lighting | Town Green, 210 Military Trail | Free |
| Saturday, Dec. 5, from 6 p.m. | Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade | Intracoastal Waterway | Free to watch |
| Saturday, Dec. 12, 4-7 p.m. | There’s Snow Place Like Jupiter | Abacoa Community Park, 1501 Frederick Small Road | Free |
| Saturday, Dec. 19, 5-8 p.m. | Holiday Hootenanny | Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, 17855 Rocky Pines Road | $15; 3 and under free |
Snow and Santa in Abacoa, Saturday, Dec. 12
The town’s There’s Snow Place Like Jupiter fills Abacoa Community Park with 32 tons of real snow from 4 to 7 p.m. There is a winter village, a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus, bounce houses, a live DJ and food vendors. It is free and family friendly.
Holiday Hootenanny at Busch Wildlife, Saturday, Dec. 19
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary’s first Holiday Hootenanny runs 5-8 p.m. at 17855 Rocky Pines Road, with a visit from Santa, hot chocolate, a bounce house and more activities the sanctuary says are still to come. Tickets are $15, children 3 and under get in free, and registration is on the event page. Money raised supports the care of injured and orphaned wildlife.
For adults, the sanctuary’s Merry & Muddled workshop at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, teaches holiday cocktails. It is 21 and over, $85 a person, and space is limited.
Santa at the mall
The Gardens Mall, 3101 PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens, about six miles south, welcomes Santa with a parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13. Santa photos run during mall hours from Nov. 14 to Dec. 24 in his Enchanted Garden on the Lower Level Grand Court. Reservations are encouraged; walk-ups are welcome.
Letters to Santa
The town’s Santa Letters program has Santa write back to children who mail or drop off a letter at the Jupiter Community Center, 200 Military Trail, or send one through the town’s online e-Santa form. In 2025 the deadline was Dec. 14. The 2026 dates were listed as to be announced when we checked; include your full name and address so Santa can reply.
Lights, menorah lightings and more
No public light display, drive-through light show or menorah lighting in Jupiter had posted 2026 dates on its organizer’s own website when we checked on Oct. 9. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4. Organizers can send us the details and we will add them here with a link.
What this means for you
- Mark two Saturdays: Dec. 5 for the boat parade and Dec. 12 for the snow.
- Busch Wildlife’s Hootenanny is ticketed; register ahead.
- Holiday store hours and markets are on our Black Friday and holiday shopping guide; the year ends with New Year’s Eve in Jupiter.
Frequently asked questions
Where can kids see Santa in Jupiter in 2026?
Santa and Mrs. Claus meet families at the town’s free There’s Snow Place Like Jupiter, 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at Abacoa Community Park. Santa also visits Busch Wildlife Sanctuary’s Holiday Hootenanny on Dec. 19 and The Gardens Mall from Nov. 14 to Dec. 24.
Is there real snow in Jupiter for Christmas?
Yes. The town brings 32 tons of real snow to Abacoa Community Park, 1501 Frederick Small Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. It is free.
When is the Busch Wildlife Holiday Hootenanny?
5-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, at 17855 Rocky Pines Road. Tickets are $15, and children 3 and under get in free.
How do kids send a letter to Santa through the Town of Jupiter?
In 2025 the town took letters at the Jupiter Community Center, 200 Military Trail, and by an online form, with a Dec. 14 deadline. The 2026 dates were listed as to be announced when we checked.
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