The Best Christmas Shows and Events in Michigan

What is your favorite holiday event? We have searched for the best in Christmas Shows and Events to bring you the best the season has to offer. Do you enjoy a Christmas Parade, the Nutcracker Ballet, Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes, or maybe it is the local tree lighting ceremony.

Please let us know if we have missed your holiday favorites and we'll get it added to the site. We wish you a Merry Michigan Christmas!

Santa Claus checking his holiday list of good girls and boys
Christmas Pole

Thanksgiving Day!

America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Art Van, one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated Parades, will step off at 9:00 a.m. on Woodward Avenue and Kirby and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress. Hundreds of thousands of parade-goers will be watching as the Parade makes its way down Woodward Avenue.

November 22 – December 31, 2023

You don't want to miss the Christmas Nite Lights at Fifth Third Ball Park. West Michigan's largest, animated, drive thru light show, entertaining people of all ages. The event is located at Fifth Third Ballpark, home of the West Michigan Whitecaps, exit 91, off US 131.

December 8-10 & 15-17, 2023

Grand Rapids Ballet Company, Grand Rapids Symphony and about 100 children fuse their talents to bring the classic story to life. After a sold out world premiere, The Nutcracker, re-imagined by Polar Express author Chris Van Allsburg, returns for two weekends at DeVos Performance Hall.

November 18 - December 15, 2023

The Mistletoe Market Christmas Boutique is an annual fundraiser featuring Holiday Fine Art & Crafts held by the South Haven Center for the Arts. Local artists display their jewelry, paintings, photography & more. This is an excellent way to begin your holiday shopping! A portion will benefit the art Center.

Holiday Celebration and Candlewalk in Frankenmuth River Place Shops is the perfect way to start the Christmas season. Free Hot chocolate and cookies.

Frankenmuth River Place Shops
925 South Main Street
Frankenmuth, MI 48734

December 1-3, 8-10, 14-17, 19-23, 26-28, 2023

Take a lantern-lit journey into a living snow globe filled with live music, skating, fireworks and tons of winter wonder during America’s premier celebration of the season.

November 18 - December 23, 2023
(closed on Thanksgiving)
Thursday - Sunday
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Thousands of lights create an extraordinary holiday display at the annual Wonderland of Lights! Take a stroll around the zoo, enjoy holiday music, and marvel at the twinkling light displays during this series of magical Michigan winter evenings. Grab a goodie bag for children as you leave to take home and enjoy.

December 2, 2023 @ 6:00 pm

The Parade of Lights on Main Street comes alive with the lights of the Holiday season. Watch the many colorful floats, marching groups, and listen to the seasonal songs as they meander down Main Street. Children will beam with excitement as they watch for Santa Claus and his sleigh. This is not an event to miss!

December 1, 2023

The annual Christmas Tree Lighting downtown on Main Street kicks off the 3-day Christmas Bazaar and ushers in the winter season on Mackinac Island. Gather at 5:30 p.m. across from the Star Line Dock #1 for caroling and good cheer.

December 7–9 & 14–16, 2023 | 5–8 p.m.

Stroll the gently-lit pathway each evening. Meet Santa’s reindeer, and listen to carolers sing the songs of the season. Be sure to warm up in the festive conservatory and experience a dramatic display of poinsettias, while enjoying the merry sound of a live string quartet.

2023 Dates: TBA

All aboard! It's time for the annual Festival of Trains, a Traverse City holiday tradition. Come see the massive 0-gauge model train layout along with spectacular HO-, S- and G-gauge layouts. There's a special kids layout, too, where the young (and young-at-heart) may operate the controls.

2023 Dates: TBA

Downtown Kalamazoo has a long tradition of creating the best holiday memories with Santa. Thursdays through Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas, more than 8000 parents and children come through from 76 zip codes to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, write wish lists to Santa, decorate cookies, and receive a FREE book to take home.

Enjoy a Fantasy Horse Drawn Carriage ride through the uniquely decorated streets of Frankenmuth. During the Christmas Season carriages are draped with garland and twinkling lights. While sitting on the crushed velvet seats of our Vis-à-vis enjoy holiday themed music along with the horse's jingling sleigh bells.

Join Cooks Family Farm for a horse drawn sleigh ride through God’s country! Private sleigh rides run around 40 minute with hot chocolate and cookies to follow. The Sleighs can hold between 10-12 adults.

Call and make reservations for the season.

November 24 – December 30, 2023

Pairing indoor sights with outdoor lights, Meadow Brook is Michigan’s most dazzling holiday destination. Our two unforgettable holiday events will delight families, couples and people of all ages.

Saturdays & Sundays Nov 18- Dec 17, 2023 - See Website for Details

Experience Santa's Farm during the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the Christmas season!
**Lots of Photography Opportunities!**
The farm is on full on holiday mode for this stroll through event where you will get to see how Santa has transformed the farm into his headquarters preparing for the big day.

2023 Dates: Nov. 24 - 26 • Dec. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 & 31

HollyDazzle is a magical three-quarter mile outdoor trail featuring more than a dozen lighted Christmas scenes including Santa Claus, Sledding Penguins and Candy Land Castle in a magical winter wonderland walk through at the Michigan Renaissance Festival Village!

Nov 21 2023 - Jan 07 2024

Excitement surrounds this time of year as the annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World brings the glow of 300,000 lights, strolling carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and more than 40 international trees and displays.

November 18, 2023

Wyandotte Michigan knows how to put on a holiday party. The Parade route begins at Northline near the Police/Court Building and ends at Eureka Avenue. The parade begins at 10 am and usually runs approximately one hour.

Abraham's Carriage Service offer horse-drawn hayrides, horse-drawn carriage rides, Horse-drawn sleigh rides (weather permitting), Beautiful rural setting, .

Open-We run all year long Monday through Sunday!.

Friday, December 8, 2023 6:00 PM 8:00 PM; Tree Lighting to follow.

Celebrate the magic of the holiday season at the fifth annual ‘Winter Snow Fun’ Holiday Parade in Marquette’s Downtown District. Bundle up with friends and family as illuminated floats, tinsel-strewn trucks and colorful carolers transform Third Street into a magical scene from the North Pole.

December 2, 2023

Date:12/2/2023
Time: Line-up at 12:30pm, Parade at 1pm

12:30 - Saugatuck Holiday Parade lineup in front of Wicks Park
1:00 Holiday Parade begins
3:00-5:00 - Santas Workshop in the Puddingstone classroom - Decorate Cookies with Santas Elves (The Saugatuck High School Culinary Arts Club).

2023 TBA

There is something for everyone at the popular annual Winter Glow event – East Lansing’s free, outdoor winter festival in downtown East Lansing with a wide variety of fun-filled seasonal activities.

2023 Dates: TBA

Santa's arrival, holiday-themed activities throughout Clare!

Pages

Michigan's Guide to Chirstmas
Christmas & Winter HOliday Events

Events & Shows

Christmas in Michigan Michigan Christmas Parades Events and Pictures with Santa Michigan Christmas Tree Farms Michigan Christmas and Holiday Light Displays
Michigan Christmas Shows and Events

Michigan'ss Best Christmas Tree Farms

Christmas Tree Farms

Litle Girl with Santa

Pictures with Santa

Michigan Families watching Santa and Mrs Claus at a Holiday Parade

Christmas Parades

Families Enjoying Holiday Lights

Holiday Lights