Jupiter's December Runs Toward the Lighthouse This Year

On most nights, the tender at the new U.S. 1 bridge over the Loxahatchee checks four screens of thermal imaging before raising the span. The tender is looking for the heat signature of anyone still on the movable section. A LiDAR sensor locks the sequence if it detects motion. WFLX described the setup in February, and Kelley Hall, a structures maintenance engineer with the Florida Department of Transportation, gave the station the number that matters to anyone who drives U.S. 1: "After construction we're doing 42% less openings."

Saturday, Dec. 5 is the exception. At about 7:45 p.m., the Jupiter Federal Bridge is expected to go up for the 32nd Annual Palm Beach Holiday Boat Parade. The organizers' permits allow each opening to run as long as an hour. The parade is headed for the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse, and that is where the season gathers this year. The Lighthouse hosts the parade's finale, and six days later it opens a new ticketed holiday event of its own. Meanwhile, the Town of Jupiter's free celebrations have moved inland to the Town Green and Abacoa.

Dec. 5: The Bridges Open One After Another

The Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County runs the parade, and Safe Harbor is the presenting sponsor. Boats leave North Palm Beach at 6 p.m. behind a Zambelli traveling fireworks display, head north up the Intracoastal Waterway, and reach Jupiter at about 8 p.m. The organizers say it goes on rain or shine.

The organizer's parade page gives these estimates for the bridge openings, based on past parades:

1. Parker Bridge, around 6:00 p.m.
2. PGA Bridge, around 6:15 p.m.
3. Donald Ross Bridge, around 7:00 p.m.
4. Indiantown Road Bridge, sometime around 7:30 p.m.
5. Jupiter Federal Bridge, around 7:45 p.m.

The organizers say weather, wind, tides and currents make exact times impossible to predict. In practice, Indiantown Road and U.S. 1 both go up in the half hour before the boats arrive in Jupiter. If you need to cross the Loxahatchee that evening, plan to do it before 7:30 or well after the finale.

The bridge is ready for a big night. FDOT accepted the $122 million replacement in December 2025, finishing ahead of schedule, according to WFLX. The Palm Beach Post reported that all lanes and sidewalks were open. WFLX later described the new structure as taller, with wider lanes, sidewalks and bike lanes. Those sidewalks give people on foot a place to watch the parade approach the inlet. They also mean the thermal cameras will have plenty of people to track while the span is down.

Where the Parade Ends, and Where to Stand for It

The organizers list public viewing sites from North Palm Beach to Jupiter. These are the Jupiter-area ones:

• Parks: Sawfish Bay Park, Lighthouse Park, Waterway Park, and the Jupiter Riverwalk
• Juno, just south: Bert Winters Park and Juno Park
• Restaurants and shopping: Harbourside Place, Charlie and Joe's at Love Street, Square Grouper Tiki Bar, U-Tiki, and Jetty's

Spots closest to the inlet see the finale. Spots farther upriver see the boats sooner, as the fireworks lead the parade north. Several of these venues also sponsor the parade, including Harbourside Place, Square Grouper, U-Tiki, Jetty's and the Town of Jupiter. Each venue sets its own hours and seating for the night.

Watching from the water has stricter rules. The organizers' page relays U.S. Coast Guard restrictions. Spectator boats may not anchor, idle or drift in the parade channel before or during the event. Anchoring is allowed only in a designated spectator zone that extends north into Jupiter. For boaters not in the parade, the organizers suggest Ski Beach or anywhere between Donald Ross Road and Indiantown Road that stays clear of the route. The full map is on the organizer's parade page.

Boaters who want to join the parade can register by Nov. 19. Early registrants have the $50 refundable deposit waived and are entered to win $500 and VIP passes to the Palm Beach International Boat Show. All registered boats are entered for a $250 cash prize, and first-year entrants compete for Rookie of the Year. Last year's Best of Parade went to Nauti Kitty, and the Fan Favorite went to Pink Pony Pontoon.

The parade is also a toy drive for Toys for Tots and Little Smiles of South Florida. If you live on the water along the route, the "toy fleet" will come to you. Wave a flashlight at a boat with a flashing amber beacon or Toys for Tots signage, and Marines and volunteers will pull up to your dock to collect new, unwrapped gifts. If you watch from land, bring your toy to the Lighthouse finale. If you can't make it, WPBF streams the parade live on its app and Facebook page.

The Night Before Moves Inland to the Town Green

The waterfront has Saturday. Friday, Dec. 4 belongs to the Town, and its tree lighting has moved.

The Town of Jupiter's free Tree Lighting Ceremony runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the Jupiter Town Green, 210 Military Trail. The Town calls the Town Green the ceremony's "new home" following recent construction at the Jupiter Municipal Campus. That construction has been going on for a while. The $24.7 million, 42,000-square-foot Town Hall opened to the public on Jan. 2, 2024. At the time, the Palm Beach Post reported that the former Town Hall would eventually be demolished and its land added to the Town Green.

So this year's holiday weekend runs from Military Trail on Friday to the inlet on Saturday. Families who want both can see the tree lit Friday at dinnertime and be at a waterfront spot near the Lighthouse by 8 p.m. the next night.

The Following Friday, the Lighthouse Hosts Its Own Event

The Lighthouse's role doesn't end with the parade. This year the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum at 500 Captain Armour's Way is adding Luminary Nights, which it calls a new holiday tradition. The event runs four evenings, Dec. 11, 12, 18 and 19, from 6 to 9 p.m. each night.

The Lighthouse lists local artisans, live entertainment, family activities, food and shopping. There will also be a tunnel of lights leading toward the tower and the lighting of the property's landmark banyan. Jupiter Tide reported that tickets are sold by date through the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, which runs the Lighthouse. All proceeds go to the landmark's preservation and educational programs.

Ticket prices on the Society's booking page:

• Adult: $30
• Child: $20
• Family of two adults and two children: $75

Tower climbs are limited and first come, first served, and children must be at least 48 inches tall to climb. If climbing the tower matters to your group, arrive close to 6 p.m. The Lighthouse's visitor page lists free on-site parking, including accessible spaces, near the entrance.

Saturday, Dec. 12 Has Two Events

The second Saturday is the one to plan around. The Lighthouse hosts the second night of Luminary Nights, and the Town holds There's Snow Place Like Jupiter, its hometown winter event, at Abacoa Community Park the same day.

The two events are at opposite ends of town. Snow Place is free and inland. Luminary Nights is ticketed and on the inlet. Families with young children have three other Luminary Nights to choose from, so moving the Lighthouse visit to Dec. 11, 18 or 19 frees up Dec. 12 for Abacoa.

Here is the full calendar:

Some homes on the water between Donald Ross Road and the inlet will host parade parties on Dec. 5, with a toy waiting at the dock. If you own one of them and want to know what that frontage is worth this season, the team at Branham Properties can help. Request a free home valuation, and we'll give you a clear number before the boats arrive.