Georgia Aquarium's winter holiday celebration with a 40-foot LED tree, Scuba Claus in Ocean Voyager, live music, Santa visits and an adults-only After Hours edition.
WinterTide kicks off at the Georgia Aquarium on November 13, 2026, and runs through January 2, 2027. It's the aquarium's brand-new winter celebration, with its own name and a festive identity built around a 40-foot LED tree that a welcoming committee of elves lights every morning in the atrium. The whole thing is included with general admission.
The anchor of the season is Scuba Claus, who dives among the whale sharks and manta rays of Ocean Voyager, one of the world's largest marine habitats, and stops to visit a green sea turtle inside the tank with an elf sidekick. He's in there on select December days. Families can also explore Santa's North Pole Village, new this year, with giant games, seasonal treats from Mrs. Claus and a gingerbread whale shark plush. For the adults, the After Hours edition swaps the family crowd for festive cocktails and a grown-up take on the holiday magic. Regular mornings are reserved for Wake Up with Santa, a breakfast overlooking the aquarium's largest exhibit before meeting Santa himself.
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Live music runs on weekends, with a rotating lineup that includes the Atlanta Boy Choir, Alma Mexicana, Harptones, Atlanta Women's Choir, Carey Durham, the Georgia State School of Music and the a cappella group Tinseltones. If you're planning around the specific dates, Wake Up with Santa is on December 5, 13 and 20, and WinterTide After Hours runs November 20 and December 18, 2026, from 7:30 to 10:30 PM. The 40-foot LED tree is lit daily at 10 AM.
