Christmas 2026 in Columbus: Uptown's golf cart lights cruise Dec. 3, Breakfast with Santa Dec. 5, The Nutcracker Dec. 12-13 and Merry Movie Night.

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates come from each organizer’s own page or its listing on the Visit Columbus events calendar. Where only last year’s date is known, we say so.

The season opens on Friday, Nov. 20, when the mayor lights the city Christmas tree during Uptown’s Broadway Holiday Parade. The biggest Saturday is Dec. 5: Breakfast with Santa, Holidays with The WAVE and the city’s Christmas Parade all fall that morning. The Columbus Ballet’s Nutcracker is Dec. 12-13.

Date Event Time Place
Nov. 28 to Dec. 20 Disney’s Frozen The Musical Evenings and matinees Springer Opera House
Tuesday, Dec. 1 Instrument Toy Drive 5 to 8 p.m. The Seed at The Rapids
Thursday, Dec. 3 Golf Cart Cruise Through Holiday Lights 6 p.m. Uptown
Saturday, Dec. 5 Breakfast with Santa 8 to 11 a.m. Convention & Trade Center
Saturday, Dec. 5 Holidays with The WAVE 9 a.m. to noon RiverCenter
Dec. 11-20 12 Dates of Christmas Evenings and matinees Springer Opera House
Saturday, Dec. 12 Merry Movie Night 7 p.m. TSYS Green Space
Dec. 12-13 The Nutcracker 7:30 p.m. Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun. RiverCenter
Tuesday, Dec. 15 A Celtic Christmas 7:30 p.m. RiverCenter
Saturday, Dec. 19 Big Dog Jingle 5K 9 a.m. 12 W. 11th St.

Who to call

  • Uptown Columbus: 706-596-0111
  • Springer Opera House box office: 706-327-3688
  • Columbus Public Library: 706-243-2669
  • City services: 311
  • Emergency: 911

Lights and the city tree

  • Broadway Holiday Parade and tree lighting, Friday, Nov. 20: the parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. and the mayor lights the city Christmas tree at 7 p.m., followed by carolers, Santa and hot chocolate (Uptown’s parade page).
  • Golf Cart Cruise Through Holiday Lights, 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, on Uptown Columbus’ signature events list. Uptown has not posted the route yet.
  • The city’s own Christmas Parade runs at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, from Dillingham Street to 9th Street, on the Columbus Parks and Recreation events list.

Santa visits

  • Breakfast with Santa, 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Ave. The 11th annual breakfast includes pancakes, holiday crafts, live performances and one digital photo with Santa; children also make cards for young patients at Piedmont. Tickets are sold for adults and children (calendar listing).
  • Library Santa visits: in 2025 Santa visited the Columbus Public Library (Dec. 2), North Columbus (Dec. 4, plus a sensory-friendly visit Dec. 11), Mildred L. Terry (Dec. 10) and South Columbus (Dec. 11) branches. The 2026 dates are not out yet; watch the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries calendar.
  • Skate with Santa at the Columbus Ice Rink, 400 Fourth St., was Dec. 13 last year, and the Columbus Botanical Garden held Cookies and Cocoa with Santa on Dec. 12, 2025. Neither has a 2026 date yet.

On stage

  • Disney’s Frozen The Musical, Springer Opera House, 103 10th St.: 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 and Dec. 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19, and 2 p.m. on Nov. 28 and 29 and Dec. 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20. Buy only from the Springer’s website or box office (calendar listing).
  • 12 Dates of Christmas, a one-woman holiday comedy at the Springer: 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20 (calendar listing).
  • Holidays with The WAVE, 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5, at the RiverCenter, 900 Broadway: holiday music and the return of the Gingerbread Village, aimed at families (calendar listing).
  • The Columbus Ballet’s The Nutcracker, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, at the RiverCenter, with a live community orchestra including Schwob School of Music faculty and students, and singers from the Voices of the Valley choir (calendar listing).
  • A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the RiverCenter (calendar listing).

Free and outdoors

  • Merry Movie Night, 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, on the TSYS Green Space: a free outdoor Christmas movie chosen by public vote, with food vendors. Bring blankets (Merry Movie Night page).
  • Big Dog Jingle 5K, 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, from Big Dog Fleet Feet, 12 W. 11th St. Race-day registration runs 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. (registration).
  • Instrument Toy Drive, 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, at The Seed at The Rapids, 1329 Front Ave., collecting instruments for young people across the Chattahoochee Valley (calendar listing).

No Columbus synagogue or group has posted a 2026 public menorah lighting yet; we will add one when it is announced.

Frequently asked questions

When is Breakfast with Santa in Columbus in 2026? Saturday, Dec. 5, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Ave. Tickets include a pancake breakfast, crafts and a photo with Santa.

When is The Nutcracker in Columbus? The Columbus Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026.

Where can I see Christmas lights in Columbus? Uptown Columbus holds a Golf Cart Cruise Through Holiday Lights at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3. The city tree on Broadway is lit by the mayor at the Broadway Holiday Parade on Friday, Nov. 20.

Is there a free Christmas movie night in Uptown Columbus? Yes. Uptown’s Merry Movie Night shows a Christmas movie picked by public vote at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, on the TSYS Green Space.

When is the Columbus Christmas Parade in 2026? Columbus Parks and Recreation lists the Christmas Parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, from Dillingham Street to 9th Street.

What this means for you

  • Dec. 5 is crowded in Uptown in the morning: breakfast, the WAVE show and the city parade overlap. Park in a free Uptown deck early.
  • Buy Frozen and Nutcracker tickets from the venue directly; the Springer warns of ticket scams.
  • City offices close Thursday and Friday, Dec. 24-25, on the city’s holiday list.

Related: Black Friday and holiday shopping, New Year’s Eve in Columbus and things to do this weekend.