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3 ways to enjoy the holiday season around Bradenton

Stories by Bradenton Herald journalists, with AI summarization

Looking for fun holiday and Christmas activities around Bradenton?

The season brings a variety of enchanting events to Manatee County.

Check out the stories below for where to see Christmas parades, holiday light displays and other family-friendly events.

Boats glide past the Bradenton Yacht Club in Palmetto on the first of their passes during the lighted Christmas Boat Parade. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 1: WHERE TO SEE HOLIDAY BOAT AND FLOAT PARADES AROUND MANATEE COUNTY

The holiday season is here, and with it comes several annual Christmas parades around Bradenton. | Published December 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ryan Ballogg

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens’ annual holiday light spectacle, “Lights in Bloom,” returns from Dec. 8 2023 to Jan. 4, 2024. By Cliff Roles

NO. 2: WHERE TO SEE BRADENTON’S BEST CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAYS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Looking for Christmas light displays around Bradenton? | Published December 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ryan Ballogg

Visitors to the Mall at University Town Center can visit with the jolly old elf at Santa’s Flight Academy. Children can take photos with Santa, and play in snow in the 22-foot-tall sleigh in the mall’s center court. By Tiffany Tompkins

NO. 3: TOP HOLIDAY AND CHRISTMAS EVENTS FOR BRADENTON AND MANATEE COUNTY IN 2025

It’s time for holiday fun, and Bradenton and Sarasota have plenty of holly-jolly events in store for the 2025 season. | Published November 27, 2025 | Read Full Story by Ryan Ballogg

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.