Gulfport Harbor Lights headlines holiday events starting on Coast. Find tickets, details
The popular Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival kicks off its ninth year on Friday in Jones Park and the surrounding harbor on U.S. 90 with additional lights and trains, plus a revamped Santa’s Village.
Billed as Mississippi’s biggest Christmas lights show, the festival will run from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. through Dec. 31 and be open every evening that weather permits except Christmas Eve.
Lights have been added to vegetation in Jones Park, with a total of more than 2.5 million lights, the city says. Laser light displays throughout the park blink in time to holiday music, with giant, “dancing” Christmas trees as a main attraction.
Harbor Lights also includes carnival rides and food booths. Santa will be available for visits from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., except for Christmas Day, when he will be taking a well-deserved break after a long night of deliveries.
Guests can walk through the light displays and surrounding holiday venues or ride one of five trains through the festival. Two trains have been added to avoid long wait times.
Tickets for the festival are available here. The price has gone up by $5 for adult general admission tickets, to $20 on Friday and Saturday nights and on Christmas night. But general admission tickets are still $15 each Sunday-Thursday, and, on all days, $5 for children 5-12 years old and free for children four and under.
Free parking also will be available.
This weekend’s holiday highlights
Here are more of the biggest events and family fun available to kick off the holidays in South Mississippi:
Friday, Nov. 24 — Free Friday Night at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. 5-8 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 24 and Saturday, Nov. 25 — Santa Sightings at TrainTastic, the new model railroad museum at 615 Pass Road. Santa will arrive on the TrainTastic Express for a visit and photo opportunities from noon to 2 p..m., returning for a 1-3 p.m. visit on Sunday, Dec. 3. Ticket prices and tickets are available here.
Saturday, Nov. 25 — Christmas in the Bay at L&N Train Depot, 1928 Depot Way, Bay St. Louis, starts with parade at 5:30 p.m. and the Christmas Tree Lighting at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 25 — Breakfast with Santa at Margaritaville Resort & Family Entertainment Center, 195 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Christmas breakfast buffet and free photo. Online reservations required. Breakfast is 8-11 a.m. and the event repeats Dec. 16. Adult: $22.95; Children 9 & under $12.99
Sunday, Nov. 26 — Holiday Peppermint Pops at Immersive Media Performing Arts Center at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, 409 Debuys Road, Gulfport. Presented by Mississippi Gulf Coast Symphony, with USM Hattiesburg Choral Union and the combined choirs of MGCCC. 4:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20.
More holiday events are listed on the Coastal Mississippi calendar.
Staff Writer Mary Perez contributed to this report.
