Christmas Events in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Check out all of the fun Christmas Events in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama!

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Christmas Events in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

There are so many fun Christmas Events in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach along with Foley and Baldwin County, Alabama. Get ready for tons of holiday cheer and fun at the beach!

Christmas 2026 Events by Date

• All Season
  • Magic Christmas in Lights, November 20 - January 9 - Bellingrath Gardens
  • Photos with Santa, select dates November 13 - December 24 - The Wharf, Orange Beach
  • Very Merry Tree Walk, November 21 - December 23 - Downtown OWA, Foley
  • Christmas Card Lane, starting December 1 - Lake Shelby, Gulf State Park
• Friday, November 6 & Saturday, November 7
  • Swift-Coles Christmas Vintage and Craft Fair, 10 am - 5 pm - Swift-Coles Historic Home, Bon Secour
• Saturday, November 21
  • FREE Photos with Santa on the Beach with Gulf Coast Journeys and Sand Castle University
  • Tree Lighting & Fireworks - Downtown OWA, Foley
• Saturday, November 28
  • Breakfast with Billy Claus, 8 am - 10 am - LuLu's Gulf Shores
• Tuesday, December 1
  • Christmas Card Lane opens, 6 pm - Lake Shelby, Gulf State Park
  • Orange Beach Christmas Tree Lighting with Sky Elements drone show, 5:30 pm - The Wharf, Orange Beach
• Thursday, December 3
  • Gulf Shores Community Christmas, 5:30 pm, tree lighting at 5:45 pm - Gulf Shores Public Library and City Facilities
  • Daphne Tree Lighting, 5 - 8 pm - Daphne City Hall
• Friday, December 4
  • Christmas in the Park, 6 pm - Heritage Park, Foley
• Saturday, December 5
  • Breakfast with the Grinch, 9 - 11 am - Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion
  • Foley Christmas Parade, 10 am - Downtown Foley
  • Santa Drop, 11 am - 2 pm - Flora-Bama, Perdido Key
  • Daphne Christmas Parade, 11 am - Olde Towne Daphne
• Tuesday, December 8
  • Baldwin Pops Holiday Concert, 7 pm - Erie Meyer Civic Center, Gulf Shores
• Friday, December 11
  • Elf Academy - Downtown OWA, Foley
  • Polar Bear Run Movie Night in the Park, 4 - 8 pm - Al Trione Sports Complex, Daphne
  • Baldwin Pops Christmas Concert, 7 pm - Daphne Civic Center
• Saturday, December 12
  • Elf Academy - Downtown OWA, Foley
  • Jingle Bell Movie Bash, 11 am - Portside on Main, The Wharf
  • Christmas at Blakeley State Park, 2 - 5:30 pm - Blakeley State Park, Spanish Fort
  • LuLu's Lighted Christmas Boat Parade, 5 pm - The Wharf to LuLu's Gulf Shores
  • Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas, 7:30 pm - Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope
• Wednesday, December 16
  • 12 Days of Snakes, 10 am - Gulf State Park Nature Center
• Friday, December 18
  • Skating with Santa, 4 - 8 pm - Daphne Civic Center
  • Crafts with Santa begins (through December 23) - Downtown OWA, Foley
• Saturday, December 19
  • Reading with Raptors: The Christmas Owl, 10 am - Gulf State Park Nature Center
  • Breakfast with Santa begins (through December 23) - Downtown OWA, Foley
• Wednesday, December 23
  • 12 Days of Snakes, 10 am - Gulf State Park Nature Center
• Friday, December 25
  • Christmas Potluck - Flora-Bama, Perdido Key

FREE Photos with Santa on the Beach - November 21, 2026

We are so excited to share that we will be hosting FREE Santa Photos on the beach with Sand Castle University on Saturday, November 21, 2026 (weather dependent)

Sand Castle University is going to build an amazing holiday-themed sand sculpture, and we will have Santa there for photos! Bring your cell phone, and we will make sure you get a great Santa photo.

We will be accepting donations of non-perishable food and toys that we can spread to the blessing boxes around the area to help local families.

Swift Coles Christmas Vintage and Craft Fair

• Date - November 6 & 7, 10 am - 5 pm
• Location - Swift-Coles Historic Home

Magic Christmas in Lights - Bellingrath Gardens

• Dates - November 20 - January 9th
• Location - Bellingrath Gardens

Enjoy the 31st Annual Magic Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens & Home. Explore the 65-acre garden adorned with thousands of holiday lights.

Tree Lighting & Fireworks at OWA

• Dates - November 21
• Location - Downtown OWA

Enjoy the kick off of the holidays with the lighting of the holiday tree at OWA followed by an epic fireworks celebration. Enjoy the Very Merry Tree Walk from November 21 to December 23rd.

Photos with Santa - The Wharf

• Dates - Friday, Saturday and Sundays starting November 13th to December 13th, December 18 - December 24th
• Location - The Wharf Store, Suite D118

Breakfast with Billy Claus - LuLu's Gulf Shores

• Dates - Saturday November 28, 8 am - 10 am
• Location - LuLu's Gulf Shores

Enjoy a great breakfast buffet with blue pancakes, bacon, sausage patties, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, and fruit.

Christmas Card Lane - Lake Shelby, Gulf State Park

• Starting Date - December 1, 2026, 6 pm
• Location - Lake Shelby Picnic Area

The entire family will enjoy a fun drive around the Lake Shelby Picnic Area to see Christmas Card Lane and the Coastal Nights of Lights.

The City of Orange Beach Christmas Tree Lighting

• Date - Tuesday December 1st, 5:30 pm
• Location - Main Street at the Wharf 

This year's Orange Beach Christmas Tree lighting will include a drone show from America's Got Talent finalists, Sky Elements!

Community Christmas - Gulf Shores City Facilities

Date - Thursday December 3rd, 5:30pm

New this year: The Christmas tree lighting is at 5:45 PM at the Gulf Shores Public Library.

Festivities begin at 5:30 PM.

Gulf Shores Public Library

• Christmas Tree Lighting at 5:45 PM
• Whoville Storytime with a Who reading every 30 minutes
• Free copies of "I Am the Grinch," reindeer food, Grinch-themed crafts, and cotton candy
• Special visit from the Grinch

Clubhouse Drive

• Carriage rides start and stop between the Mayor's Office and City Hall

Erie H. Meyer Civic Center

• Pictures with Santa
• Balloon artist Kim or Rod
• Holiday activities and games hosted by local businesses and organizations

The Museum: Vintage Christmases of Gulf Shores Past

• Mrs. Claus meet-and-greet and storytime
• Cookies and punch
• Traditional bead-garland making
• Quilted 250th Memorial ornament for each guest
• Classic wooden toy top for children
• Christmas Village among the museum's historic exhibits
• Bridge Handbells from First Baptist Church Gulf Shores

City Hall, North Lobby

• Decorate a mini graham cracker gingerbread house with Public Works
• Christmas charcuterie board with cookies, brownies, candy, and a hot cocoa bar
• Appearance by the gingerbread man
• Angel tree hosted by the IT department, where you can pick a gift request to fulfill

City Hall, South Lobby (inside)

• Wizard of Oz-themed games with Human Resources
• Candy bags and prizes for game winners

City Hall, South Lobby (outside)

• Polar Express keepsake craft with a bell ribbon, hosted by Community Programs
• Popcorn for everyone

Fire Station 1

• Hot chocolate bar
• Holiday craft to take home

Gulf Shores Police Station

• Up-close look at the police department's command bus
• Fingerprint ornament craft for kids
• Chili served by officers

Christmas in the Park - Downtown Foley

• Date - Friday December 4th, 2026, 6pm
• Location - Foley Heritage Park

Foley Christmas Parade

• Date - Saturday December 5th, 2026
• Location - Foley

The Foley Christmas Parade will roll at 10 am. The Let it Snow activities will start with the marketplace at 9 am and activities at 11 am.

Breakfast with the Grinch

• Date - Saturday December 5th 9am - 11 am
• Location - Beach Pavilion, Gulf State Park

Join The Grinch for a fun morning of giggles and photo ops. The event includes breakfast and festive surprises. All proceeds go to support the Pendergrass Nature Sensory Trail

Santa Drop at The Flora Bama

• Date - Saturday December 5, 2026 11 am - 2 pm
• Location - Flora Bama

Kick off the holiday season with the annual Santa Drop at the Flora-Bama! Santa will skydive onto the white sand beach in front of the Flora Bama.

Enjoy kids crafts, live music, face painting, and all the holiday fun! Toys for Tots will be on site accepting unwrapped and unopened toy donations. Anyone who donates a toy gets a free drink card!

Daphne Christmas Parade

• Date - Saturday December 5, 2026, 11 am
• Location - Olde Towne Daphne

Daphne Holiday events still happening:

Thursday December 3, 2026: Daphne's Annual Tree Lighting, 5 - 8 PM, Daphne City Hall

Friday, December 11: Baldwin Pops FREE Christmas Concert, 7 PM, Daphne Civic Center

Friday, December 11: Polar Bear Run Movie Night in the Park, 4 - 8 PM, Al Trione Sports Complex

Friday, December 18: Skating with Santa, 4 - 8 PM, Daphne Civic Center

Baldwin Pops Holiday Concert - Gulf Shores

• Date - Tuesday December 8th, 7pm
• Location - Erie Meyer Civic Center, Gulf Shores

Elf Academy at OWA

• Date - December 11 & 12th, 2026
• Location - Downtown OWA

Kids can learn how to be one of Santa's elves!

Jingle Bell Movie Bash - The Wharf

• Date - Saturday December 12th, 2026, 11 am
• Location - Portside on Main, The Wharf

Enjoy a Christmas Movie Marathon at Portside on Main at the Wharf.

• Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
• The Grinch
• National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

There will be free popcorn and Pepsi products, a face painter, snow machines, Wharf prize wheel, and holiday themed photo ops.

Christmas at Blakeley State Park

• Date - Saturday December 12th, 2026, 2 - 5:30 pm
• Location - Blakeley State Park

Enjoy photos with Santa (3-5pm), Hayrides (2 - 5pm), Christmas Cruise (2, 3:15, and 4:30pm), Live Christmas Music (3-5pm)

Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas - Eastern Shore Art Center Fairhope

• Date - Saturday December 12th, 2026, 7:30 pm
• Location - Eastern Shore Art Center Fairhope

17th Annual Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas Concert featuring The Joe Cool Trio with special guest Jennifer Hartswick

LuLu's Lighted Christmas Parade

• Date - Saturday December 12th, 5 pm
• Location - Along the Intracoastal Waterway and at LuLu's

The Lighted Boat Parade will START at the Wharf this year and travel down the Intracoastal Waterway to LuLu's Gulf Shores

12 Days of Snakes - Gulf State Park

• Date - Wednesday December 16th & December 23rd, 10 am
• Location - Gulf State Park Nature Center

Visit the Nature Center at Gulf State Park and learn about 12 native snake species.

Crafts with Santa - OWA

• Date - December 18-23
• Location - Downtown OWA

Enjoy a night of holiday crafts and photos with Santa

Breakfast with Santa - OWA

• Date -December 19-23
• Location - Downtown OWA

Reading with Raptors: The Christmas Owl - Gulf State Park

• Date- December 19, 2026, 10 am
• Location - Gulf State Park Nature Center

Enjoy a family-friendly program with hot chocolate, learn about local wildlife, and meet the naturalists.

Flora-Bama Christmas Potluck

• Date - Christmas Day, December 25th
• Location - Flora Bama

Breakfast with Santa - Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores

• Date -TBD 2026
• Location - Tacky Jacks Gulf Shores

Enjoy a breakast buffet and get a fun digital photo with Santa! RSVP online

Due to our wet, rainy weather, the reindeer are on strike. The Lunch with reindeer has been cancelled but breakfast with Santa is still happening.

Very Merry Coastal Grinchmas - Learning Campus at Gulf State Park

• Date - TBD 2026
• Location - Gulf State Park Learning Campus

Step into Whoville and get ready for fun! Stop by the Whoville Beauty Parlor, take a walk down the Whoville Enchanted Trail, and meet the Grinch!

Santa Pub Crawl - The Wharf

• Date - TBD 2026
• Location - The Wharf

The Lower Alabama Young Professionals Santa Pub Crawl has been rescheduled to Saturday December 13th. The Pub crawl begins at 7pm.

The closing ceremony and raffle with be at Tee off at The Wharf.

Brunch With Santa - Tacky Jacks Orange Beach

• Date - TBD 2026
• Location - Tacky Jacks Orange Beach

Celebrate brunch with Santa at Tacky Jacks Orange Beach! The event includes brunch and a digital photo with Santa! RSVP online

Selfies with Santa - Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

• Date - TBD 2026
• Location - Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

Head to the Giraffe Pavilion for selfies with Santa included with regular zoo admission.

Breakfast With Santa - Gulf Shores

• Date - TBD 2026
• location Erie Meyer Civic Center

Holiday Oyster Decoupage Class - Gulf State Park Learning Campus

• Date - December TBD
• Location - Learning Campus at Gulf State Park

Decorate an oyster shell that is recycled from the Gulf State Park restaurants. Create a colorful and artistic dish with a touch of the coast. Registration is required.

Christmas Fun at Dick's Last Resort at The Wharf

• Date - TBD

Enjoy Christmas trivia and Caroling challenges

Gulf Shores Christmas Ornaments

Location - City of Gulf Shores Store

Make sure to visit the Gulf Shores City Store to pick up the annual Gulf Shores Christmas ornament.

Designed by Steve & Dee Burrow from Sea Oat Studio

Address - 1821 AL Hwy 59, Gulf Shores

Christmas Themed Food in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

We will be updating this with all of the fun holiday food and drink specials in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama

Bahama Buck's Orange Beach - Great santa sno along with a Christmas cookie sno

Tee off at The Wharf - Fun Christmas Cocktail menu with Jingle Juice, Santa's Nightcap, Golden Sleigh, a frosted Negroni, and Eggnog Martini and Winter Orchard Mule.

Tacky Jacks - Spiced Gingerbread Bushwacker to celebrate the Bushwacker

Gulf Babe Wine Boutique - Fun holiday themed cocktails and mocktails