Christmas in Indianapolis: Family Events & Activities

Beth Wood said:  Hop on the Snowfall Express, the must-ride experience of the holiday season, to discover a forest populated by charming, whimsical characters celebrating the coming winter and the first snowfall. Your visit won't be complete without a visit with Santa, activities in Santa’s Front Yard, the 92 County Tree, Santa’s Holiday Breakfasts, Winter Wonderland Workshops, the Reindeer Barn and more.

Beth Wood said:  A Merry Prairie Holiday Festival offers festive fun for the whole family. The event includes the opportunity to take a spin on Kringle's Carousel or get a rush zooming down their 150-foot Polar Bear Plunge tubing hill. The William Conner House will be transformed into a magical 3D projection mapping holiday show. You can also have fun on their sock skating rink where you can slide around like you are skating on real ice! Don't forget to stop by their North Pole Village to get a selfie with Santa and meet Mrs. Claus.

Beth Wood said:  Spend an evening with family and friends exploring the charming canal town of Metamora while it is lit up with thousands of holiday lights. You'll see holiday decorations, lanterns and lights everywhere on your walk. You can also enjoy fire pits to warm yourself, yummy and warm treats, and shopping. Fun for the whole family this holiday season!

Dawn Denning said:  The Christmas Show by Purdue Choir is an annual tradition for a lot of families. The show includes performances by the Glee Club, University Choir and more. Enjoy classic Christmas songs with lively performances.

Beth Wood said:  Much like the popular Porchfest held in September, the Carmel Arts & Design district is bringing one back for the holidays this year. There will be caroling, live music, food and beverage vendors, and more holiday fun for the whole family! There may even be a special visitor who stops by to say hello.

2pm-4pm

Beth Wood said:  Bring the entire family to the annual Beef And Boards Christmas show. This year, you'll enjoy Charles Dickens' classic story A Christmas Carol. Enjoy a wonderful meal while you watch Tiny Tim, Ebenezer Scrooge, and the whole ensemble come to life. The 1pm showtime make it a great holiday lunch outing for your entire family.

Beth Wood said:  Enjoy a short performance of the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed by the Village Dance Studio. Both performances are designed to be accessible and enjoyable for all abilities. To accommodate guests with sensory needs, lights will be raised, music lowered (2pm show), and they'll be a movement space for anyone who wants to dance along. To accommodate guests who have hearing difficulties, music will be louder during the 4pm show.

1:00pm, 2:30pm, & 4:00pm

Beth Wood said:  Start the holiday season off in downtown Zionsville with a Christmas parade, tree lighting, shopping shuttle, horse drawn wagon rides, sleigh rides, s'mores stations, petting zoo, barrel train rides, photos with live reindeer as well as Santa and much more holiday fun for the whole family.

5pm-7pm

Dawn Denning said:  Sometimes it is nice to have a little help hauling your freshly cut Christmas Tree. At Dull's Tree Farm, you can have a Newfoundland dog help pull it on a sleigh to be tied and applied to your car. This annual event sponsored by the South Central Newfoundland Club.

Beth Wood said:  Bring the whole family to experience the holiday magic of the Nutcracker ballet performed by the Central Indiana Dance Ensemble. Before each matinee showing they'll have a fun dessert party!

Dawn Denning said:  Come see over 1 million lights synchronized to traditional and newer, rocking Christmas music played through your car stereo. Fill your vehicle with friends and family to enjoy the show and begin a new Christmas tradition.

6pm-10pm

Beth Wood said:  Bundle up the family and head to downtown Westfield to welcome in the holiday season at their Westfield in Lights celebration. There will be gingerbread house displays, live reindeer petting, live music, food and retail vendors, pictures with Santa and Frosty the Snowman and the annual lighting of the tree to wrap up the event.

3pm-7pm

Beth Wood said:  Newfields, formerly the Indianapolis Museum of Art, celebrates the holiday season by decorating their majestic grounds in thousands upon thousands of lights. Bundle up your family and go on a walking exploration of the lighted gardens, fields and forest of the Newfields' grounds. Enjoy warm beverages like cocoa and cider and other yummy treats!

Beth Wood said:  Bundle the whole family up and head out for an evening of lights and holiday fun at Brownsburg Parks' annual parade of lights. Parade floats are decorated with thousands of lights and shine bright as they make their way from Brown Elementary to Town Hall. You can also stay for the lighting of the town Christmas tree and get your picture taken with Santa himself.

6pm-8pm

Beth Wood said:  Get in the holiday spirit at the Garfield Park holiday party. Party-goers can enjoy arts and crafts, music and dancing performances by holiday elves, cookies with Mrs. Claus and an appearance from Santa Claus himself! Also be sure to look at their miniature holiday train that will be running! Battle your friends in a snowball fight, test your skills at candy cane ice hockey, enjoy winter games and decorate their community Christmas Tree.

10am-1pm

Dawn Denning said:  Have a lover of farm animals? Would they love to pet Santa's Elk? Maybe enjoy a sleigh hayride on the farm? Then Traders Point Creamery's Christmas at the Farm is a must do for your family! While you're there, stop by and see Santa in the big red barn, sing along with holiday carols, and enjoy some hot chocolate or egg nog. It is sure to be a great time for everyone in the family! Advanced ticket purchase required.

Beth Wood said:  Enjoy a live performance by the Grammy-nominated ensemble, the Singing Hoosiers, for their annual Chimes of Christmas production. Help the entire family get in the holiday spirit with this wonderful musical performance.

Beth Wood said:  See the holiday ballet classic, The Nutcracker, performed by the Indianapolis Ballet and Orchestra.

Beth Wood said:  Bring your family to enjoy this holiday classic and watch Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future on their holiday adventure.

Beth Wood said:  Bring the entire family to Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic, The Nutcracker, performed by the Butler University Ballet and music by the Butler Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Enjoy a performance filled with magical scenery, costumes, music and dancing!

Beth Wood said:  This is a must-see family favorite of ours each year! See G-scale model trains on their journey through Indianapolis and onward to their adventures through the national parks of America. With over 1,200 feet of track and the entire exhibit made of natural material, you will be in awe as you see replications of famous sites such as Mt Rushmore, Old Faithful, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the Las Vegas Strip and more. Local sites such as Lucas Oil Stadium and the One America Tower are also favorites.

Beth Wood said:  Do you love homemade holiday cookies? Then get your passport for the annual Cookie Stroll through Martinsville where you will enjoy dozens of yummy homemade treats. There will also be holiday entertainment and activities happening throughout the downtown area.

10am - 5pm

Beth Wood said:  This event will be filled with holiday fun including a train ride thru the Amphitheater Lighted Trail to grab your #SelfieswithSanta!!

5pm-9pm

Beth Wood said:  Bring in the holidays with a day of family fun in downtown Pendleton. There will be a parade, kids area, carriage rides, story times, musical performances, crowning of the Snow Queen, pancake breakfast, crafts, shopping, snowball toss, pictures with Santa and much more holiday fun!

7am-6pm

Beth Wood said:  Start a holiday tradition with family and friends by attending the holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. Performed by the Indiana Ballet Conservatory, you'll enjoy the classic ballet and all of its beautiful choreography, costumes and music.

Beth Wood said:  Plan a trip to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis where you can not only enjoy a day of learning and exploring at all of the usual exhibits, but you can also have fun celebrating the holiday season during Jolly Days at the museum. From Gingerbread Houses to Countdown to Noon and all things in between, their calendar is full of festive indoor holiday events.

Beth Wood said:  Make your holiday shopping experience more fun by hopping on the Carmel Holiday Trolley. This free trolley will transport you between the restaurants, shops, boutiques and galleries in the Arts & Design District, Carmel City Center, the Indiana Design Center and Carter Green for the Christkindlmarkt and Ice at Carter Green.

Fridays, 5pm-9pm & Saturdays, 2pm-9pm

Beth Wood said:  With shows running each week in December, your entire family can enjoy this annual Yuletide Celebration. The show is filled with your favorite holiday songs, tap-dancing Santas, aerialists, dancers, singers and glittering costumes. Tickets sell out fast, so get yours today!

Beth Wood said:  Start the holiday season with family and friends at Minnetrista in Muncie at their annual Enchanted Luminaria Walk. Besides all of the beautifully lit areas, there will be games, crafts, holiday music, holiday treats, carriage rides and more holiday family fun.

5pm-9pm

Beth Wood said:  Come to Nature Valley Ranch in Brownsburg and hunt for candy canes! You'll also get to visit all of the animals in the petting zoo, enjoy a snack from the popcorn bar and visit with Santa himself after you hunt for the candy canes! Event is outdoors. Registration required.