Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Venice for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events, 1 of them free. They are The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting (November 27) and Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night (December 12). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Florida Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Venice
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Venice
- 1 free event, including Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night
- Meet Santa: The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting (November 27) and Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night (December 12)
- Parades and tree lightings: The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting (November 27) and Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night (December 12)
- Season: November 27 (The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting) to December 12 (Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Free Christmas events for kids in Venice
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Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 4 pm (Starts at 4:00 pm; golf cart Parade of Lights at 6:00 pm and concert at 7:00 pm. The page does not give a closing time.)
- Where: CoolToday Park, 18800 S West Villages Pkwy, Venice, FL 34293 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
CoolToday Park gives its 8th annual Jingle Jam a new nighttime format. At North Palm Plaza, children can have pictures taken with Santa in the Visiting Clubhouse, hear a story from Mrs. Claus, play Holiday Glow Golf and ride the Palmer Express. At 6:00 pm, decorated and lit golf carts parade from the ballpark through Wellen Park and finish on the field, and the Jesse Daniels Band plays a concert on the plaza at 7:00 pm.
Jingle Jam is on Saturday, December 12, 2026, starting at 4:00 pm with a pre-parade party at CoolToday Park, 18800 S. West Villages Parkway. The page lists tickets as free and describes the concert as free too, and registration applies to golf carts joining the parade. Food, treats and drinks are sold on site.
Parent tip: The park says the golf cart parade is best watched from inside the seating bowl, so finish Santa photos and Mrs. Claus's story before 6:00 pm and then head for seats. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket if you plan to stay for the 7:00 pm concert on the plaza.
- Host
- CoolToday Park (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- CoolToday Park, 18800 S West Villages Pkwy, Venice, FL 34293 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Venice events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Venice daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Venice.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Venice event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Venice.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Venice before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Lights
- 2 Shows
- 1 Parades
- 1 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Venice every week.
Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Venice
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Tree lighting
The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting
- When: Friday, November 27, 2026, 5 to 7 pm
- Where: Centennial Park, 200 W Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Venice MainStreet opens the season in Centennial Park, where the downtown Christmas tree is lit while local choirs, The Venice Chorale among them, sing. Santa is there to spend time with children, and the shops and restaurants of Historic Downtown Venice surround the park.
The lighting takes place on Friday, November 27, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Centennial Park, 200 West Venice Avenue. The organizer asks families to bring their own chairs or blankets and does not list an admission charge or any sign-up.
Parent tip: Seating is whatever you carry in, so pack a blanket or folding chairs and claim a patch of lawn early enough for the kids to see both the choirs and the tree. It is the evening after Thanksgiving, so expect downtown to be busy.
- Host
- Venice MainStreet (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Centennial Park, 200 W Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Venice events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Venice daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Venice.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Florida Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Venice Christmas event for kids happens
The first is The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting in Venice on November 27; the last runs to December 12. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree LightingVenice · Nov 27
- Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright NightVenice · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our Florida Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Englewood, FL, North Port, Sarasota and Port Charlotte. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Venice
Venice was once called "Horse and Chaise," after a tree formation shaped like a carriage that fishermen used as a landmark. The city that later took its name from the canal city in Italy now opens Christmas with a tree lighting in its historic downtown and a golf cart parade of lights at the ballpark.
How Venice celebrates
The season starts the night after Thanksgiving, when Venice MainStreet presents The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting in Centennial Park on West Venice Avenue, the city's main east-west street. Local choirs, including The Venice Chorale, sing while the tree is lit, Santa greets children, and families are encouraged to shop and eat in Historic Downtown Venice. In mid-December, CoolToday Park holds what it calls its 8th annual Jingle Jam, this year as a nighttime event. It pairs Santa photos, story time with Mrs. Claus and Holiday Glow Golf with a Parade of Lights in which decorated golf carts roll through Wellen Park and onto the field, followed by a free concert.
Fun facts about Christmas in Venice
The name Venice was suggested by settler Frank Higel and was first used for a post office in 1888. The modern city took shape in 1925 and 1926 after the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers bought the land and kept John Nolen as city planner, and it was incorporated as the Town of Venice on July 1, 1926. Venice has been called the "Shark's Tooth Capital of the World," and the Venice Depot is on the National Register of Historic Places. The 2020 census counted 25,463 residents.
Traditions today
- The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting: Venice MainStreet lights the tree in Centennial Park on the Friday after Thanksgiving while local choirs sing.
- Choirs in the park: Local choirs, including The Venice Chorale, perform at the downtown tree lighting as families watch from their own chairs and blankets.
- Jingle Jam at CoolToday Park: CoolToday Park bills its 2026 Jingle Jam as the 8th annual, with Santa photos, Mrs. Claus story time and Holiday Glow Golf.
- Parade of Lights: Illuminated golf carts parade from CoolToday Park through Wellen Park and finish on the baseball field at Jingle Jam.
- Historic Downtown Venice: The tree lighting invites families to shop, dine and explore downtown businesses around Centennial Park.
A fact for kids
Venice is called the "Shark's Tooth Capital of the World" because so many fossilized shark teeth wash up on its beaches. The circus once spent its winters here, too, and ran a Clown College in town.
Questions about Christmas in Venice
How did Venice, Florida get its name?
Frank Higel, a settler from France who arrived in 1883, suggested the name because the area reminded him of the canal city in Italy. A post office named Venice was established in 1888. Before that, the spot was known as "Horse and Chaise" after a carriage-shaped tree formation.
When was Venice founded?
White settlers first arrived in significant numbers in the 1870s, and the Venice post office dates to 1888. The planned city was built in 1925 and 1926, and it was officially incorporated as the Town of Venice on July 1, 1926, becoming the City of Venice on May 9, 1927.
What do trains have to do with Venice's history?
Quite a lot. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers bought the land in the 1920s and built the first parts of the city. Venice was once a destination of the Orange Blossom Special, passenger service last ran in 1971, and the Venice Depot is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who planned the city of Venice?
John Nolen created the master plan. Fred H. Albee, an orthopedic surgeon, bought 112 acres from Bertha Palmer during the 1920s land boom and hired Nolen. Albee then sold the land to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, which retained Nolen as city planner.
Why is Venice called the Shark's Tooth Capital of the World?
Fossilized shark teeth are abundant along the city's coastal shores, and Wikipedia notes that Venice has been given that nickname. The city hosts an annual Shark's Tooth Festival to celebrate them, which makes beachcombing a favorite activity for visiting children.
What happens at Christmas in Venice?
The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting opens the season in Centennial Park on Friday, November 27, 2026, with choirs and Santa. On Saturday, December 12, CoolToday Park holds Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night, with Santa photos, a golf cart Parade of Lights and a concert.
Who organizes the Venice tree lighting?
Venice MainStreet presents the Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting and lists it on the Visit Venice FL calendar. It is held at Centennial Park, 200 West Venice Avenue, in Historic Downtown Venice, and families are asked to bring their own chairs or blankets.
Is Jingle Jam a long-running event?
CoolToday Park calls the 2026 edition its 8th annual Jingle Jam. This year it has a new nighttime format named A Merry & Bright Night, with a pre-parade party at 4:00 pm, the Parade of Lights at 6:00 pm and a drive-in concert at 7:00 pm.
What is free at Christmas in Venice?
The Jingle Jam page lists tickets as free and describes the Jesse Daniels Band concert after the parade as free. The downtown tree lighting page does not mention any charge. Food, drinks and shopping at both events are extra.
How many people live in Venice?
The 2020 census counted 25,463 residents, up from 20,748 in 2010. Venice is in Sarasota County in Southwest Florida. It includes what locals call Venice Island, a part of the mainland reached by bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway.
Sources
- Venice, Florida, Wikipedia
- The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting 2026, Venice MainStreet
- Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night, CoolToday Park
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Florida city.
Venice Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
When is the Christmas tree lighting in Venice, Florida?
The Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting is on Friday, November 27, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Centennial Park, 200 West Venice Avenue. Venice MainStreet presents it with local choirs, including The Venice Chorale, and Santa. Bring chairs or blankets, because seating is not provided.
Where can kids meet Santa in Venice?
Santa is at the Mayor's Hometown Christmas Tree Lighting in Centennial Park on November 27, 2026. He also poses for pictures in the Visiting Clubhouse at Jingle Jam at CoolToday Park on Saturday, December 12, where Mrs. Claus holds a story time as well.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Venice?
Yes. CoolToday Park lists tickets for Jingle Jam: A Merry & Bright Night on December 12, 2026, as free, and the concert after the parade is free as well. The downtown tree lighting on November 27 does not list any admission charge, though the page does not use the word free.
What is the golf cart parade at Jingle Jam?
It is the Parade of Lights, which starts at 6:00 pm on Saturday, December 12, 2026. Illuminated golf carts travel from CoolToday Park through Wellen Park and finish on the field. The park recommends watching from inside the seating bowl, and awards for the best decorated carts follow on the plaza.
Do we need tickets or registration for Venice's holiday events?
The tree lighting in Centennial Park has no sign-up listed. For Jingle Jam, the page shows tickets as free, and the registration link is for golf carts that want to drive in the Parade of Lights. Check the CoolToday Park page before you go in case entry details change.
What is there for young children at Jingle Jam?
North Palm Plaza has pictures with Santa in the Visiting Clubhouse, Storytime with Mrs. Claus, Holiday Glow Golf and rides on the Palmer Express, along with festive food and treats. The evening begins at 4:00 pm on December 12, 2026, so little ones can do the activities before the 6:00 pm parade.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Venice?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Florida Christmas train rides guide. This Venice guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.