Planning a trip to Clearwater Beach means more than sunbathing and swimming. It means festivals and events for you and the whole family, and there’s something happening almost every week of the year.
You’ll find once a year events, like the Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival, and favorites that run all year, like the nightly Sunsets at Pier 60. Our vacation homes make the perfect base for all of them, so book well ahead of the most popular festivals.
Below are the best events from now through next fall, in date order, with dates checked against each organizer’s own website on October 29, 2026. Where an organizer hasn’t announced the next date yet, we say so. Dates and times can change, so always double check before you travel.
Sunsets at Pier 60
Good to know: Nightly, all year, weather permitting. Free.
This nightly celebration starts about two hours before sunset and continues for two hours after. Enjoy street performers, local artisans selling handmade goods, food and live music every evening in Pier 60 Park. Sunsets at Pier 60. Read our Pier 60 guide for tips.
Holiday season
Clearwater’s Bright and Beautiful Tree Lighting
Good to know: Sunday, November 29, 2026, 5 to 9 pm, Coachman Park. Free.
Downtown Clearwater kicks off the holidays in Coachman Park at 300 Cleveland Street, with carolers, food trucks, a snow machine and photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. City of Clearwater.
Winter Wonderland
Good to know: November 28 to December 23, 2026, downtown Clearwater.
Clearwater Community Volunteers puts on Winter Wonderland in downtown Clearwater each holiday season, raising toys and support for local families. Check the organizer’s site for nightly times. Clearwater Community Volunteers.
Lighted holiday boat parades
Good to know: Clearwater: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 6 pm. St. Petersburg: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 6:30 pm.
Watch boats decorated with lights and festive music parade along the water. The Clearwater Yacht Club’s 52nd Annual Holiday Lighted Boat Parade loops around Island Estates and past Coachman Park and finishes at the Clearwater Beach Marina, where families gather along the waterfront. Clearwater Yacht Club. The same night, the Downtown St. Pete Lighted Christmas Boat Parade leaves the St. Pete Municipal Marina, with free viewing from the St. Pete Pier and North Shore Park. Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.
Sunset to Sparkle New Year’s Eve
Good to know: Thursday, December 31, 2026, 3 to 9:30 pm, Pier 60 Park. Free. Fireworks at 9 pm.
Clearwater Beach’s new New Year’s Eve celebration is produced by Sunsets at Pier 60 with the City of Clearwater: live entertainment, local artisans, street performers, amusements and activities for all ages, ending with fireworks over the beach at 9 pm. City of Clearwater. See our Christmas lights guide for more holiday ideas.
Late winter and spring
Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival
Good to know: Usually the last weekend of February or first of March at Coachman Park. 2027 dates not yet announced. Free general admission.
This popular festival pairs live blues with fresh local seafood. In 2026 it ran February 28 and March 1, from 2 to 9 pm each day, with free general admission and an optional paid upgrade. Clearwater Parks and Recreation. Our Sea-Blues Festival guide has more.
Reggae Rise Up Florida
Good to know: March 11 to 14, 2027, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg.
Experience the sounds and culture of reggae at this four day festival on the St. Petersburg waterfront, with top reggae artists, food vendors and craft booths. The 2027 lineup and gate times had not been announced when we checked. Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.
Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival
Good to know: March 26 to April 11, 2027, Pier 60.
Billed as Florida’s top sand sculpting festival, this event features massive sand sculptures by world class sculptors, with past years including beach concerts, fireworks, speed sand demos, classes and a giant sandbox for kids. Sugar Sand Festival. See our spring events guide.
Mainsail Art Festival
Good to know: April 3 and 4, 2027, Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg. Free.
One of the premier art fairs in the Tampa Bay area, Mainsail is held on the St. Petersburg waterfront, across the county from Clearwater Beach, and draws more than 100,000 visitors. Artists compete for $60,000 in prizes across painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry and more. Hours are 9 am to 6 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Mainsail Art Festival.
Summer and fall
Clearwater Celebrates America
Good to know: July 4 at Coachman Park. 2027 details not yet announced.
Clearwater’s Independence Day celebration takes place downtown in Coachman Park. In 2026 it ran from 5 to 10 pm with fireworks at 9:15 pm and free entry. City of Clearwater.
Clearwater Jazz Holiday
Good to know: Mid October at Coachman Park. The 2026 festival ran October 15 to 18; check for 2027 dates.
One of the area’s best loved music festivals, the Jazz Holiday brings jazz, blues and contemporary artists to Coachman Park. Main stage seats on the green are ticketed, while the Lower Plaza, Promenade Pier stages and the Sunset Bluff are free and open to the public, and kids under 12 are free on the green with an adult general admission ticket. Clearwater Jazz Holiday. See our Jazz Holiday guide.
Frenchy’s Stone Crab Weekend
Good to know: Late October. The 2026 block party ran October 23 and 24, noon to 10 pm, free.
Frenchy’s started Stone Crab Weekend in 1984 to celebrate the opening of stone crab season on October 15. The Clearwater Beach block party is held outside Frenchy’s Original Café at 41 Baymont Street, with live music and fresh claws. Frenchy’s.
Stay with us for these events
Whether you’re here for a weekend or an extended stay, Clearwater Beach’s calendar offers plenty, and this list is just the start. With warm weather, white sand and year round programming, it’s one of Florida’s best destinations for travelers who want more than a place to lay their towel.
Here are three homes that work well for event weekends. Eldorado Beach Retreat has three bedrooms and three baths on the north end of the beach. Forever Sunshine has nine bedrooms, sleeps 26 and has a rooftop terrace with Gulf views, a block from the sand. Casa Del Mar has six bedrooms, sleeps 12 and has a screened pool with a waterfall.
Eldorado Beach Retreat
Forever Sunshine
Casa Del Mar
Questions we get asked
What is happening at Clearwater Beach on New Year’s Eve 2026?
Sunset to Sparkle at Pier 60 Park, 3 to 9:30 pm, free, with fireworks at 9 pm.
When is the 2027 Sugar Sand Festival?
March 26 to April 11, 2027, at Pier 60.
Are Reggae Rise Up and Mainsail in Clearwater?
No. Both are at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg.
When is the Clearwater Jazz Holiday?
Mid October at Coachman Park; the 2026 festival ran October 15 to 18.
Let’s plan it
Book Ahead for the Big Weekends
Festival weekends fill up early. Pick your events, then find a home close to the fun.
See you on the sand.