What this guide covers
The confirmed dates
The primary source is the Panama City Mayor’s Office release of October 7, 2026, which presents more than 30 Christmas activities between December 2026 and January 2027 across Panamá Centro, Panamá Norte and Panamá Este. The outlets that covered the launch, including La Estrella de Panamá and Panamá América, agree on the main dates. This calendar includes only what the Mayor’s Office dated; whatever remains undated is flagged as such.
One note on dates: a September 12 report in La Prensa, about the tender for the Christmas activities, mentioned November 29 for the tree lighting. The later official release, from October 7, sets December 6, and that is the date used here.
The festival calendar in one table
The table lists the confirmed activities by date. The last two rows belong to the program, but the official release gives them no day.
| Date | Activity | Place |
|---|---|---|
| December 1 to 18 | Calles que Brillan, with an award for taking part communities | Neighborhoods across the district |
| Sunday, December 6 | Tree lighting and park lighting | Mirador Pacífico, Cinta Costera |
| Saturday, December 12 | Christmas parade | Cinta Costera |
| Thursday, December 31 | New Year’s party | Waterfront, per La Estrella |
| Wednesday, January 6 and Thursday, January 7, 2027 | Fiesta de Reyes (Three Kings) | No venue in the official release |
| No date published | 5 km Christmas run-walk | Not stated |
| No date published | Christmas bazaar and food activities | Not stated |
Data from the Panama City Mayor’s Office release of October 7, 2026, and coverage by La Estrella de Panamá and Panamá América, checked on October 13, 2026. Weekdays were worked out from the 2026 calendar. No start times had been published when this was written.
Where the lights go on
On December 6 the main tree is lit and, the same day, the lighting in public spaces and parks across the districts. La Estrella reported 35 lit spaces, and the Mayor’s Office release mentions both 35 spaces and 28 parks in different passages, so the exact figure remains to be confirmed. The same coverage lists the sites by area:
| Area | Sites named by La Estrella |
|---|---|
| Panamá Centro | Cinta Costera, Parque Urracá (Bella Vista), Parque Santa Ana and Plaza Catedral (San Felipe) |
| Panamá Norte | Cinta Norteña and the community board parks in Alcalde Díaz and Las Cumbres |
| Panamá Este | Parque Heliodoro Patiño (Juan Díaz), Parque de las Madres (Pedregal) and Rotonda La Siesta (Tocumen) |
The Mayor’s Office estimates $533,000 for structures, decorative lighting and temporary stages, an economic impact above $15 million and a direct reach of more than 1.5 million people.
The parade on the Cinta Costera
The Saturday, December 12 parade changes venue: it leaves Calle 50 and moves to the Cinta Costera, according to Panamá América. The Mayor’s Office expects more than 500,000 attendees and speaks of shows along the route. The start time and exact route had not been published when this was written.
Road closures and rules for the public had not been announced when this was written.
The year-end party is the other big date: December 31, with a budget of $567,000 and private sector support, according to the official release, which announces national and international artists without naming them.
Outside the capital
As of October 13, 2026, no Christmas calendar confirmed by an official source or the organizer exists for the interior provinces, for Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional concerts or for the Ministry of Culture’s agenda. No Christmas program from the Panama Tourism Authority turned up either. These announcements usually appear around November, and this guide will add them once they are in the source. Meanwhile, dates from earlier years are not cited as if they still applied.
How to follow the schedule
- Note the firm dates. December 6 and 12 are the two days with an official announcement and a defined venue.
- Wait for the times. No source had published lighting or parade start times when this was written.
- Check the work calendar. Year-end days and long weekends are listed in Radar’s Panama public holidays calendar.
- Plan for traffic. A crowd of more than 500,000 on the Cinta Costera usually means closures and heavy traffic in the area.
The full festival release, with the list of activities and the figures, is on the Panama City Mayor’s Office website.
Two practical matters of the season have their own guides. Anyone using the holidays to travel can read what a travel insurance policy covers for cancellation, interruption and delay. And for the decorations coming down in January, the article on humidity in Panama and how to protect stored items explains how boxes of lights and ornaments are kept in a damp climate. This content is informational and may change once the Mayor’s Office publishes times and details.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Christmas parade in Panama?
Panama City’s Christmas parade is on Saturday, December 12, 2026, according to the Mayor’s Office. It will run on the Cinta Costera instead of Calle 50, and the time had not been published as of October 13.
When is the Christmas tree lit in Panama?
On Sunday, December 6, 2026, at Mirador Pacífico on the Cinta Costera. Lights in the city’s parks and public spaces also go on that day.
Where can Christmas lights be seen in Panama City?
The Mayor’s Office will light spaces such as the Cinta Costera, Parque Urracá, Parque Santa Ana and Plaza Catedral in Panamá Centro. The Calles que Brillan initiative also decorates neighborhoods from December 1 to 18.
How much does it cost to attend the parade or tree lighting?
The official release does not mention tickets or a cost for those activities. As of October 13 there is no price information, and any change would be announced through the Mayor’s Office channels.
Is there a New Year’s party and a Three Kings celebration in Panama?
Yes, the Mayor’s Office announced the New Year’s party for December 31, 2026, and the Fiesta de Reyes for January 6 and 7, 2027. The Three Kings venue and the year-end artists had not yet been detailed.
Related articles
- Panama public holidays calendar
- Panama’s November holidays: national days and long weekends
- Tourism in Panama: the figures of the sector’s best year
- Travel insurance: cancellation, interruption and delay coverage
- Humidity in Panama: how to protect stored items
Sources
- Panama City Mayor’s Office, City of Star 2026 International Christmas Festival release (October 7, 2026).
- La Estrella de Panamá, Mayor’s Office earmarks $3.3 million for the 2026 Christmas Festival (October 7, 2026): lighting sites, figures and New Year’s party.
- La Estrella de Panamá, Panama will light its Christmas tree on December 6 (October 8, 2026).
- Panamá América, Christmas parade changes route and moves to the Cinta Costera (October 7, 2026).
- La Prensa, Mayor’s Office 2026 Christmas could top $3.8 million in contracts (September 12, 2026): tender for the activities.
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