holiday
Winterfest Family Fun Day
Fill a daytime family outing with arts and crafts, live music, ocean-conservation activities, boat rides and Santa photos in Esplanade Park.
FLORIDA · GO MAKE A MEMORY
Fun things to do
in Fort Lauderdale.
Stay around the downtown river for a day that mixes outdoor views with indoor curiosity.
AN ANYTIME IDEA · SELF-GUIDED
Riverwalk discoveries and hands-on science
Choose the stops that fit your day. These are our suggested activities, not a scheduled tour or a reservation.
Museum of Discovery and Science
Choose an exhibit focus before arriving and check ticket and program details with the museum.
Riverwalk
Explore a short public riverside section, keeping paths clear while spotting boats and building reflections.
Esplanade Park event option
Use the guide for a dated gathering such as Winterfest Family Fun Day; a regular park visit does not include event activities.
SEASONAL EVENTS · SOURCE-LINKED DATES
Put a little fun on the calendar.
This season’s listings include earlier dates. Use the filtered calendar for upcoming dates and saved events. Organizer information can change; all times are local.
holiday
Christmas on Las Olas
Stroll a festive stretch of Las Olas for local performances, holiday shopping and Snow Mountain sledding during the boulevard's annual evening celebration.
holiday
Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade
See decorated boats travel the New River and Intracoastal on a twelve-mile holiday route. Choose a viewing location in advance; arrival times vary along the route.
Sat, Dec 12, 2026
Parade starts 6 p.m.; approximately 2.5 hours to pass a viewing location. Non-motorized preshow at 5:30 p.m.. · local time
New River and Intracoastal Waterway
Viewing options vary; official Promenade Park viewing requires a ticket.
holiday
Light Up Lauderdale
Start the holiday season along the Riverwalk with music, children's crafts and Santa. The lighting ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Thu, Nov 5, 2026
5:30 PM–8:30 PM · local time
Esplanade Park
Free admission; purchases extra
holiday
Riverwalk International Food Festival
Explore international food vendors beside the Riverwalk. General admission is free; food is purchased separately and the optional VIP tasting is for ages 21 and older.
Sat, Nov 14, 2026
12:00 PM–4:00 PM · local time
Esplanade Park, 400 SW 2nd Street
Free general admission; food and optional VIP tickets extra
learning
Visit Lauderdale Science Festival
Try hands-on science activities, watch demonstrations and explore inventions at an indoor-outdoor science festival.
Sat, Jan 16, 2027
10 a.m.–5 p.m. · local time
Museum of Discovery and Science
Free festival admission
markets
Picnic in the Park
Enjoy cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, food trucks and a teddy bear clinic beside the beach.
Sun, Jan 24, 2027
Noon–4 p.m. · local time
Las Olas Oceanside Park
Free admission; food and purchases extra
markets
BBQ at the Beach — Ages 21+
Sample barbecue, listen to live music and enjoy a waterfront evening at the food and wine festival.
Fri, Jan 22, 2027
7–9:30 p.m. · local time
Las Olas Intracoastal Promenade Park
Early-bird tickets advertised from $90; later tiers cost more
markets
The Grand Tasting — Ages 21+
Explore food and drink tastings, cooking demonstrations and live entertainment near the ocean.
Sat, Jan 23, 2027
General admission 1–4 p.m.; VIP starts at noon · local time
Las Olas Oceanside Park
Early-bird general admission advertised from $99; VIP extra
markets
Riverwalk Stone Crab & Seafood Festival
Gather for seafood, music and a waterfront afternoon on the New River.
Sat, Jan 9, 2027
11 a.m.–4 p.m. · local time
Esplanade Park
Free admission; purchases and parking may cost extra.
creative
Las Olas Art Fair Part I
Wander a juried outdoor art fair and compare your favorite paintings and sculptures.
Sat, Jan 9, 2027 · Sun, Jan 10, 2027
10 a.m.–5 p.m. · local time
620 E Las Olas Boulevard
Free admission; purchases and parking may cost extra.
holiday
Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade
Plan a holiday evening around decorated boats and waterfront festivities. Choose a viewing location and check travel arrangements before setting out.
Sat, Dec 12, 2026
Preshow 5:30 p.m.; parade and fireworks 6 p.m. · local time
Fort Lauderdale waterways; select a location using the official Where to Watch guide
Official viewing-area and VIP tickets are sold separately; other viewing options vary
Make the memory last.
MAKE IT
A pop-up postcard from your city
Build a little paper skyline inspired by a day out, then send the memory to someone.
Supplies & steps ↗PLAY IT
Postcard detective
Use tiny details in a photo or postcard to solve a friendly group mystery.
Rules & variations ↗PLAY IT
The one-word story studio
Build a wonderfully strange story together, one word at a time.
Rules & variations ↗