Looking for things to do in Columbus, Ohio this weekend? Here are over 60 family-friendly events happening in Columbus, and Central Ohio this weekend!
Family Friendly Events in Columbus Ohio This Weekend:
FRIDAY
9:00 AM – Family Gingerbread House Decorating at Young Chefs Academy of Gahanna – families can decorate a gingerbread house together! Everything you need will be provided in the cost.
10:00 AM – Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory – visit the Conservatory while it’s decked out for the season! Enjoy special performances and activities and this year the event extends into the Children’s Garden!
10:00 AM – Santa Photos at Easton Town Center – get your family’s picture with Santa between 10:00 AM and 9:00 PM (with 2 break periods (see link)). Get a professional 5×7 for $5 or take a photo with your own camera. Reservations are available!
10:00 AM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
10:30 AM – Holiday Party! at piccadilly – this party includes holiday crafts, decorating cookies and live music from Captain Captain of The Shazzbots!
11:24 AM – Imagination Station at Bexley Public Library – art supplies and LEGO stations will be set out every Friday for kids to get creative!
12:00 PM – Visit with Santa at The Shops at Worthington Place – get your picture taken with Santa!
12:30 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
2:00 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
3:45 PM – Friday After School Crafting at Art with Anna – enjoy holiday crafting after school until 5:00 PM!
5:00 PM – Festive Fridays at Columbus Commons – Friday nights at Columbus Commons include free hot chocolate and carousel rides! There will also be live music! Share your pictures with #CCHolidayLights!
5:00 PM – Winter Solstice Hike at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park – take a hike on the longest day of the year!
5:00 PM – Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo – Wildlights is included in your admission (or membership) to the Zoo and features special activities, amazing lights, light shows, Rudolph and friends in Asia Quest, Santa’s Holiday Home in the Battelle Ice Bear Outpost, Jingle Ball light display and much more!
5:30 PM – Dragon Lights Columbus – walk through an amazing display of Chinese lanterns and holiday light sculptures. Special cultural performances, food and shopping will also be available. Save money by purchasing your tickets online.
5:30 PM – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek Campground – families can enjoy a 3 mile drive through holiday light show with over 140 LED light displays! $30/car on the weekends.
6:00 PM – Holiday Carriage Rides at Easton Town Center – carriage rides are available every weekend through December 23 for $10/person. Children under 15 are free with a paying adult. Get on the carriage outside of Zara on Gramercy Street. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM and Sundays from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
6:00 PM – Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides in Main Street Delaware, Inc. – free horse drawn carriage rides will be given around downtown Delaware.
6:00 PM – Tween Night – Holiday Cupcake Wars at piccadilly – kids can compete for the best cupcakes – recipes and materials will be provided! Call for availability.
6:00 PM – Santa House at Strand Theatre – visit with Santa and take your own picture!
6:00 PM – Choir Performance at State Auto Christmas Corner – visit the larger than life sized nativity in downtown Columbus and enjoy live choir performances and hot chocolate!
6:30 PM – Family Night Out at Goldfish Swim School – enjoy an open swim in 90 degree water at all Goldfish Swim School locations! Cost for non-members is $5/person or $15/family. First come first served!
7:00 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
7:30 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
SATURDAY
9:00 AM – Family Gingerbread House Decorating at Young Chefs Academy of Gahanna – families can decorate a gingerbread house together! Everything you need will be provided in the cost.
9:30 AM – Holiday Sing-A-Long with Captain from The Shazzbots! at Cub Shrub – enjoy a holiday story and music from Captain from The Shazzbots!
10:00 AM – Storytime at Grange Insurance Audubon Center – enjoy a nature based story time for preschoolers!
10:00 AM – Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory – visit the Conservatory while it’s decked out for the season! Enjoy special performances and activities and this year the event extends into the Children’s Garden!
10:00 AM – Santa Photos at Easton Town Center – get your family’s picture with Santa between 10:00 AM and 9:00 PM (with 2 break periods (see link)). Get a professional 5×7 for $5 or take a photo with your own camera. Reservations are available!
10:00 AM – Coffee With Santa! at Transcend Coffee + Roastery, USA – visit with Santa and take your own picture!
10:00 AM – Holiday Bricktacular at LEGOLAND Columbus – – decorate trees with LEGO bricks, spot Santa in MAINLAND, write a letter to Santa Maxx and more!
10:15 AM – Mug and Plate Decorating! at Fit4mom Columbus East – join FIT4MOM Columbus East for this craft time where moms can make a coffee mug and kids can decorate a plate!
10:30 AM – Our Village Playdate and Craft: Mini Fingerprint Ornaments with FIT4MOM Upper Arlington – join FIT4MOM Upper Arlington for a craft time where kids can make fingerprint ornaments! Playdates are free to attend.
11:00 AM – Royals Holiday Gala 2018 at Aladdin Temple (Grove City, OH) – this event includes a cast of characters: princesses, princes, superheroes, santa and more! Proceeds from the event will support children in need around Columbus! $25 per child in advance, and up to 2 adults are free with each child. See link for details.
12:00 PM – Visit with Santa at The Shops at Worthington Place – get your picture taken with Santa!
12:30 PM – Holly Jolly Skate with Santa at Skate Zone 71 – skate with Santa, Rudolph and Frosty!
1:00 PM – Author Beth Stafford & Illustrator Jeremy Slagle at Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers – meet the author and illustrator of the book Chin Up, Chinchilla. There will be a reading and book signing! Both author and illustrator live in Ohio!
1:00 PM – Tis the season at Slate Run Metro Park and Living Historical Farm – stroll around the farm, string popcorn and make an ornament!
1:00 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
2:00 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
3:30 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
5:00 PM – Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo – Wildlights is included in your admission (or membership) to the Zoo and features special activities, amazing lights, light shows, Rudolph and friends in Asia Quest, Santa’s Holiday Home in the Battelle Ice Bear Outpost, Jingle Ball light display and much more!
5:00 PM – Choir Performance at State Auto Christmas Corner – visit the larger than life sized nativity in downtown Columbus and enjoy live choir performances and hot chocolate!
5:30 PM – Dragon Lights Columbus – walk through an amazing display of Chinese lanterns and holiday light sculptures. Special cultural performances, food and shopping will also be available. Save money by purchasing your tickets online.
5:30 PM – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek Campground – families can enjoy a 3 mile drive through holiday light show with over 140 LED light displays! $30/car on the weekends.
6:00 PM – Holiday Carriage Rides at Easton Town Center – carriage rides are available every weekend through December 23 for $10/person. Children under 15 are free with a paying adult. Get on the carriage outside of Zara on Gramercy Street. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM and Sundays from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
6:00 PM – Tween Night – Holiday Cupcake Wars at piccadilly – kids can compete for the best cupcakes – recipes and materials will be provided! Call for availability.
7:30 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
SUNDAY
9:00 AM – Family Gingerbread House Decorating at Young Chefs Academy of Gahanna – families can decorate a gingerbread house together! Everything you need will be provided in the cost.
10:00 AM – Conservatory Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory – visit the Conservatory while it’s decked out for the season! Enjoy special performances and activities and this year the event extends into the Children’s Garden!
10:00 AM – Holiday Bricktacular at LEGOLAND Columbus – – decorate trees with LEGO bricks, spot Santa in MAINLAND, write a letter to Santa Maxx and more!
11:00 AM – Santa Photos at Easton Town Center – get your family’s picture with Santa between 10:00 AM and 9:00 PM (with 2 break periods (see link)). Get a professional 5×7 for $5 or take a photo with your own camera. Reservations are available!
12:00 PM – Visit with Santa at The Shops at Worthington Place – get your picture taken with Santa!
12:00 PM – The Grinch’s Ugly Christmas Sweater Skate at Skate Zone 71 – wear your ugly holiday sweater to skate with The Grinch at this glow skate!
1:00 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
1:00 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
3:00 PM – Holiday Carriage Rides at Easton Town Center – carriage rides are available every weekend through December 23 for $10/person. Children under 15 are free with a paying adult. Get on the carriage outside of Zara on Gramercy Street. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM and Sundays from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM.
3:30 PM – The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical at Lincoln Theatre – join Columbus Children’s Theatre for this updated musical to find the true meaning of Christmas! 1 Act with no intermission. Recommended for all ages.
4:00 PM – Meet & Greet with Frosty & Rudolph at Skate Zone 71 – skate with Frosty and Rudolph!
4:00 PM – Holiday Lights Tour with Columbus City Adventures – this 2 hour tour of holiday lights includes stops at the Scioto Mile, Columbus Commons and Christmas Corner!
4:30 PM – Sunset Bison Walk at Battelle Darby Nature Center – meet at the Nature Center to talk a walk out to see the Bison in the park!
5:00 PM – Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo – Wildlights is included in your admission (or membership) to the Zoo and features special activities, amazing lights, light shows, Rudolph and friends in Asia Quest, Santa’s Holiday Home in the Battelle Ice Bear Outpost, Jingle Ball light display and much more!
5:30 PM – The Nutcracker at Ohio Theatre – enjoy a festive performance of this holiday classic with BalletMet. This is a two act performance with an intermission.
5:30 PM – Dragon Lights Columbus – walk through an amazing display of Chinese lanterns and holiday light sculptures. Special cultural performances, food and shopping will also be available. Save money by purchasing your tickets online.
5:30 PM – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights at Alum Creek Campground – families can enjoy a 3 mile drive through holiday light show with over 140 LED light displays! $30/car on the weekends.
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*Please be aware, information is gathered from multiple community sources. Times, dates and locations are subject to change. There may be a fee to participate in a featured activity. Please call ahead or check links to confirm activities. Enjoy what you do today!*
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