Who puts on the holidays on Merritt Island? On Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, the answer changes over the course of the day. Brevard County Parks and Recreation runs the morning parade down Courtenay Parkway. After the parade, island organizations host everything else, and every event is open to the public. A community nonprofit founded in 2022 runs the afternoon, a gym on South Plumosa Street co-hosts the race, and a free holiday village on North Plumosa Street fills the evening.
The day starts at 10 a.m. and ends around 8 p.m. Here is the full Saturday, followed by how each piece works.
| Time | Event | Where | Run by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m. | Merritt Island Holiday Parade, "Gingerbread Lane" | Merritt Island High School south on Courtenay Parkway to Edgewood Junior/Senior High | Brevard County Parks and Recreation |
| 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Gingerbread house drop-off | Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater, Green Room | CAMI |
| 2 p.m. | Merritt Island Holiday Fest 3K | Brevard Veterans Memorial Center, 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy. | Trinity Fitness Merritt Island and CAMI |
| 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Holiday Fest and community tree lighting | Brevard Veterans Memorial Park | CAMI and Brevard Veterans Memorial Center |
| 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. | 2nd Annual Coastal Christmas Village | 101 N. Plumosa St. | Local organizers |
The county's morning on Courtenay Parkway
The county's parade starts the day. According to the Brevard County Parks parade information sheet, the 2026 Merritt Island Holiday Parade steps off at 10 a.m. from Merritt Island High School and ends at Edgewood Junior/Senior High School at about 11:30 a.m. The county's Sept. 22 release gives the route. The parade starts at Grove Boulevard by the high school, heads south on Courtenay Parkway, also known as SR 3, and ends at Edgewood on Merritt Avenue.
This year's theme is "Gingerbread Lane." Floats are judged on originality, theme and overall appearance. Awards go to the top three in five categories: civic organizations, schools, bands, commercial, and public utilities such as fire rescue and police. One Judge's Choice award goes to the highest-scoring entry overall. Each group gets one minute in front of the judges' stand, and going over costs points.
If you're bringing kids to the curb, know that the county does not allow throwing candy or anything else from parade entries. Groups are asked to have members walk along and hand candy out. Santa and Mrs. Claus are already booked to appear, which is why the county asks entries not to bring their own.
Clubs, businesses and school groups that want to enter still have time. The county's deadline for entry forms and payment is 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, which is also the deadline for submitting music for approval. You can register online through the county's recreation portal or in person at the Central Area Parks Operations Office, 840 Forrest Ave. in Cocoa. Entries must be at their staging area by 9 a.m. on parade day.
The handoff happens at a gingerbread drop-off table
The parade ends around 11:30, and the afternoon's events start at Sykes Creek at the same time. The drop-off window for the Gingerbread House Competition opens at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 1:30 p.m. Houses go to the Green Room at the Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater, 400 S. Sykes Creek Pkwy.
The contest belongs to CAMI, short for Community Advocacy for Merritt Island. Its gingerbread rules page sets a firm entry form deadline of Thursday, Dec. 3, at 11:59 p.m. There are six categories, so a household can enter several ways:
- Adult, 18 and older
- Teen, 13 to 17
- Youth, 8 to 12
- Family
- Special-needs individual or team, 13 and older
- Business or organization
The parade theme and the contest are both gingerbread this year. If your family builds a house for the contest, you can watch "Gingerbread Lane" in the morning and drop off your entry right after.
A nonprofit formed in 2022 runs the afternoon
On its website, CAMI describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit formed in 2022 by a group of like-minded individuals. Its mission is to "engage and connect the Merritt Island community through the arts, conservation, beautification, and education." The group has been building toward this Saturday all year. Its events page reports these recent projects:
- A Sip & Stroll at Merritt Park Place drew more than 150 participants and raised money for a new district sign.
- A cleanup with 48 volunteers and community partners, including Merritt Island High School and Edgewood, collected more than 60 bags of trash, totaling 1,200 pounds.
- A Barbecue, Bourbon and Blues night raised more than $7,000 for the island's annual holiday celebration at the Brevard Veterans Center.
Last year that celebration was called the Holiday Illumination Celebration, and CAMI says more than 700 people came for the annual Community Tree Lighting. For 2026 it is called Holiday Fest. CAMI's vendor page lists the hours as 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brevard Veterans Memorial Park, 400 S. Sykes Creek Parkway. Admission is free, and CAMI presents the event with the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center. The lineup includes:
- A free community concert
- Judging of the Gingerbread House Competition
- Food trucks
- Kids activities and inflatables
- The lighting of the community tree
CAMI also recruits volunteers for the event through a volunteer sign-up page. Food truck owners can still reserve a spot through the vendor page. Setup runs from noon to 2 p.m. and breakdown is at 7 p.m.
The 3K starts the fest on the same grounds
The run is the first event at Holiday Fest, and it begins an hour before the fest opens. Trinity Fitness Merritt Island and CAMI host the Merritt Island Holiday Fest 3K at 2 p.m. at Brevard Veterans Memorial Center. The linked course map shows 1.8 miles through the park with zero feet of elevation gain. That's a manageable distance for a family that has been on its feet since the parade. Through Dec. 4, registration is $30 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under. On race day it's $35 for adults and $30 for children.
Packet pickup is spread over three days:
- Thursday, Dec. 3: Running Zone, 3696 N. Wickham Rd., 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 4: Trinity Fitness Merritt Island, 695 S. Plumosa St., noon to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 5: Brevard Veterans Memorial Center, registration and pickup 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., with awards right after the race
The race wraps up just as the fest opens at 3, so runners can stay on the grounds for the food trucks and the tree lighting.
Plumosa Street takes the evening
When the fest is about halfway through, the evening moves to Plumosa Street. The 2nd Annual Coastal Christmas Village runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 101 N. Plumosa St. Admission is free. The organizers' listing describes holiday shopping with local vendors, arts and crafts, food and drinks, Christmas movies, letters to Santa and holiday photos, all under "twinkling Christmas lights under our beautiful oak trees."
The village and Trinity Fitness, the gym that co-hosts the 3K, are both on Plumosa Street, at 101 N. Plumosa and 695 S. Plumosa. After Courtenay Parkway in the morning and Sykes Creek in the afternoon, the day ends on Plumosa. The village overlaps Holiday Fest for two hours, so you can catch the tree lighting and still have time for the village.
The weekend continues at Merritt Square Mall
The mall's holiday season starts before Dec. 5 and runs past it. Merritt Square Mall, 777 E. Merritt Island Causeway, lists Santa photos from Nov. 27 through Dec. 24 and Pet Parties with Santa from Dec. 2 through Dec. 9. On Sunday, Dec. 6, the day after the parade, the mall hosts Santa Cares. The mall describes it as a sensory-friendly visit with Santa for guests of all ages and abilities. For families who skip the parade crowds on Saturday, Sunday is a quieter way to visit Santa.
Getting a family through Dec. 5 takes a few dates on the calendar ahead of time. Parade entries close Nov. 30, gingerbread entries close Dec. 3, and 3K packets can be picked up Dec. 3 and 4.
I've lived on the Space Coast for more than 45 years, and I'm always glad to talk with neighbors about what's coming up around the island, whether you're planning your Saturday or thinking further ahead. When you're ready, Laura Dowling Roy is here. Let's Connect.
