Best Bets

Best Bets

Check your Best Bets before you make your weekend plans, so you don't miss out! We've got local events, concerts and more all along the Gulf Coast.Full Bio

 

Best Bets for the Weekend, Dec 12- Dec 14

PARADES:

Friday –

Loxley - 6pm

Milton Lighted Boat Parade- 6:00pm

Pensacola Beach Lighted Boat Parade—- 6:30pm

Saturday–

Pace- 10am

Foley - 10am

Citronelle- 10am

Dauphin Island -11am

Saraland- 12 noon

Dawes Christmas Parade- 1pm

Bayou la Batre -2pm

Bay Minette Christmas Fest -4:30pm

Summerdale- 5pm

Lulu’s Lighted Boat Parade (Intracoastal Waterway to The Wharf)- 5pm

Dog River Boat Parade- 5pm

Pensacola Christmas Parade- 5:30pm

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DRAKE WHITE with special guest Justin Jeansonne - Thurs 8pm, Soul Kitchen, Downtown Mobile, CLICK HERE   

LIGHTS OF DAUPHIN ISLAND- Fri 5:30pm, Water Tower Plaza, Dauphin Island

Join the Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce for an evening of festive cheer, beautiful lights, and community celebration. Warm up with free cocoa and cookies while you’re enjoying the decorated trees and sparkling displays! Santa arrives at 5:45pm and the lights go on shortly after. The trees will be on public display throughout the holiday season.  CLICK HERE   

OYSTER ORNAMENT MAKE & TAKE- Sat 10am-1pm, Alabama Aquarium, Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Celebrate the season coastal-style! Drop by the Oyster Ornament table at the Aquarium and create your own holiday ornament using real oyster shells from Mobile Bay. While you decorate, Sea Lab educators will share information about why oysters are so important to the health of our bay. Don’t forget– now through the end of December, Aquarium admission is half-price for Mobile/Baldwin residents when you present your ID.  CLICK HERE 

LODA ARTWALK CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS - Fri 6pm-9pm, Lower Dauphin Arts District, Downtown Mobile

Join the City of Mobile for live music, captivating art and local vendors. All of your favorite holiday characters will be in Cathedral Square with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus for photos. Plus, visit the Kids' Zone to make crafts, play games, get your face painted, and more.  CLICK HERE  

MISTLETOE MARKET- Sat 9am-4pm, Town Center Park, Saraland

Join the Saraland Chamber of Commerce for a festive outdoor vendor fair and craft market with over 100 local vendors showcasing a wide array of arts, crafts, home décor, jewelry, homemade goodies—and much more! 

Bring the whole family and get in the holiday spirit: there will be Pictures With Santa available from 9 AM–11 AM and again from 1 PM–3 PM. Parade rolls by at 12noon!  CLICK HERE  

43rd Annual CHRISTMAS FEST- Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 8am-7pm, Blackburn Park, Bay Minette

Enjoy live music, petting zoo, carnival games, ping pong ball drop (with prizes!) and a light show Saturday night. Christmas Fest Parade Saturday at 4:30pm.  CLICK HERE   

LIGHT UP MILTON- Fri 5pm-9pm, Riverwalk, Downtown Milton

Santa arrives at the Holiday Market at 5 and lights the tree at 5:30. The Blackwater Pyrates Lighted Boat Parade is at 6, followed by fireworks over the Blackwater River at 7.  CLICK HERE  

FOLEY’S CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK- Fri 6pm, Heritage Park, Foley

Come out to hear Christmas carols, enjoy the lighting of the Christmas Tree and visit with Santa. Hot cocoa and snacks will be served!  CLICK HERE

FOLEY’S LET IT SNOW - Sat 9am-2pm, Heritage Park, Foley

There will be kids activities, live entertainment and Santa will be joining after the Foley Christmas Parade at 10:00 a.m. CLICK HERE    

DAPHNE “SNOW” & MOVIE NIGHT IN THE PARK- Fri 4pm-8pm, Al Trione Sports Complex, Daphne, CLICK HERE   

CAROLS, COCOA & COOKIES AT CHICKASABOGUE PARK- Sat 4:30pm, Chicksabogue Park, Mobile 

It will be a festive evening filled with Christmas carols, a sparkling tree lighting, photos with Santa & Mrs. Claus, tasty cocoa or apple cider, cookies, kids’ activities, and all the cozy holiday vibes in Mobile County’s largest park. #FreeFamilyFun for all ages!  CLICK HERE  

  

LOXLEY CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK- Fri 7pm, Loxley Municipal Park

Join the City of Loxley after their annual Christmas Parade (6pm, Hwy 59) at the new Transit Hub Pavilion for our Christmas in the Park celebration and Lighting of the Tree. There will be live entertainment, food trucks, train rides for kids, and Santa & Mrs. Claus.  CLICK HERE  

CHRISTMAS AT THE EXPLOREUM- Sat 9:30am-2pm, Exploreum Science Center, Downtown Mobile

Throw on your favorite PJs and get ready for a cozy day of science, snacks, and surprises for the whole family! Enjoy holiday-themed science demos, hot cocoa, Animal Tales exotic animal showcase, and The Polar Express in the Dome theater (10am and 2pm, advance tix required).

CLICK HERE  

JINGLE BELL MOVIE BASH- Sat 11am, Portside at The Wharf, Orange Beach

Enjoy free popcorn and Pepsi products as you settle in for these free festive flicks, and don’t miss out on extra seasonal fun! There’ll be a face painter spreading cheer, magical snow machines turning Portside into a winter wonderland, and the Wharf Prize Wheel with merry giveaways. Movies start at 11 am: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever; The Grinch; and Elf.  CLICK HERE   

SANTA PAWS - Sun 1pm-7pm, Downtown OWA, OWA Parks & Resort, Foley

Santa’s meeting the furriest friends at Santa Paws in Downtown OWA! Bring your pups to the North Pole for adorable holiday photos with Santa and enjoy a cheerful day perfect for celebrating the season with your furry family members. Santa Paws is free to attend! 1 Free Photo, and additional pictures available for purchase. Personal photography is not permitted. CLICK HERE   

CHRISTMAS AT COLONIAL FORT CONDE- Sat 1pm-4pm, Fort Conde, Downtown Mobile

Step back in time and celebrate Christmas at Colonial Fort Condé. FREE event! Enjoy snacks, cider, and hot cocoa while watching special holiday performances on the lawn. Children can visit Santa, write him a letter, and paint their own toys in the Toy Workshop.  CLICK HERE  

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART HOLIDAY MARKET & OPEN HOUSE - Sat 1pm-5pm, Mobile Museum of Art, Langan Park, Mobile

Join Mobile Museum of Art for an afternoon of local shopping, live music, food trucks, art activities, and free admission to the Museum.  CLICK HERE   

BALDWIN POPS CHRISTMAS CONCERT- Thurs 6:30pm, Daphne Civic Center

Free holiday event! Doors open at 6:30; concert starts at 7.  CLICK HERE  

PENSACOLA CHILDREN’S CHORUS presents CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST- Fri 7:30pm; Sat/Sun 2:30pm, Pensacola Saenger Theatre

Join the Pensacola Children’s Chorus in celebrating the holiday season with an enchanting evening of music, featuring fresh takes on beloved holiday classics and fan-favorite moments from the past 35 years of Christmas on the Coast performances.  CLICK HERE   

HOLIDAY CHEER performed by the MOBILE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA- Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm, Mobile Saenger Theatre

MSO’s Christmas concert has it all: great music, photos with Santa, a magical setting that includes falling snow, and a truly epic sing-along so you can sing your favorite carols backed by the Gulf Coast's very best symphony orchestra.  CLICK HERE 

A ROCKIN’ ELVIS CHRISTMAS starring JAY DUPUIS- Sat 8pm, Hard Rock Biloxi, CLICK HERE   

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL - 7:00 PM Performances | Dec 12, 16 – 17, 25; 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM Performances | Dec 13 – 14, 18 – 21, 23 – 24, 26 - 27; Beau Rivage Theater, Biloxi

Based on the beloved holiday film and best-selling book, the hit Broadway musical comes to life in this heartwarming and hilarious telling of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker and his unwavering quest to score his ultimate Christmas gift, an Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.  CLICK HERE    

CHRISTMAS AT BICENTENNIAL PARK DRIVE-THRU LIGHT DISPLAY- Dec 1st- Dec 23rd (Closed Sunday 12/14), Bicentennial Park, Stockton

Experience “A Christmas Kingdom: Lights, Wonder, and Tradition” at 

Baldwin County’s FREE drive-thru light display, featuring thousands of 

brilliant lights, festive scenes, and fun for the whole family.  CLICK HERE   

30th Annual MAGIC CHRISTMAS IN LIGHTS - Nightly 5pm-9pm,  Fri Nov 21- Tues Jan 6 (Closed Dec. 25, and Jan. 1), Bellingrath Gardens & Home, Theodore

The season is beginning earlier than ever and continuing nightly through January 6th, to give guests even more time to experience the wonder of the season. The show features more than 3 million lights, 1,100 set pieces, and just under 20 themed scenes, transforming the 65-acre Gardens into a glowing winter wonderland.  CLICK HERE   

PENSACOLA WINTERFEST- Nov 21- Dec 24, Plaza Wonderland, Downtown Pensacola

Downtown Pensacola comes alive with song and dance, arts and crafts during the holidays, with “Peanuts Tour,” “Polar Express Tour”, “Scrooge Tour” and “The Grinch’s Merry Match” . Pensacola Winterfest's tours and photos with Santa take place in Plaza Wonderland at the corner of Government Street and Palafox Place. Snow and music starts at 5:30 on Fridays, 5:00 on Saturday and Sunday, on all Tour nights.  CLICK HERE 

 

THE NORTH POLE at DOWNTOWN OWA- Fri 6pm-9pm; Sat/Sun 1pm-7pm, Dec 12-14, 19, 21-23; Downtown OWA, OWA Parks & Resort, Foley

Gather the family for holiday moments with Santa! From capturing photos with the big man himself to playing Reindeer Games, the North Pole is filled with festive fun for the whole family. Free to attend; 1 free photo (personal photography not permitted).  CLICK HERE 

ICE SKATING RINK AT THE WHARF- Mon-Fri 4pm-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 12noon-8pm, Nov 14-Jan 19, The Wharf, Orange Beach

Let us bring winter to you! Grab a pair of skates and glide, spin or fall into the season on real ice. CLICK HERE 

 

WALES WEST LIGHT RAILWAY ARCTIC EXPRESS- Daily 4pm-9pm, through Dec 24; Wales West RV Park and Light Railway, Silverhill

All aboard the 2025 Arctic Express at Wales West Light Railway! Guests will ride "Dame Ann", an authentic steam locomotive, through amazing lights, decorations, Christmas music, and SNOW on the way to the North Pole. You take home your own holiday family picture with Santa and each child gets a special TOY. Refreshments, mini train rides, hay-less hayride, playgrounds, and bounce house included in your ticket. Enjoy the snowball cannon for a slight fee.  CLICK HERE  

PALAFOX MARKET- Sat 9am-2pm, TWO LOCATIONS: Martin Luther King Jr Plaza and Plaza Ferdinand, Pensacola

Join us every Saturday, rain or shine for farm-fresh produce, plants, flowers, baked goods, hand-crafted works of art, sculpture, fresh tea and coffee, delicious food and spices, hand-blown glass, ceramics and much more at the event that was named Florida's Best Farmers Market by Southern Living magazine.  CLICK HERE  

 

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City of Mobile Christmas Tree 2025, Mardi Gras ParkPhoto: Mary Booth iHeartMedia Mobile/Pensacola


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