Christmas in Columbus: 2024 Family Events & Activities

The heart of Uptown Plain City hosts its annual tree lighting ceremony. Get your picture with Santa, enjoy live music, grab dinner from a food truck, take a carriage ride, grab some holiday gifts from local businesses and craft vendors, check out the live reindeer and much more! At 7pm, following the heartwarming Christmas Under the Clock event, Santa's Parade will spread joy and merriment throughout Plain City.

4-8pm

Free for everyone holiday activities start at 3 PM, and include live performances on the Holiday Stage, Snow Plow Display, arts and crafts, storytime with the library, fun photo opportunities in the ‘Giant Snow Globe,’ and so much more fun! Santa arrives by fire truck at 6:00 PM to light the tree and set off the holiday fireworks!

3-6pm

Enjoy a night of holiday festivities in Uptown Westerville. Check out the Parade of Lights on State Street between Home and Plum Streets featuring City vehicles and entertainment decked out in dazzling lights. Following the parade, the big man in red will light the tree with a touch of holiday magic at City Hall. Uptown merchants and restaurants will be open for your holiday shopping needs. Head to Winter Street to enjoy free entertainment, cookies and hot chocolate, courtesy of the City of Westerville.

6:30-8pm

Experience musical performances, dance troupes, costumed characters, horse-drawn carriage rides, Holly's Jolly Scavenger Hunt, ornament making, and even Saint Nick himself at Santa's Village!

5-8pm

Join hundreds of runners and walkers to fill the street with Santas on this flat 5K course. The start/finish will be in Crocker Parker.

9am

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh! Experience the magic of the season from a horse-drawn carriage throughout Easton’s North District and Fenlon Street.

Fri-Sat 5-9pm

Sun 3-7pm

The City of Dublin will mark the official start of the holiday season by hosting its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Guests can enjoy photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, caroling, a trackless train, food & beverages, stilt walkers, touch-a-truck, holiday characters, a petting zoo, dance performances, ice sculpting, letters to Santa, and games.

5:30 - 7:30pm

Santa Claus will come and assist in lighting the Christmas tree in the Atrium at the Ohio Statehouse. Enjoy complimentary cookies, drinks, and activity tables from multiple organizations to ring in the holiday season. You can even get your photo taken in front of the Ohio Statehouse holiday tree with the jolly man himself!

5:30 - 7:30pm

Enjoy an evening of ice sculpting, horse-drawn carriage rides, caroling, visits with Santa, and UA’s tree lighting ceremony.

6 - 8:30pm

The Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill is one of the country’s finest light displays with over 4 million lights illuminating the mill, the gorge, the riverbanks, trees and bridges. There is even a 100-foot “waterfall” of twinkling lights. The flip of one switch turns all the lights on at once transforming night into a fantastical winter wonderland that includes a Miniature Village, a Santa Claus Museum, a Toy Collection, and a spectacular synchronized lights and music show that features the old Covered Bridge.

6-9pm

Kick off the holiday season… the Easton way! Festivities will begin around the Center and continue throughout the evening with live music, fun for the family, costumed characters, and more bringing holiday cheer! No matter where you are, take your eyes to the sky around 7pm and watch as over two-million lights simultaneously illuminate Easton for the season. 

6pm

The sights and sounds of the season come alive on stage with this Sensory Friendly Series concert. The New Albany Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, along with special guest vocalist, Joan Ellison, promise a holly-jolly good time featuring all of the season’s favorite tunes, such as Sleigh Ride, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. There’s even more fun to be had in the lobby with pre-concert activities and the popular Gift Basket Fundraiser!

A limited quantity of FREE tickets are available by using the promo code AMGEN (limit four per family, additional tickets $10).

11:30am

Make your way to 12 Historic Dublin spots to find each elf and get your card signed! Collect them all and return your completed card at any participating business to be entered to win the grand prize basket.

Festive family fun with activities, crafts, hot chocolate and live reindeer outside! Enjoy music from Columbus Rings, performances from Columbus Modern Dance Company, plus the official launch of the Huntington Holiday Train with a little help from a special guest. All activities are free; parking for the event will be free in Main Library’s parking garage.

6-8pm

In this half-day workshop, children will create two projects suitable for gift-giving, wrapped and ready for under the tree! This workshop offers parents three hours to run last-minute holiday errands and/or visit their upstairs gallery featuring unique, handmade items in their annual holiday exhibition and sale, “Gifts of the Craftsmen.”

The Santa Race 5K and Little Reindeer Dash is a fun, family-friendly run /walk event in Gahanna, Ohio. Come, join us and bring your family and friends for a most festive experience. Enjoy festive music, themed shirts, hats, custom medals, snacks, and a fun course on the Big Walnut Trail.

Get ready to walk, run, or jog in Downtown Columbus along the Scioto Mile to support Ohio childhood cancer families!

Enjoy a festive morning with Breakfast, Music, Photos with Santa, a Secret Santa Shop, a Bake Sale, Crafts, and fun for the whole family!

ohiorailway said:  Come in and have the kids fill out their Christmas Wish List and Mrs Claus will deliver to Santa!! Get their picture taken with Mrs Claus, explore the train cars and even get a ride on a trolley car!

WinterFest Columbus, presented by the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, is an annual celebration of the winter season in downtown Columbus. This free event features local seasonal craft beer and cocktails, live music, some of Columbus’ best food trucks, and lots of outdoor winter fun! This family-friendly event includes free activities for all ages, such as a mechanical reindeer, a giant snowglobe photo opportunity, cornhole, and more.

11am-4pm

Shop the Heart of Grove City Mistletoe Market to find unique, creative, one-of-a-kind gift items, decorations, artwork, and delicious treats to enjoy or share with others while strolling through the festive market. 

Get ready to celebrate the annual Jingle Bell Run, the original festive race for charity brought to you by the Arthritis Foundation. Wear your favorite holiday gear, and jingle all the way toward a cure!

9am

Join the Chamber for the annual Christmas on the Square and tree lighting with the City of Sunbury.

4-8pm

Join the City of Reynoldsburg for a night of cheer as they light up the night and celebrate the start of the holiday season!

5:30-8pm

A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns for another spectacular tour. Just like the original, in The Hip Hop Nutcracker, Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince go on a dream adventure battling a gang of mice, visiting the land of sweets, and learning the lessons of the holiday season. Innovative digital graffiti and visuals transform the landscape of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s beloved story from traditional 19th-century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of contemporary New York City.

7pm

Gather with friends, family, and neighbors for a festive evening at the annual Holidays in Powell event. Register to take your picture with Santa throughout the afternoon in the Powell Municipal Building’s East Room. The official tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 6pm, featuring Santa and the Powell Community Band.

12-7pm

Marcus Theaters will be hosting a Holiday Classics Movie Series in December. Different classic holiday movies will be played on the big screen for the whole family to enjoy. Movies include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, and Christmas Vacation.

Follow the luminaria and immerse yourself in a world of lights and holiday magic on the historic streets. You can take advantage of the special offers, discounts, and holiday treats from local shops, businesses, and restaurants that are open late just for you. 

5-9pm

The Columbus Symphony continues its grand holiday tradition with a spectacular holiday show perfect for the entire family!

Main Street Delaware offers a weekend full of festive activities for your holiday enjoyment.

Bring the family to enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season, including, horse-drawn carriage rides, live music, and a photo opportunity with Santa. Local retailers will be offering special promotions and sidewalk sales.

12-5pm

BalletMet's Nutcracker is a popular Columbus Christmas tradition. Set to Tchaikovsky's famous score, the show's costumes, sets, and dancing will enthrall audience members.

This Downtown Hilliard celebration features fun and free festivities for all to enjoy at Hilliard’s Station Park and the Historical Village.

4-6:30pm

The fun and festivities start with performances by Jeffrey Mansion Preschool, Bexley Middle School Choir, and the High School Vocal Ensemble Choir. They’ll have hot chocolate, cookies, and candy canes before the mayor lights the tree with Santa Claus. Santa will stay after the tree is lit so kids can meet with him!

5-7pm

The New Albany Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration kicks off the holiday season. The festivities start with the arrival of Santa. Enjoy live entertainment on the big stage, live reindeer, ice sculpting demonstration, balloon twisters, face painters, caricature artists, photo stations, axe throwing, and horse-drawn carriage rides.

3-6pm

It is time for the annual Grove City Nutcracker Hunt. Grab a sheet and get to hunting. Nutcrackers will be inside local businesses with their own number. Write the business name next to their number and turn in your sheet for a prize!

A dynamic cast—including Nephew Fred, the Ghosts of Christmas Present, Past, Future, and a precocious Tiny Tim—will guide you through the story at lightning speed. The twist? The audience plays Scrooge, controlling the narrative.