The Best December events in each U.S. State

The Merriest Holiday Events in the USA
The nights are long, the temperatures are lower and the last page of the calendar has been flipped: ready or not, December is here. While the lead-up to the holidays can certainly get hectic, the antidote can be simply stopping to enjoy the season at one of the nation’s many festive December events. In 2022, America’s best December events range from a multitude of Old World Christmas markets and festivals that offer a look back into holidays past to a myriad of wonderful light displays, tree lighting ceremonies, lighted boat parades and everything in between. This, of course, is to say nothing of all the fun New Year’s Eve celebrations (potato drop, anyone?) scheduled to finish the year in style. Swipe through this slideshow to find an event destined to make your season merry and memorable.

Alabama
You’re guaranteed to see snow at the Christmas in Candyland event in Andalusia (select dates from December 1-22) as realistic showers will be blasted from special machines accompanied by cute cottages, light shows and carriage rides in the town square. The Alabama Ballet will perform George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at the BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham (December 16-23) and the city will also see the weird & wonderful Wacky Tacky Light Tour ride again on December 13, 15, 20 and 22. For something really different, head to the Flora-Bama bar on the Gulf Coast on December 10 for their annual Santa Drop, an event that sees a skydiving Kris Kringle land on the beach.

Alaska
Start your month off right by taking in some riveting movies at the Anchorage International Film Festival (December 2-11), which will shine a light on new media and independent filmmaking from around the state and the world. Then, take a trip on the Alaska Railroad’s Aurora Winter Express for a one-night adventure that features true winter wonderland scenery between Anchorage and Fairbanks (northbound trains on Saturdays, return trains on Sundays) and excellent opportunities to see the Northern Lights. At the end of the month, the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood is a great place to be as they will ring in 2023 with their famous Torchlight Ski Parade and fireworks display in addition to live music and a beer garden.

Arizona
Flickering luminarias, twinkling holiday lights, musical performances, and special holiday decorations & sculptures will once again make the Las Noches de las Luminarias event (select nights December 9-31) at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix a must-see. The Tucson Botanical Garden will hold its Lights Up! Illumination Festival all month long, Tempe will hold its Festival of the Arts on December 2-4 and over in Lake Havasu, the 27th Annual Festival of Lights will take place all month long, featuring over 500,000 bulbs strung in and around London Bridge and Bridgewater Canal. End your month in Glendale at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games.

Arkansas
Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs will once again hold its popular holiday lights display, running every evening in December except Christmas Day. Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock will host the always-fun Nog-Off eggnog competition on December 9 while the 1886 Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs will be the spot to be all month long for holiday events like gingerbread house making, Santa socials and their beloved Christmas Tree Forest.

California
The cute town of Solvang will roll out the red carpet for the holiday season during Julefest, the annual celebration of Christmas with a Danish twist. Events include nightly music & light shows, a parade, concerts, and a Nisse Adventure, where visitors try to find Danish elves hiding all over town. Nevada City will hold its annual Victorian Christmas Festival (December 4, 7, 11, 14 and 18) complete with strolling carolers, authentic gas lamps, and plenty of seasonal food & drink. The cherished Southern California holiday tradition that is the Marina Del Rey Boat Parade will take to the water on December 10 and the 114th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights will take place December 14-18.

Colorado
In Denver, the annual Christkindlmarket will once again bring the feel of an authentic European Christmas market to the city (daily through December 23) while December 3 will be the night for the annual Parade of Lights, an event where floats, marching bands, floats and dancers take to the streets downtown to officially kick off the season. Outside of the Mile High City, the small town of Georgetown will hold its annual Christmas Market (December 3-4 & 10-11)—once again bringing Old World and quintessentially Colorado charm together—and on the night before Christmas, Telluride will once again hold its Torchlight Parade.

Connecticut
Explore the differences between modern-day holiday celebrations and the days of old at Mystic Seaport Museum’s Lantern Light Village event (select nights through December 17) that will feature fire pits, holiday light displays, both carriage and horse rides and even a visit from St. Nicholas himself. Downtown Storrs will hold its 10th Annual Winter Welcome on December with music, dance and Trim-a-Tree Contest. Last but not least, Greenwich will hold its 14th Annual Reindeer Festival (every day through December 24) where you will be able to see live reindeer, have your photo taken with Santa and tour his workshop.

Delaware
Open every night through December 31, the Winter WonderFEST drive-through light attraction is back in Milton to fill the dark December nights with merriment. Head to the coast for Lewes Lights—a self-guided tour of Lewes’ incredible residential light displays—which will run all month long and for the town’s great Christmas parade on December 4. Rehoboth Beach gets in on the festive fun with the return of Schellville, which is a wonderland of holiday dreams come true that includes snow zones, live music, a roller rink, a beer garden and an enchanting maze of lights that raises money for charity.

Florida
Head to St. Augustine all month long for Nights of Lights, the city’s sensational holiday lights display that takes place alongside a host of events like the Regatta of Lights while down in Key West, Holiday Fest at The Key West Bight Marina will mix a flavor of the season with a look back at “Old Key West” (think lobster trap Christmas trees and a boat parade). Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest has been lighting up the water of South Florida for an annual lighted boat parade for over 50 years, and this year “The Greatest Show on H2O” will take place on December 10. Christmas Eve sees the Surfing Santas return to the waters of Cocoa Beach and this is to say nothing of all the great celebrations at Orlando’s sensational theme parks.

Georgia
Stop by the Atlanta Botanical Garden every evening in December to experience the holiday tradition of Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, which will once again see the grounds transformed into a twinkling wonderland. The charming mountain town of Dahlonega will hold its Old Fashioned Christmas again this December, with various events throughout the month including the much-loved Christmas Parade on December 10. Holly Jolly Jekyll will turn Jekyll Island into a sparkling holiday dream all month long featuring over a million lights (45,000 alone on the island’s famous Great Tree), a parade on December 10 and fireworks on December 22 & 29.

Hawai’i
Once again the Honolulu Marathon (December 11) 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 meander straight into a beach party. Every day in December will see the Show Aloha Land event take place at Aloha Stadium, featuring climb-in snowglobe experiences, ziplining, a drive-through holiday light display and several inches of real snow. Other fun events include The Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra playing Disney’s The Muppet Christmas Carol in concert Dec 6-8 at the Honolulu Theater, The Hawaii Island Steel Guitar Experience (December 8-11) happening on the Big Island and the famed New Year’s Eve fireworks at Waikiki Beach.

Idaho
The Coeur d’Alene Resort Holiday Light Show will put smiles on the faces as its dazzling bulbs will once again illuminate the night sky all December long during an event that also will include Journey to the North Pole cruises, fire pits, Christmas concerts and carolers. The Idaho Botanical Garden in Boise will hold its Winter Garden aGlow event—where thousands of glittering lights take over the grounds—all month long and the capital is also without a doubt the spot to be on December 31 as the 10th 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.

Illinois
Chicago’s beloved Christkindlmarkt has now grown into three locations: downtown, Wrigleyville and Aurora and all three of them will be open every day through Christmas Eve, with Wrigleyville staying open until December 31. Elsewhere, two of the city’s best outdoor ice skating experiences—the ice 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 The Island of Misfit Toys Parade on December 3.

Indiana
Indianapolis will once again celebrate the season with its Circle of Lights (every night in December), a sensational display that uses the city’s iconic 300-foot-tall Soldiers and Sailors Monument to form a gigantic tree. Elsewhere, the city’s Indiana Historical Society will be hosting its Festival of Trees all month long and the Eiteljorg Museum will hold its Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure event (every day but Christmas) featuring wintry miniatures of some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Finally, swing by the Hammond (which was the hometown of A Christmas Story creator Jean Shepherd) in December to take in the “A Christmas Story Comes Home” exhibit which features animatronic window displays of scenes from everybody’s favorite holiday flick.

Iowa
Des Moines will be cranking up the holiday vibes all month long at its beloved Brenton Skating Plaza outdoor rink and December 1-4 sees the return of Christkindlmarket to Principal Park. Swing by the Dutch-inspired town of Pella for their Kerstmarkt Celebration, which will bring Dutch Christmas spirit to town (December 1-3) and over at Reiman Gardens in Ames, the Winter Wonderscape Holiday Light Show will take place on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday evenings all month long. Lastly, head for the town of Wyoming—Iowa’s very own “Christmas City”—for their annual tree lighting ceremony on December 4, an evening that will also play host to wagon rides, a bake sale, a lighted parade and a “mistletoe Midway”.

Kansas
Fort Scott National Historic Site in the town of Fort Scott will kick off the month with its 41st Annual Candlelight Stroll (December 2-3), where visitors will once again be able to take a guided tour and embrace the ambiance of the historic fort bathed in flickering lights. Abilene will hold its Cowtown Christmas on December 3-4, an event that will see Old Abilene Town dressed in its holiday best with 60 decorated trees, train rides with Santa and other fun activities. Lindsborg will embrace the holiday traditions of Sweden during the St. Lucia Festival on December 10 and in Wichita, Elf, The Musical will be performed by the Forum Theatre Company December 1-18 and Illuminations will take over Botanica botanical gardens through December 31.

Kentucky
Lights Under Louisville—the world’s only underground drive-through holiday lights experience—is back at Mega Cavern and this year there are six million points of light to impress all who visit (open through January 1). The ‘Ville will also host Bardstown Road Aglow on December 3, 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 3 and Rupp Arena will play host to Trans-Siberian Orchestra on December 7 and the Jingle Jam concert—a holiday show featuring Ashanti, Ja Rule and many more—??????????????on December 9.

Louisiana
Sorrento is the spot to be for the Boucherie & Balloon Festival (December 2-4), where you will be able to experience great live music, tasty food and hot air balloons soaring above. Head to Lutcher for the Festival of the Bonfires on December 9-11—featuring mouthwatering food, live music, carnival rides, Santa’s Very Merry Forest and one nightly bonfire—which will serve as a sensational warm-up for the annual regional Christmas Eve lighting of the bonfires. December 31 will see the Allstate Sugar Bowl take place in New Orleans, a game that will serve as the start of a night of New Year’s Eve revelry in the city.

Maine
You can’t talk about the Holidays in New England without mentioning the Christmas Prelude in Kennebunkport and this enchanting event returns to the coastal town on December 1-11. This year will feature the arrival of Santa in a lobster boat, a tree lighting ceremony, a pooch parade, candlelight caroling and much more. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will host its annual Gardens Aglow light event (Thursdays-Sundays and select dates) and Santa Sunday returns to Sunday River Resort on December 4, an event that will feature hundreds of Santas in full Elf attire skiing down the slopes for charity.

Maryland
Start your month off in Annapolis at Colonial Yuletide (December 3), an event that will see the William Paca House transport visitors back to the joyous season of 1772 with historical actors, period musicians and a special Colonial-era tavern. Then, head to the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore for an exploration and celebration of Kwanzaa traditions and while you’re in Charm City, stop by the Inner Harbor for its Christmas Village (select dates through December 24) full of rides, food, craft vendors, live music and plenty of mulled wine. The sensational small town of Berlin is the place to be on New Year’s Eve, as they celebrate the night with plenty of merriment and their very own ball drop.

Massachusetts
In Boston, Black Nativity—a retelling of the Nativity story set to exultant gospel music and dramatic dance that has been going strong for five decades—returns to the Emerson Paramount Center on select dates through December 18 and the Boston Ballet will perform The Nutcracker on select dates through December 31. 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 2022 with a bang on New Year’s Eve.

Michigan
Make for Muskegon December 1-3 to witness the nation’s largest singing Christmas tree, a wonder that holds over 150 singers belting out holiday tunes. Elsewhere, the Bavarian-inspired town of Frankenmuth will welcome back the merry vibes 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 2-4 & December 9-11) and Menorah in the D (December 18) will celebrate Chanukah in style with the lighting of the official Detroit menorah, a fire show and food stalls.

Minnesota
Holidazzle returns to Minneapolis to light up the dark December nights with food, a skating rink, warming drinks, fireworks and a wide range of family fun through December 18 and the city also plays host to the 26th Annual Women’s Art Festival at the Saint Mary’s University Center on December 10. Next door in St. Paul, GLOW Holiday Festival (through January 1) 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 holiday lights display—is back, and in addition to the beautiful bulbs, you’ll be able to meet with Mr. Claus and sip on tasty hot chocolate.

Mississippi
Down on the coast in Biloxi, they’ll be lighting the town’s landmark lighthouse on December 1 and that same night sees Ocean Springs flip the switch on their tree’s lights in an event that will include a visit from Santa. In Jackson, the 46th Annual Chimneyville Arts Festival will take over the Bill Waller Mississippi Craft Center on December 2-3 for what has become the craft shopping event of the season and those are also the dates for The 90th Annual Belhaven University Singing Christmas Tree event. Last but not least, Jackson’s Noon Year’s Eve in will once again provide the state’s finest family-focused New Year’s Eve event during the afternoon of December 31.

Missouri
First and foremost, no holiday season in the Show-Me State is complete without a trip to Kansas City to see the spectacular Country Club Plaza Lights—and 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 10, 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 (Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through December 24).

Montana
Southwest Montana will play host to several “Christmas strolls” that will bring together small communities for an evening of holiday cheer, and you’re invited to join the locals in places like Sheridan (December 2), Ennis (December 9) and Virginia City (December 10). Elsewhere, Bozeman will host its 26th Annual Ice Festival (December 8-11)—a celebration of ice climbing and outdoor film—and Winter Art Walk (December 9) while Zoo Montana in Billings will come alive with a fantastic walk-through light display during Holiday Nights (closed December 24 & 25).

Nebraska
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 a focus on global holiday traditions—and Bright Nights at the Lauritzen Gardens, which will feature sparkling lights and gorgeous displays of poinsettias (select dates through December 30). Elsewhere, “Nebraska’s Christmas City” Minden will hold its famous Christmas pageant the first two Sundays of the month.

Nevada
Las Vegas Ballpark in the Vegas suburb of Summerlin will once again glow throughout December as it hosts Enchant—a light maze and all-around holiday season heaven complete with ice skating, a fairytale forest and fantastic food & drink. On The Strip, holiday events include Barry Manilow performing a Christmas show (December 1-3 & December 8-10), All Motown doing a holiday set (select dates all month long), the spectacular outdoor ice rink at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the festive takeover of the Bellagio Conservatory. in Reno, December 10 is the night of the legendary Santa Pub Crawl.

New Hampshire
Start the month off right in the town of Concord for the much-anticipated return of Midnight Merriment (December 2)—an event that sees Main Street light up with holiday spirit, late-night shopping and lots of warming seasonal treats from dusk until twelve—then make for Manchester for the Christmas Parade on December 3. In Portsmouth, the Strawberry Banke Museum will once again be holding Candlelight Stroll Under the Stars (December 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18), 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. Elsewhere, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host its Gift of Lights drive-through display through January 1.

New Jersey
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 2, atmospheric Candlelight Night on December 15 and the lighting of the Clinton Menorah on December 19. Cape May will once again transform into something from a Dickens novel with trolley rides with Santa, candlelight house tours and much more. Last but certainly not least exciting, Six Flags Great Adventure will be holding Holiday in the Park this year, which will combine coasters and hot cocoa along with cheery shows and elf-approved food & drink.

New Mexico
Start your month off by doing some shopping at the Santa Fe Winter Indian Market (December 3-4), where over 150 Southwestern Association For Indian Arts-juried artists will show off their wares. The city is also home to 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 11 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. For something totally different, don’t overlook the Red Rock Balloon Rally (December 2-4), which will see over 150 colorful hot air balloons take to the blues skies over Gallup.

New York
Kingston is a great place to start your month off as on December 2 they will play host to their 10th Annual Snowflake Festival, a wonderful winter night out that will feature jugglers, ice carvers, stilt walkers and an appearance from Santa Claus. On Long Island, Shimmering Solstice at Old Westbury Gardens will run all month long (select dates through January 1), filling the gardens with holiday sights, sounds and dreamy lights. Head to the Radio City Music Hall in NYC to see the Rockettes perform their famous Christmas Spectacular (every day through January 2) 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,

North Carolina
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 (runs through January 8 but is closed on 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 8). 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).

North Dakota
It’s not Christmas in “The 701” until the Holiday Lights Parade floats down Broadway in Fargo and this year the colorfully lit procession will take to the streets on the evening of December 3. Elsewhere, the Fargo Moorhead Community Theatre will host a performance of Miracle on 34th Street (December 1-18), The Holiday Train will pull into Minot on December 17 and offer a concert to all spectators and the town of Medora will hold its Old Fashioned Cowboy Christmas on December 2-4, an event that shows visitors how they celebrated Christmas in the old days with a series of fun things to do including a gingerbread contest.

Ohio
Head to Cleveland for one of the more unique December events on the list: Kringle’s Inventionasium (select dates through December 24)—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, which will feature over four million lights, a fun fairy hunt, S’mores stands and much more (open through early January except for a few select dates). Elsewhere, The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is bringing back its Santa Train for a 40th year (select dates through December 18) and Ohio Village in Columbus will host its Dickens of a Christmas event on select dates through December 18.

Oklahoma
Downtown in December returns to Oklahoma City for the 21st year, bringing with it the usual array of fun activities like ice skating, snow tubing, caroling and dazzling holiday light displays—especially on Automobile Alley—well into January. Over in Tulsa, they’ll be holding their annual Winterfest event downtown through early January 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, which will feature a Distinctive Homes tour (December 3) and Victorian Strolls (December 3 & 10) among other fun events.

Oregon
Take in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Portland Center Stage at The Armory to see the classic movie re-imagined as a vintage radio performance (runs through December 24). The City of Roses will also play host to the Festival of Lights at The Grotto—the largest Christmas choral festival in the world—and will see its Columbia and Willamette Rivers illuminated by decorated and holiday light-covered boats during Christmas Ships (select dates December 2-21). In Bend, December 3 will see the cherished annual Christmas Parade take to the streets.

Pennsylvania
Bethlehem will hold its renowned Christkindlmarkt Thursdays to Sundays until December 18, 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 December 17 while over in Philadelphia, RiverRink Winterfest will be open daily in December and will offer ice skating and a warm atmosphere full of cheer (think fire pits, hot chocolate and spiked cider) regardless of the weather.

Rhode Island
Start your month off in Providence to take in WaterFire’s Holiday Celebration (December 1-3)—an event that features its famous artistic fire attraction put on a special display beside a range of Christmas trees and vendors selling holiday goodies—and stick around the capital for the Festival Ballet Providence’s rendition of The Nutcracker (December 16-24). Over on the coast, the 52nd Annual Christmas in Newport will once fill the streets with glee all month long, with highlights including the lighting of the Bowen’s Wharf tree (December 3) and the opportunity to experience the town’s Gilded Age mansions dressed in their holiday finest.

South Carolina
Start your December off in Aiken at its “Night of 1000 Lights” on December 1 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 3 and the first weekend of the month is also a great time to experience a Sea Island Gullah Christmas in Beaufort, where local Lowcountry traditions will take center stage (December 1-3).

South Dakota
Start your month off with a bang in Rapid City at the annual Krampus Pub Crawl and then keep the spirit going aboard the Holiday Express from the 1880 Train, which will take passengers on a journey to the “North Pole” (select dates through December 28). In Rapid City, beloved local attraction Storybook Island will turn into a twinkling wonderland during Christmas Nights of Light (select dates through December 23) and last but not least, the Christmas at the Capitol display in Pierre will feature around 100 trees inside and various holiday decorations outside that will dazzle locals and visitors alike (every day through December 26).

Tennessee
In Music City, the Nashville Symphony will perform four nights of holiday tunes during Music City Christmas (December 15-18)—featuring country star Mickey Guyton, Broadway singers, dancers and even an appearance from Kris Kringle himself—and the Nashville Zoo will host Zoolumination, whose 1000 stunning Chinese lanterns make it the largest festival of its kind in the nation. Elsewhere, Dollywood will hold its Smoky Mountain Christmas event through January 1 and Beale Street in Memphis will throw a bash on New Year’s Eve complete with confetti cannons and fireworks.

Texas
Start your month down in South Padre Island for the annual Lighted Boat Parade on December 3, which will see vessels adorned with twinkling lights ply the waters of Laguna Madre Bay. Or, head up north to Big D for the state’s largest holiday parade and a firm favorite among families around the region and country: The Dallas Holiday Parade (December 3). 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 8) and Austin’s famed Trail of Lights is back to its walk-through format and will dazzle visitors from December 8-23 (closed Mondays).

Utah
Any day in December is a good time to head to Park City and take part in their unique Snow Globe Stroll, which will feature nine life-size, interactive snowglobes along Historic Main Street. Salt Lake City is the spot 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 (runs through December 3). The capital will also play host to the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s annual Christmas Concert (December 15-17) and you’ll be able to end your year with a bang at the New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade & Fireworks at Snowbird Ski Resort.

Vermont
Start your month in Stowe at the Traditional Christmas event (December 2-4), which will feature a tree lighting ceremony, lantern parade and other classic holiday traditions. Elsewhere, Wassail Weekend is once again back in Woodstock (December 8-11), featuring craft fairs, carriage rides, warming food & bevies, concerts and a lively parade. The Shelburne Museum will flip the switch on its second annual Winter Lights event, which will see the grounds of the museum filled with sparkling bulbs (select dates through December 26) and the weekend of December 16-17 sees the Illuminate Vermont event bring artisan crafts, live music and mouthwatering local food to South Burlington.

Virginia
The Norfolk Botanical Gardens will once again bring millions of bulbs to life during its Garden of Lights (runs through January 1) and the charming town of Middleburg will hold its Christmas in Middleburg event on December 3 complete with a procession of horses & hunting hounds, a traditional holiday parade and plenty of tasty food & drink. On the coast, you’ll be able to cruise down the Virginia Beach Boardwalk while listening to holiday tunes and admiring nautical, holiday, and adventure-themed twinkling displays at the Holiday Lights at The Beach event (through January 1). Finally, no round-up of Old Dominion December events would be complete without a mention of Christmas at Colonial Williamsburg, which will take place on select dates all month long.

Washington
In Seattle, the Sheraton Grand Hotel will host its amazing Gingerbread Village for the 28th year (runs through January 1) while the Bavarian town of Leavenworth will be holding its Village of Lights, which is the name for a myriad of great holiday events that take place all month long under its seriously impressive Christmas lights display. The Victorian town of Fairhaven will hold its Winterfest celebration through December 18 and lastly, there’s no better place to be in the Pacific Northwest on New Year’s Eve than Seattle, as the city will once again put on a spectacular fireworks display with the Space Needle as a backdrop.

West Virginia
Head to Wheeling to take in the award-winning Oglebay Festival of Lights, which is sure to dazzle all who drive under them (runs through January 8). Elsewhere in the Mountain State, Fayetteville will host its Gingerbread Festival on December 3 (crafts, cookie decorating, caroling, hot cocoa and plenty more), Fairmont will celebrate Italian holiday traditions at the Feast of the Seven Fishes (December 8-10) and Harpers Ferry will once again treat visitors to an old fashioned yuletide during its Old Tyme Christmas Festival (December 2-4 & 10-11).

Wisconsin

The town of Burlington will celebrate its 40th Annual Christmas Parade on December 2 while that whole weekend will see Janesville roll out the red carpet for Christmas during its Jolly Jingle festival (December 2-4), which will feature a parade, tree lighting, jingle bell hunt, fireworks, selfie stations and lots more. In Milwaukee, Christmas in the Ward is back on December 2 in the Historic Third Ward, bringing with it holiday music, a tree lighting, warming Cocoa Cocktails and live reindeer while Plymouth is the place to be on New Year’s Eve as they will once again party and drop the “Big Cheese” at midnight.

Wyoming