Merry and Bright
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here on the Coast. The month of December not only brings good tidings to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but also many, beautiful lights. The Secret Coast is home to many light shows (both on the water and land) and countless holiday festivities stretching the 26 miles of coast, dotted with unique communities. Whether you are just visiting for the day, or have been a local to the area for years, these are the top spots to enjoy some Coastal Christmas cheer during the upcoming holiday season.
Ocean Springs
Downtown Ocean Springs is the perfect place to start your Christmas celebrations! The annual Tree Lighting event takes place on Thursday, December 5 at the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center and features holiday snacks, Christmas carols and photo opportunities with the jolly man himself, Santa. If you can't make it out, don't worry, the display can still be enjoyed for the rest of the holiday season! The Holiday Open House is a great way to get ahead on your holiday shopping with local businesses offering discounts, refreshments, and merry decor!
Biloxi
Enjoy another beautiful light display in the Biloxi Town Green. Biloxi’s annual Children’s Christmas Parade, Boat Parade, and more shopping during their vendor market Christmas in the City are all fun for the whole family! Be sure to check out the casino entertainment schedule as well, this time of year brings holiday classics, both old and new, to the area.
Courtesy of Gulfport Harbor Lights
Gulfport Harbor Lights
Enjoy more than 1,500,000 lights in Jones Park during Gulfport's annual Winter Festival. Considered one of the largest lighting displays in the country, Gulfport's Harbor Lights brings thousands of visitors to the Coast every year and was even prominently featured in the 2017 Lifetime holiday film "Christmas in Mississippi"! The spectacle can be enjoyed as a walking tour or aboard a free, heated trolley! Santa is available in Santa's Village and the event is dotted with hot chocolate stands and "Elfie Selfie" Stations which are perfect for capturing the fun times. With new rides, live entertainment, and more lights than ever, this is an event you truly don’t want to miss!
The Harbor Lights occurs nightly from November 29 until December 31 with the exception of Christmas Eve. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 5-12, and free for children under 5!
Courtesy of Dan Nickol Photography
Christmas on the Bayou
The Annual Christmas on the Bayou is a parade that couldn't be more Coastal Mississippi. Dozens of boats adorned with lights create a magical kind of spectacle as they parade along the water. Now recognized as one of the South's Top Twenty event, this show has grown exponentially since its inception in 2000. Now consisting of Free to view from several of Gulfport's boat launches and parks as well as some local restaurants, viewers enjoy the decorated boats as well as the amazing displays put on by the waterfront houses as they compete for the title of Parade Captain’s “Best House on the Bayou”.
The 20th Annual Christmas on the Bayou Parade is Saturday, December 14th at 6 pm and is expected to have more than 60 boats participating! The parade travels through Gulfport Lake, down tp Bayou Bernard and finally to the conclusion at the mouth of the Bayou at Big Lake. Check out the route and viewing information here.
Courtesy of Coastal Mississippi
Downtown lights
More lively downtown districts dot The Secret Coast and with them come amazing holiday lighting displays and festivities throughout the month of December. From illuminated snowflakes in Bay St. Louis to the annual “Downtown for the Holidays” in Pascagoula, there are so many opportunities to partake in the Christmas cheer.
Snowflakes in the Bay occurs throughout the Bay St. Louis and Waveland areas where visitors enjoy beautiful, centuries old live oaks adorned with illuminated snowflakes. Walk along the main streets and through downtown to fully experience this Coastal town during the Christmas holidays. And be sure not to miss the Bay St. Louis Christmas Parade and Snowflakes & Sugarplums Festival on December 7!
Pass Christian is will be hosting Christmas in the Pass which features tree lighting, refreshments, and local art vendors (perfect for catching up on some last minute holiday shopping).
Visit Coastal Mississippi’s official tourism website, here, to explore more downtown festivities!