"The parade begins one mile south of the Palm Valley Bridge, then heads north to the last home in Marsh Landing." That line comes from the Palm Valley Boat Parade's 2026 route page. That puts the finish of the area's lighted boat parade on Marsh Landing's own stretch of the Intracoastal.
The parade runs Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 6 p.m., and it's free to watch. Most of Ponte Vedra Beach's holiday calendar happens somewhere you drive to. This event comes to Marsh Landing. Everything else on the calendar between Thanksgiving and that Saturday, from the tree lighting at the Sawgrass Marriott to a library sing-along on parade afternoon, leads up to the night the boats reach the neighborhood's docks.
The Route Runs North, So Marsh Landing Sees the Boats Last
The boats gather at Marker #3, about a mile south of the Palm Valley Bridge. From there the procession heads north past the bridge toward Marsh Landing. The published rules keep it slow and spread out. The lead boat goes no faster than 6 knots, boats stay at least 300 feet apart, and captains talk on VHF Channel 72.
That pace matters at the north end. A procession held to 6 knots with 300-foot gaps can't bunch up on the way to the finish. Every entry passes the Palm Valley Bridge first and reaches the Marsh Landing frontage last, one boat at a time, with each one's number showing on its starboard side so people on shore can tell them apart.
The organizers call the Palm Valley Bridge viewing area a popular gathering spot. That's where most of the public watches. Along the Marsh Landing stretch, the people watching are on their own docks and lawns.
A Dock Can Enter the Parade Without Leaving the Shore
The parade has a dock competition. Registration for 2026 is open on the organizer's registration page. Boats enter in three classes: powerboats over 30 feet, powerboats under 30 feet, and sailboats. Docks have a category of their own. The form asks for a name, email, phone number and ZIP code.
The dock rules are short:
- Register for the dock competition.
- Get a number from the parade team.
- Display that number on the dock.
- Judges score only the dock itself.
Since judges score only the dock, a decorated dock behind a Marsh Landing home competes on the same terms as any dock along the route, no matter what the house or yard looks like. And because the route ends at the last home in Marsh Landing, every boat in the parade passes the docks on this stretch before the procession wraps up.
Volunteers run the event, and St. Johns County Parks & Recreation and the Palm Valley Community Association are listed as presenting partners. For questions about rules or registration, the parade team's email address is [email protected].
December 5 Starts at the Library on Library Boulevard
The St. Johns County Public Library has scheduled a Holiday Sing-Along on parade day. The library's event listing describes a festive music program with Mark Symons and Friends, and registration is required. Ponte Vedra Beach News places it at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library, 101 Library Blvd., from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Here's how the Saturday lines up:
- 3 to 4:30 p.m.: Holiday Sing-Along at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library, with registration.
- 6 p.m.: Boats leave Marker #3 and head north.
- Later in the evening: The procession reaches the last home in Marsh Landing.
December 5 is also one of the Teddy Bear Tea dates the Sawgrass Marriott lists for Vernon's First Coast Kitchen.
If you're watching from the bridge, Ponte Vedra Beach News reports that the organizers' 2026 map shows shuttle parking at Alice B. Landrum Middle School, a shuttle drop-off at the Palm Valley Bridge, and bridge parking marked for people with disabilities only. Check the organizer's viewing page for final parking and shuttle details before you head out. Neighbors who watch from a Marsh Landing dock skip the shuttle entirely.
The Week Before Belongs to the Sawgrass Marriott
The Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa is a short drive from the Marsh Landing gates, and its holiday season starts the week before parade day. The resort's holiday page and its booking site lay out the dates.
Thursday, November 26, Thanksgiving. Vernon's serves a Thanksgiving Buffet from noon to 4 p.m. It costs $92 per adult and $35 per child under 12, plus tax and gratuity. On the oceanfront side, 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop serves its regular menu plus seasonal Thanksgiving specials, and reservations are required.
Friday, November 27. The resort's annual Tree Lighting Celebration takes place the day after Thanksgiving. The resort lists treats, crafts, refreshments, snowfall effects, photos, s'mores and hot cocoa. The same Friday, the resort unveils its life-size gingerbread house, which is the centerpiece of the lobby display through the season.
Weekends from November 28. The resort's booking page lists Teddy Bear Tea at Vernon's on November 28 and December 5, 12, 19 and 20. It's $55 per adult and $35 per child 12 and under, plus tax and service charges, and each child takes home a custom teddy bear.
December Sundays. 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop hosts a Holiday Teddy Bear Brunch. Its OpenTable listing describes a holiday brunch menu, a craft, a teddy bear for the kids and a 2-for-1 mimosa special. The resort's booking page lists December 6, 13 and 20 among its brunch dates, so confirm your Sunday with the resort when you book.
Saturday, December 12. The resort has added a Champagne Brunch at 1912 Ocean Bar & Rooftop.
December 24 and 25. Vernon's serves Christmas Eve dinner, and the resort holds a Christmas Day buffet.
December 5 brings a listed tea date at Vernon's, the sing-along on Library Boulevard and the parade's finish at Marsh Landing, all within a few miles.
Pusser's in Sawgrass Village Is Becoming Craig's Beach House
Across A1A in Sawgrass Village, the lakefront restaurant at 816 Florida A1A N. is being renovated and will reopen as Craig's Beach House. Jax Daily Record reported in late October that restaurateur Craig Miller is leading the project with Gary Rogalski. The paper said the work includes audiovisual upgrades for sports fans, an expanded menu, new cocktails and seasonal specials. A Pusser's manager told the paper the restaurant was expected to stay open during the work.
Jacksonville Today described the location as "nestled between a lake and The Tournament Players Club" and noted Miller's past executive roles with Ruth's Chris Steak House, Uno Restaurants, and Brio and Bravo Italian restaurants. It also reported that he once chaired the National Restaurant Association. Miller's statement, as Jacksonville Today quoted it:
"Whether you're joining us for dinner, meeting friends for cocktails, or cheering on your favorite team, we want Craig's Beach House to feel like your favorite neighborhood gathering spot."
A few doors down, 155 Tourside Drive has an empty slot. Trasca & Co. Eatery and the Ponte Vedra Tap Room closed after April 13, according to the Ponte Vedra Recorder.
Deck the Chairs Runs Through New Year's Day
Deck the Chairs takes over the Seawalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach from November 25, 2026, through January 1, 2027. It's free, and Ponte Vedra Beach News puts it about two miles north. Its 2026 program includes a Sunday Christmas Market from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It opens the day before Thanksgiving and runs a week past Christmas, so it covers the full season, from the Marriott's tree lighting through parade night and the Christmas Eve dinner at Vernon's.
If you're lighting your dock for December 5, Sharon knows the Marsh Landing waterfront dock by dock and can tell you what that frontage is worth in today's market. Reach out to Sharon Mills and Get Your Instant Home Valuation before the parade season wraps up.
