Lakewood Ranch will be celebrating the holidays in November and December, at its Main Street and Waterside Place town centers, and everyone is invited! Ranch residents are encouraged to come out to one or all events and to bring friends, family, and visitors to experience how the Lakewood Ranch lifestyle exemplifies what community is all about.

There is so much to do – and not just for the holidays, but year-round!  Make sure you don’t miss anything; stop by our Information Center pop-up events at Waterside Place on Nov. 19 at the Farmers’ Market and Nov. 22 during Ranch Nite Wednesday, to learn more about living in Lakewood Ranch and all our award-winning lifestyle has to offer!

First, start the season out right by finding the hidden elves from Nov. 22 through Jan. 1. Spot the elves hidden around Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street and you could become a winner! More than 15 mischievous elves are hiding inside and outside, so be sure to look high and low. Record what they’re doing and drop your entry form off at the Lakewood Ranch Information Center to enter. Entry forms can be picked up from the Lakewood Ranch Information Center, 8131 Lakewood Main St, Lakewood Ranch.

Make sure to do some seasonal shopping at the Main Street Small Business market, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, and don’t forget to visit local businesses for Small Business Saturday, on Nov. 25 at both town centers and all independent stores on The Ranch. On Dec. 2 and 3, Main Street will host the LWR Holiday of the Arts Festival, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The official Main Street tree lighting will be held from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 1, preceding Music on Main, at LWR Main Street. There will be breakfasts and brunches with Santa all throughout December at both Main Street and Waterside Place. Santa will also stroll Main Street and Waterside Place throughout the month; visit lakewoodranch.com/connect/events-list for times and dates.

Chabad of Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch’s annual Chanukah Celebration will be held at LWR Main Street from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 7; for more information visit chabadofbradenton.com.

On Dec. 15, come to see the Holiday Movie in the Park – “The Santa Clause” – from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Park, with a visit from Santa from 6-8 p.m. Also at Waterside Place, catch the Out-of-Door Academy’s holiday performance at the Sights and Sounds arts series from 6-7 p.m.

If you’re trying to get a jump on your New Year’s resolutions, sign up for the Jungle Run 5K on Dec. 15, “one of the largest and most cheerful 5K races in the area”! Registration opens at 4 p.m.; the night ends with a post-race holiday festival. For more information visit thejingle5k.org.

With both town centers decorated for the holidays, don’t forget to come out and enjoy favorite activities such as Music on Main, from 6-9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month; Ranch Nite Wednesdays, weekly at Waterside Place from 6-9 p.m.; and the Farmers’ Market, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, at Waterside Place.

And to start 2024 out right, come celebrate the new year at Waterside Place, starting at 6 p.m. and running until midnight, when the sky will be illuminated with a drone show over Kingfisher Lake! DJ Truth will be spinning high-energy tunes, and food and beverage will be available for purchase from town center merchants and participating food trucks. 

Come out and enjoy the holidays with us!

About Lakewood Ranch

Lakewood Ranch is the 33,000+-acre award-winning master-planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties on the West Coast of Florida. Just minutes from the Gulf Coast beaches and cultural assets in Sarasota, Lakewood Ranch is already home to more than 66,000 residents and features top-rated schools, the Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, the Sarasota Polo Club, the 75-acre Premier Sports Campus, three town centers, and countless shopping and dining experiences. For more information visit www.lakewoodranch.com.

Waterside Place is located at 1561 Lakefront Drive, 34240, and Main Street is at 8100 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., 34202.