The 2026 holiday calendar started earlier than most people would guess. On October 10, the golf tournament at Island Country Club had an 11 a.m. check-in and a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start. On October 24, Marco Lutheran Church hosted an evening called Ho-Ho-Ho Raise Some Dough from 6 to 9 p.m. Both events are on the same printed schedule as the tree lighting, the street parade, the canine parade and the boat parade. One volunteer group organizes all of them.
The group is Christmas Island Style. This is also the first season it runs under a new chair.
A volunteer group with five leaders since 1987
The organization's own history starts in 1987. That year Dawn Norgren, owner of Island Title and a member of the Chamber, proposed a couple of events to help the island celebrate Christmas. The Marco Island Chamber of Commerce oversaw the events as they grew. Around 1999, Dave Rice, who had been chairing them, took the program private with the Chamber's help.
Rice handed the role to Steve "Stef" Stefanides in 2004. The group credits Stef and his committee with 17 years of events that were free for everyone who came. Wanda Burson became chair in 2021 and said she wanted to keep encouraging committee members to come up with new ideas for children. In 2026 Burson stepped down, and Barb Dasti became chair.
The organization calls itself 100% volunteer. Every dollar behind the events comes from fundraisers, sponsors and donations. The group describes its events as free for everyone who takes part.
The ornament, the other way to chip in
The golf tournament and the church fundraiser are over, but the ornament is still for sale. The 2026 Christmas Island Style ornament costs $16. Its artwork is by eighth-grade artist Alan Ortiz Sanchez, according to the Shore Goods product listing.
The group lists these island sellers for the ornament:
- Marco Island Area Chamber of Commerce
- Shore Goods at Marco Walk
- Marco Island Florist Home & Gifts
- Marco Island Center for the Arts
- Keep in Touch at Shops of Marco
- Betty Newman Art Gallery at Shops of Old Marco
The group also takes ornament orders by email. Marco Island Florist Home & Gifts holds its open house with a Christmas Island Style ornament display and sale on November 13 and 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The 2026 calendar, start to finish
The group posted its 2026 holiday event schedule as a one-page printable. Compared with the 2025 schedule, the five main events each fall one calendar day earlier but on the same day of the week. Santa's Arrival still lands on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and the boat parade is still a Saturday.
The season has a starting point outside the group's own calendar. The City of Marco Island says the Marco Island Farmers Market opens November 18 and runs through April 14, 2027. Bring a reusable bag. The city asks for no plastic bags at the market and sells reusable ones there.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Santa's Arrival | Marco Island Academy School Lobby | 5:00 p.m. |
| Thu.–Fri., Dec. 3–4 | CELEBRATE IX, solo and ensemble music | Marco Lutheran Church | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Annual Tree Lighting and Community Celebration | Veterans' Community Park | 6:00 p.m. |
| Tue., Dec. 8 | Canine Pet Parade | The Esplanade | 5:30–7:30 p.m. |
| Fri.–Sun., Dec. 11–13 | Caroling in the Old Church | New Life Community Church, 489 W. Elkcam Circle | 7:00 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Annual Street Parade | San Marco Road, Balfour Drive to Barfield Drive | 6:30 p.m. |
| Wed., Dec. 16 | Chamber Holiday After Five | Marco Beach Hilton Resort | 5:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Cookies & Milk with Santa | Mackle Park | 10:00 a.m.–noon |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Marco Island Annual Christmas Boat Parade | On the water | 6:00 p.m. |
Two of these need a ticket even though they're free. For CELEBRATE IX, pick up free tickets at the Marco Lutheran Church office. Free tickets for Caroling in the Old Church will be handed out at several locations around the island.
Last year's printed calendar also listed a Holiday Movie in the Park. The 2026 schedule doesn't include one.
December 19 is the longest day of the season
The final Saturday has two events. In the morning, Cookies & Milk with Santa runs at Mackle Park from 10 a.m. to noon. Christmas Island Style sponsors it together with Marco Island Parks and Recreation. The boat parade starts at 6 p.m. that evening.
Mackle Park itself is changing this season. The city is replacing the park's 15-year-old spray-park equipment and resurfacing the splash pad with play-safe rubber. The project page lists a $177,000 budget and says work is under construction. The city hasn't posted a completion date. Families heading to the Santa morning will find out in person whether the new splash pad is done.
How the boat parade has run in past years
The 2026 boat parade page lists a start time but no route. Past coverage shows how it has usually worked. The Marco Eagle's 2018 account said the boats gathered below the Jolley Bridge by the yacht club. They then went down the Marco River to Collier Creek, followed the shore to the Esplanade, and came back the same way. That year the judges watched from the elevated balcony above Snook Inn. In 2023, Coastal Breeze News described a parade that started near Snook Inn and ended at the Esplanade.
For the 2024 parade, the Marco Eagle suggested two places to watch, the Esplanade on Smokehouse Bay and Snook Inn on the Marco River. It also told spectators to get there early. That year a boat named "Cast your Cares" won both Best in Parade and Most Creative, the Marco Eagle reported. These are past routes and viewing spots. The 2026 route will come from the organizers.
Joining a parade instead of watching it
Both parades post their 2026 entry rules online.
Boat parade. The entry form asks for:
- Boat and captain contact information.
- Boat length, whether it's power or sail, and mast height.
- An application submitted by December 17.
A captains' meeting is planned for the Thursday before the parade, and captains will be sent the details.
Wave runners and jet skis aren't allowed, for safety reasons. Neither the online form nor the downloadable application lists an entry fee.
Street parade. Applications are due December 1. They ask for the organization's name, contact details, a description of the entry, its length and any music. Entries should be lit, and every float must carry an accessible 2-A:10-B:C-rated portable fire extinguisher. Santa doesn't ride on any float, and the rules also prohibit fundraising and confetti along the route. Participating organizations are invited to bring unwrapped toys for local children.
The street parade runs on San Marco Road from Balfour Drive to Barfield Drive. Barb Dasti's first season as chair ends a week after it, with the boats on the water on December 19 at 6 p.m.
If the holiday lights on the water are part of why you love Marco Island, we'd be glad to talk about the island's canals, the waterfront homes along them, and the views from their docks. Reach out to MJ Team and Start Your Luxury Home Journey with MJ Team.
