WPB Living
Explore WPB

Annual Events & Seasonal Calendar in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach packs its calendar with free and low-cost things to do, and most of the marquee events cluster around the downtown waterfront on Flagler Drive and the Great Lawn at Centennial Square — from SunFest and Clematis by Night to the GreenMarket, July 4th fireworks, and "Sandi" the holiday sand tree.

West Palm Beach packs its calendar with free and low-cost things to do, and most of the marquee events cluster around the downtown waterfront on Flagler Drive and the Great Lawn at Centennial Square. Because South Florida's "season" runs roughly November through April, the busiest stretch of festivals, markets, and shows lines up with the cooler, drier winter months when snowbirds and visitors flood in. Summer is quieter and hotter, but it still delivers the city's biggest single day: the Fourth of July fireworks over the Intracoastal.

This page is organized by season and month rather than by exact dates, because event dates shift year to year. Use it to plan your year at a glance, then click through to the official organizer for confirmed dates, hours, and tickets before you head out. Note that several headline events are run by the City of West Palm Beach, while others belong to neighboring towns and the county, so we flag who runs what throughout.

Year-round & weekly staples

A few beloved events recur on a weekly basis rather than once a year, and they anchor the city's social life. Clematis by Night is a free, long-running Thursday-evening concert series (typically around 6 to 9 p.m.) staged downtown on the Great Lawn at Centennial Square, with live bands, food vendors, and drink specials. It's the easiest way to take the city's pulse on any given week, though the series can pause for holidays or special events, so check the City calendar first. Downtown's Clematis Street and the shops and restaurants at Rosemary Square (the open-air center formerly known as CityPlace) stay lively all year.

Local tip

Bring a blanket or low folding chair to Clematis by Night and arrive before 6 p.m. for a good spot on the lawn.

Local tip

Always confirm the week's schedule on wpb.org/events, since the series occasionally takes a break.

Fall (October–November): GreenMarket & season kickoff

Fall is when West Palm Beach wakes back up. The signature event is the West Palm Beach GreenMarket, the city's free Saturday-morning farmers and artisan market on the downtown waterfront (around 101 South Flagler Drive). It runs across the cooler months, opening in early October and continuing through late spring, generally on Saturday mornings (roughly 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.). Expect local produce, plants, baked goods, prepared foods, coffee, and live music. October and November also mark the start of "season," when part-time residents and visitors begin returning and the city's full slate of festivals and shows ramps up.

Local tip

Get to the GreenMarket early for the best produce and easier parking; it gets crowded by mid-morning in peak season.

Local tip

Confirm the exact opening and closing weekends each year on the City's GreenMarket page, since the season's bookends vary.

Winter (December–February): holidays, season & art shows

Winter is West Palm Beach's high season and its most event-packed stretch. The City's "Holiday in Paradise" celebration transforms the downtown waterfront's Great Lawn (near 100 N. Clematis Street) for the holidays, anchored by "Sandi" — the city's famous holiday sand "tree" built from hundreds of tons of sand, with a nightly light-and-music show, additional sand sculptures, and a Ferris wheel, typically running from early December through New Year's Eve. (Sandi sits at the City's waterfront; nearby Rosemary Square stages its own separate holiday lights and programming, so it's easy to do both in one downtown trip.) December also brings the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, a multi-day culinary event with celebrity chefs and tastings, often held around the Palm Beach County Convention Center area. January and February are peak "season," featuring upscale art, jewelry, and antiques shows such as the Palm Beach Show at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, plus large-scale concerts on the waterfront.

Local tip

Sandi's nightly light show is free; weekends and the week between Christmas and New Year's are busiest, so go on a weeknight if you can.

Local tip

Book restaurants and hotels well ahead from December through March, when seasonal demand peaks.

Nearby regional events worth the drive

Some of the area's biggest events happen just outside the city limits but are easy day trips. ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival is a large juried outdoor art festival held in Palm Beach Gardens (north of the city), typically in February, drawing artists from across the country to Gardens North County District Park. The Palm Beach Show (above) and various jewelry, art, and antiques fairs cluster in the winter months. Keep in mind the distinction between the City of West Palm Beach, the Town of Palm Beach across the bridge on the island, and other county municipalities — many high-profile "Palm Beach" events are actually held in West Palm Beach or in neighboring towns rather than on the island itself.

Local tip

ArtiGras charges admission and is in Palm Beach Gardens; check artigras.org for dates, tickets, and parking/shuttle info.

Local tip

For anything in the Town of Palm Beach (the island), expect limited parking — consider rideshare or the Brightline/Tri-Rail plus a short ride.

Spring (March–May): festival season's finale

Spring keeps the energy high before summer's slowdown. The GreenMarket continues on Saturday mornings into late spring before pausing for the hot season. Historically, the crown jewel of early May has been SunFest, the city's long-running waterfront music and art festival on Flagler Drive that, for decades, drew tens of thousands over its early-May run. Important: SunFest's schedule has been disrupted in recent years and the event has been paused at times, so do not assume it is happening — always check sunfest.com for the current year's status before making plans. Meanwhile, the city's waterfront has been hosting newer large-scale music events, so spring remains a strong time for live music downtown.

Verify before you plan

SunFest has been paused in recent years. Before planning a trip around it, confirm whether it's running this year directly on sunfest.com.

Local tip

Spring weekends downtown can be busy; use city garages and check for event street closures along Flagler Drive.

Summer (June–August): quieter months & the big fireworks

Summer is West Palm Beach's quietest and hottest stretch, when many seasonal residents head north and outdoor programming thins out. The major exception is the Fourth of July. The City's "4th on Flagler" is one of South Florida's largest Independence Day celebrations, held on the downtown waterfront along Flagler Drive (downtown, near Clematis Street). Expect free entertainment on multiple stages, family activities, food vendors, and a large fireworks show over the Intracoastal Waterway in the evening. Beyond July 4th, summer is a good time for indoor attractions, beaches, and smaller community happenings — and afternoon thunderstorms are routine, so plan outdoor plans for earlier in the day.

Local tip

Arrive early and use Tri-Rail, Brightline, or city garages for the July 4th fireworks — downtown parking fills up and roads close.

Summer storms

Pack water, sun protection, and a rain plan; summer afternoon thunderstorms are common across South Florida.

Key contacts

Official resources & links

Sources: City of West Palm Beach Community Events (Clematis by Night, WPB GreenMarket including hours/location/parking, 4th on Flagler, Holiday in Paradise, community events calendar), SunFest (home and about), Downtown WPB Development Authority (SunFest, GreenMarket, 4th, and events calendar), Clematis Street district (Clematis by Night), Discover The Palm Beaches (Holiday in Paradise, ArtiGras, events), Palm Beach Now (Sandi holiday tree), Rosemary Square / CityPlace holiday press releases, ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, The Palm Beach Show, Palm Beach County Convention Center, and WPTV/CBS12 reporting on the Palm Tree Music Festival and snowbird season. Event dates shift year to year — always confirm current details with the official sources linked above.