By Nanette Wiser
Tis the season to be jolly, and lucky for us, Tampa Bay is alive with the sound of music. Tickets make such a great gift for friends and family, especially when you share a meal before or after to celebrate the season. And yes, Miracle at Mezzo (at Intermezzo on Central Ave.) and other holiday pop up events are the perfect place to celebrate.
We’ll see you at Suncoast Jazz Festival Nov. 27-29 at the Sand Key Sheraton where Bryan Hughes & The Crew will debut their first ever Christmas album, sure to be a hit! Here’s where to get merry from Corey Avenue to downtown St. Pete…and beyond.
Shopapalooza Nov. 28 and 29 features live music both days with Razin Jane, Ashley Lux Band, Roxana/Hueva Cosmico, and Dames and Savannah Lee Duo on Saturday. Sunday, you can tap your toes to Headless Ax, Element, Sunset Bridge Band, Jems Oberlin, Tommy & Mimi and Sunya. Something new comes to downtown St. Pete this year: Winter Wonder is a holiday experience 11/20-1/3 featuring an open-air ice rink, holiday market, and live entertainment.
Celebrate more shop local Shop Small Saturday 11/28 from 9am-5pm in St. Pete Beach, with local musicians caroling and singing holiday favorites (and more) along the way. Hop on and off the old-fashioned trolley running from Corey Avenue south through Pass-a-Grille and making stops along the way. Spend the day discovering unique gifts, seasonal finds, local deals, restaurants, and small businesses while exploring some of St. Pete Beach’s most walkable shopping areas.
At Ruth Eckerd Hall and Capitol Theater, plan to see A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage (with a little Vince Guaraldi interlude, “Christmas Time is Here,” Derek Hough Dance for the Holidays (11/22); Home for the Holidays featuring Sheena Easton, All-4-One, Ruben Studdard and Lindsey Webster (11/30); Dave “Santa” Koz & Friends Christmas Tour featuring Jonathan Butler with special guests Haley Reinhart, Dylan Chambers, and Erin Stevenson (12/4); saxophonist Mindy Abair’s I Can’t Wait for Christmas and Shaun Cassidy Unwrapped (12/10). www.rutheckerdhall.com/events
Two must-see shows at The Mahaffey for this season? The Florida Orchestra’s Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert (12/5-6) will be extraordinary, with the holiday classic on the big screen in full symphonic glory with GRAMMY-winning composer Danny Elfman’s musical score performed live to the film by TFO. The 1993 film follows Pumpkin King Jack Skellington, who longs to spread the joy of Christmas, but his merry mission doesn’t go according to plan. On 12/10-11, the Vienna Light Orchestra Christmas Tour 2026 showcases soaring soprano voices, lush symphonic arrangements, and theatrical Christmas magic with 2,000 flickering candle lights illuminating a breathtaking Christmas tree forest. More perfect presents include TFO’s Holiday Pops (12/12), A Very Broadway Christmas (12/20) and Classical Christmas (12/19).
If you love the Rockettes at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, don’t miss this Central Park Performing Arts Center show: The Sunkicks: Home for the Holidays features precision kickline dancing, powerhouse vocals, stunning costumes, holiday favorites, and a magical original Christmas story.
Do you have guests for the holidays? Be sure to take them to Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Jam at The Hangar and TomKats Orchestra at CJ Backstage on Mondays; Bayboro Brews Blues Wednesdays with Kid Royal Band and local beach hotels, bars and restaurants for live music.