If your holiday spirit needs a little supersizing, point yourself toward Delray Beach, where a 100-foot-tall Christmas tree is now glowing over Old School Square. And yes, it’s so big you can actually walk inside it.
Downtown Delray’s towering holiday centerpiece flipped on the lights during Tuesday night’s lighting and Yuletide Street Festival, with Santa himself hitting the switch at 7pm. The Avenue shut down to cars so crowds could roam Atlantic, Old School Square and Pineapple Grove, shop from more than 60 vendors, hit food trucks along Swinton Avenue and dance at a silent disco under the lights.
The tree is a full-on mini attraction in Delray Beach. The tradition dates back to the early ’90s, when the Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority installed a 50-foot tree to help revive a sleepy downtown. A few years later, it was extended to 100 feet in honor of the city’s centennial—100 feet for 100 years—and the rest is very festive history. Today’s version still nods to those roots: step through the door at the base to find animated scenes that tell the story of the “Village by the Sea,” plus vignettes styled by local cultural institutions.
Surrounding it is Santa’s Holiday Village, open on select days through December 28. You’ll find a carousel, ice skating rink and mini golf, all ticketed from $6 per activity or $20 for an all-day wristband, with the last tickets sold at 8:30pm. The walk-through tree itself is free and the carousel spins for free on December 24 and 25. Hours vary, but most Thursdays and Fridays run 5pm to 9pm, with longer daytime hours on weekends and in the days leading up to Christmas.
Santa has his own busy calendar, too. The Santa House is open on multiple evenings in December, with dedicated American Sign Language, sensory-friendly, Creole/Kreyòl and Spanish-language nights sprinkled throughout. Photo ops start at $10, with final tickets sold 30 minutes before closing.
If you need another excuse to go back, the tree anchors a full month of programming at Old School Square, from a Holiday School Spectacular and night markets to the Holiday Boat Parade, a Chanukah festival, a Kwanzaa celebration and an outdoor “Charlie Brown Christmas” concert.
If you’re chasing maximum holiday cheer this year, start with the biggest tree in Florida and work your way out.