At Estates at Hidden Palms, the turn onto US 98 picks your holiday plans for you, and the date decides which way you turn. The 2026 calendars from Grand Boulevard, Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Baytowne Wharf and the City of Destin hardly overlap. The venues east toward Sandestin pack their big events into November 20 through December 5. Destin holds its three largest holiday nights for December 3, 12 and 13. Baytowne's nightly light show runs all month, but Saturday, December 12 is the one date when both directions have a one-time event on the calendar.
Seven Lots Between Two Holiday Seasons
Walton County's plat records for Estates at Hidden Palms describe seven single-family lots on about 1.25 acres. The neighborhood sits on the southeast side of the East Hatchew Road and Professional Place intersection in Miramar Beach. The county's directions come in from US 98 by way of South Holiday Road and East Hatchew Road.
From there, Google Maps puts Sandestin's main entrance at 9300 Emerald Coast Parkway West about 3.6 miles away. Grand Boulevard is about 4.4 miles east on US 98. Destin Harbor is the other way. Both directions are a short drive. The useful question for this season is when each one is busiest.
East Gets the Opening Act
The season starts on Grand Boulevard on Friday, November 20, with the Hometown Holiday Parade from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Local high school bands, sports and dance teams, and the Emerald Coast Theatre Company are on the program. Grand Boulevard's own advice is to come early for dinner, shopping and a good parking spot.
The next morning is Silver Sands Premium Outlets' turn. Its Beach Santa event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, in the Courtyard by The Disney Store Outlet, with free photos with Santa, music and faux snowfall.
Thanksgiving weekend moves to Baytowne Wharf. The Village calendar for November lists a free screening of The Polar Express on the Events Plaza Lawn at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 27. On Saturday, November 28, Here Comes Santa Claus runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Santa comes down Baytowne Lane to light the Village Christmas Tree, and the evening includes face painting, balloon making, a brass band and fireworks. Both events are listed as free.
Destin has no event listed on any of these dates. Late November belongs to the east side.
One Saturday, Both Ends of the Eastern Stretch
November 21 is the one day you can do both ends of the eastern stretch, because the events are spread out by the clock. The 14th Annual Sparkling Wine & Holiday Lights fills Baytowne's decorated streets from 4 to 6 p.m. More than 30 champagnes are paired with appetizers at featured Village restaurants, and the evening closes with Baytowne's choreographed Nights of Lights show. As of this writing, the event is ticketed and the Village lists tickets as "on sale SOON."
Here is how that Saturday lines up:
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Beach Santa in the Silver Sands courtyard
- Afternoon break to go home and change
- 4 to 6 p.m. Sparkling Wine & Holiday Lights at Baytowne Wharf, with tickets bought ahead
- Close of the evening Nights of Lights to finish the night at the Village
That gives a family with young children and a couple planning a night out the same Saturday, on the same stretch of road, six hours apart.
The First Weekend of December Stays East
From December 1 on, the east side settles into nightly and weekly routines, and those set the pattern for the rest of the month. Baytowne's Nights of Lights runs every night from Tuesday, December 1, through Thursday, December 31, with free shows at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. on the Events Plaza Lawn. This year the Village has a new tree. Visits with Santa come with the Wednesday holiday concerts on December 2, 9 and 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Grand Boulevard's Holiday Entertainment on The Boulevard fills Grand Park every Tuesday from December 1 through December 22, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The busiest stretch comes on Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5. On Friday, Grand Boulevard holds its Festival of Trees in Grand Park from 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. The Holiday Sip & Shop runs along the Boulevard from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. the same evening, with champagne tastings from 4:00 to 6:00. On Saturday morning, the Holiday Market on the Blvd sets up on the North Lawn from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Grand Boulevard hasn't posted admission details for any of these.
Saturday evening goes back to Baytowne for the free Lantern Parade at 5 p.m. The parade is created by and features artist Chantelle Rytter and the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, with a dozen giant lantern puppets. Anyone with a lantern can walk in it, and decorated golf carts can ride along after registering by email at [email protected]. The Village still shows "2026 Info Coming SOON!!" on the listing, so check the details again closer to the date.
Destin Holds Its Three Biggest Nights for Later
The City of Destin starts on a weeknight in the middle of the eastern run. The 40th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting is Thursday, December 3, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Destin Community Center, 101 Stahlman Avenue. The City asks guests to bring one non-perishable food item. Because it falls on a Thursday, it doesn't compete with anything Grand Boulevard or Baytowne has planned for that weekend.
Destin saves the rest for the second weekend. The City's 42nd Annual Christmas Parade steps off at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, from Destin Methodist Church. The route runs along Beach Drive and then west on Harbor Boulevard to Stahlman Avenue. HarborWalk Village's Mistletoe Market runs December 12 and 13 from noon to 8:00 p.m. On Sunday, December 13, the Emerald Grande events calendar lists the Destin Boat Parade and fireworks over Destin Harbor, both from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
December 12 Is the Only Day Both Sides Pull
Baytowne's nightly show runs under everything in December. Leave it aside, and the one-time events on the two calendars share just one day:
| Date | East toward Sandestin | West toward Destin |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 20 | Hometown Holiday Parade, Grand Boulevard | None listed |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Beach Santa, Silver Sands; Sparkling Wine & Holiday Lights, Baytowne | None listed |
| Nov 27–28 | Polar Express and Santa tree lighting, Baytowne | None listed |
| Thu, Dec 3 | Nightly Nights of Lights, Baytowne | Christmas Tree Lighting, Destin Community Center |
| Dec 4–5 | Festival of Trees, Sip & Shop, Holiday Market, Lantern Parade | None listed |
| Sat, Dec 12 | Tuba Christmas, Baytowne, 5 to 7 p.m. | Christmas Parade at 10 a.m.; Mistletoe Market from noon |
| Sun, Dec 13 | Nightly Nights of Lights, Baytowne | Boat Parade and harbor fireworks, 6 to 8 p.m. |
On December 12 the morning goes west and the evening comes back east. The Destin parade ends well before the Mistletoe Market's afternoon hours. Tuba Christmas at Baytowne runs from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening, with Santa visiting from 5 to 7. The Grinch also visits Baytowne on December 11 and 18 from 5 to 7 p.m., and the 2018 film plays on the Village's big screen. Meeting him is free.
The Everyday Stops Along the Same Road
The drives to all of these events pass businesses that are new to this part of 98 in 2026. Closest to Holiday Road, Everbowl opened July 19 in Miramar Plaza at 12889 U.S. 98, Suite 108A. The Destin Log reported a menu of customizable bowls, smoothies, hot food and cold coffee.
Further east, Grand Boulevard added Perla Baking Co., an artisan bakery and café that was open by late March. Rowan, an ear-piercing studio, is listed as "Coming Soon – Dec 1" on a Grand Boulevard directory page updated in September, in Suite L106 at 585 Grand Boulevard, which would put its opening right at the start of the Boulevard's busiest stretch. At Silver Sands, Aerie and Aeropostale are both listed as coming soon, with no opening dates posted.
Everbowl and Perla Baking Co. are both on the drive east, so a coffee and a pastry can be part of the trip to the November 20 parade or the December 5 market.
At Boswell Builders, we know this stretch of 98 well, from Holiday Road to the Grand Boulevard lawn. If you're thinking about a home at Estates at Hidden Palms with a porch to come back to after a night of lights and harbor fireworks, we'd be glad to talk it through with you. Work With Us.
