November in Fort Lauderdale: Light Up Lauderdale Nov. 5, Hamilton Nov. 10-22, a food festival on the Riverwalk Nov. 14 and Christmas on Las Olas Dec. 1.

Last checked Oct. 31, 2026. Rebuilt on the 1st of each month and refreshed each week. Events come from the City of Fort Lauderdale’s event calendar and the organizers’ own pages; check them before you go, because times change. City events line: 954-828-8000. For this weekend only, see things to do this weekend; for galleries, theater and concerts, see arts and exhibitions this month.

November in Fort Lauderdale starts the holiday season: Light Up Lauderdale switches on along the New River on Nov. 5, Hamilton plays the Broward Center from Nov. 10, and Christmas on Las Olas follows on Dec. 1. The boat show closes Sunday, Nov. 1.

Plan ahead

  • King tides: the city expects higher tides Nov. 5-11, with some street flooding. Report impassable roads at 954-828-8000.
  • Running festival (Sunday, Nov. 8): races run along the beach from Las Olas Oceanside Park from 6:15 a.m. See road construction and closures for the week’s closures.
  • Thanksgiving week: Broward County Public Schools are out Nov. 23-27. Closures and trash pickup are on our Thanksgiving page.

Halloween and the boat show

  • Halloween Fest at Bonnet House, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 900 N. Birch Road. $25 adults, $8 ages 6 to 17, free for 5 and under. Details
  • Wicked Manors, 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, on Wilton Drive from NE 21st Court to North Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors, about a mile north. Ticketed, cashless and rain or shine. Details
  • Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, last day Sunday, Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Bahia Mar and five other sites. Tickets, parking and shuttles are on our boat show page. Show hours

Trick-or-treat hours are on our trick-or-treat page, and haunts and parties on our Halloween events page.

Holiday lights

  • Light Up Lauderdale: Get Lit Kickoff, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at Esplanade Park, 400 SW 2nd St. Free: holiday music, kids’ crafts and Santa, opening 10 weeks of lights along the New River. Details
  • Light Up the Galt, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at North Beach Restaurants and Shoppes, NE 33rd Avenue and NE 33rd Street. Free: music, food and a kids zone; tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. Details
  • Holiday Fantasy of Lights, Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek: Stroll Through the Lights 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 ($15 a person), Bike Through the Lights 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15 ($12 a bike), and the drive-thru nightly from Saturday, Nov. 21, 6 to 10 p.m. ($34 a car). See our Holiday Fantasy of Lights page.
  • Light Up the Beach, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at Las Olas Oceanside Park. Free: more than 50,000 lights, Olas the 20-foot beach snowman, the Fort Lauderdale Symphonic Winds and Santa. Details
  • Winterfest Family Fun Day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at Esplanade Park. Free: crafts, free boat rides, music from The School of Rock and photos with Santa. Details

More on our holiday lights and Christmas events page.

Food, festivals and races

  • Second Annual Downtown Day of the Dead, 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Esplanade Park and along the Riverwalk. Free: a costume stroll, mariachi, face painting and Mexican food, with an after-party at Revolution Live to 11 p.m. Details
  • 20th Annual Liquid Youth Fort Lauderdale Running Festival, 6:15 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, from Las Olas Oceanside Park: a 5K, 10K, half marathon and half marathon relay along the beach. Details
  • Riverwalk’s 6th Annual International Food Festival, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Esplanade Park. Free entry; every vendor has a $5 item, and a 21-and-over VIP tasting is sold in advance. Details
  • 15th Annual Fort Lauderdale Turkey Trot, a 5K along A1A, 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26, from Las Olas Oceanside Park. On-site registration 6 to 7:15 a.m. Details and our Thanksgiving page.

Theater and music

  • Sunday Jazz Brunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, at Esplanade Park, 400 SW 2nd St. Free. Details
  • Hamilton, Tuesday, Nov. 10, to Sunday, Nov. 22, Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW 5th Ave. Details
  • Ballet, the symphony, Cirque Dreams Holidaze and the new Frozen Gestures show at NSU Art Museum are on our arts and exhibitions page; the Nutcracker is on our Nutcracker and holiday shows page.

Early December

  • 64th Annual Christmas on Las Olas, 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, on Las Olas Boulevard between SE 6th and SE 11th avenues. Free: a holiday market, Santa’s Village, Snow Mountain and an ice rink. Details
  • Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, Saturday, Dec. 12: preshow 5:30 p.m., parade and fireworks 6 p.m. This year’s theme is “Party in the U.S.A.” See our Winterfest Boat Parade page.

Every week

  • NoBe Sunday Block Party, 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 27 at Fishtales On 33rd, 3355 NE 33rd St. Free. City listing
  • The MKT at The LOOP, Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Las Olas Oceanside Park. Details
  • Farmers markets: see our farmers markets guide for days and times.

Have an event to list? Send it through our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Fort Lauderdale in November 2026?

Highlights include the free Light Up Lauderdale kickoff Nov. 5 at Esplanade Park, Hamilton at the Broward Center Nov. 10-22, the Riverwalk’s International Food Festival Nov. 14, Light Up the Beach Nov. 19 and the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 26.

When do the holiday lights start in Fort Lauderdale?

Light Up Lauderdale opens with the free Get Lit kickoff, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, at Esplanade Park. Light Up the Galt is Nov. 12 and Light Up the Beach is Nov. 19, both 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and free.

When is Christmas on Las Olas 2026?

The 64th Christmas on Las Olas is 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, on Las Olas Boulevard between SE 6th and SE 11th avenues. The Las Olas Association calls it free.

Are there free events in Fort Lauderdale this month?

Yes. The organizers list Sunday Jazz Brunch, the Get Lit kickoff, Downtown Day of the Dead, the International Food Festival (vendors each offer a $5 item), Light Up the Galt, Light Up the Beach, Winterfest Family Fun Day and the NoBe Sunday Block Party as free.