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Hanukkah, Winter Wonderland, and More Great Things to Do in Miami This Weekend with Kids

Spread your holiday cheer at the Miami Beach Festival of Lights. Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival
Spread your holiday cheer at the Miami Beach Festival of Lights. Photo courtesy of Miami Beach Classical Music Festival
12/17/25 - By James Smith

Looking for the best things to do in Miami and South Florida this weekend? Here are some great family-friendly events and activities to add to your schedule.

As Miami and South Florida continue our approach to the holiday season, this weekend we again offer special wishes to those celebrating Hanukkah. The traditional Jewish festival of lights continues through Monday, December 22.

South Florida continues its celebration of Hanukkah with events in Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, and there is even a unique celebration of Hanukkah and Shabbot, fittingly called Shabbanukah in Hollywood.   

Holiday lights shows celebrate the season in Miami Beach and West Palm Beach. If you haven't take in a performance of the Nutcracker, you can do so this weekend in Fort Lauderdale at The Parker.

For even more weekend inspiration, check out our South Florida Activities Calendar, which is updated regularly with the best Miami and South Florida happenings for kids and families. As always, if you have an event we should check out, feel free to e-mail us. Don't forget to bookmark this page and share with a friend. 

More Things to Do in Miami this Week with Kids: 

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Wilton Manors celebrates Hanukkah and more during Wilton Wonderland. Photo courtesy of Wilton Manors
Wilton Manors celebrates Hanukkah and more during Wilton Wonderland. Photo courtesy of Wilton Manors

Best Things To Do This Weekend in Miami with Kids

Arts Ballet Theatre - The Nutcracker: Smart Stage Matinee Series

Fort Lauderdale
Thursday, December 18
Experience the magic of Tchaikovsky's beloved holiday classic. This enchanting version of the Nutcracker follows young Clara as she embarks on a fantastical journey to the Land of Sweets, where she encounters a host of whimsical characters, from the brave Nutcracker Prince to the Sugar Plum Fairy. READ MORE

Victorian Christmas Tours at The Historic Stranahan House Museum

Fort Lauderdale
Thursday, December 18-Sunday, December 21
Deck the halls with history. The historic Stranahan House Museum is hosting Victorian Christmas tours. The community is invited to step back in time to the Victorian era while walking through the beautifully decorated Stranahan House Museum. Guests learn how holiday traditions started, how the pioneers of Fort Lauderdale celebrated the season, and can shop for everyone on their Christmas list in the gift shop. READ MORE

Langston Hughes’ Gospel Classic Black Nativity

Pompano Beach
Thursday, December 18-Sunday, December 21
Brévo Theatre brings back Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity for its second annual production. It is an inspiring, gospel-filled retelling of the Nativity story that celebrates Black culture, community and spirit. READ MORE

Hanukkah Celebration with Palm Beach Synagogue West

West Palm Beach—FREE
Friday, December 19
Celebrate Hanukah with Palm Beach Synagogue West at CityPlace, and enjoy live music, menorah lighting, latkes and donuts. READ MORE

Shabbanukah at Temple Beth El of Hollywood

Hollywood
Friday, December 19
Enjoy a Hanukkah and Shabbat celebration. The evening kicks off at 5:45pm with a menorah lighting on the front lawn with Hanukkah blessings, songs, and readings. Then, enjoy a festive meal with a latke bar and sufganiyot bar, plus live holiday music at 6pm. READ MORE

Winter Wonderland Laser Lights & Bites

West Palm Beach—FREE
Friday, December 19
The Cox Science Center and Aquarium brings back a family holiday event that will light up your season. Get ready to sing, dance, and shine during the new sing-along holiday light show, where holiday favorites come to life in dazzling color. READ MORE

Movie Night with Santa

Pompano Beach—FREE
Friday, December 19
RSVP for this FREE cozy holiday movie night with Santa, featuring festive snacks and crafty fun. Enjoy delicious treats and get creative with arts and crafts—it’s the perfect way to celebrate the season. READ MORE

Wilton Wonderland

Wilton Manors—FREE
Saturday, December 20
Join Santa and friends for a fun-filled morning, featuring storytime, crafts, games, and more. City events are open to everyone of all ages and promise to spread holiday cheer all season long. READ MORE

A Christmas Carol, The Musical

Coral Gables—FINAL WEEKEND
Saturday, December 20
The Charles Dickens classic takes a musical turn in this festive holiday favorite. Tiny Tim and the entire Cratchit family join three unearthly spirits in trying to convince Ebenezer Scrooge to change his bah humbug ways. This musical adaptation, written especially for family audiences, will warm your heart as it reveals the true meaning of the holidays. READ MORE

The True Story of Christmas: A Holiday Puppet Show

Doral
Saturday, December 20
Enjoy The True Story of Christmas, a delightful and hilarious holiday puppet show that blends The Grinch, A Christmas Carol, and the Nativity—all told through the eyes of one very curious little wolf. READ MORE

Ann Storck Center’s Deck the Volleyballs Tournament

Pompano Beach
Saturday, December 20
Ann Storck Center – a Fort Lauderdale-based private, nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities – spreads holiday cheer with its Deck The Volleyballs tournament. All proceeds will go toward purchasing holiday gifts for the children and residents of Ann Storck Center. Participants can also bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate READ MORE

Miami Beach Holiday Festival of Lights

Miami Beach—FREE
Saturday, December 20-Sunday, December 21
The Miami Beach Holiday Festival of Lights returns to South Beach. This dazzling event captivates audiences of all ages with a blend of live musical performances and orchestra music. Festive characters include Santa Claus, the Grinch, and Elsa. Also enjoy projection mapping displays across the 1400 block of Ocean Drive and even “snow” to celebrate the holidays. READ MORE

Chanukah on Worth at The Mandel Recreation Center

Palm Beach
Sunday, December 21
Enjoy a parachute gelt drop, live entertainment, food, a photo booth, crafts, bounce house, and more at this fun holiday celebration.  READ MORE

Pop the Trunk Christmas Toy Giveaway

Pompano Beach—FREE
Sunday, December 21
Spread some holiday cheer at this year's Pop the Trunk Christmas Toy Giveaway. Drive through, pop your trunk, and receive a toy for your child—Pompano Beach's gift to you this festive season. READ MORE

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About the Author

James Smith
James Stephen Smith is a seasoned journalist who transitioned from reporting at Newsday to a more relaxed life as a father and director of media relations at St. John's University. He manages the university’s messaging while also contributing to Mommy Poppins, a site he discovered after his third daughter was born in 2011. Fun fact: James nearly made it on Jeopardy but missed a Final Jeopardy question on art history—only to watch a colleague nail it and become a two-time champion.
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Read more articles by James Smith.