Christmas Town Returns To Busch Gardens With Shows, Food, Lights

TAMPA, FL — Celebrate the season at Busch Gardens' annual Christmas Town through Jan. 7.

The holiday festival features festive shows and entertainment, holiday shopping, seasonal food and drink, heartwarming moments with Santa and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, giant decorated Christmas trees, twinkling lights throughout the park and dazzling fireworks.

Santa's North Pole Experience

Join the jolly elves as they guide guests to see Santa in his workshop, preparing for the holidays, from 3 p.m. until the park closes throughout the holiday season. The activity is made for Christmas photo opportunities.

Rudolph's Winter Wonderland

Don't miss this photo opportunity and meet with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends at Rudolph's Winter Wonderland from 5 p.m. until the park closes.

Holly Jolly Express

All aboard for Christmas cheer. The Holly Jolly Express locomotive is on track to celebrate the with favorite songs of the season and wild views of Busch Gardens' 65-acre veldt, home to giraffes, rhinos, zebras and more.

Festive Shows And Entertainment

Busch Gardens beams with twinkling lights and yuletide shows during Christmas Town, including world-class ice skaters with "Christmas on Ice," festive fireworks on select nights, Sesame Street characters in the productions of "Elmo's Christmas Wish," Story Time with Mrs. Claus," "The Three Kings Journey," and other holiday entertainment. Click here to see all the shows and schedules.

Holiday Dining And Shopping

Explore the Festival Walkway, one of several destinations featuring drinks and dishes from an indulgent holiday menu. Or complete holiday shopping with gifts from local artisans and exclusive holiday merchandise.

This year's food lineup includes

• Fresh-baked deep-dish cookies with double chocolate chips, holiday sugar and cinnamon swirl.
• Specialty hot cocoa served in a Souvenir Cup with your choice of peppermint or gingerbread and whipped cream.
• Make It Jolly, a drink made with peppermint schnapps, Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua.
• Ginger Snap Mule made with spiced rum, amaretto, ginger beer and lime.
• South For The Winter made with Jack Daniels, Jack Honey, Monin cranberry, ginger and lime.
• Jack Frost made with coconut rum, blue curacao and a splash of lime.
• Mistletoe Tequila with Monin pomegranate syrup and lime juice.
• Candy Cane Lane made with vodka, grenadine, Monin peppermint and lime.
• Abita Brewing Christmas Ale
• White and dark chocolate peppermint pretzels.
• Stuffed cookies.
• Gluten-free red curry shrimp and jasmine rice.
• Char Siu pork-fried rice.
• Funky Buddha Last Snow Coffee Porter from Oakland Park.
• Braised beef and smoked gouda mac & cheese.
• Smoked turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, Texas toast and gravy.
• Banana-Nutella, eggnog, pumpkin spice and apple crumble cupcakes.
• Gluten-free braised pork shank with spiced pineapple and brown sugar, served with green beans.
• Brie tart with blackberry jam and toasted almonds.
• Decorate Your Own Cookie — Choose Snickerdoodle, sugar or chocolate chip.
• Gluten-free Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon and apple cider vinaigrette.
• Chicken Coq au Vin with red bliss mashed potatoes.
• Pork loin with apple demi and butternut squash puree.
• Seared scallops with ruby red couscous and goat cheese crumbles.
• Snickerdoodle apple pie ala mode.
• White chocolate mint cookie cup.
• Select holiday wines.
• Gingerbread pudding with rum sugar glaze.
• Christmas churros.
• Carved beef brisket with Texas toast, beef gravy and onion crisps.
• Southern Buckeye Screwball with peanut butter whiskey, hot cocoa, whipped cream, topped with chocolate shavings.
• Mele Kalikimaka with coconut rum, Kahlua, Hot cocoa, whipped cream, topped with toasted coconut.
• S'More Please with Shmallow Whiskey, hot cocoa, topped with a toasted marshmallow.
• Mexican Hot Cocoa with ghost tequila, Bailey's chocolate, hot cocoa, whipped cream, topped with chili flakes.
• Peppermint Fudge with candy cane vodka, Bailey's, chocolate, hot cocoa, whipped cream, garnished with a candy cane.
• Christmas Coke Cocktail with a choice of Vanilla Crown or Crown Royal.
• Bailey's Christmas Cookie Shots, a duo of cookie cups filled with Bailey Irish Cream.
• Turkey dog with stuffing and cranberry relish.
• Cranberry relish with gravy and cheese.
• Spinach feta-stuffed pretzel.
• Peppermint brownie sundae.

The best way for guests to savor and save during the holidays is with a Christmas Town Sampler Lanyard available here. Holiday food and beverage cabins throughout the park open daily at 4 p.m.

Christmas Town is available with regular Busch Gardens admission. Click here.