Does Grandview Heights really have to wait for Thanksgiving weekend to feel like the holidays? By the City of West Palm Beach's calendar, the season starts November 27, the opening day of Holiday in Paradise, which runs through December 31 under the theme "The Art of Holidays" and centers on Sandi, the city's sand tree. From the neighborhood's front porches, though, the season starts closer and earlier. CityPlace, just north across Okeechobee Boulevard, begins nightly snowfall on Saturday, November 14, and keeps it going through the end of the year.
That gives Grandview Heights a two-week head start on the rest of downtown. It also means the neighborhood's own year-end party, on December 4, lands the night after the city's biggest free holiday event. Here's how the season lines up from the south side of Okeechobee, in order. Because the Palm Beach County Convention Center and the Kravis Center sit right next to the neighborhood, a fair share of it is ticketed and nearby.
The weekend before the snow
The first holiday weekend is still a week and a half out, but downtown has plenty going on before then. According to the City's October 21 road bulletin, South Flagler Drive closes from Banyan Boulevard to Lakeview Avenue for Eudamonia by Night. The closure runs from 6 p.m. Friday, November 6, until 10 p.m. Saturday, November 7. On Sunday, November 8, Clematis Street closes between Rosemary Avenue and South Flagler Drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Veterans Day Parade. Those closures are on the waterfront side of downtown. If you're heading to Clematis that Sunday, plan for them.
November 13 to 15: the neighborhood's busiest weekend of the fall
Three venues around Grandview Heights all have something on during the same mid-November weekend.
- Palm Beach Card Show, Convention Center, November 13 to 15. This one is the closest to home, at 650 Okeechobee Blvd. It covers sports cards, trading cards and collectibles. General admission runs 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The ticket page lists prices from $11.63 to $53.65.
- Monty Python's Spamalot, Kravis Center, November 10 to 15. It plays the Alexander W. Dreyfoos Concert Hall, and its run ends the same Sunday the card show does.
- CityPlace, Saturday, November 14. The CityPlace calendar lists its Season of Glow Holiday Kickoff that day, along with the first night of snowfall and the start of Santa's Workshop.
That Saturday is the first night all three are running at once. If you'd rather skip the crowds and just see the snow, there are later chances. Snowfall happens nightly at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., weather permitting, and runs every night through December 31. So a quiet Tuesday in early December gets the same show as opening night.
Santa keeps a weekend schedule
Santa's Workshop at CityPlace runs November 14 through December 24, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. It's complimentary and first-come, first-served, with no reservations. Santa is there from 6 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Bank of America cardholders get early access from 5 to 6 p.m. on Fridays. Families take their own photos, so bring a charged phone. CityPlace hasn't announced where in the district the workshop will be, so check before you walk over.
The Sunday hours are an hour earlier than the rest of the week, and the 5 p.m. start comes before the first snowfall at 6:30. A Sunday visit can cover Santa first and the snow after.
Thanksgiving weekend: the city's season catches up
On Friday, November 27, the rest of downtown joins in. Holiday in Paradise opens that day. The City says details for opening night and the full season schedule are still to come. The same weekend, the Kravis Center has The Bodyguard in Dreyfoos Hall from November 27 to 29.
So by Thanksgiving weekend, Grandview Heights neighbors have already had two weeks of CityPlace snowfall and Santa weekends. The city's season starts the same Friday as a Kravis show, and the bigger downtown events come the following week.
December 3 and 4: two nights in a row
This is the busiest stretch of the season, and it falls on consecutive nights.
Thursday, December 3: Sandi lights up. The City's Holiday in Paradise Tree Lighting runs from 6 to 10 p.m. It's free and family-friendly, and it ends with the official lighting of Sandi. It takes place at the waterfront at 100 N. Clematis Street, with the City listing the location as Waterfront Commons, Meyer Amphitheatre and Flagler Drive. The City's Clematis by Night listing for that night names Phoenix5 and Officers & Gentlemen with the Rhythm Chicks as performers. The Palm Beach Post's holiday roundup also mentions synchronized music and light shows from Sandi, plus live painting.
Friday, December 4: the neighborhood's own night. The Grandview Heights Neighborhood Association holds its Holiday Party & Silent Auction at 6 p.m. GHNA calls it its signature year-end celebration, and the auction benefits GHNA programs. The association hasn't announced a location yet, so keep an eye on the GHNA events page. Neighbors can also send in events for the association's calendar and Gazette newsletter, as long as they're submitted at least two weeks ahead.
The two nights don't compete for the same evening. The tree lighting is on the waterfront on Thursday, and the GHNA party is on Friday, closer to home. Anyone who wants both the downtown event and the neighborhood one can do them back to back.
The rest of December, by date
After the first week of December, the calendar spreads out again. Here's what's coming through New Year's Eve, with cost listed only where the organizer has published it.
| Date | Event | Where | Cost as published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Dec 11 | Chanukkah Celebration with Palm Beach Synagogue West | CityPlace | Not listed |
| Sun, Dec 13 | Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting, 2 to 6 p.m. | Convention Center | Ticketed, 21 and older |
| Dec 22 to 27 | Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | Kravis Center, Dreyfoos Hall | Ticketed |
| Sat, Dec 26 | Afrique Ngozi Dance & Drums Kwanzaa Performance | CityPlace | Not listed |
| Thu, Dec 31 | New Year's Eve Live Music; last night of snowfall | CityPlace | Not listed |
| Thu, Dec 31 | The Ark of God New Year's Eve Service | Convention Center | Not listed |
The Grand Tasting brings chef and restaurant tastings and wines to the Convention Center. The festival says tickets are on sale and attendees must be 21 or older unless noted otherwise. The Convention Center describes the Ark of God service as an evening of worship, prayer and reflection that's open to individuals and families from the community.
The Grinch run includes the night of the Kwanzaa performance at CityPlace. That last full week of December is the second time this season the Kravis and CityPlace calendars overlap. The first was mid-November.
Getting there on foot this season
Most of this calendar is walkable from Grandview Heights, but a couple of construction projects affect the routes. The City's October 21 Road and Dock bulletin says the SR 5/U.S. 1 resurfacing project runs from Belvedere Road to just south of Okeechobee Boulevard through early 2027. The work includes sidewalk and curb-ramp improvements, with intermittent lane closures and nighttime work. The same bulletin says eastbound Datura Street between South Dixie Highway and South Olive Avenue will stay closed through the end of 2026 for the NYU project. The sidewalk between Datura and Evernia Streets is also closed, and parking along Dixie Highway isn't available there. If you're walking or driving to the waterfront for Sandi's lighting on December 3, plan around that block.
One more thing to watch for downtown: The Palm Beach Post reported on October 21 that London-based Los Mochis will open its first U.S. location at Phillips Point. For more on the neighborhood itself, see our Grandview Heights guide, and for what's on across downtown, check our downtown events page.
If you own a home in Grandview Heights or a condo nearby and you'll be away for part of this season, it may be a good time to rent it out, since this stretch of downtown stays busy every weekend from mid-November through New Year's Eve. Frater Realty helps seasonal owners list their residences for rent, with professional photography and accompanied showings. Contact us to talk about your dates.
