Enjoy Winter Festival Fun This Weekend

Road Closures and Detours to Impact Traffic Near Downtown

December 05, 2024

Saturday, Dec. 7, is the 38th annual Winter Festival - a Celebration of Lights, Music and the Arts! Taking place from 3-10 p.m. in beautiful downtown Tallahassee, this event is expected to draw more than 100,000 people to the area. Visitors can enjoy a stroll through Candy Cane Lane, four stages of live entertainment, delicious treats from food vendors and so much more!

At 6 p.m., the lighting ceremony will occur on the Parade Judge's Platform located on South Monroe Street at Bloxham Park.

Immediately after the lights go on at 6:15 p.m., thousands of runners decked out in festive attire will take off on the Capital Health Plan Jingle Bell Run. The course takes runners around downtown and ends where it began at Park Avenue and Monroe Street.

At 7:15 p.m. when the final runners have crossed the finish line, the street will be flooded with holiday cheer as the Nighttime Holiday Parade, sponsored by the City of Tallahassee Electric and Gas Utility, marches down the road. The parade route runs along Monroe Street from Tennessee Street to Apalachee Parkway and features 60 entries.

Winter Festival is coordinated by the City of Tallahassee's Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department (PRNA). For more information about the 2024 Winter Festival, please visit Talgov.com or call PRNA at 850-891-3866.

Road Closures

Patrons attending Winter Festival are advised to arrive downtown as early as possible. Parking is available for a fee in the Kleman Plaza parking garage (Bronough Street entrance only), as well as the parking garage located at 215 South Calhoun Street. There will be plenty of free on-street parking throughout downtown, except for on streets closed for the event. Nearby state-owned parking garages will also be open and free of charge. Handicap parking is available along Calhoun Street between Park Avenue and Call Street, as well as at 300 E. Park Avenue.

Road closures along Adams Street between Call and Jefferson street and along the Chain of Parks begin at 7 a.m. on Dec. 7. Event staging will take place on Monroe Street from Brevard to Tennessee streets with intersections closed in the area from 4-11 p.m. The Holiday Parade and Jingle Bell Run routes will be closed from 5-11 p.m. Detour roads will include Brevard, Bronough, Gadsden and Gaines streets. Get more information about road closures, parking and more at Talgov.com/WinterFestival.

StarMetro's Saturday routes will also be impacted. Call StarMetro at 850-891-5200 or visit Talgov.com/Detours for route detour information.