We haven’t found a 2026 Thanksgiving parade in Lakeland with posted details yet. In all we found four Thanksgiving-weekend outings in and around Lakeland: four Black Friday weekend picks, and one is free. Each listing has the time, price and a link to the official page.
Wednesday night to Sunday
Everything below, laid out by day. Tap any outing to jump to its details.
Monday to Wednesday, Nov. 23–25
Many schools are off all week. The full Monday-to-Wednesday list goes up with the weekly update on Monday, Nov. 23; what’s already posted is below.
It comes from the same weekly check as the Lakeland this-week page.
Wednesday night
Parades and lightings the night before Thanksgiving, from each organizer’s page.
WestShore Plaza · 250 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FL 33609
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. Reserving a time online skips most of the line. Walk-ups are welcome when slots are open.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday emailThursday morning
Start time, route and what to know with a stroller, from the organizer’s page.
We check the organizers every week. The 4 outings below are confirmed on their official pages.
Run it off
Kids’ races, family walks and stroller rules, from each race’s own page. Kids’ turkey trots in other cities.
Race pages usually open registration in the fall. We check them every Thursday.
Thanksgiving Day
Other things to do with little kids on Thanksgiving Day itself.
Historic Downtown Winter Haven
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. Main Street Winter Haven strings lights across the historic downtown for the holidays. The decorations run from US-17 to Lake Silver.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday email
Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
Holiday hours from each place’s own hours page. “Not posted” means the page doesn’t list Friday hours yet. Worth a quick check that morning.
Museums, zoos and play places post holiday hours in November. We add them as soon as they do.
Friday, Nov. 27
Tree lightings, parades, light-display openings and Santa arrivals on Black Friday.
Charlie Grimes Family Ag Center, Florida Strawberry Festival Grounds · 2508 W. Oak Ave., Plant City, FL 33563
With littles: Light display opening this weekend. More than 1.5 million lights, a light maze, a KidZone with ornament decorating and letters to Santa, and Santa every night. Free parking. Online tickets open Nov 1.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday emailSaturday and Sunday
Parades, lightings, light displays and other easy outings Saturday and Sunday.
Munn Park · Munn Park, downtown Lakeland, FL
With littles: Santa visits opening this weekend. Santa visits during the Small Business Saturday craft bazaar, which runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with more than 45 local makers.
More to come.Tree lightings and holiday openings often post closer to the holiday. We add them every Thursday.Get the Thursday emailKeep planning
November: things to do in LakelandEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in LakelandEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in LakelandFree days, free events and places that never chargeChristmas parades in LakelandParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in LakelandPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in LakelandBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in LakelandChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hoursThis week in LakelandDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every ThursdayGood questions
We haven’t found 2026 details for a Thanksgiving parade in Lakeland yet. We check again every Thursday and add it as soon as the organizer posts it.
On Friday, Nov. 27: Christmas Lane. Times and prices are on each card.
Christmas Lane, Starlight Nights in Downtown Winter Haven, Santa at the Munn Park Holiday Craft Bazaar and Santa at WestShore Plaza. Dates and times are on each card.
Santa at the Munn Park Holiday Craft Bazaar is free to watch or attend. More free ideas are on free things to do in Lakeland.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday through Thanksgiving week. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening: the best things to do with little kids in Lakeland that weekend, Thanksgiving week included.
