Clermont FL Christmas Events & Holiday Guide

What the Citrus Tower Means for Clermont Holidays

The Florida Citrus Tower, built in 1956, still stands over a landscape whose groves have largely gone. One of Florida’s earliest roadside landmarks, it outlived the industry it was built to celebrate. During the holidays, its lights are visible from the surrounding hills—a quiet monument to the orange economy that dominated Lake County into the mid-twentieth century before the freezes and suburban development took over. Clermont adopted the slogan Choice of Champions in 2014, on the strength of the National Training Center established there in 2001. The town’s new identity is built on steep climbs and endurance, not citrus. That shift frames the whole holiday experience: less about nostalgia, more about moving.

Pig on the Pond: Clermont's Holiday Kickoff Event

The anchor of Clermont’s holiday season is Pig on the Pond, a three-day event at Waterfront Park on Lake Minneola. It is the biggest event in south Lake County, drawing more than 20,000 people. Run by Project Scholars, a non-profit, the 2026 edition was the 27th. Expect food, live music, and a crowd that knows the drill. The park itself offers swimming, fishing piers, and a playground, but during the event, those amenities take a back seat to the festival footprint. Timing matters: arrive early, especially on the weekend days, and treat the whole thing as a logistical exercise.

Holiday Activities in Clermont: Hills, Lakes & Runs

Clermont is not flat. The town’s steep terrain—the steepest ground in peninsular Florida—is the reason the National Training Center landed here in 2001, and it shapes how locals spend the holidays. A hill run on Christmas morning is not unusual; a swim in Lake Minneola is a plausible family tradition. Waterfront Park provides the public access point for both. The seasonal recreation housing stock is modest—558 homes are held for seasonal or recreational use out of 18,718 total units—but those second homes fill up for the holidays, and their owners tend to be the ones out on the hills, not in line for brunch.

Where to Eat for Holiday Meals in Clermont

For holiday breakfasts and family dinners, Clermont’s dining scene runs along Highway 27 and 50. It is mostly reliable, familiar, and busy. The Crooked Spoon, at 200 Citrus Tower Blvd, is the local standout with a 4.4 rating from 2,786 reviews. On the highway, Keke's Breakfast Cafe (4.7 from 3,848 reviews) and IHOP (4.7 from 7,616 reviews) handle the morning crowds. For dinner, Outback Steakhouse (4.6), Miller's Ale House (4.6), and Texas Roadhouse (4.5) are the dependable gathering spots. Pepe's Cantina Clermont on W Minneola Ave pulls a 4.7 from nearly 5,000 reviews, making it the highest-rated non-breakfast option in town. None of these are hidden gems; they are the practical, well-reviewed places where holiday meals actually happen.

A Side Trip to Mount Dora: When You Want the Festival Elsewhere

Clermont’s holiday vibe is low-key. If you want a curated festival experience, Mount Dora is 21 miles away and runs the Mount Dora Arts Festival and Craft Fair—both worth the drive for the stalls and the crowds. Clermont’s appeal is the opposite: it is the place you come back to after the festival, where the hills are quiet and the holiday meal is a steak or a stack of pancakes. Use Mount Dora for the curated stuff; use Clermont for the base.

Holiday Logistics: Rentals, Crowds, and the Second-Home Factor

Clermont’s housing stock tells the story: 1,800 vacant units and 558 seasonal or recreational homes mean the town swells with visitors during the holidays. Median home value is $368,600, median gross rent is $1,774, and the population of 44,984 skews slightly older at 42.4 years. Expect traffic on Highway 27 and 50, plan for parking near Waterfront Park during Pig on the Pond, and make reservations at the higher-rated restaurants—Keke's, The Crooked Spoon, Pepe's—well in advance. Winter weather in Clermont is mild, but the hills can be slick after rain, and the climbs are real. Treat the terrain with respect, and the holiday week goes smoothly.