United States Florida November Festivals and Events in Florida By Dawn Henthorn Dawn Henthorn Dawn Henthorn is a lifelong Florida resident and travel expert, former editor of Wire to Wire and Horse Racing Digest, and a journalist for Orlando Family Magazine. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 10/20/19 Florida temperatures are pleasant both day and night in the fall, so locals and visitors take to the streets in November for a variety of events and activities. The state's theme parks don't usually get too crowded until Thanksgiving and offer many opportunities to kick off the Christmas holidays. November brings diverse events from beautiful tree and light displays to an international food festival filled with the finest chocolates, cheeses, and chefs. 01 of 07 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Disney Parks Blog Visiting chefs, global food seminars, and live music make this festival a perfect event for foodies. In 2019, it runs from August 29 to November 23 at Epcot World Showcase in Orlando. You'll find international cuisines from African to Sushi at 35 kiosks at the Global Marketplace. Attend a variety of cheese seminars and meet celebrity chefs from around the world. 02 of 07 Magic Kingdom Park Sam Howzit/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 On select nights in November and December, Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World near Orlando re-opens after regular hours from 7 p.m. until midnight for the holiday event, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The theme park celebrates with fireworks, parades, sweet holiday treats, special stage shows, and plenty of family fun. 03 of 07 Florida Seafood Festival This two-day event on November 1 and 2, 2019, takes over the historic town of Apalachicola, an approximately hour-and-a-half drive from Tallahassee. The festival features delicious local seafood, arts and crafts, live music, and seafood-related events, including oyster-eating and oyster-shucking contests and a 5K redfish run. This popular event attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Battery Park at the mouth of the Apalachicola River. 04 of 07 THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride ryaninc / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 Board THE POLAR EXPRESS train in Fort Lauderdale for a journey to the North Pole. The hour-long ride recreates The Polar Express movie with dancing chefs that serve cocoa and treats, characters from the film, and a meet-and-greet with Santa at the North Pole. Santa and his elves greet the families, and each guest receives a silver bell from Santa's sleigh and a golden souvenir ticket. Continue to 5 of 7 below. 05 of 07 ICE! featuring THE POLAR EXPRESS Gaylord National Resort Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center at Marriott in Kissimmee—about a 75-minute drive from Tampa—presents ICE!, featuring THE POLAR EXPRESS, a Christmas event with more than 2 million pounds of hand-carved ice sculptures and tall ice slides. There's even a Nativity scene carved from ice. The show starts November 25, 2019, and lasts through January 5, 2020. Enjoy scenes of holiday celebrations from around the globe and visit the Frostbite Factory to watch the artists make ice carvings live. The 2019 theme is THE POLAR EXPRESS about a young child's magical adventure to the North Pole. 06 of 07 Nights of Lights in St. Augustine Moment Editorial/Getty Images / Getty Images From November 23, 2019, through January 31, 2020, the Nights of Lights festival turns the town of St. Augustine—nearly two hours by car from Orlando—into a dazzling holiday display About 3 million tiny white lights twinkle everywhere in the downtown historic district. Businesses and restaurants stay open late, and trains and trolleys offer tours for the season. The festival traces its origins to the Spanish tradition of displaying white candles in windows during the winter holidays. 07 of 07 "Merry and Bright" at the Orlando Museum of Art Richard Cummins / Getty Images Every year, the Orlando Museum of Art is transformed into a winter wonderland filled with sparkling trees and lavish holiday decor. The Festival of Trees event from November 14 to 24, 2019, showcases designer-curated Christmas trees and wreaths, along with a gingerbread village and table-top displays for purchase. Special programs include musical performances, a gala night, activities for kids, and entertainment for all ages. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email