Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is returning its free Christmas festival in downtown Orlando this year.
The Frontyard Holiday Festival is returning for a second year and will run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 31, Dr. Phillips announced.
“This festival is part of our vision to create more free experiences in the Frontyard, one of the 1,000 annual free events planned as part of our master plan,” said Kathy Ramsberger, President and CEO at Dr. Phillips Center. “These events are designed to bring our community together while creating new opportunities that attract visitors and contribute to Orlando’s vibrant tourism economy.”
The three-acre grassy area overlooking Orlando City Hall — dubbed Dr. Phillips Center’s “frontyard” — was transformed last year by Christmas lights, food vendors, fire pits for roasting s’mores, nightly snowfalls and free movies and performances on an outdoor stage. More than 150,000 visitors attended the inaugural year’s festival.
Dr. Phillips will announce more details about the festival’s holiday 2026 lineup later this year on its website.
“The holidays invite us to slow down, reconnect and make memories with the people who matter most,” said Sharon Line Clary, senior vice president of community impact and partnership engagement at AdventHealth, which is sponsoring the event.
“We’re honored to be part of Frontyard Holiday Festival and to help create a welcoming space where our community can come together and celebrate the season. Through experiences that spark joy and connection, we’re helping nurture body, mind and spirit while creating meaningful moments that can help our community feel whole.”
Dr. Phillips Center also said the festival is supported by the city of Orlando’s Downtown Development Board, the Main Law Firm, OUC, Massey Services Inc., and Neal and Jan Dempsey, in addition to Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program.
Since opening in 2014, Dr. Phillips Center has played a major role in the Central Florida arts scene and economy. It generated $227.6 million last year and drove $13.2 million in state and local tax revenue, the organization said earlier this Summer.