Every State’s Best December Events in 2023

It's that time of year again: time for embracing the chilly temperatures and celebrating the twinkling lights that bring life to the dark nights. December is back and with it a myriad of merry events all across the country. From Christmas markets and festive light displays to theatrical performances and snowy happenings, no matter where you live, you are sure to find a great December event near you. And don't forget about sending off the year in style, as the following list of great December events includes many fun New Year's Eve happenings (how does a Potato Drop at midnight sound?). Click on the slideshow to fill your December calendar with cheer. 

The forecast is calling for snow again in South Alabama at the Christmas in Candyland event in Andalusia, which will run on selected dates throughout the month. In addition to the snow showers, there will also be carriage rides, skating and the chance to meet some of your favorite seasonal characters.  In Birmingham, the Alabama Ballet will perform George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (select dates December 15-23), the weird & wonderful Wacky Tacky Light Tour takes to the streets again (Dec. 12, 14, 19 and 21) and The 6th Annual Ugly Sweater Crawl takes place on December 9. Down at the Flora-Bama bar in Orange Beach, December 9 will see the return of the Santa Drop, an event full of holiday cheer and skydiving Santas.

Start your December off by taking in some excellent cinema at the Anchorage International Film Festival on December 1-9. Then, hop aboard the Alaska Railroad's Aurora Winter Train, which heads into the snowy wonderland of the backcountry between Anchorage and Fairbanks for a 12-hour journey like nothing else (the train returns from Fairbanks the next day). Finally, while the Santa Claus House in the town of North Pole can be visited all year, it's extra special when it sports its holiday finest and a fresh coat of snow in December.   

The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix will once again play host to its Las Noches de las Luminarias event (runs through December 20), which will see sparkling luminarias & lights, musical performances, and enchanting holiday decorations take over the gardens. Not to be outdone, the Tucson Botanical Garden will host its annual Lights Up! Illumination Festival all month long (runs through January 7). Back in the Valley of Sun,  Tempe will hold its Festival of the Arts on December 1-3, and out west in Lake Havasu, the 28th Annual Festival of Lights will take place all month long, featuring over 500,000 bulbs strung around Bridgewater Canal and London Bridge.

Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs will see its beloved holiday lights display return this month, lighting up the sky all month long (closed Christmas Day). In Eureka Springs, the month gets off to a festive start with the Parade of Lights (December 1) and continues with Living Windows (December 9) and a host of events at the legendary 1886 Crescent Hotel. In Little Rock, the 19th Ever Nog-Off eggnog competition will take place on December 8.

Once again, the already-magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios will sport a dusting of snow during its annual Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter event (all month long). Elsewhere, the small town of Solvang brings back its ever-popular Julefest celebration, which merges together American and Danish holiday traditions and Nevada City will hold its annual Victorian Christmas Festival (select dates from December 3-17), which will once again feature carolers, gas lamps, and festive food & drink. On the coast, the the 115th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights will takes place December 13-17 and the 61st Annual Marina Del Rey Boat Parade takes to the water on December 9. 

In the state capital, the Denver Christkindlmarket will bring its signature brand of European Christmas market vibes to the city (runs through December 23) and the annual Parade of Lights will officially kick off the holiday season on December 2. Elsewhere in the state, the small town of Georgetown will bring together Old World Charm and Colorado Western cool during its annual Christmas Market (December 2-3 & 9-10), and last but not least, Telluride will once again hold its Torchlight Parade on New Year's Eve.

You'll have a fine time contrasting modern-day holiday traditions with those from days of old at the Mystic Seaport Museum's Lantern Light Village (select nights through December 18), an event that will feature holiday light displays, fire pits, carriage rides and a visit from Santa Claus. In Storrs, the 11th Annual Winter Welcome is on December 2 with a Trim-a-Tree Contest alongside plenty of music and dance. Elsewhere, Greenwich will hold the 15th Annual Reindeer Festival (which runs every day through December 23), where visitors can have their photo taken with Santa and visit his live reindeer.

Make for the coast and the Lewes Lights—an annual self-guided tour of the town's always impressive light displays-which will run from December 1-31. Lewes will also host its much-anticipated annual Christmas Parade on December 2. Rehoboth Beach will be throwing its annual holiday bash called Schellville, which is a winter wonderland of good times that includes a roller rink, live music, snow zones and lots of festive lights (select nights through December 31) among many other fun things. 

All month long, St. Augustine will play host to its annual Nights of Lights event—a brilliant display of bulbs—while the special Regatta of Lights takes place on December 9. Down in The Keys, The 2023 Key West "Bight Before Christmas" Holiday event at The Key West Bight Marina will pay tribute to Jimmy Buffett. For over 50 years now, the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest has been lighting up the South Florida night during the annual lighted boat parade, and in 2023, "The Greatest Show on H2O" will take place on December 16. In Orlando, the city's famous theme parks will pull out all the stops for the holiday season and in Cocoa Beach, the Surfing Santas will return on Christmas Eve.

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens will once again shine bright every evening in December during the annual Garden Lights, Holiday Nights event. Elsewhere, the atmospheric mountain town of Dahlonega will hold its Old Fashioned Christmas again in 2023, with a host of special holiday happenings taking place all month long, including the famous Christmas Parade on December 9. Holly Jolly Jekyll returns to Jekyll Island this December, turning the isle into a wonderland home to over a million lights (including nearly 50,000 alone on the island's famous Great Tree), a parade (December 9) and fireworks on December 21 & 28.

Once again the Honolulu Marathon (December 10) will bring runners from all over the world to Oahu, with the day before the race seeing the always-fun Merrie Mile event, where "athletes" jog a mile and then sprint straight into a beach party. Elsewhere on Oahu, the Show Aloha Land event will take place at Aloha Stadium, featuring a drive-through holiday light display, real snow-tubing and many other attractions. Other fun events in the state include The Hawai'i Island Steel Guitar Experience (December 14-7) happening on the Big Island and the famed New Year's Eve fireworks at Waikiki Beach.

The Coeur d'Alene Resort Holiday Light Show will once again put smiles on faces as its dazzling bulbs will fill up the night sky over the lake all December long during an event that also will include fire pits, Journey to the North Pole cruises, Christmas concerts and carolers. The Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise will hold its Winter Garden aGlow event—where thousands of glittering lights and festive vendors take over the grounds—all month long while the capital is also the best place to be on New Years Eve as the 11th Annual Idaho Potato Drop will once again celebrate New Year's with the dropping of giant potato among a host of concerts and other fun things to do. 

Chicago's famed Christkindlmarket (arguably the closest you'll get to Germany this side of the Atlantic) now boasts three locations: downtown, Wrigleyville and Aurora and all three of them will be open every day through Christmas Eve, with Wrigleyville closing on Christmas but re-opening through December 31. Elsewhere, two of the city's best outdoor ice skating experiences—the Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park and the rink at Millenium Park—will provide fun all month long. In Southern Illinois, The National Shrine of Our Lady of Snows in Belleville will once again play host to their spectacular & spiritual Way of Lights and the small town of Metropolis will host its annual Christmas parade and tree lighting on December 2.

Indianapolis will once again celebrate the season with its Circle of Lights, a sensational display that uses the city's iconic 300-foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument to form a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree. Elsewhere, the city's Indiana Historical Society will be hosting its Festival of Trees and the Eiteljorg Museum will hold its Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure event featuring snow-laden miniatures of some of the city's most iconic landmarks. Finally, swing by Hammond in December (the town which was the hometown of A Christmas Story creator Jean Shepherd) to take in the "A Christmas Story Comes Home" exhibit which features animatronic window displays of scenes from everybody's favorite holiday flick and the chance to meet some of the actors from the film.

Des Moines will be cranking up the holiday vibes all month long at its beloved Brenton Skating Plaza outdoor rink while the Christkindlmarket returns to Principal Park (December 1-3). Swing by the Dutch-inspired town of Pella for their Kerstmarkt Celebration, which will bring Dutch Christmas spirit to town (December 1-2) and over at Reiman Gardens in Ames, the Winter Wonderscape Holiday Light Show (and live music!) will take place on select evenings month long. Lastly, head for the town of Wyoming—Iowa's very own "Christmas City"—for the annual tree lighting ceremony on December 3, an evening that will also play host to a multitude of fun events. 

Fort Scott National Historic Site in the town of Fort Scott will kick off the month with its 42nd Annual Candlelight Stroll (December 1-2), where visitors will once again be able to take a guided tour and soak in the ambiance of the historic fort bathed in flickering lights. Abilene will hold its Cowtown Christmas on December 2-3, an event that will see Old Abilene Town dressed in its holiday best with dozens of decorated trees, train rides with Santa and other holiday activities. Lindsborg will embrace the holiday traditions of Sweden during the St. Lucia Festival on December 9 and in Wichita, Illuminations will take over Botanica botanical gardens through December 30. Last but not least, all month long the town of WaKeeney, which is nicknamed the "Christmas City of the High Plains", will bask in the glow of their famed annual holiday light display. 

Lights Under Louisville—the world's only underground drive-through holiday lights display—is back at Mega Cavern and this year there are millions of bulbs to impress all who visit (open through January 1). The 'Ville will also host Bardstown Road Aglow on December 2, which will see the Highlands area come alive with holiday lights and the ambiance of the season. In Lexington, the Christmas Parade will bring cheer to downtown on December 2.  

Head to Lutcher for the Festival of the Bonfires on December 8-10—featuring great food, carnival rides, live music and much more festive fun—which will serve as a warm-up for the region's annual Christmas Eve lighting of the bonfires. New Year's Eve will be a great time to be in New Orleans, as the city-wide celebrations will serve as a warm-up for the Sugar Bowl on January 1, which will be one of the College Playoff Semifinals.  

No discussion about the Holiday Season in New England is complete without talking about the Christmas Prelude in Kennebunkport and this enchanting event returns to the coastal town through December 10. This year will feature the arrival of Santa in a lobster boat, a tree lighting ceremony, a dog parade, candlelight caroling and much more. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will host its annual Gardens Aglow light event (select dates through December 31) and Santa Sunday returns to Sunday River Resort on December 10, an event that will feature hundreds of Santas in full attire skiing down the slopes for charity.

Start your month off in Annapolis at Colonial Yuletide (December 2), an event that will see the William Paca House transport visitors back to the joyous season of 1773 with period musicians, historical actors and a special Colonial-era tavern. Then, head to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore on December 9 for a performance of Duke Ellington's Nutracker Suite and while you're in Charm City, stop by the Inner Harbor for its Christmas Village (select dates through December 24) full of craft vendors, food, live music and plenty of mulled wine. 

In Boston, Black Nativity—a retelling of the Nativity story set to exultant gospel music and dramatic dance that has been going strong for over 53 years—returns to the Emerson Paramount Center on select dates through December 17 and the Boston Ballet will perform The Nutcracker on select dates through New Years Eve. Foxboro will play host to the Magic of Lights drive-through holiday lights display through December 31 and Boston's First Night Celebration will end 2023 with a bang on New Year's Eve.

Make for Muskegon December 1-2 to witness the nation's tallest singing Christmas tree, a "tree" that holds over 150 singers belting out festive tunes. Elsewhere, the Bavarian-inspired town of Frankenmuth will welcome back the merry atmosphere of its annual ChristKindlMarkt—an event that features artisans and their wares alongside a winter wonderland atmosphere—during the first two weekends of the month (December 1-3 & December 8-10) and Menorah in the D (December 7) will celebrate Chanukah in style with the lighting of the official Detroit menorah, a fire show and food stalls.

Minneapolis is the place to be for the 27th Annual Women's Art Festival at the Saint Mary's University Center on December 9. Next door in St. Paul, GLOW Holiday Festival (through December 31) will fill up CHS Field with over a million lights and a range of wintry fun to partake in. Up in Duluth, Bentleyville Tour of Lights—the nation's largest free walk-through display of holiday lights—is back through December 26, and will once again provide the chance to enjoy a warming drink and to meet Mr. & Mrs. Claus. 

Down on the coast in Biloxi, they'll be lighting the town's landmark lighthouse again this December and up in Jackson, the 47th Annual Chimneyville Arts Festival will take over the Bill Waller Mississippi Craft Center on December 1-3 for what has become the craft shopping event of the season. Elsewhere, The 91st Annual Belhaven University Singing Christmas Tree event will take place on December 1-2. 

First and foremost, no holiday season in Missouri is complete without a trip to Kansas City to see the brilliant Country Club Plaza Lights—and to maybe do a little shopping while you're there. Outside of KC, the historic town of St. Joseph will host a wild and woolly Krampusnacht on December 9, which will pay tribute to the Krampus—one of Europe's oddest traditional holiday characters—with a parade and fire show. Once again, the cobbled streets of St. Charles will be filled with Victorian carolers, international yuletide characters and the aroma of roasting chestnuts during its Christmas Traditions event (select dates throughout the month).

Southwest Montana will play host to several "Christmas strolls" which will bring together small communities for an evening of holiday cheer, and you're invited to join the locals in places like Sheridan, Virginia City and Ennis on various dates throughout the month. Elsewhere, Bozeman will host its 27th Annual Ice Festival (December 6-10)—a celebration of ice climbing and outdoor film—and Winter Art Walk (December 8) while Zoo Montana in Billings will come alive with a fantastic walk-through light display during the Holiday Nights event.

Omaha will play host to a few great December events this year, including the much-anticipated return of A Christmas Carol to the Omaha Community Playhouse (through December 23), Christmas at Union Station—an event that will run select dates all month long and feature the city's largest Christmas tree—and Bright Nights at the Lauritzen Gardens, which will feature sparkling lights and gorgeous displays of poinsettias. Elsewhere, "Nebraska's Christmas City" Minden will hold its famous Christmas pageant the first two Sundays of the month.

Las Vegas Ballpark in the Summerlin area of Vegas will once again glow throughout December as it hosts Enchant—a light maze and all-around holiday season heaven complete with fairytale forest, ice skating and tasty food & drink. On The Strip, holiday events include Barry Manilow performing a Christmas show, Merry Motown and Frankly Frank (select dates throughout the month). Other events include the spectacular outdoor ice rink at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the festive decorating of the Bellagio Conservatory.  

Start the month off right in the town of Concord for the return of Midnight Merriment (December 1)-an event that sees Main Street light up with holiday spirit, late-night shopping and plenty of warming seasonal treats from dusk until late. Then, make for Manchester for the Christmas Parade on December 2. In Portsmouth, the Strawbery Banke Museum will once again be holding Candlelight Stroll Under the Stars this month, a cherished tradition that sees the museum grounds filled with greens and illuminated by atmospheric candles and guests treated to tales of Christmas traditions from centuries ago.

The postcard-perfect small town of Clinton will welcome the season in with several great events, a list highlighted by its annual Christmas Parade on December 1 and the atmospheric Candlelight Night on December 14. Elsewhere, Cape May will once again transform into something from a Dickens novel with trolley rides with Santa, candlelight house tours and much more all month long. 

Start your month off by doing some shopping at the Santa Fe Winter Market at Santa Fe Brewing (December 2), then later on in December, take part in two of the nation's most cherished holiday traditions: Las Posadas—a recreation of Mary & Joseph's search for a room at the inn—on December 10 and the Christmas Eve Canyon Road Farolito Walk—a procession that takes in the enchanting farolitos and fills all participants with enough cheer to last well into the new year.  

Kingston is a great place to start your month off as on December 1 they will play host to their 11th Annual Snowflake Festival, a wonderful winter night out that will feature ice carvers, jugglers, street performbers and an appearance from Santa Claus. Head to the Radio City Music Hall in NYC to see the Rockettes perform their famous Christmas Spectacular and perhaps stop along the way for a skate at the Rink at Rockefeller Center. And no discussion of the end-of-year happenings in the Empire State would be complete without a mention of watching the ball drop in NYC at the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord will once again host its Speedway Christmas drive-through light experience, boasting over four million lights and a soundtrack of sensational holiday music (select nights). Cary is the place to be for the ever-popular North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival, which sees authentic Chinese lanterns fill Booth Amphitheatre and combine with cultural performances and sensational food to create a night you won't soon forget (through January 14). At the Biltmore Estate near Asheville, the holidays will be welcomed with the return of Christmas at Biltmore, an event that offers guests a gilded holiday experience through early January (closed select dates).

It's not Christmas in Fargo until the Holiday Lights Parade floats down Broadway and this year the colorfully lit procession will take to the streets on the evening of December 2. Elsewhere, the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre will host a performance of It's A Wonderful Life and the town of Medora will hold its 27th Annual Old Fashioned Cowboy Christmas on December 8-10, an event that shows visitors how Christmas was celebrated in the Old West.  

Head to Cleveland for Kringle's Inventionasium (select dates in December), which an immersive experience where kids are tasked with helping Kris Kringle and his elves create new toys for the season. The Cincinnati Zoo is bringing back its wildly popular Festival of Lights for a 41st season, which will feature millions of lights, S'mores stands and much more (select dates). Elsewhere, The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is bringing back its four-decade strong Santa Train tradition on select dates through December 23.  

Downtown in December returns to Oklahoma City for the 22nd year, bringing with it the usual array of fun activities well into the new year. Over in Tulsa, they'll be holding their annual Winterfest event downtown throughout the season starring an impressive ice skating rink that has grown to be a symbol of the season in the city. The charming town of Guthrie will hold its annual Territorial Christmas happening on select dates throughout the month. 

Portland will play host to the Festival of Lights at The Grotto—the largest Christmas choral festival in the world—through December 30 (closed Christmas Day) and will see its Columbia and Willamette Rivers illuminated by decorated and holiday light-covered boats during the 69th Annual Christmas Ships event (select dates). In Bend, December 2 will see the cherished annual Christmas Parade take to the streets. 

Bethlehem will hold its renowned Christkindlmarkt on select dates this December, and once again it will feature artisans from all over the USA and an outpost of Germany's ornaments and decoration store Käthe Wohlfahrt. Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood will host GLOWLAND (a collection of live music events and art installations surrounded by twinkling lights through early January) while over in Philadelphia, RiverRink Winterfest will celebrate its 30th anniversary and will be open throughout the month, offering festive cheer and seasonal food to all who attend. 

Start your month off in Providence to take in WaterFire's Holiday Lighting (December 2) and stick around the capital for the Festival Ballet Providence's rendition of The Nutcracker (December 15-24). Over on the coast, the 53rd Annual Christmas in Newport will again fill the streets with glee all month long, with highlights including the lighting of the Bowen's Wharf tree and the opportunity to experience the town's Gilded Age mansions dressed in their holiday finest.

Start your December off right in Aiken at its "Night of 1000 Lights" (December 3) where downtown will be filled with luminaries and lots of seasonal cheer. Greenville will once again hold one of the Palmetto State's most cherished holiday traditions when its Poinsettia Parade takes to the streets on December 2 and back in Aiken, the Christmas in Hopelands event will take place on December 9-22.  

Start your month off with a bang in Rapid City at the annual Krampus Pub Crawl (December 1) and then keep the spirit going strong by taking a ride on the Holiday Express from the 1880 Train, which will take passengers on a journey to the "North Pole" (select dates through December 28). Also in Rapid City, beloved local attraction Storybook Island will turn into a twinkling wonderland during the Christmas Nights of Light event (select dates through December 23) and finally, the Christmas at the Capitol display in Pierre will feature hundreds of trees inside and various holiday decorations outside (every day through December 26).

The Nashville Zoo will host Zoolumination this month, an event that sees over 1000 stunning Chinese lanterns make it the largest festival of its kind in the nation (runs through January 7). Elsewhere, Dollywood will hold its Smoky Mountain Christmas event through January 6 and Beale Street in Memphis will throw a bash on New Year's Eve complete with fireworks, confetti and plenty of great live music. 

Start your month down in South Padre Island for the annual Lighted Boat Parade on December 2, which will see boats adorned with twinkling lights take to the water of Laguna Madre Bay. Up north in Big D, the much-loved Dallas Holiday Parade returns on December 2. Elsewhere, The San Antonio Botanical Garden will once again light up the Texas night with its Lightscape event, featuring over a million lights paired up with festival music (select nights through January 1) and Austin's famed Trail of Lights is back to its walk-through format and will dazzle visitors on select dates throughout December. 

Park City's unique Snow Globe Stroll is back, featuring life-size, interactive snowglobes along Historic Main Street. Salt Lake City is the place to be for the annual Christkindlmarkt SLC, which will feature great shopping ops, tasty food and the spirit of German Christmas markets at This Is The Place Heritage Park (December 1-2). The park will also hold its Candle Light Christmas event on December 7-23. Last but not least, why not end your year with a bang at Snowbird Ski Resort during its annual New Year's Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks event.

Start your December in Stowe at the Traditional Christmas event (December 1-3), which will feature a lantern parade, tree lighting ceremony and other classic holiday traditions. Elsewhere, Woodstock's Wassail Weekend returns on December 8-10, featuring carriage rides, crafts, warming food & beverages, concerts and a lively parade. The Shelburne Museum will flip the switch on the annual Winter Lights event, which will see the expansive grounds of the museum filled with sparkling bulbs (select dates through January 6).  

The Norfolk Botanical Gardens will once again bring millions of bulbs to life during its Garden of Lights and the charming town of Middleburg will hold its Christmas in Middleburg event on December 2 complete with a procession of hunting hounds & horses, a traditional holiday parade and lots of great food & drink. On the coast, you'll be able to cruise down the Virginia Beach Boardwalk while listening to holiday tunes and admiring great holiday lights all month long at the Holiday Lights at The Beach event (through January 1). Last but not least, no round-up of December events in Virginia would be complete without a mention of Christmas at Colonial Williamsburg, which will fill you with the spirit of a Colonial Christmas on select dates all month long.

In Seattle, the Sheraton Grand Hotel will host its amazing Gingerbread Village for the 29th year (runs through New Year's Day) while the Bavarian town of Leavenworth will be holding its Village of Lights, which is the overarching name for a host of great holiday events that take place all month long under its impressive Christmas lights display. The Victorian town of Fairhaven will hold its Winterfest celebration (select dates throughout December) and lastly, there's no better place to be in the Pacific Northwest on New Year's Eve than Seattle, as the Emerald City will once again put on a spectacular fireworks display with its iconic Space Needle serving as a backdrop. 

Head to Wheeling to drive under the award-winning Oglebay Festival of Lights, which is sure to dazzle all who see them (runs through January 7). Elsewhere in West Virginia, Fayetteville will host its Gingerbread Festival on December 2-4 (think cookie decorating, caroling, crafts hot cocoa and plenty more), Fairmont will celebrate Italian holiday traditions at the Feast of the Seven Fishes (December 9) and Harpers Ferry will once again treat visitors to an old fashioned yuletide during its Old Tyme Christmas Festival (December 1-3 & 9-10).

The town of Burlington will celebrate its 41st Annual Christmas Parade on December 1 while that whole weekend will see Janesville roll out the red carpet for Christmas during its 10th Annual Jolly Jingle festival (December 1-3), which will feature a tree lighting ceremony, jingle bell hunt, parade, fireworks and much more. In Milwaukee, Christmas in the Ward is back on December 1 in the Historic Third Ward, bringing with it a whole month's worth of fun things to do while the town of Plymouth is the place to be on New Year's Eve as they will once again party and drop the "Big Cheese" at midnight. 

The Jackson Hole Playhouse will once again put on its beloved annual festive performances this month and don't be surprised at all if you run into Santa on the local ski slopes during December, either. Cheyenne is a fine place to be this month too as its Old West Holiday will bring multiple holiday events to the city including Tinsel Through Time at the Historic Governor's Mansion—an event where the mansion positively glows with Christmas decorations—and the Street Railway Trolley Holiday Lights Tour (select dates through December 27). Cheyenne is also the best spot to ring in 2024 as the city will once again be dropping a ball at midnight on Depot Plaza.