At 5 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, the City of Boca Raton closes Plaza Real East and West to cars. These are the two roads inside Mizner Park. At 328 and 332 Plaza Real, two storefronts that weren't there last winter will face a street full of people waiting for the tree lighting. Four Sparrows Mahjong opened at 328 in September, and Saatva opened next door at 332 this fall.
That's how Boca's holiday season is laid out this year. Every dated downtown event between November 14 and December 10 happens within a short walk of Mizner Park. Most of this fall's new storefronts opened on those same blocks or are opening there now. That makes it easy to plan the season one evening at a time and use the new shops to fill the hours before and after each event.
Six Dates, One Downtown
| Date | Event | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Savor Boca Experience | Mizner Park median and downtown restaurants | $65, or $100 for two |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Holiday Tree Lighting | Mizner Park Amphitheater | Free |
| Wed., Dec. 2 | 54th Annual Holiday Street Parade | Federal Highway through downtown | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Holiday POPS Concert | Mizner Park Amphitheater | $25 to $60 |
| Tue., Dec. 8 | Merry in Mizner: Surf's Up Santa | Downtown Boca Adirondack chair, Mizner Park | Free |
| Thu., Dec. 10 | City Night Market, holiday edition | Sanborn Square, 72 N. Federal Highway | Free entry; vendors sell food, drinks and goods |
TAPinto Boca Raton reported the city's lineup in August, when temperatures were still in the triple digits. Most of the events are free, and every one is open to all ages. The same report notes that dates and times can shift, so it's worth checking myboca.us before you head out.
Saturday, November 14: The Season Starts With a Tasting
The first date comes before the lights go up. The Savor Boca Experience is run by the Rotary Club of Boca Raton. Check-in opens at 1 p.m. in the Mizner Park median, and the tasting stops run from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $65 for one person or $100 for two. The ticket includes an after-party from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Serena Pastificio.
The Rotary page lists 16 participating restaurants:
- American Social Bar & Kitchen, Belladuke's and Corvina Seafood Grill
- AJ's Italian Deli, Serena Pastificio and Pzza &
- Kapow Noodle Bar, Ramen Lab Eatery and Spirits and Spice
- Just Baked, Crema Gourmet Espresso Bar and La Mesa Café Bistro
- Pure Green, Poke Jay, Savia and Talkin' Tacos
The Boca Raton Tribune called it a culinary passport event with a refreshed identity, covering 15-plus dining spots in Mizner Park and downtown. Since the walk starts in the Mizner Park median, it also takes you past this fall's new Plaza Real storefronts a week before the tree lighting fills that street.
The Week Plaza Real Turns Into Part of the Event
The new shops from the opening paragraph are close together. Four Sparrows Mahjong sells American and Hong Kong-style mahjong sets and accessories, and it has an open play area and private event space. Four sisters started it: Andrea Reid, Michelle McGovern, Cristina Crenshaw and Danielle Catsman. Boca Magazine's October roundup of new stores put it simply: "Boca Raton is utterly obsessed with the resurgence of mahjong." Saatva, next door, carries bedroom furniture, bedding, rugs and candles along with its mattresses.
A short walk south, Parlor Doughnuts is at 9 Plaza Real South, Suite 108. The city's economic development newsletter lists it as open. The shop's own page gives daily hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The menu covers doughnuts, coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Since it closes at 4, it works for the morning before an event night, not the night itself.
Two days before the tree lighting, on Thursday, November 19, Serena & Lily opens at 880 N. Federal Highway. The store has 4,500 square feet of retail space, an on-site Design Studio with design advisers, and more than 300 textile and wallpaper designs. It's the brand's third Florida location. Boca Magazine's reaction:
"No need to hike up to Palm Beach any longer."
Then comes Saturday, November 21. The city's tree lighting page lays out the evening:
- 6 p.m. The celebration opens at Mizner Park Amphitheater with live music, a craft station, a holiday market, and food and drinks for sale.
- 6 to 10 p.m. Santa takes photos at the Boca Raton Art Museum.
- 6:20 p.m. First music set.
- 7:30 p.m. Mayor Andy Thomson leads the lighting of the city's tree. Mizner Park's light display turns on at the same moment.
- 7:40 and 8:40 p.m. Two more music sets close out the night.
The display itself is 50,000 LED lights on 75 palm trees, plus 2D light displays set up as photo spots around the park. Plaza Real is closed to cars from 5 p.m., so plan to arrive on foot if you want to stop at any of the new shops before the ceremony.
Federal Highway Takes Its Turn on December 2
The second free night happens out on the main road. The 54th Annual Holiday Street Parade runs along Federal Highway through downtown on Wednesday, December 2, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. This year's theme is "Boca by the Beach," and TAPinto's preview promised floats, dancing, lights and music.
That stretch of Federal Highway is lined with places that opened this fall. Serena & Lily is at 880 N. Federal Highway, and Sanborn Square, home of the December Night Market, is at 72 N. Federal Highway. Ali Weiss, a jewelry brand, has announced a boutique and piercing bar for the end of November. It's the brand's first store outside New York, and so far the only location detail announced is the 33431 ZIP code. The collection is all 14k solid gold, with earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, anklets and charms.
The One Ticketed Night, and the Free Ones Around It
Saturday, December 5 is the only night in the city's lineup that needs a ticket. The Holiday POPS Concert puts The Symphonia Boca Raton, conductor John Devlin, the FAU Chamber Singers and Schola Cantorum of Florida on the Mizner Park Amphitheater stage. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the music starts at 7. Tickets cost $25 to $60. They include the POPS Pop-Up, a pre-show for kids with Santa, face painting and glitter tattoos. Tickets are sold through The Symphonia.
Free programming fills the evenings around it. Merry in Mizner brings free performances and photo stops to Mizner Park on various dates through December. One date is already on the city calendar. Surf's Up Santa will hold a meet-and-greet on Tuesday, December 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Downtown Boca Adirondack chair in Mizner Park. It fits the "Boca by the Beach" theme of the parade six days earlier.
Sanborn Square Closes the Run on December 10
The season's last dated downtown event is a block off Federal Highway in Sanborn Square. The city's seasonal Night Market started on October 1, and the city's announcement names Thursday, December 10 as the holiday-themed edition. Expect food, art, music, baked goods, sweets and local makers. It runs from 6 to 9 p.m. with artisans, live music, food vendors and a mobile bar. TAPinto noted it's a chance to finish some holiday shopping and keep the money with local makers.
The Cellar Market is a short walk away at 323 E. Palmetto Park Road. It scheduled its grand-opening weekend for November 7 and 8. LivingFLA's announcement described wine, gourmet provisions, tastings, cheeses, charcuterie and small plates. It's close enough to the square to pair with the Night Market, whether you go before or after.
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