Eastern Wharf Opens the Season on the River

November 25, 2025

A weekend built around boats, music, and a waterfront that knows how to draw a crowd

Eastern Wharf is setting up for a two day kickoff at the end of the month, the kind of weekend where the river does most of the work. You get people, music, food, lights, and the kind of movement that makes a new district feel alive without trying too hard.

“We are honored to present a full weekend of special events designed to celebrate the holiday season,” says Eastern Wharf Executive Director Kayne Lanahan. It is a simple idea. If you give Savannah something worth showing up for, it will.

Saturday, November 29

Saturday is built around the Lighted Boat Parade and The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra. The Park at Eastern Wharf becomes the unofficial command center. You have families settling into blankets, couples leaning over the railing, and the Georgia Queen easing by as the lineup forms in the dark. The boats move slow and steady along the river, and the judges call them in from the lawn.

Equinox plays at six. Their mix of brass and rhythm fills the park and stretches out across the water. It is a good place to stand still for a minute, watch the crowd shift, and take in the noise.

Santa’s Grotto opens at five. Daymark Lawn turns into a small outdoor room with lights, a tree, and a steady line of parents taking photos with their phones. It is simple and works because it has something for everyone.

Food trucks run the length of the evening. The Big Cheese, Pie Society, Naked Dog, Slow Fire BBQ, Bayou Café, Jonny Boy Cookies, and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck. Beer and wine with a wristband. Bring your own blanket or chair. Keep coolers small. No glass.

Parking is available on the street and in the city garage. The garage is free on Saturday for Small Business Saturday.

Saturday Schedule

5 p.m. Santa’s Grotto opens, Tree Lighting, Santa arrives
5 to 7 p.m. Photos with Santa
6 p.m. The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra
7 p.m. Lighted Boat Parade begins
9 p.m. Boats return to Eastern Wharf

Sunday, November 30

Sunday shifts into market mode with the Savannah Sunset Market’s Holiday Market from 1 to 4 p.m. More than sixty vendors set up along the river. You can move through at your own pace and actually find things worth buying, which is the point of a one day market.

Santa returns for more photos from 1 to 3 p.m. A wreath workshop runs from 11 to 1 through Syd Nicole Flowers and Fashion for anyone who wants to do something with their hands before the market begins.

Across the property, Eastern Wharf leans into its own rhythm. Frosty’s Social Club at Bar Julian is already open for the season with winter drinks and food. Squirrel’s stays busy with pizza and wings. The children’s play area stays in constant motion with river views in the background.

Eastern Wharf

Eastern Wharf sits on the river with a mix of parks, restaurants, residences, and open space that connects back to the history of the old wharves. The district has grown into a place where people naturally cross paths, and weekends like this work because they tap into that same idea.