Tonight, Thursday, November 12, the Event Lawn at The Port District hosts River Nights from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Shaw Davis & The Black Ties are playing, and admission is free. Fifteen days later the same lawn becomes the starting point of PSLinLights. The light displays run past turtles, seahorses and pink flamingos all the way to the Botanical Gardens, nightly from dusk to 9 p.m., November 27 through December 31, at 2454 SE Westmoreland Blvd.
The City of Port St. Lucie set up this event so you arrive on foot. Its PSLinLights page lists three free parking areas, says to "stroll the boardwalk to see the light displays," and states that there is no event parking at any of the surrounding business plazas. Then it attached prizes to that walk. Plan your season around where you park and which end of the boardwalk you're headed to.
Three Lots, One Boardwalk, a QR Code at the Entrance
These are the three parking locations the City lists:
- Veterans Park at Rivergate, 2100 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway
- Tom Hooper Park, on SE Rivergate Parkway
- U.S. Post Office, 2255 SE Veterans Memorial Parkway
The PSLinLights Park & Win Contest starts December 1. Park at one of those three locations and scan the QR code at the boardwalk entrance to be entered automatically. Every visit counts as a separate entry, with weekly prizes all season and a grand prize drawing when PSLinLights ends.
Because entries are counted per visit, the contest favors people who come back often. A household that walks the lights on a quiet weeknight in early December and again for a themed weekend gets two entries. If you're going more than once, keep that in mind.
Families can also ride instead of walking. The Pioneer Express train runs along the lights for $5, and the City says that price applies to kids and parents alike.
Which Night You Pick Depends on Which End You're Walking To
Most of the scheduled activity is at the Botanical Gardens end, where EngagePSL lists the address as 2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd. The Event Lawn, the Port St. Lucie History Museum and the riverfront each get a few nights of their own.
| Dates | Hours | Where | What's scheduled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 27–29 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Botanical Gardens | Santa and local artisans |
| Dec. 3–4 | 5 p.m.–dusk | The Port | Sensory-friendly early lighting |
| Dec. 4–6 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Botanical Gardens | The Grinch, artisans and food trucks |
| Dec. 10 | 5:30–8:30 p.m. | The Port | River Nights, live music and food trucks |
| Dec. 11 | 5–9 p.m. | Botanical Gardens | EngagePSL with Santa, City booths and Home Alone |
| Dec. 11–13 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Botanical Gardens | Festive characters, local vendors, crafts and food trucks |
| Dec. 18 | 5–9 p.m. | The Port | Noche Buena, music, dancing and food trucks |
| Dec. 18–20 | 5:30–8:30 p.m. | History Museum | Christmas at the Museum |
| Dec. 19 | 6–8 p.m. | Botanical Gardens Pavilion | Voices of Valencia, live music |
| Dec. 23–24 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Botanical Gardens | Festive characters, local vendors, crafts and food trucks |
The busiest stretch is December 10 through 13, with four themed nights in a row. The December 10 River Nights features Tom Jackson. On December 11, EngagePSL brings music, crafts, City booths, local business vendors and Santa photos. The Youth Council screens Home Alone at 6:30 p.m. Characters, vendors and food trucks fill the following two nights.
December 18 to 20 is the other cluster, and it has the most going on at once. Noche Buena runs Friday, December 18, from 5 to 9 p.m. with the Jamboree Latin Band, dancing and Latin food trucks. That same evening, Christmas at the Museum opens its three-night run at the Port St. Lucie History Museum & Education Center, 2456 SE Westmoreland Blvd. It has Santa and sweet treats, admission is free with donations accepted, and the Port St. Lucie Historical Society is the contact. On Saturday, Voices of Valencia sings at the Botanical Gardens Pavilion from 6 to 8 p.m.
The City notes that the schedule is subject to change, so check the PSLinLights at The Port District page before a specific night.
Quieter Hours Are on the Schedule Too
Two of the season's settings set aside time for guests who need less noise and fewer people. At The Port, the lights come on early, at 5 p.m., on Thursday, December 3, and Friday, December 4, for individuals with sensory disabilities. Those hours fall just before the Grinch weekend starts on the 4th.
The second display has a daily version of the same idea. Winter Wonderland at the PSL Community Center, 2195 SE Airoso Blvd., runs on the same nightly schedule as The Port, dusk to 9 p.m. from November 27 through December 31. It's a lit plaza with an oversized ornament photo op, a waving snowman, rainbow arches and holiday music. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the music is turned off for visitors with sensory disabilities. The Port's boardwalk takes some time to walk. The Community Center plaza suits a short visit.
December 5 Puts the City's Biggest Night Away From the River
On one Saturday, the City's biggest holiday event takes place away from the Port. Festival of Lights runs December 5 from 2 to 10 p.m. at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 SE Event Center Place. The schedule:
- 2 p.m. Holiday DJ, festive contests, holiday market and midway carnival
- 6 p.m. Parade of Lights, with the Port St. Lucie Soccer Club as grand marshal
- 7 p.m. Tree lighting, right after the parade
- 7:30 p.m. Greggie and the Jets, an Elton John tribute band
- 9 p.m. Fireworks by Zambelli Fireworks
Guests are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. The Port still has Grinch programming at the Botanical Gardens that night. If you want both in one Saturday, plan on two locations, with the 6 p.m. parade setting your timing.
Cranes in the Parks, Lights on Front Lawns
Two parts of PSLinLights spread the season into the rest of the city. The PSLinLights Scavenger Hunt hides seven illuminated sandhill crane decorations at City landmarks and parks. Participants photograph a crane and submit its location between December 1 and January 6. One winner will be announced January 8 and receives an all-inclusive Sandpiper Bay resort day pass for two, with free parking. The hunt starts the same day as Park & Win, so one trip to The Port can count toward both.
The Holiday Lights Map covers home displays. The City's home decorating contest page says the map includes photos, locations and a searchable list of participating displays, so you can plan a driving tour of decorated homes.
The Riverbank South of the Gardens Has a Restaurant Project Underway
Everyone walking to the Botanical Gardens this season is passing close to The Grove. This riverfront dining project is planned for the park area south of the Botanical Gardens, under a 30-year city lease of up to 15,000 square feet. Hometown News reported both details from the April 13 City Council meeting. The City's project page lists five first-phase venues with operational support from Atlas Restaurant Group. They are Salt River, with rooftop dining over the St. Lucie River; Italian Disco; Kannon, serving sushi and Japanese cuisine; The Grove Bar; and "Tequi" Bar, a tiki bar with a tequila twist.
The same council meeting showed how heavily the riverfront park is already used. The city-provided lift station was originally sized for a 6,000-square-foot restaurant plus visitors to the new playground. The playground's popularity and the larger food-garden plan meant it needed more capacity, so the City is resizing it to serve 550 seats. Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo said the heavy use "means the park is being supported, people are coming."
Developer Gaurav Butani told the council, as Hometown News reported:
"Our construction completion date is May of next year."
He added that three or four months of pre-opening work with Atlas would follow, because the project has several kitchens and several bars.
TCPalm reported, citing the developers, a possible fall 2027 opening for the five restaurants. The City's project page still lists early 2027. Both dates are projections. For this season, the food at The Port comes from the food trucks on the themed nights listed in the table above.
Holiday plans in Port St. Lucie often depend on details like which lot to use and which night has the music. I'm glad to help with those, and with the bigger questions about the neighborhoods around the river. Gina Villanell is just a call away. Let's Connect.
