Tons of holiday events continue this weekend! Happy Weekend and Happy Holidays!
Ongoing:
Wildlights – see fantastic light displays, special visitors and performances from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM each night through January 1, 2018.
Twelve Elves of Dublin – during the month of December your family can go on the 12 Elves of Dublin scavenger hunt! Pick up your 12 Elves Card and hunt for an elf at each of the participating locations. At each stop your kids will receive a prize when they find it!
Gardens Aglow – Gardens Aglow offers special holiday decorations, performances and evening hours at Franklin Park Conservatory. Throughout the season live music and special events are scheduled and the Conservatory is decorated for the holidays. From December 1-31 (except for the 24th and 25th) they are open until 9:00 PM. There will be special family-friendly activities happening all through the season!
Christmas Corner at State Auto Insurance – walk through a life-sized nativity following the Christmas story! Choirs are scheduled on Friday and Saturday evenings through December 23rd and free hot chocolate (donations accepted!) will be available on those evenings!
Think Outside the Brick – visit the Columbus Museum of Art for a huge LEGO display, special LEGO open build hours on Saturdays and LEGO Holiday decorations!
Downtown Lights – visit Columbus Commons and Bicentennial Park for festive light displays!
Holiday Parties at Columbus Recreation and Parks – check the link for all the dates for the Holiday Parties at each Columbus Recreation Center!
Friday:
- 9:30 AM – Toddler Time with Santa Claus at Sky Zone Columbus – Enjoy stories and songs with Mrs. Claus and a visit from Santa! Purchase tickets online!
- 4:00 PM – Make & Take Ornaments at The Smithery – Make and take your own hand stamped ornaments! All ages are welcome!
- 5:00 PM – Pictures with SANTA, Horses & Pony Rides in Grove City, Ohio – take pictures with Santa and take pony rides. Several times all weekend. Check the link for details on how to reserve a spot!
- 5:30 PM – Dickens of a Christmas at Ohio Village – this event takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday and includes a world inspired by Charles Dickens! There will be carols, holiday decorations, craft and cooking demonstrations and more!
- 6:00 PM – Festivus 2017 at 400 West Rich – this event goes on all weekend and includes music, open studios, food trucks, vendors and more!
- 7:00 PM – It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at Westerville South High School – this holiday favorite is going on all weekend at Westerville South HS.
- 7:30 PM – Polar Express Weekend at COSI – this weekend and next you can watch Polar Express on the big screen at COSI. Several times available throughout the weekend.
- 7:30 PM – Messiah Sing-ALong with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra at Southern Theatre – sing along with selections from Handel’s Messiah!
Saturday:
- 8:00 AM – Holiday Character Breakfast presented by Meijer at CenterPoint Gahanna – this event includes breakfast, face painting, crafts, Santa, story time, and holiday characters! Purchase tickets online.
- 8:45 AM – Breakfast with Santa! at Dave & Buster’s, Hilliard – your ticket includes breakfast, a $10 Power Card and unlimited video games, crafts, cookie decorating and the opportunity to take your own photos with Santa. Ticket sales end at 8:00 PM on Friday.
- 9:00 AM – Family Gingerbread House Decorating at Young Chef’s Academy of Gahanna – the whole family can decorate their own Gingerbread House in a festive environment!
- 9:00 AM – Breakfast with Santa Cow at Chick-Fil-A, Grove City – have breakfast with Santa Cow and enjoy a hot chocolate bar and crafts!
- 9:00 AM – Breakfast with Santa at the Hilliard/Ray Patch Family YMCA – register for your seating time online and enjoy a warm breakfast and a meet and greet with Santa!
- 9:00 AM – Holiday Open House at Hoover Gardens & Gift Center – enjoy hot apple cider and cookies and enjoy the gardens while you pick out your Christmas Tree. Happening on Sunday, too!
- 9:00 AM – Free Breakfast with Santa at CrossLink Community Church – enjoy a free breakfast and pictures with Santa! You can also put a letter in Santa’s mailbox and enjoy live jazz music!
- 9:00 AM – Visit with Santa at the Herb Center – visit with Santa and his elves, write a letter to Santa and make a gift with Mrs. Claus!
- 10:00 AM – Holiday Toy Drive at Nationwide Children’s Hospital – literally drive through to drop off a donation for the patients at Nationwide Children’s Hospital! See the top 10 Wish List at the link.
- 10:00 AM – Jack Hanna’s Home for the Holidays, featuring Santa Paws at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – bring an approved enrichment gift for the animals and get one free admission to Wildlights. The animals will be given special treats and Jack Hanna will take the Animals on Safari Stage for 3 shows that evening.
- 10:00 AM – Storytelling Childhood Memories at Coffee Connections of Hilliard, LLC – join Hilliard community members as they tell stories from their childhood. There will be hot cocoa, pastries and each kid will get a small gift. RSVP at the link.
- 10:00 AM – Saturday Morning Cartoons – December Edition – for $5/person you can watch retro TV cartoons and enjoy a bowl of cereal!
- 10:00 AM – Christmas Open House at Hanby House – enjoy hot cider and Christmas music at the home of the composer of “Up on the Housetop”.
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10:00 AM – Family Day at Pizzuti Collection – experience art in a family-friendly environment that includes activity books, crafts and Gallery Journeys. See our visit to Pizzuti Collection here.
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11:00 AM – Holiday Ornament Craft at Franklin Park Conservatory – fill an ornament with your choice of decorations! $2/ornament.
- 11:00 AM –The Royals Project Holiday Gala at Aladdin Shrine Center – join The Royals Project for their Holiday Gala! The event includes professional photos, Santa Claus, over 30 princesses, princes and superheroes and your ticket price goes toward helping families in need.
- 11:00 AM – Home for the Holidays – Family Fun Day in Uptown Westerville – the shops of Uptown Westerville will offer crafts, cookie decorating, letters to Santa and more!
- 12:00 PM – Letters To Santa 2017 – Day 1 at Ohio Railway Museum – Kids can write a letter to Santa and mail it in the Railway Post Office Car, visit with Mrs. Claus, make christmas crafts and ornaments and take a train ride!
- 12:30 PM – Uptown Scrooge – this walking tour of Uptown Westerville takes place on Saturday and Sunday and includes a performance of Dicken’s The Christmas Carol.
- 1:00 PM – Holiday Trolley Hop in The Discovery District – free trolley rides will be given through the Discovery District and there will be activities, crafts and special tours at the various stops! Bring a donation for local non-profits!
- 1:00 PM – Free Shamrock Ornament Craft at Terra Gallery – kids can paint a shamrock ornament for free! Stop in to do this activity while you’re hunting for the 12 Elves of Dublin!
- 1:00 PM – Kid’s Cookie Decorating at Lucky’s Market Columbus – at this free event, kids can decorate freshly baked cookies! See the link for instructions on how to RSVP.
- 2:00 PM – Grand Opening at Musicologie Westerville – the grand opening of Musicologie in Westerville includes cookies and cocoa, faceprinting, mini-lessons, a visit from Santa, music from The Shazzbots and beer from The Daily Growler!
- 4:00 PM – Historic Christmas Tour in Grove City – this event involves several locations throughout Grove City! There will be a model train display, live music, holiday displays, visits from Santa and more!
Sunday:
- 11:00 AM – Pictures with Santa Claus at Tractor Supply Co., Pickerington – bring your family and your pets for pictures with Santa. $10/picture.
- 11:00 AM – Pizza School to benefit RMHC at Dewey’s Pizza – Grandview – make a reservation for a fun day at Dewey’s Pizza which includes mimosas, pizza and salad buffet and lessons on how to toss, top and cook your own pizza. All of the proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio.
- 1:00 PM – Frozen Adventure CAMP – Meet The Snow Queen, Snow Princesses and Star Smiling Snowman! There will be songs, dance, a craft, story time, dress up and more! For ages 4 1/2 to 7.
- 1:00 PM – Cookies with Santa! at Coffee Connections of Hilliard – visit with Santa and decorate a cookie! $1.50/cookie
- 2:00 PM – Christmas Open House at Orange Johnson House – Enjoy “An Old Time Christmas” at the Orange Johnson House which includes a musical ensemble and light refreshments.
- 3:00 PM – Santa in the Caboose at the Historical Village at Weaver Park – at this event you can take your own picture with Santa, take a horse drawn wagon ride, enjoy live music, activities and refreshments!
- 3:00 PM – Sensory Friendly Visit with Santa! at Ohio Herb Education Center – children who need a more relaxed environment can visit Santa in a low-key environment. A photo is included in the price. Check online for ticket availability.
- 3:00 PM – Free Family-friendly Library Concert w/ ProMusica String Quartet at Columbus Metropolitan Library – enjoy music inspired by the ocean! This is a free, family-friendly concert.
A big thank you to Musicologie for sponsoring this post!
Musicologie provides simply delightful music lessons for any age and ability on virtually every instrument. Our teachers are friendly and experienced music explorers who create a comfortable and positive community through private instruction, group classes, and concerts. Locations in Grandview Heights, and now in Westerville! Visit http://musicologielessons.com. Check out the Grand Opening event this Saturday at the Westerville location!
Want to sponsor What Should We Do This Weekend? Click here!
