Southport Winterfest runs from Friday, December 4 through Saturday, December 12 this year. On the final Saturday, the Winter Craft Festival and the Winterfest Flotilla both bring crowds to Bay Street. That same street sits inside the city's Southport Shorefront Improvements Project. Construction there began October 1, 2026, and is expected to finish by March 31, 2027. The festival lands in a gap in that schedule. The central segment of the waterfront work is scheduled to start December 16, four days after the flotilla.
That timing shapes how this year's nine days fit together. Here's how the calendar and the construction line up.
Nine Days, Shifted One Day Earlier
The 2025 Winterfest press release set last year's dates at December 5 through 13. The 2026 schedule on NC Brunswick moves everything back a day, to December 4 through 12. That shift carries through to the anchor events. The Light Up the Night parade moves from Friday, December 12, 2025 to Friday, December 11. The flotilla moves from Saturday, December 13, 2025 to Saturday, December 12, still at 6 p.m.
The earlier dates matter more than they look. Every day the festival moves forward adds a day between the flotilla and the next phase of construction on the waterfront.
Where the Work Stands on Bay Street
According to the City of Southport's project page, the shorefront project runs along West and East Bay Streets between South Caswell Avenue and South Atlantic Avenue. It covers shoreline protection, beach restoration and dune enhancement, paid for by a grant from the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund. Here is the posted schedule:
| Project area | Anticipated dates | Relation to Winterfest |
|---|---|---|
| Western area | Oct. 1, 2026 to Feb. 8, 2027 | Overlaps the full festival |
| Central area | Dec. 16, 2026 to Mar. 1, 2027 | Begins four days after the flotilla |
| Eastern area | Feb. 12, 2027 to Mar. 23, 2027 | After the season |
The city says segments may overlap and the schedule can change with weather and field conditions. It also notes that temporary parking or traffic restrictions may be needed, and that public access to parts of the project area may be restricted for safety.
Field work has not followed the table exactly. WECT reported in early October that Bay Street would close through October 30. The city's October 26 update then said the closure would last longer:
E. Bay Street remains closed within the Segment 3 work area between S Davis St and S Atlantic Ave. The closure is anticipated to remain in place through mid-November, with a break for Halloween weekend.
The same update says crews were placing stone for the revetment on that eastern stretch. Once that stretch is finished, the contractor plans to move west to start the breakwaters and the beach and dune construction. As of that update, the closed block was East Bay Street between South Davis Street and South Atlantic Avenue, and the work was expected to head west from there.
Bay Street Hosts More of Winterfest Than It Seems
The parade route runs along Moore and Howe streets, so it's easy to think of Winterfest as a downtown-grid event. The venue list says otherwise. The Southport Community Building is at 223 E. Bay St., and the Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn is at 203 E. Bay St. Between them, those two addresses host a large share of the schedule:
- Southport Winterfest Tea, Saturday, December 5, 1 to 3 p.m., Southport Community Building. Run by the city's Community Relations Department and the Winterfest Tea Committee. $50, tickets required.
- The State Port Pilot Annual Cookie Contest, Wednesday, December 9, 3:30 to 5 p.m., Southport Community Building.
- Christmas movie, "The Polar Express," Thursday, December 10, at dusk on the Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn. Free.
- Winterfest Performing Arts, Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fort Johnston Lawn.
- Spark the Season Holiday Party, Saturday, December 12, 1 to 5 p.m., Southport Community Building.
Add the Winter Craft Festival on Bay Street itself and the flotilla viewing along the riverbank, and much of Winterfest happens on the street the city is rebuilding.
What Moved, What's New, and What Isn't Listed
Part of this year's schedule has already shifted away from the water. Two events changed venues from 2025:
| Event | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Shop with a Cop | Monday, Dec. 8, Franklin Square Park | Saturday, Dec. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., Cape Side Brewing |
| Santa's Workshop | Saturday, Dec. 13, 10 to 11 a.m., 209 Atlantic Ave. | Tuesday, Dec. 8, 4 to 7 p.m., Franklin Square Gallery |
Santa's Workshop now falls on the same Tuesday as the Southport Garden Club's Winterfest-ival of Trees, which runs 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Franklin Square Park. That event is free and includes decorated trees, children's activities, visits from Santa and the Grinch, caroling, holiday items for sale and a silent auction. The gallery and the park make Tuesday, December 8 a full Franklin Square evening.
Two events are new on the 2026 schedule. Gingerbreads & Gigawatts is Saturday, December 5 at 3 p.m. at the Brunswick Energy & Education Center. Spark the Season is on the closing Saturday.
The biggest addition comes from the Southport Historical Society. Its Holiday Tour of Homes now has two formats. On Friday, December 11, a small-group guided walking tour runs 1 to 5:30 p.m., with scheduled home entries and a closing reception, for $75. On Saturday, December 12, the self-guided tour runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $35. Tickets for the Friday tour go on sale Thursday, November 19 at 10 a.m. Both days require advance tickets, which you can buy through the Southport Historical Society or in person at the Fort Johnston Visitor Center and Museum.
Three items from last year don't appear on the 2026 listing: Supper with Santa's Elves, the Charlie Brown Makes New Friends party and the Golf Cart Decorating Contest.
The Week Before the River
The first eight days build up to the final Saturday. Here is the rest of the calendar:
- Friday, December 4, 6 p.m. Southport Downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony at Whittler's Bench, with carols and refreshments from the Beautification Committee. The Sixth Annual Storefront Showcase Decorating Contest also opens. You can view and vote on decorated storefronts through December 12.
- Sunday, December 6, 2 to 4 p.m. Pet Pictures with Santa at Indian Trail Meeting Hall.
- Friday, December 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Once More Bookstore's Holiday Open House.
- Friday, December 11, 6:30 p.m. The Light Up the Night Fire-Engine Christmas Parade. Boarding for the fire engines starts at 5:30. The parade follows Moore and Howe streets back to the Southport Fire Station, and Santa is at the station afterward. Free.
December 12 Brings Everything Back to the River
The closing Saturday packs in nearly a third of the schedule:
- Winter Craft Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Bay Street, with local craft, produce and food vendors. Free.
- Old Brunswick County Jail Museum Tours, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 318 E. Nash St., run by the Southport Historical Society. Free, with donations appreciated.
- Southport Train and Toy Show, noon to 5 p.m. at Indian Trail Meeting Hall.
- Southport Winterfest Flotilla, 6 p.m. at the Southport Waterfront. Free.
The flotilla listing explains the route. Boats leave from the Old American Fish Co. end and travel toward Kingsley Park, turn near the lighted buoy, and head back toward the Yacht Basin. You watch from the riverbank, and the listing names Cape Fear Yacht Club communications as the contact.
That riverbank is the waterfront the city is working on. Under the posted schedule, work in the western area overlaps the flotilla. The central area doesn't start until the following Wednesday.
Before You Head Downtown on the 12th
The city's project page is the place to check. Its October 26 update included a three-week lookahead, and the eastern Bay Street closure was forecast to last until about mid-November, close to when this post goes up. In the week before the Craft Festival and the flotilla, look on the Shorefront Improvements Project page for the latest lookahead. It will show which blocks of Bay Street are open and where equipment is staged.
The rest of the week is spread around town, at Franklin Square, Indian Trail Meeting Hall, the Brunswick Energy & Education Center, and along the parade route on Moore and Howe. Mark November 19 if you want a spot on the Friday homes tour. Then plan the closing Saturday around the river, since the central stretch of the waterfront is scheduled to become a work zone four days later.
Thinking about how Southport's waterfront work might affect a home near Bay Street, or how to time a sale around the town's busiest weeks? Living By The Coast Realty Group follows Southport's calendar and city projects all year, and we're glad to share what we're seeing. Start with a free home valuation, and we'll walk you through it.
