November is here and that means the fall season is in full swing and the holidays are right around the corner. We’ve got you covered when it comes to fun things going on in and around Jacksonville to keep you entertained all month. Don’t miss out on our Jax Moms Blog playdates and all the festivals and holiday happenings that kick off during this time. We’ll keep this guide updated, so check back for more. As always, visit the calendar to see a full list of events!
Nov. 1 – 12: Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is the largest fair/festival in northeast Florida and is currently ranked 48th in the United States by Amusement Business.
Nov. 2: Seventh Annual Jacksonville Whiskey Affair benefiting Safe Animal Shelter 7:00-9:00 pm Jacksonville Magazine is at it again with delicious eats, fine spirits and more. Part chic soirée, part foodie extravaganza—the seventh annual Jacksonville Whiskey Affair is a sophisticated celebration of cocktails and culture.
Nov. 4-5: Blue Angels Air Show (Free) 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Experience the ultimate high flying acts as aircraft from the past, present and future showcase their talent and capabilities at the NAS Jax Air Show! The NAS Jax Air Show, Birthplace of the Blue Angels, will take place November 4 – 5, 2017 aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville. The gates will open at 9 a.m. and the show will begin at 10 a.m.
Nov. 3-5: Jax BAR-B-QUE Fest 5:00 pmWe’re grillin’ & chillin’ at The Jacksonville Landing! Get ready for an amazing 3 day bar-b-que fest filled with award-winning bbq, vendors, eating contest, yard games, kids fun zone, and live entertainment on 2 music stages! Bring your lawn chairs and sit back and listen to some great local music.
Nov. 3: Festival d’Vine 7:00 – 10:00 pm Catholic Charities’ 14th annual Festival d’Vine, Jacksonville’s most popular wine and food experience, will take place in Treaty Oak park on Friday, November 3rd, 2017.
Nov. 4: BikeCon 2017 by Kiwanis Club of Clay County 9:00 – 2:00 pm Kiwanis Club of Clay County is on a mission to protect our children. Join the Kiwanis Club in the Sears parking lot on Saturday, November 4th from 9am to 2pm for their BikeCon 2017!
Nov. 4: Riding the Rails: Pablo Beach Train Day 9:30 – 3:30 pm Presented by the Beaches Museum & History Park, Riding the Rails: Pablo Beach Train Day will celebrate all things trains on Saturday, November 4, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Nov. 4: River City EggFest 10:00 – 2:00 pm Join us for a day of food, fun and Big Green Eggs at our first annual River City EggFest hosted by Turner Home.
Nov. 4: 4th Annual Old Karts & Arts Downtown Street Festival 10:00 -2:00 pm Car-Truck-Motorcycle Show Arts & Crafts, Music, Food, & Children’a Activities Enter your antique, classic American or Foreign Car, Truck or Motorcycle (Class Trophies and Best in Show, Chairman’s and Sponsor’s choice Awards).
Nov. 4: Jacksonville ArborEATum Event 3:00 – 6:00 pm Nearly 20 restaurants, caterers and local craft brew masters will be on hand for the fourth annual ArborEATum Wine & Food Fest from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4 – benefitting the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens, located at 1445 Millcoe Rd.
Nov. 4: Fall Festival at Epoch CHurch of Jacksonville 3:00 – 6:00 pm For the past 3 years, Epoch Church’s Fall Festival has become a favorite event for families to enjoy together. We are thrilled to be bringing this event back to our beautiful seven-acre campus! Join us for this FREE* annual community-wide family event!
Nov. 4: Santa’s Arrival at The Avenues 4:00 -8:00 pm Have you heard the good news? Santa Claus is coming to town! Join us as we celebrate the 6th Annual Santa’s Arrival at The Avenues.
Nov. 4: Taste the World: International Food & Drink Festival 6:00 – 9:00 pm Taste the World, November 4, 2017 at 6:00 pm at Unity Plaza at the fifth annual International Food and Wine Gala Attendees will taste great food from around the globe, prepared by authentic international restaurants located across the first coast.
Nov. 4: A Night with The Addams Family 6:00 – 10:00 pm Join Paw Paws Pet Rescue for a night filled with fun, food, drinks, laughter and even a show & silent auction !!! Come out and celebrate with us a night that will assist the rescue in raising monies for our medical fund.
Nov. 6: Sparks of Life Event at The Spa at One Ocean Resort The Spa at One Ocean Resort & Spa proudly hosts the 3rd annual Spark of Light event.
Nov. 7: Mr. Molecule’s Bing, Bang, Boom Science Show 10:30 – 11:30 am See Science COME ALIVE! When Mr. Molecule unleashes the power and excitement of science – Bing! Bang! Boom! – he creates an explosion of learning that K-8 kids can’t resist!
Nov. 8: Holiday Picnic in the Park Benefitting March of Dimes 3:00 – 5:00 pm The perfect outing for the family for a good cause! Join us for a picnic in the park! Come write your letters to the North Pole, and enjoy musical entertainment from Mrs. Blubbles with her snow and appearances from special guests including Santa, Ana, Elsa, and Kristof.
Nov. 9: Holiday Shoppes at The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach 10:00 – 4:00 pm The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach Holiday Shoppes shopping extravaganza features more than two dozen unique boutiques from all over the country offering everything from beautiful clothing and jewelry to home accessories, toys, food trucks and more.
Nov. 10: Orange Park Mall Santa Arrival 5:30 – 7:30 pm Watch Santa make his grand entrance on Friday, November 11 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Old Navy Entrance at Orange park Mall. A magical evening snow is predicted at Orange Park Mall when Santa arrives!
Nov. 10-12: The Golden Nutcracker, The Search for Claire and Her Friends Join us for our production, The Golden Nutcracker, a contemporary twist of the original holiday production, the Chocolate and Soulful Nutcrackers, that were produced in 2013 and 2014.
Nov. 10: Brew at the Zoo 7:00 -10:30 pm Brew at the Zoo features delicious food and drink vendors from around Jacksonville, live music, games, and more in the amazing setting of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
Nov. 11: Santa’s Waiting at St. Johns Town Center Various times throughout the holiday season. It’s time for holiday photos with Santa. Santa will be across from Nordstrom.
Nov. 11: Fee-Free Day at all National Parks 8:00 – 5:00 pm During the fee free days, all National Park Service sites will waive their entrance fees for all visitors. Usually, 124 of the 413 national parks charge entrance fees that range from $3 to $30.
Nov. 11: Holiday Craft & Vendor Event 10:00 -2:00 pm Come knock out your holiday shopping and get a chance to win some fun door prizes!!! This event is FREE and open to the public! Vendors include: LuLaRoe, DotDotSmile, LipSense, Rodan & Frields, fibi & clo, local crafters, and much, much more!
Nov. 11: The Christmas Stop and Shoppe Event will be held in the fellowship hall and outside in the courtyard of Edgewood Avenue Christian Church, 1041 Edgewood Avenue South, Jacksonville.
Nov. 11: MOCA Fall Family Day 11:00 – 5:00 pm Celebrate MOCA Jacksonville and the arts, including activities! Free admission.
Nov. 11: City of Jacksonville Veterans Day 11:00 am City of Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade presented by Offices of Ron Sholes, P.A. The Law Join the City of Jacksonville on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 as we honor true American heroes – our veterans and active-duty military. Parade
Nov. 11: St. Johns Town Center Holiday Spectacular 2:00 – 8:00 pm It’s the most wonderful time of the year! St. Johns Town Center invites Jacksonville residents and visitors to celebrate the joy and magic of the holiday season at the Holiday Spectacular on Saturday, November 11 from 2-8 p.m.
Nov. 12: Fee-Free Day at all National Parks 8:00 -5:00 pm During the fee free days, all National Park Service sites will waive their entrance fees for all visitors.
Nov. 18: Jacksonville Holiday Market 9:00 – 5:00 pm Indoor Holiday Market featuring numerous vendors. Mark off your holiday gift list with unique art, crafts, cookware, jewelry, personalized gifts, clothing and much more!
Nov. 18: First Coast Christian School Fall Festival, Vendor Fair, and Auction 10:00 – 2:00 pm This event will be a great time of fun for the whole family! We will have games and bouncy houses for the kids, as well as a variety of vendors and a silent and live auction. Admission is free so we hope you will attend.
Nov. 18: Mandarin Fall Festival & Chili Cook-Off 2017 11:00 – 3:00 pm The Mandarin Fall Festival and Chili Cook-Off is an annual fundraising event for the Mandarin Council of the JAX Chamber.
Nov. 18: Holiday Shopping And Chocolate Festival 11:00 pm There will be so much to do and see at this event!! Come out and do your holiday shopping from small businesses!
Nov. 18: Bruval Craft and Beer Fest 2017 12:00 -10:00 pm Bruval is a one-day event celebrating the rapidly growing craft beer movement.
Nov. 18: Miracles in the Sqaure 12:00 -3:00 pm Join us Saturday, November 18 for a family-friendly and pet-friendly day in the park at San Marco Square. Bring your friends along to enjoy a lovely fall day filled with food, beer, entertainment, games, prizes, and more!
Nov. 18: Light-Up! Night Ceremony 2017 4:00 -5:00 pm The Nights of Lights Lighting Ceremony, also known as Light Up! Night, takes place on Saturday, November 18, 2017.
Nov.18-19: Roman Hits & Myths Camp-in at the Museum 5:30 – 7:30 pm Spend the night with the stars of Roman Mythology and discover how the Roman Empire became one of the most memorable in history!
Nov. 18-19: Cirque Dreams Holidaze 8:00 pm, 9:30 pm Cirque Dreams Holidaze lights up Jacksonville at the Times-Union Center with its 10th Anniversary National Tour for two performances, presented by the FSCJ Artist Series.
Nov. 22: Annual Christmas Tree Lighting at The Ritz Carlton Amelia Island 5:30 – 9:00 pm Thousands of sparkling lights beautifully decorate our resort for the annual Christmas Tree Lighting.
Nov. 22: Santa’s Magical Dinner 6:30 pm Join Santa along with his elves after the Tree Lighting for a new Wonderland experience, including appearances from a few special guests.
Nov. 23: Community First Thanksgiving Distance Classic 7:00 -10:00 pm Start your Thanksgiving off the right way with either a 6K or half marathon.
Nov. 24 -25: Merry Shrimpmas | Jekyll Island 2:00 -8:00 pm This year, and this year only, we’re having a special festival that merges some of the most beloved elements from the Shrimp & Grits Festival and the Tree Lighting celebration into a new, two-day event – Merry Shrimpmas.
Nov. 24: TPC Sawgrass Tree Lighting Ceremony 6:30 – 9:00 pm Celebrate the holidays at TPC Sawgrass! Enjoy the Christmas carols and hot cocoa in this fun, complimentary family event.
Nov. 24: 31st Annual Christmas on the St. Johns Tree Lighting Ceremony 7:00 -10:00 pm The 28th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at The Jacksonville Landing will take place Friday, November 28, at 7:00 p.m. in The Landing’s Courtyard.
Nov. 25: Downtown Dazzle: An Illumination Celebration 6:30 -10:00 pm Downtown offices of the Jacksonville Children’s Corus will be illuminated with a holiday light display synchronized to recorded songs of the season.
Nov. 27: Family Craft Night at 4 Rivers Smokehouse Baymeadows 5:00 – 8:00 pm Join us on the last Monday of every month for Family Craft Night from 5-8PM! Kids eat FREE! One free Lil’ Bites with the purchase of a meal.
Nov. 30: Jacksonville Historic Society’s Gingerbread Extravaganza Join us for a Christmas display of 50-60 Gingerbread Houses at Old St Andrews Church. The display is often called the “most creative art show in Jacksonville”.
Nov. 1-30: African Americans In World War II MOSH’s newest exhibit features African Americans in World War II. The photo exhibition represents the work of more than 1.2 million African Americans who served in all branches of service and in all theaters of operations during World War II.
Nov. 17-31: Jax Illuminations 5th Annual Drive Thru Holiday Lights 6:00 -9:30 pm Join Jax Illuminations in celebrating its 5th year as Jacksonville’s Best Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show. Nov 17, 2017 – Dec 31, 2017.
Nov. 19 – Jan. 31: St. Augustine Nights of Lights This award-winning holiday lights display runs from November 18, 2017, to January 31, 2018, in historic St. Augustine.
Nov. 22 – Dec. 23: Gingerbread Pirate Ship The world’s largest Gingerbread Ship returns to the lobby of the Ritz Carlton for the holiday season.
Nov. 23 – Dec. 24: Santa’s Waiting at St. Johns Town Center Various times throughout the holiday season. It’s time for holiday photos with Santa. Santa will be across from Nordstrom.
Nov. 23 – Dec. 23: Christmas Carole at Alhambra 6:30 -8:00 pm Show stars Tony Triano, returning from a five-year stint in New York. Everyone loves a story that starts “once upon a time.” Everyone loves a fairy tale with a happy ending. Everyone loves the holidays, that is with one exception, and his is the tale we are about to tell, a fable that you all know well.
Nov. 24: Santa Tuck-ins Fridays and Saturday beginning November 24 until December 23 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Children will thrill to experience an exciting visit from Santa as he brings cookies and milk, reads a holiday story and presents a gift for the child. Reservations required.
Nov. 30 -Dec. 23: Gingerbread House Extravaganza The Jacksonville Historical Society is proud to present this beloved holiday tradition.
Nov. 3: JMB Friday Family Night at Engine 15 Downtown 5:00 – 8:00 pm We’re thrilled to host a fun family night at Engine 15 Brewing Downtown Tap Room & Biergarten! These will be the first Friday of the month! We’re thrilled to host another fun family night at Engine 15 Brewing Downtown Tap Room & Biergarten!
Nov. 4: Jax Moms Blog Neighborhood Play Date: South Mandarin Branch Library 10:00 – 11:00 am We will be holding the Saturday play date at the South Mandarin Branch Library. They have a great kids area and they host Toddler Music and Movement from 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Nov. 4: Jax Moms Blog Neighborhood Play Date: Jack Russel Park 10:00 -11:00 pm Join us for a fall-themed playdate at Jack Russel Park! We will have supplies for cookie decorating, coloring sheets, and a fun scavenger hunt.
Nov. 11: Jax Moms Blog Neighborhood Play Date: Alpine Groves Park 10:00 -11:00 am Come join us at one of our favorite area parks with paved nature trails! Please RSVP below with the total number that will be attending!
Nov. 16: Jax Moms Blog Neighborhood Play Date: Fall Wreath Craft at Boone Park 10:30 -11:30 am We are so excited for this fall play date! We will be meeting on the St. John’s side of Boone Park. This play date we will have a craft! Since the weather is getting cooler, try to dress accordingly because littles will be having an adventure for this craft!
Nov. 17: Jacksonville Moms Blog Neighborhood Play Date: Pablo Creek Library 10:00 -11:00 am Join us for another JMB playdate at the Pablo Creek Library on Beach Boulevard! We will have a turkey craft for the kids and coloring pages, plus lots of mom-to-mom conversation.
Awesome! Look forward to taking my children to some of these events this fall season. Thanks for sharing.