Between Halloween and the middle of December, Port St. Joe has three big public events: a costume night, a market wrapping up its season, and a parade. All three happen within a short walk of where Reid Avenue meets US 71. The park at that corner has a lighthouse that once stood on the Cape, and on parade night it's where the evening ends.
So most of the season happens in one place, and the park's hours and the event dates line up in ways you can plan around. Here's the calendar in order, with the places attached.
| Date | Event | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Fall Concert Series, Corey Hall Trio | Veterans Memorial Park, 8750 W. Hwy. 98 | 6–8 p.m., free |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Ghosts on the Coast | Reid Avenue | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Salt Air Farmers' Market | Corner of US 71 and Reid Avenue | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Salt Air Farmers' Market | Same | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Salt Air Farmers' Market | Same | 9 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Christmas on the Coast parade | Steps off on Monument Avenue | 6 p.m. |
Why the Lighthouse Is Downtown
The Cape San Blas Lighthouse anchors the season because it no longer stands on the Cape. The St. Joseph Historical Society's lighthouse history says the U.S. Air Force closed the Cape San Blas Lighthouse District on October 12, 2012, because the shoreline was eroding fast. The City of Port St. Joe took constructive possession on February 22, 2013. On July 15, 2014, the tower, both Keepers' Quarters, and the oil shed were moved to Core Park in Port St. Joe. The site opened to visitors on September 12, 2014, and the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 7, 2015.
That move is why a holiday parade on the bay side of town can end with Santa at a Gulf lighthouse. It also puts the tower in the same green space as the farmers' market. Visit Gulf's listing for George Core Park gives the address as 162 Miss Zola's Drive. It calls the park the heart of Port St. Joe, with walking access to restaurants and shops, and notes the lighthouse sits there too.
Its normal schedule matters for the Saturdays ahead. The City of Port St. Joe lists the lighthouse as open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The City asks you to call ahead for other days or for group visits. According to Visit Gulf, the gift shop is in the Keepers' Quarters next to the Welcome Center. It shows artifacts from the keepers' houses and handles climb registration.
Every event on the calendar above except the concert falls on a Saturday, and Saturday is one of the lighthouse's open days.
Thursday Night, Out on 98
Tonight, Thursday, October 29, Gulf County's Fall Concert Series plays its last listed date at Veterans Memorial Park, 8750 W. Hwy. 98. The Corey Hall Trio is on from 6 to 8 p.m., and it's free. It's the only event in this stretch that isn't downtown. Visit Gulf's concert listing had King For A Day the Thursday before, on October 22. Weather canceled the October 8 date, so if rain is in the forecast, check before you load up the chairs.
After Thursday, everything moves downtown.
October 31 on Reid Avenue
Ghosts on the Coast fills Reid Avenue on Saturday, October 31, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Gulf County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Port St. Joe present it together. The night is built around trick-or-treating along Reid Avenue. Visit Gulf says a judged costume contest runs during the trick-or-treating, with four divisions:
- Ages 0–3
- Ages 4–6
- Ages 7–10
- Family, groups and pets
Pets are judged in the same division as families and groups, so a costumed dog can go in with the rest of the household. For questions, the Chamber can be reached at [email protected].
Halloween is a Saturday this year, so the lighthouse closes at 5 p.m., half an hour before trick-or-treating starts a block or two away. If you'd like to fit in a daytime climb that weekend, Saturday afternoon before the costumes come out is the window.
The Market's Final Saturdays
A week after Halloween, the action moves to the shady park at the corner. The Salt Air Farmers' Market runs on the first and third Saturdays of the month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern. It sets up at the corner of US Highway 71 and Reid Avenue in what the market calls a shady downtown park area. Visit Gulf lists the market at George Core Park.
The market's season runs from February through the first Saturday in December. That leaves three dates this year:
- Saturday, November 7
- Saturday, November 21
- Saturday, December 5
Visit Gulf's 2026 market listing adds a fourth date, December 19. That's two weeks past the end of the season the market states on its own site. Until the market says otherwise, December 5 is the safer guess for the last market of 2026.
The market says its vendors come from Florida, south Georgia and Alabama. They sell seasonal produce, indoor and outdoor plants, artwork, and handmade jewelry, pottery and soap. Vendors are held to written regulations, and the market is dog friendly. If you have holiday gifts to buy, plan on three market Saturdays, or four if the December 19 date holds.
Here's where the overlap pays off. The market runs until 1 p.m. and the lighthouse opens at 11 a.m., so on each market Saturday the two are open in the same park for two hours. From 11 to 1, you can buy produce, register for a climb in the Keepers' Quarters, and walk down to the bay without moving the car. Visit Gulf notes that St. Joseph Bay is very shallow at Core Park, clear enough to spot shells on the bottom, and a good place to launch a kayak.
December 12, From Monument Avenue to the Tower
The market's last Saturday on its own calendar comes one week before the parade. Christmas on the Coast is on Saturday, December 12. Visit Gulf's parade listing gives the evening's schedule:
- 4:45 p.m. Lineup begins
- 5:00 p.m. Float judging begins
- 6:00 p.m. Parade steps off on Monument Avenue
Floats are judged in four divisions: Schools and Non-Profit, Family and Friends, Business, and Faith Based. If your group is thinking about entering a float, that list tells you where it would compete. The City's latest-updates page carries the official parade notice, and it's the place to check for entry details.
After the parade, Santa is at the Cape San Blas Lighthouse. On a regular Saturday the lighthouse grounds close at 5 p.m. On parade night they hold the last stop of the evening, which makes it the one Saturday this season when the park has something going on after dark.
Weeknights Between the Big Dates
The weeks between the big Saturdays have a quieter routine on the same street. The Gulf County Chamber of Commerce calendar lists Java with Joe and Lunch & Learn in both November and December. Java with Joe meets at The Joe Coffee Shop, 220 Reid Ave. Lunch & Learn meets at Pomodoro Italian Grill and Bar at St. Joseph Bay Golf Club. The Chamber also lists Shop Gulf Saturday among its annual events. Watch its calendar for the 2026 date.
On Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the lighthouse keeps its 11-to-5 hours with no event crowd. That's the easiest time to bring visiting family for a climb before the parade weekend fills the park.
Driving In After Dark
Two of the season's evenings start at dusk or later. Ghosts on the Coast begins at 5:30 p.m. and the parade at 6 p.m. Roadwork on the highway also happens at night. The City has posted the Florida Department of Transportation's notice for a $2.1 million resurfacing project on U.S. 98 from the George G. Tapper Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway to the St. Joe Inlet Bridge, about 2.5 miles of road. The work includes sidewalk and crosswalk upgrades for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, new signals, stormwater improvements, guardrails, lighting, and new signs and pavement markings.
The City's notice says lane closures will happen only between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., and that drivers and pedestrians may run into periodic closures, minor traffic shifts and detours. The project is scheduled to finish in mid-2027. Coming home from the Halloween crowd or the parade means driving right as that work window opens. FDOT posts project updates on its U.S. 98 West Florida page.
If you live close enough to walk downtown, you won't have to deal with the closures at all on those nights. Everything from Reid Avenue to the lighthouse is within a few blocks.
Living within walking distance of the parade route, the market corner and the lighthouse is part of what a downtown Port St. Joe address is worth. If you'd like to know what that's worth for your home this season, The Burkett Team can walk you through it block by block. Get Your Free Home Valuation.
