AI-generated illustration of an equestrian vaulter balancing on a cantering horse. Not a photo of the WEC event.
Equestrian
2026-10-035 min readWEC Ocala's Holiday Season: Vaulting Premiere, Food & Wine Festival, CSI4* Show Jumping and Winter Wonderland
This is a equestrian news article published on 2026-10-03 covering local Marion County, Florida news. From Nov. 4 to Dec. 23, World Equestrian Center Ocala stacks four weeks of hunter/jumper shows, the Ocala Food & Wine Festival, the WEC Vaulting Premiere over Thanksgiving weekend and Winter Wonderland. Here are the dates, prices and what is free.
Updated Yesterday
By Only In Ocala Staff
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World Equestrian Center's busiest stretch of the fall starts in November. Between Nov. 4 and Dec. 23, 2026, the Ocala resort hosts four weeks of hunter/jumper competition, a dressage show, an international vaulting competition, a three-day food festival and its holiday light event. WEC charges no admission to watch its horse shows; the food festival and Winter Wonderland are ticketed. All dates below come from World Equestrian Center's own event pages.
Equestrian vaulting is gymnastics and dance performed on the back of a cantering horse. The WEC Vaulting Premiere returns to the WEC Stadium Nov. 26-29. International competition runs Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28, including an FEI CVI3* World Cup qualifier plus CVI2* and CVI1* classes. National USEF/EVUSA competition follows on Nov. 28-29. It is one of the few free things to do in Ocala over the holiday weekend.
The November and December Show Series runs Nov. 4-15 and Dec. 1-13. The December weeks add FEI international show jumping: CSI3* and CSI1* in Week I, and, new for 2026, CSI4* and CSI2* in Week II. WEC says Week II will be held "against the festive backdrop" of Winter Wonderland. Points from the series count toward the WEC-Ocala Leading Rider Awards, which run through the 2027 Winter Spectacular. For how to watch, parking and the arena layout, see our Ocala horse shows guide.
During the first November show week, WEC hosts the Ocala Food & Wine Festival, a 21+ event that benefits the Public Education Foundation of Marion County's ProStart culinary program:
A local ticket bundle covering the Grand Tasting, Jazz Brunch and the Grand Prix Dining Experience is $425 per person. Prices are plus a $3 online fee and taxes.
More than four million lights go up for WEC Winter Wonderland, open Wednesday through Sunday plus Dec. 20-23, 5-9 p.m. Tickets are $8-$16, and admission is required on the Grand Plaza from 3 p.m. on event days, which matters if you are coming to watch a December show in the afternoon. Santa is in Indoor Arena 2 and the Grinch in Indoor Arena 1.
WEC also lists a Thanksgiving Buffet at The Equestrian Manor on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 11:30 a.m. For the rest of the holiday calendar, see our Christmas events in Ocala guide, and for the new stores going up on the property, our story on The Shoppes Off 80th.
At a Glance
| Dates | Event | Cost to attend |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 4-8 | November I hunter/jumper show | Free to watch |
| Nov. 6-8 | Ocala Food & Wine Festival (21+) | Grand Tasting $150; Jazz Brunch $135 |
| Nov. 11-15 | November II hunter/jumper show | Free to watch |
| Nov. 13-15 | November Dressage | Free to watch |
| Nov. 26-29 | WEC Vaulting Premiere | Free to watch |
| Nov. 27-Dec. 23 | WEC Winter Wonderland | $8-$16; 4 and under free |
| Dec. 1-6 | December I: FEI CSI3* and CSI1* show jumping | Free to watch |
| Dec. 8-13 | December II: FEI CSI4* and CSI2* show jumping (new for 2026) | Free to watch |
| Dec. 9-13 | December Dressage CDI-W | Free to watch |
WEC Vaulting Premiere, Thanksgiving Weekend
Equestrian vaulting is gymnastics and dance performed on the back of a cantering horse. The WEC Vaulting Premiere returns to the WEC Stadium Nov. 26-29. International competition runs Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28, including an FEI CVI3* World Cup qualifier plus CVI2* and CVI1* classes. National USEF/EVUSA competition follows on Nov. 28-29. It is one of the few free things to do in Ocala over the holiday weekend.
Four Weeks of Hunter/Jumper Shows
The November and December Show Series runs Nov. 4-15 and Dec. 1-13. The December weeks add FEI international show jumping: CSI3* and CSI1* in Week I, and, new for 2026, CSI4* and CSI2* in Week II. WEC says Week II will be held "against the festive backdrop" of Winter Wonderland. Points from the series count toward the WEC-Ocala Leading Rider Awards, which run through the 2027 Winter Spectacular. For how to watch, parking and the arena layout, see our Ocala horse shows guide.
Ocala Food & Wine Festival, Nov. 6-8
During the first November show week, WEC hosts the Ocala Food & Wine Festival, a 21+ event that benefits the Public Education Foundation of Marion County's ProStart culinary program:
- Chefs' Dinner (Friday, Nov. 6): for Five-Star Festival Package guests only.
- Grand Tasting (Saturday, Nov. 7, 1-5 p.m., Exposition Center 1): $150, with a beer garden, wine pull and a mystery basket competition for local culinary students.
- Grand Prix Dining Experience (Saturday, Nov. 7).
- Jazz Brunch (Sunday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Lallie's Covered Pavilion): $135.
A local ticket bundle covering the Grand Tasting, Jazz Brunch and the Grand Prix Dining Experience is $425 per person. Prices are plus a $3 online fee and taxes.
Winter Wonderland, Nov. 27-Dec. 23
More than four million lights go up for WEC Winter Wonderland, open Wednesday through Sunday plus Dec. 20-23, 5-9 p.m. Tickets are $8-$16, and admission is required on the Grand Plaza from 3 p.m. on event days, which matters if you are coming to watch a December show in the afternoon. Santa is in Indoor Arena 2 and the Grinch in Indoor Arena 1.
WEC also lists a Thanksgiving Buffet at The Equestrian Manor on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 11:30 a.m. For the rest of the holiday calendar, see our Christmas events in Ocala guide, and for the new stores going up on the property, our story on The Shoppes Off 80th.
Sources: World Equestrian Center's November & December Show Series, Vaulting, Dressage, Ocala Food & Wine Festival, Winter Wonderland and events calendar pages on worldequestriancenter.com, checked Oct. 3, 2026.
World Equestrian Center
WEC Vaulting Premiere
vaulting
Ocala Food & Wine Festival
show jumping
CSI4*
dressage
Winter Wonderland
Ocala
Marion County
November 2026
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