Jupiter's holiday season starts on Friday, December 4, with the Town's tree lighting on a new lawn. It peaks the next night, when the 32nd Annual Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade finishes at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. You'll get the most out of that Saturday if you know when the drawbridges go up, so most of this guide is about timing.
The organizer gives a start time, a rough arrival time and a list of estimated bridge openings. If you're watching from Jupiter, those bridge times matter more than the start time.
Friday starts somewhere new
The Town of Jupiter's Holiday Tree Lighting is Friday, December 4, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Jupiter Town Green, 210 Military Trail. The Town explained the move in an October 16 notice. The event is
"now taking place at its new home on the Town Green following recent construction at the Jupiter Municipal Campus."
The municipal campus has been under construction for a while. The Palm Beach Post reported that Jupiter's new $24.7 million Town Hall opened to the public on January 2, 2024, just northwest of the old building. The Green sits on Military Trail beside the Jupiter Community Center at 200 Military Trail, so if you've been to a class or open gym there, you already know where to park.
The tree lighting ends at 7 p.m., the night before the parade. That gives you a calm evening on Friday and a full one on Saturday.
Saturday's real schedule is the bridge openings
On Saturday, December 5, the parade heads up the Intracoastal Waterway from North Palm Beach to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, led by a Zambelli traveling fireworks display. It starts at 6 p.m. and should reach Jupiter around 8 p.m. Along the way, the boats need each bridge to open. The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County posts its best estimates based on past parades:
- Parker Bridge, around 6:00 p.m.
- PGA Bridge, around 6:15 p.m.
- Donald Ross Bridge, around 7:00 p.m.
- Indiantown Road Bridge, sometime around 7:30 p.m.
- Jupiter Federal Bridge, around 7:45 p.m.
The two times that matter most in Jupiter are the last two. The fleet goes through Indiantown Road around 7:30 and Jupiter Federal about 15 minutes later. The finale at the lighthouse comes after that. A spot south of Indiantown Road sees the boats earlier in the evening. A spot near the inlet catches the end, close to when the fleet arrives in Jupiter around 8.
The organizer adds two caveats. First, it can't predict exact times because of weather, winds, tides and currents. Second, its permits allow each bridge to stay open for up to one hour. So if you're driving across Indiantown Road or US-1 that evening, expect a wait. Each crossing could be closed for up to an hour starting at its estimated opening time, and the times can move. If you plan to cross the water to get to your viewing spot, cross well before 7:30.
Choose your time window, then your spot
Once you know when the boats will reach you, pick a spot. The organizer lists these public places to watch in Jupiter:
- Town and county parks: Sawfish Bay Park, Lighthouse Park, Waterway Park and the Jupiter Riverwalk
- Waterfront dining and gathering spots: Harbourside Place, Charlie and Joe's at Love Street, Square Grouper Tiki Bar, Utiki and Jetty's
These are viewing locations, not ticketed events. If you want dinner and a waterfront seat at one of the restaurants, call ahead and ask how they're handling the night. The parks are free, but you'll be sharing them.
The same list goes south to North Palm Beach Country Club, Waterway Cafe near PGA Boulevard, and Bert Winters Park and Juno Park in Juno Beach. That's useful if you have family visiting who would rather see the parade early, around the 6:00 and 6:15 openings, than wait until 8.
If you're watching from your own boat, the organizer suggests Ski Beach or anywhere between Donald Ross Road and Indiantown Road that stays out of the parade's way. Boats anchored in front of North Palm Beach Marina or North Palm Beach Country Club will be asked to move by law enforcement.
If you'd like to be in the parade, entry is free. Boaters who register by November 19 have the $50 refundable deposit waived and are entered to win $500 and PBIBS Winward VIP passes. All registered boats are entered for a $250 cash prize. Judges score boats on lights, enthusiasm and themed decor. Best of Parade wins $500, Fan Favorite wins $500, and first-year entrants compete for Rookie of the Year and $250.
Bring a toy and a flashlight
The parade is also a toy drive for Toys for Tots and Little Smiles, and the organizer asks spectators to bring a new, unwrapped toy. Last year, WPTV described a toy fleet that picked up donations from docks when people signaled with a flashlight. The organizer's 2026 page says volunteer boats will again collect donations along the route. If you're watching from a dock behind your home, keep a flashlight and a new, unwrapped toy handy.
If the timing slips, the organizer offers a real-time parade tracker on its site. The parade is also streamed live on the WPBF app and WPBF's Facebook page. Checking the tracker before you leave home is the easiest way to know whether the Indiantown Road opening is running early or late.
Sunday and the weekend after
Sunday, December 6, has its own stop: The Market at Harbourside Place is listed for that day, at one of the same waterfront places you could have watched the boats from the night before.
The next Saturday, December 12, the Town hosts There's Snow Place Like Jupiter at Abacoa Community Park, 1501 W. Frederick Small Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. The Town calendar lists 32 tons of real snow, a winter village, Santa and Mrs. Claus, an Anna and Elsa meet and greet, bounce houses, a live DJ and food vendors.
Coco Market fills a few Sunday mornings around those weekends. The Town calendar lists it at the Seabreeze Amphitheater in Carlin Park, 400 S. State Road A1A, on November 15 and December 20, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The December listing describes free entry, local independent vendors, free yoga, sound healing and live music.
Hosting a parade party this year, or trying to figure out which side of the Intracoastal suits your December best? The Ahee Group loves talking about Jupiter's waterfront, from the best spots on parade night to the streets where the boats pass right behind the house. Request a Concierge Consultation, and we'll gladly share what we know.