Christmas Events

Magic of Lights returns to Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit’s newest holiday tradition, the dazzling drive-through light display features holiday themed scenes and characters using the latest LED technology and digital animations. Experience Magic of Lights from the comfort of your own car as you wind through the sparkling pathway.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The Gentex Grand Rapids Santa Parade in downtown Grand Rapids is moving to Saturday, November 22nd, beginning at 5 pm. Thanks to the Grand Rapids Jaycees, Santa will be traveling from the North Pole to join us for this special event that will light up the streets of Grand Rapids for families from all over West Michigan.

The Holly Dickens Festival in Holly, Michigan, offers a variety of events throughout the holiday season, celebrating the charm of Charles Dickens' era.

The River Lights of Wonder Experience

Friday Nights: Outdoor Activities include drive through, Lollipop train, hayride and fire pit.

Saturday Nights: Both Indoor and Outdoor Activities include drive through, Lollipop train, hayride, fire pit, indoor movie, children's activities and character photos.

Michigan's enchanted forest of lights, Glenlore Trails Aurora. Wander along a one-mile outdoor path with interactive experiences, storytelling, and other exciting entertainment. An immersive wintry experience for all ages. Visit Michigan’s original illuminated forest this holiday season!

Summer Train
We depart historic downtown Coopersville on the dates and times shown on our calendar. During the journey, our friendly Conductor will talk about local railroad history and answer your questions.

Lowell celebrates its Annual Christmas Through Lowell event during November. Area residents and visitors looking for a unique Christmas gift or home décor can find what they are looking for while supporting the Lowell community during this popular shopping experience.

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!

Spending time this Christmas Season at the Rooftop Reindeer Farm will be a joy for the entire family. Find dates and times when you can visit and maybe even see Santa on Roftop Reindeer Calendar.

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.

You are not going to want to miss Gull Meadow Farms “Walk through the Lights” experience. They transformed greenhouses into a beautiful walk-through Christmas experience each with a different theme.

Join your friends and family at the Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting Celebration on Friday from 3:00 to 6:00pm in downtown Charlevoix!
3-5pm -Photos with Santa at Charlevoix State Bank
3-5pm- Holiday Craft at the Circle of Arts
5pm- Hot Cocoa in the Park
5:30pm- Holiday Parade
6pm- Tree Lighting

A Crystal Christmas takes place on the the 2nd Saturday of December and boasts an Ice Shack parade of hilarious Northwoods themed floats!
There will be business and residential decorating contest, Santa Claus, Fireworks and More!

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.

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.

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.
2025 Dates:

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.

Step back in time as you take part in one of Michigan’s most unique holiday celebrations. An entire weekend of excitement including the Victorian Sleighbell Parade with horse drawn entries, bagpipers, reindeer meet and greet and carolers elegantly dressed in Victorian style attire.

A family fun event featuring the arrival of Santa Claus, Mrs Claus, and the lighting of our downtown Christmas tree with the Mayor of Auburn Hills.