Holidays at Bok Tower Gardens

Let Your Heart Take Flight this holiday season at Bok Tower Gardens, where the beauty of the season comes alive in every corner. Stroll through breathtaking displays of vibrant poinsettias, fragrant evergreens, and festive annuals, and marvel at a gorgeously decorated ......More

Let Your Heart Take Flight this holiday season at Bok Tower Gardens, where the beauty of the season comes alive in every corner. Stroll through breathtaking displays of vibrant poinsettias, fragrant evergreens, and festive annuals, and marvel at a gorgeously decorated Christmas trees that sparkles with holiday cheer. Step back in time at El Retiro, a magnificent 20-room estate adorned for the season, where artful furnishings and timeless architecture create an unforgettable holiday celebration. Each afternoon, the enchanting sounds of The Singing Tower fill the air with daily carillon concerts, adding a magical soundtrack to your visit. From festive holiday festivals and engaging educational programs to delightful seasonal meals at the Blue Palmetto Café and unique treasures at The Shop at Bok, every moment is designed to inspire joy. This season, make Bok Tower Gardens your destination for beauty, music, and cherished holiday traditions. Not a Member? Purchase Garden Admission Here

Holidays Remembered at El Retiro and the Return of Tucker & Tillie’s Holiday Scavenger Hunt

Step back in time and experience the magic of the season at El Retiro, Florida’s finest example of Mediterranean Revival architecture. The historic mansion comes alive with exquisite holiday finery adorning the first floor, inviting you to stroll through its timeless be......More

Step back in time and experience the magic of the season at El Retiro, Florida’s finest example of Mediterranean Revival architecture. The historic mansion comes alive with exquisite holiday finery adorning the first floor, inviting you to stroll through its timeless beauty and festive décor.Pick up Tucker and Tillie’s Holiday Hide & Seek game sheet at the Visitor Center before making your way to the house, then search for this mischievous pair throughout the grounds of El Retiro. Once you’ve completed your hunt, bring your game sheet to The Shop at Bok for a sweet holiday treat.Discover the warmth, charm, and history of the holidays at El Retiro—where every detail is a memory waiting to be made and remembered. Event Date & TimeFriday, November 28 – January 410:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. LocationEl RetiroAdmission plus El Retiro Tickets needed (for the tour of the inside of the home)No Registration required Purchase Garden Admission and El Retiro Tour Here

Yoga in the Gardens

Join us for a morning of bending, breathing and relaxing in the great outdoors. This inclusive class includes gentle yoga movements that move our spine in all directions, breathing techniques and extended relaxation infused with a sprinkling of yoga philosophy. All leve......More

Join us for a morning of bending, breathing and relaxing in the great outdoors. This inclusive class includes gentle yoga movements that move our spine in all directions, breathing techniques and extended relaxation infused with a sprinkling of yoga philosophy. All levels are welcome and beginners are encouraged to attend. Bring your yoga mat and join us on the Olmsted House Lawn. Registration required. Please bring your own yoga mat. Event Date & TimeSaturday, December 20, 20259:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. LocationOlmsted House Lawn Price$12 members / $27 non-members (includes admission)Registration required Register Now

Meet Santa Claus

Let your heart take flight this holiday season! Meet Santa Claus at the Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and capture a festive photo in front of the sparkling trio of Christmas trees. It’s the perfect way to make memories and share the magic of the season with fami......More

Let your heart take flight this holiday season! Meet Santa Claus at the Visitor Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and capture a festive photo in front of the sparkling trio of Christmas trees. It’s the perfect way to make memories and share the magic of the season with family and friends. Event Date & TimeSaturday, December 20, 202511:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. LocationVisitor Center PriceFree to members/ $20 for non-member adults, and $10 for non-member children ages 6 – 17, free for Children 5 and under (Includes Admission)No Registration required Not a Member? Purchase Garden Admission Here

Holiday Charcuterie Board

Create a charcuterie board for your Winter holiday festivities! Get ready to indulge in a hands-on experience where you’ll learn the art of creating beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards. Learn about pairing different flavors, textures, and colors to create an unfo......More

Create a charcuterie board for your Winter holiday festivities! Get ready to indulge in a hands-on experience where you’ll learn the art of creating beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards. Learn about pairing different flavors, textures, and colors to create an unforgettable culinary masterpiece. Your ticket includes all materials and food to build your charcuterie board and 2 different cheese tastings. Event Date & TimeSaturday, December 20, 20251:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. LocationAlexander Discovery Center Price$70 members/ $85 non-membersRegistration required Register Now

Yuletide: A Starlight Celebration with The Byrne Bros.

Celebrate the magic of the Winter Solstice weekend with Yuletide: A Starlight Celebration, an enchanting evening of music, light, and tradition at Bok Tower Gardens. The night begins with a lively holiday ceilidh concert featuring The Byrne Brothers, the incomparable Ce......More

Celebrate the magic of the Winter Solstice weekend with Yuletide: A Starlight Celebration, an enchanting evening of music, light, and tradition at Bok Tower Gardens. The night begins with a lively holiday ceilidh concert featuring The Byrne Brothers, the incomparable Celtic family band and beloved Bok Tower Gardens favorites. Their spirited tunes and joyful energy will set the perfect festive tone for the evening.After the concert, take a magical stroll along a candlelit luminary path, accompanied by the stirring sound of powerhouse piper Ben Pugh, filling the night air with traditional melodies.The celebration concludes in luminous serenity with a moonlight sacred music concert by Geert D’hollander, performed among the gentle glow of twinkling yule logs. It’s a night that blends high-spirited festivity with peaceful reflection—perfect for welcoming the season’s longest night in true holiday style.Arrive early to enjoy a holiday carillon concerts with Geert D’hollander, filling the Gardens with the shimmering sounds of the Singing Tower. Then, sip rich hot chocolate and savor seasonal treats from the Blue Palmetto Café, and browse The Shop at Bok for unique gifts to complete your holiday shopping. Event Date & TimeSaturday, December 20, 20256:00 p.m.Carillon Concert begins at 8:30 p.m.Entrance Gate Closes at 8 p.m. LocationOval Lawn and the Singing Tower PriceFree to members/ $20 for non-member adults, and $10 for non-member children ages 6 – 17, free for Children 5 and under (Includes Admission)No Registration required Not a Member? Purchase Garden Admission Here

Carols & Carillon with Dr. Reed and Friends

Celebrate the season with Dr. Jonathan Reed, Geert D’hollander, and friends for a magical holiday concert at The Singing Tower. As the sun sets atop Iron Mountain, enjoy a heartwarming program filled with beloved seasonal favorites and the rich tones of the world-famous......More

Celebrate the season with Dr. Jonathan Reed, Geert D’hollander, and friends for a magical holiday concert at The Singing Tower. As the sun sets atop Iron Mountain, enjoy a heartwarming program filled with beloved seasonal favorites and the rich tones of the world-famous Bok Tower carillon. Dr. Reed will be joined by the voices of his closest friends, blending harmonies that will fill the gardens with holiday cheer. Between vocal performances, Geert D’hollander will enchant audiences with carillon selections that capture the wonder of the season. Sing along to cherished classics including “Rise Up, Shepherds, and Follow”, “I Wonder as I Wander”, and “O Holy Night”. Bring your chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets and experience a sunset concert like no other, wrapped in music, friendship, and the magic of the holidays. This event will include a holiday songbook. Event Date & TimeSunday, December 21, 20254 p.m. LocationThe Singing Tower PriceMembers: Free for members / Non-members: $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-17, free for kids 5 and under (Includes Admission)No Registration Required Not a Member? Purchase Garden Admission Here

Closed for Christmas

Bok Tower Gardens will be closed on Christmas (Thursday, December 25) to allow our team to enjoy time with their families.

Yoga in the Gardens

Join us for a morning of bending, breathing and relaxing in the great outdoors. This inclusive class includes gentle yoga movements that move our spine in all directions, breathing techniques and extended relaxation infused with a sprinkling of yoga philosophy. All leve......More

Join us for a morning of bending, breathing and relaxing in the great outdoors. This inclusive class includes gentle yoga movements that move our spine in all directions, breathing techniques and extended relaxation infused with a sprinkling of yoga philosophy. All levels are welcome and beginners are encouraged to attend. Bring your yoga mat and join us on the Olmsted House Lawn. Registration required. Please bring your own yoga mat. Event Date & TimeSaturday, January 3, 20269:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. LocationOlmsted House Lawn Price$12 members / $27 non-members (includes admission)Registration required Register Now

SURROUND SOUND: IMMERSIVE SOUND HEALING EXPERIENCE

Join us for the ultimate sound healing event! Join meditation teacher & singing bowl specialist Anthony Profeta for a very unique and immersive 90-minute vibrational sound therapy spa session. During this vibrational sound therapy session, Anthony and his partner will c......More

Join us for the ultimate sound healing event! Join meditation teacher & singing bowl specialist Anthony Profeta for a very unique and immersive 90-minute vibrational sound therapy spa session. During this vibrational sound therapy session, Anthony and his partner will create the ultimate environment of well-being. Participants will lay on a yoga mat in the middle of the room and be fully immersed in healing tones and singing bowls’ vibrational frequencies, which will be set up around the room in a North, South, East, & West direction. This configuration creates an energetic frequency grid around the attendees. Additionally, Himalayan singing bowls and other sound healing tools – such as tuning forks, handheld bowls, & chimes – will be played around your body and placed on you, providing an opportunity for a relaxing and rejuvenating “sound massage.” The sounds & frequencies have been shown to help shift your brain waves into the more relaxed states of alpha & theta, move stuck energy out of your body, and leave your physical, mental, and emotional bodies feeling restored, refreshed, and fully aligned. Bring your mat, favorite blanket and pillow. About the Instructor:Anthony Profeta is a former medical student turned internationally-renowned certified meditation teacher, mindfulness expert, & singing bowl specialist. He has been intensely studying the art of meditation for over two decades in monasteries and meditation centers of the US, Nepal, Italy & India. He has also been blessed to be guided & mentored by many of today’s meditation masters such as Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and the Dalai Lama.A “Sound Bath Meditation” is a very therapeutic form of meditation because you’re literally being “bathed” in sound waves. And as they “wash over your body”, they help guide you into a more relaxed, calm, and peaceful state by shifting you into the alpha & theta brainwave states. Event Date & TimeSaturday, January 3, 202610:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. LocationAlexander Discovery Center Price$30 members/ $45 non-membersRegistration required Register Now

Peace into the New Year Concert with Paisley Craze

Kick off the new year in style with Paisley Craze, a fan-favorite five-piece band bringing the iconic sounds of the 1960s to life! From the British Invasion—featuring the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Animals—to the sunny, feel-good pop of the Beach Boys, the Mon......More

Kick off the new year in style with Paisley Craze, a fan-favorite five-piece band bringing the iconic sounds of the 1960s to life! From the British Invasion—featuring the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and the Animals—to the sunny, feel-good pop of the Beach Boys, the Monkees, and the Young Rascals, this concert has something for everyone. Experience the mind-blowing psychedelic rock of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jefferson Airplane, and groove to the danceable hits of Motown legends like Diana Ross & the Supremes, Aretha Franklin, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Whether you prefer to relax and soak in the music or hit the dance floor, celebrate the songs that shaped a generation on the beautiful Oval Lawn at Bok Tower Gardens. Don’t miss this unforgettable way to ring in 2026! Event Date & TimeSaturday, January 3, 20266:00 p.m. LocationOval Lawn PriceFree to members/ $20 for non-member adults, and $10 for non-member children ages 6 – 17, free for Children 5 and under (Includes Admission)No Registration required Not a Member? Purchase Garden Admission Here

Camellia Tour with Plant Records Curator Patrick Lynch

Join our Plant Records Curator Patrick Lynch for a walking tour of Bok Tower Gardens’ extensive camellia collection. Along the way, we will discuss the history of camellias at Bok Tower Gardens, the care and culture of camellias in central Florida and our efforts to dev......More

Join our Plant Records Curator Patrick Lynch for a walking tour of Bok Tower Gardens’ extensive camellia collection. Along the way, we will discuss the history of camellias at Bok Tower Gardens, the care and culture of camellias in central Florida and our efforts to develop and safeguard this unique collection for the future. The tour will begin at the Rondel at the front of the Visitor Center Complex and requires registration to attend. Event Date & TimeTuesday, January 6, 202610:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. LocationRondel PriceFree for Members / $20 for non-members (includes admission)Registration required Register Now