From the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is full of lights, parades, boat shows and holiday stages. Here is the 2026 calendar, from Bay St. Louis to Moss Point.
All season: Gulfport Harbor Lights
November 27, 2026 – January 3, 2027, Jones Park, Gulfport, 5:30–10:30 p.m. Mississippi's largest Christmas light show fills about 40 acres on the waterfront with carnival rides, a holiday train, Santa's Village and the "Dancing Trees." Santa is there from 6 to 10 p.m. every night except Christmas Day. The festival is closed on Christmas Eve. Tickets go on sale November 1 on the festival's website; weekends are the busiest nights. Free parking and a shuttle run from the Coast Transit Authority garage at 15th Street and 20th Avenue.
The festival's own site gives January 3 as closing night; Coastal Mississippi's listing says January 2.
The 2026 calendar
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Deck the Halls, Gulfport's city tree lighting | Gulfport City Hall |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Biloxi Lighthouse Lighting: the lighthouse turns red and green | Biloxi Visitors Center |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Tree Lighting with Santa and the Coast Big Band, 6 p.m. | The Mary C, Ocean Springs |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Glo All the Way: Biloxi's tree lighting and Christmas concert, 5:30–10 p.m. | Biloxi Town Green, 710 Beach Blvd. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Christmas in the Pass, 40th year: 6 p.m. parade, tree lighting, Santa, fireworks (4–9 p.m.) | Downtown Pass Christian |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Downtown for the Holidays: tree lighting and Christmas Parade of Lights, 5–8 p.m. | Flagship District, Pascagoula |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Long Beach tree lighting, then Elf on the big screen at 6 p.m. | Harper McCaughan Town Green, Long Beach |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Kenny G, 8 p.m. | Beau Rivage Theatre, Biloxi |
| Dec. 4, 5, 11, 18, 19 & 26 | TrainTastic Holiday Lights, 5:30–8 p.m. | TrainTastic, Gulfport |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Christmas on the Water boat parade and fireworks (see note) | Biloxi waterfront |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Christmas by the River: 3 p.m. parade, 6 p.m. tree lighting, 6:15 p.m. lighted boat parade and fireworks | Downtown Moss Point riverfront |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Sea Santa Sail-A-Bration "waterless" boat parade, 5:15 p.m. | Downtown Long Beach |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | D'Iberville Christmas Parade and tree lighting, 5:30 p.m. | Warrior Stadium to the D'Iberville Town Green |
| Dec. 5–6 | The Nutcracker, New Orleans Ballet Theatre, 2 p.m. | iMPAC, Gulfport |
| Dec. 5–6 | Silent Light Festival: art projections and a silent disco | Walter Anderson Museum of Art, Ocean Springs |
| Dec. 5–6 | Walk in the Woods holiday art market, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | La Terre Art Studios, Kiln |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Phil Quigley Discover Christmas Parade (toy drive), 2 p.m. | Downtown Ocean Springs |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Sugarplum Christmas Parade, 3:30–6:30 p.m. | Downtown Gulfport |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Jingle Bell Rock: live music and vendors, 7–10 p.m. | Howard Avenue, Biloxi |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Krampus Night Market, 5–8 p.m. | The Mary C, Ocean Springs |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | An Acoustic Christmas with Chris Young, 8 p.m. | Beau Rivage Theatre, Biloxi |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas on the Avenue: grand lighting, snow and a Santa parade, 5 p.m. | Howard Avenue, downtown Biloxi |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas on the Town Green: 4:30 p.m. parade, Santa by fire truck | Diamondhead City Hall |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas on the Bayou lighted boat parade, 6 p.m. | Gulfport Lake |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Elvis My Way Christmas with Brandon Bennett, 8 p.m. | IP Casino Resort Spa, Biloxi |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | The Matzo Ball, a Hanukkah party, 6–8 p.m. | 100 Men Hall, Bay St. Louis |
| Dec. 12–13 | The Nutcracker, Mississippi Gulf Coast Ballet Theatre (Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m.) | Saenger Theatre, Biloxi |
| Dec. 12–13 | Jackson County Fairgrounds Holiday Festival, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. | Jackson County Fairgrounds, Pascagoula |
| Dec. 12–27 | Christmas in the Air holiday spectacular (dark Mondays) | Beau Rivage Theatre, Biloxi |
| Wed., Dec. 16 | Budweiser Clydesdales parade, 6 p.m. | Downtown Ocean Springs |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | Budweiser Clydesdales, 6 p.m. | Bay St. Louis |
| Dec. 18–19 | Mistletoe & Main Street Christmas street fair (Clydesdales Sat. at 3 p.m.) | Downtown Gulfport |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Jingle Crawl: tacky Christmas attire encouraged | Flagship District, Pascagoula |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Coast Big Band Christmas Concert, 7:30 p.m. | The Mary C, Ocean Springs |
| Mon., Dec. 21 | Winter Solstice Lantern Parade and beach bonfire | Bay St. Louis |
| Tue., Dec. 22 | Ole Miss vs. Southern Miss basketball | Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi |
| Thu., Dec. 24 | Christmas Eve: Harbor Lights is closed | Jones Park, Gulfport |
Parades and tree lightings, town by town
- Bay St. Louis opens the season on Saturday, November 28, with Christmas in the Bay: a 5:30 p.m. parade through Old Town to the Historic Train Depot, then cocoa, a movie and Santa. On December 21, the Winter Solstice Lantern Parade walks lanterns through town on the longest night of the year and ends at a beach bonfire.
- Diamondhead's Christmas on the Town Green (December 12) parades from The Club at Diamondhead to City Hall at 4:30 p.m., where Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a fire truck for photos and train rides.
- Christmas in the Pass (December 4) marks its 40th year in downtown Pass Christian with a decorated golf-cart parade at 6 p.m., Santa's arrival, the city's tree lighting, a vendors' village and fireworks.
- Long Beach lights its tree on December 4 and shows Elf on the Town Green. The next evening, the Sea Santa Sail-A-Bration rolls decorated boats on trailers through downtown at 5:15 p.m., followed by free Santa photos.
- Gulfport lights its tree at City Hall on December 3 and holds the Sugarplum Christmas Parade downtown on Sunday, December 6.
- Biloxi turns the Biloxi Lighthouse red and green on December 3, lights the Town Green tree at Glo All the Way on December 4 (glow sticks encouraged), and holds Christmas on the Avenue in its second year: more than 150 lit trees along Howard Avenue, with Jingle Bell Rock on Friday, December 11, and the grand lighting, snow and Santa parade on Saturday, December 12, at 5 p.m.
- D'Iberville runs its parade of decorated Jeeps, golf carts and trucks from Warrior Stadium to the Town Green at 5:30 p.m. on December 5, with Santa staying for the tree lighting. That morning brings the Santa Paws pet parade and Santa's Workshop on the Town Green.
- Ocean Springs lights its tree with Santa at the Mary C on December 3 and holds the Phil Quigley Discover Christmas Parade, a toy drive, on Sunday, December 6, at 2 p.m. On December 16 the Budweiser Clydesdales pull their beer wagon along the downtown parade route at 6 p.m. They visit Bay St. Louis on December 17 and Gulfport's Mistletoe & Main Street on December 19.
- Pascagoula's Flagship District lights its tree and rolls a Christmas Parade of Lights on December 4.
- Moss Point's Christmas by the River (December 5) has two parades: floats down Main Street at 3 p.m., then lighted boats on the Escatawpa River at 6:15, with a riverfront festival, Santa and the tree lighting in between and fireworks to finish.
Biloxi's own newsletter puts the Christmas on the Avenue grand lighting on December 12; Coastal Mississippi's announcement lists December 11. Silent Light is listed as December 5 by the Ocean Springs Chamber and December 5–6 by Coastal Mississippi.
Boat parades and fireworks
Christmas on the Water in Biloxi has opened the Coast's season since 1986. Decorated boats parade just offshore, from south of the Biloxi Lighthouse east to Point Cadet, and then fireworks go up over the Mississippi Sound. It's free. The best viewing is anywhere from the Lighthouse to Point Cadet, centered between the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor and Oak Street. This year's theme is "Disco Glow Christmas."
Coastal Mississippi's event listing and local calendars give Saturday, December 5 (listed for 6 p.m.); the tourism agency's holiday press release says December 6. Check with the host before you go.
The same night, Moss Point's lighted boats follow the Escatawpa River after its tree lighting, with fireworks after. On December 12, the Bayou Bernard Boating Club parades lighted boats on Gulfport Lake in Christmas on the Bayou. Christmas in the Pass ends with fireworks on December 4. For New Year's Eve, see our holiday fireworks and New Year's Eve guide.
Lights, trains and Santa
- Harbor Lights (above) is the big one, open nightly except Christmas Eve.
- TrainTastic in Gulfport runs Holiday Lights, more than 2 million lights with Santa, a holiday train ride and crafts, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on December 4, 5, 11, 18, 19 and 26 (not December 12). Admission is $25. Smaller Polar Experience nights, a North Pole train ride with a keepsake bell for the kids, run December 6, 10, 13, 17 and 20, and there's Breakfast with Santa on December 19.
- Silent Light at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art projects animated Walter Anderson art across the museum campus in downtown Ocean Springs, with music and a silent disco.
- Breakfasts with Santa on December 5: the Salvation Army Kroc Center serves breakfast with Santa ($5) alongside a free kids' safety fair, and the Kiwanis Club of Pascagoula hosts Pancakes with Santa in Christmas pajamas ($10) at the Pascagoula Performing Arts Center.
Nutcrackers, concerts and casino shows
- Two Nutcrackers in December. New Orleans Ballet Theatre dances its first Nutcracker at iMPAC in Gulfport on December 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. ($31–$84). The Mississippi Gulf Coast Ballet Theatre brings its Nutcracker home to the reopened Saenger Theatre in Biloxi for the first time in nine years: Saturday, December 12, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 13, at 3 p.m. (A Southern Nutcracker plays IP Casino on Thanksgiving Saturday; see our Thanksgiving weekend guide.)
- Beau Rivage has Kenny G on December 4 and An Acoustic Christmas with Chris Young on December 11. Then Christmas in the Air, a family holiday spectacular with Jake Hoot, high-kicking dancers and Santa, runs December 12–27 (no Monday shows), with 7 p.m. performances and 2 p.m. matinees on select days.
- IP Casino Resort Spa has Brandon Bennett's Elvis My Way Christmas on December 12.
- The Mary C in Ocean Springs hosts Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings on December 18 and the Coast Big Band Christmas Concert on December 19.
- Basketball: Ole Miss plays Southern Miss at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum on December 22.
Pair a show with dinner and the lights and you have an easy holiday night out. See our casino limo service.
Grown-up nights out
- Jingle Bell Rock on Howard Avenue in Biloxi (December 11, 7–10 p.m.) brings live music and vendors to the night before Christmas on the Avenue.
- Jingle Crawl in Pascagoula's Flagship District (December 18) is a downtown bar crawl in your tackiest Christmas outfit.
- The Hen House Holiday Pop-Up Bar on Blaize Avenue in Bay St. Louis is open Wednesday through Sunday through December 27.
- The Matzo Ball at 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis (December 12, the eighth night of Hanukkah) has latkes, deli food, holiday cocktails, a matzo ball toss and live music.
- TrainTastic's first Conductor's Ball (December 12, 6–9 p.m.) is a holiday benefit with dueling pianos.
Shopping and markets
- Mistletoe & Main Street fills downtown Gulfport with arts and crafts vendors, live music and free Santa photos on December 18 and 19.
- Walk in the Woods (December 5–6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.) turns a wooded trail at La Terre Art Studios in Kiln into an outdoor gallery of handmade gifts. Admission is free.
- The Bay-Waveland Yacht Club Christmas Bazaar (December 4–5, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.) has more than 30 local vendors indoors.
- The Mary C in Ocean Springs hosts a K-Pop Holiday Market (December 4) and a Krampus Night Market (December 11, 5–8 p.m.).
- The Jackson County Fairgrounds Holiday Festival in Pascagoula (December 12–13) brings Santa, the Grinch, holiday shopping and food trucks.
- Old Town Bay St. Louis plans a Santa Stroll with an evening Sip & Shop on Sunday, December 13, according to Old Town's merchants. Coastal Mississippi calls it the "Second Saturday" stroll.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Plan around two closures: Harbor Lights is closed on Christmas Eve, and Santa takes Christmas Day off from Santa's Village. Many restaurants close or serve set menus. White Pillars in Biloxi is taking reservations for a three-course Christmas Eve prix fixe ($75 per person). Casino resorts post their Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining in December; reserve early. Christmas in the Air plays matinees and evening shows through December 27, and TrainTastic's lights come back on December 26.
Ride together, skip the parking
Parade nights mean road closures and full lots, especially along the Biloxi waterfront, on Howard Avenue and at Jones Park. With a limo, your group rides together, gets dropped off close to the action and gets picked up when the fireworks end. Book a holiday lights tour that takes in Harbor Lights, the red-and-green Biloxi Lighthouse and Christmas on the Avenue in one night, a Nutcracker or Christmas in the Air outing, or a ride to and from the company Christmas party. Nobody has to be the designated driver.
Holiday weekends book up early. Request a quote or call us at (228) 797-5466 to reserve your night.
Sources: Gulfport Harbor Lights and its FAQ; Coastal Mississippi's 2026 holiday events announcement and event listings for Harbor Lights, Christmas on the Water, Christmas on the Avenue, Christmas in the Pass, Sugarplum Christmas Parade, Mistletoe & Main Street, Walk in the Woods, Jackson County Fairgrounds Holiday Festival and Hen House; City of Biloxi BNews, October 2026; City of Moss Point; TrainTastic Holiday Lights and Conductor's Ball; WLOX on the Clydesdales; WXXV on the Saenger Nutcracker; iMPAC; Beau Rivage shows; The Mary C; WLOX on Ole Miss–Southern Miss; The Gulf Coast Mom calendar; The Shoofly Magazine. Dates can change; confirm with each host before you go.