Maitland's holiday season is mostly one weekend this year. From Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, the city holds its downtown block party, its annual tree lighting and a Sunday farmers market. Enzian runs two of its best-known holiday screenings over those same three days, and the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey holds its holiday fundraiser on the Saturday. After that weekend, the rest of December turns into a scattering of workshops and screenings.
That changes how a household in Maitland should plan the month. The things you'd be sorry to miss all fall in roughly 40 hours. The city-hosted events all happen at two addresses, Independence Square at 1776 Independence Lane and Lake Lily Park at 701 Lake Lily Dr.
Friday Starts Downtown, at City Hall
The weekend opens with Getdown Downtown on Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at 1776 Independence Lane, the Independence Square address beside City Hall. The City of Maitland's event listing calls it "the place to be on the first Friday in December," with live music, food and drink vendors and kids' activities. Admission is free, and the City says there are "plenty of parking options in the nearby downtown area."
If you were at Independence Square on Nov. 6, the format will feel familiar. The City's November announcement billed that first-Friday party with Stereo FM, food trucks, vendors and kids' activities. The December edition uses the same setup, now as the start of the holiday weekend.
Friday also has a second option a little later in the evening. Enzian's Holiday Series shows It's a Wonderful Life at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4. Enzian says this year's holiday cocktails at its Eden Bar are "inspired by this year's Holiday Film Series." A household with young kids and a household with a babysitter can each have a full Friday without leaving Maitland.
Saturday Moves to Lake Lily, and Two Events Share the Evening
Saturday is the busiest day, and its two main events both happen in the evening.
The city's Season of Light Holiday Celebration runs Saturday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Lake Lily Park, 701 Lake Lily Dr. Here's how the City describes it:
"This annual holiday tradition features games, vendors, live music performances, tree lighting ceremony, and more!"
The Maitland Public Library's listing adds detail that's useful if you're bringing children. It mentions music from local schools, food and treats from local businesses, a special guest from the North Pole, fireworks and lights. The library tags the event for every age group, from babies and toddlers to adults.
The same night, the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey at 1101 Audubon Way holds its Holiday Raptor Mingle. On its annual events page, ARC calls it "a fun evening to celebrate ARC's success in returning injured and orphaned raptors to the wild." Guests get close-up encounters with the center's Education Ambassador Raptors, and all proceeds go to raptor care at ARC. It's a fundraiser, so ticket details come from ARC directly.
Both of Saturday's big events happen on the same evening, so most households will have to pick one or split the night. The tree lighting at Lake Lily is free and open to everyone. The Raptor Mingle is ARC's own fundraiser.
The Saturday dinner question also has a newer answer this year. DiVino, a wood-fired pizza and wine restaurant, opened this fall at Maitland Social, 360 E. Horatio Ave., Suite 300. OC Hype reported in October that the restaurant was open and serving Neapolitan-style pizza. DiVino's own site lists Friday and Saturday hours of 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., so it's still open after the fireworks.
Sunday Morning Brings You Back to the Same Park
Lake Lily Park hosts both Saturday night and Sunday morning. The City lists its Farmer's Market at Lake Lily Park on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market moved away from the park for a stretch of construction this year. The City's June announcement said it would return to Lake Lily on July 12, and the December calendar has it back there.
So the market will set up the morning after the tree lighting, in the same park. If you missed the lights Saturday night, Sunday morning gets you back there.
Enzian adds a Sunday matinee for families, too. The Polar Express screens at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 6. That's early enough to fit between a market run and lunch.
The Weekend at a Glance
- Friday, Dec. 4, 6–9 p.m.: Getdown Downtown, 1776 Independence Lane. Free.
- Friday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.: It's a Wonderful Life at Enzian.
- Saturday, Dec. 5, evening: Holiday Raptor Mingle at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, 1101 Audubon Way.
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 5–8:30 p.m.: Season of Light Holiday Celebration, Lake Lily Park, 701 Lake Lily Dr.
- Sunday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.: Farmer's Market at Lake Lily Park.
- Sunday, Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m.: The Polar Express at Enzian.
What Comes After the Weekend
Once that weekend is over, the City's own December calendar has one more evening event, Movie in the Park, on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 1776 Independence Lane. The Farmer's Market keeps its Sunday spot at Lake Lily, with the next one on Dec. 13 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Everything else in December is smaller and mostly indoors. You sign up for a class or buy a movie ticket. Most of it is run by Maitland's cultural institutions, not the City.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Dec. 1 | Hands-On Wreath Design | Maitland Public Library | 7–8:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Holiday Card Making with Watercolors | Art & History Museums Maitland | 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Holiday Heatwave | Maitland Public Library | 2–4 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Movie in the Park | 1776 Independence Lane | 6–8 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | American Girl Friendship Club Holiday Event | Maitland Public Library | 4–5:30 p.m. |
The wreath workshop on Dec. 1 is the one holiday event before the big weekend, and the library has it on the December events calendar. The library's Dec. 18 American Girl event includes seasonal crafts and treats. The watercolor card class at Art & History Museums Maitland on Dec. 12 is well timed if you still have cards to send by mid-month.
Enzian's Holiday Series continues through the rest of December.
- In Bruges, Tue., Dec. 8, 9:30 p.m.
- The Bishop's Wife, Wed., Dec. 9, 3 p.m., and The Nice Guys that night at 8 p.m.
- Carol, Sun., Dec. 13, 11 a.m.
- White Christmas, Wed., Dec. 16, 3 p.m.
- Rare Exports, Sat., Dec. 19, noon
- Rex: A Dinosaur's Story, Sun., Dec. 20, 11 a.m.
- The Shop Around the Corner, Wed., Dec. 23, 3 p.m., and Die Hard that night at 8 p.m.
- Hundreds of Beavers, Tue., Dec. 29, 9:30 p.m.
The series actually starts before the big weekend, with All That Heaven Allows on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 3 p.m. Several of the later screenings are at 3 p.m. on a weekday.
Planning Around the Weekend
So most of the planning comes down to that one weekend. A Maitland household that keeps Dec. 4 through Dec. 6 open can catch the downtown party, the tree lighting at Lake Lily, a farmers market morning and at least one Enzian screening. That covers most of what the city's holiday calendar has this year. Everything after Dec. 6 can be booked or skipped week by week.
If you're juggling relatives' visits, work parties or travel, block the first weekend in December first and fit the rest around it. If someone comes to town later in the month, the Dec. 12 Movie in the Park and Enzian's late-December matinees are good options for guests.
Jen has served families across these neighborhoods for more than 20 years, and she's always glad to share local tips with her neighbors. If you'll be at Lake Lily on Dec. 5 and wondering what your own home near the park would sell for, Jen King can get you started with an instant home valuation before the holidays get busy.
