Wichita on the Cheap

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Breakfast with Santa at Cowtown

Santa reading story to kids at Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita

Join Santa for breakfast at Old Cowtown Museum on Saturday, December 6, 2025. This is a perfect holiday tradition for Wichita kids. Tickets go fast for this event, so get them asap if you want to go.  Breakfast, photos with Santa, and activities will be included with your ticket. Breakfast with Santa will be served in […]

Ice Skating at Chicken N Pickle

Chicken N Pickle Ice Pond in Wichita

Chicken N Pickle ice skating rink in Wichita is open for your winter break fun! Grab your skates (or rent them there) and take a few turns around the pond. Don’t forget to bundle up with a warm coat, thick socks, and gloves! The Igloos are back! Two cozy igloos near the ice rink provide […]

Botanica Illuminations 2024: Light Show & Santa

Illuminations at Botanica

Botanica’s Illuminations is an annual tradition in Wichita, which fills the night sky with holiday lights (up to two million of them!) and Christmas music. In addition to the amazing displays, show, and carousel rides, Illuminations will have live carolers each night, hot cocoa and treats, and the opportunity to visit Santa. Illuminations Dates: November […]

Andover Hometown Christmas

Welcome Santa and enjoy fun activities for the whole family at the Andover Hometown Christmas celebration this December 2024. The Andover Hometown Christmas holiday event will be held at Central Park on Thursday, December 12 beginning at 5:30 p.m. Central Park will be transformed into a winter wonderland with luminaries lining the sidewalks, illuminated trees, […]

Victorian Christmas at Old Cowtown Museum

Victorian Christmas at Cowtown

Celebrate an old-fashioned holiday at Old Cowtown Museum’s Victorian Christmas event this season in Wichita. Stroll along lamp-lit, carol-filled streets, warm up with a cup of hot cocoa, and check out the Victorian dancers in the evenings on two weekends in December. Victorian Christmas has become a family tradition for many in the Wichita area. […]

Newton Parade of Lights

Flyer for newton lions club parade of lights

The Newton Lions Club will again hold its annual Christmas parade in Newton, Kansas. The Parade of Lights will be happening on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is FREE. Every float in the parade will be illuminated. It should be an awesome sight! The route will follow Main Street in the historic […]

Village Christmas: Tree lighting and holiday fun in Haysville KS

Haysville, KS will kick off the holiday season with Village Christmas – a festive event that includes a tree lighting, photos with Santa, warm food, fun activities, live music, a vendor market, and more. Village Christmas is scheduled for December 7, and the festivities begin at 4:30 p.m. with a soup & chili feed ($9) […]

El Dorado Tree Lighting & Old Fashioned Christmas Parade

Get in the Christmas spirit with El Dorado’s Old Fashioned Christmas parade, tree lighting and festivities! Celebrate the holidays the old fashioned way on Saturday, December 5-7, 2024 in El Dorado, KS. There will be a full slate of Christmas activities including a vendor fair, Christmas tree lighting, parade, a chance to visit with Santa, […]

Free photos with Santa at Cabela’s

Free Santa Photos at Cabela's

Santa’s Wonderland at Cabela’s is a wonderful FREE event returning this holiday season. There will be lots of safe activities available including free photo opps with Santa! We just went with our daughter and it was great! No strings attached! They have a great display with a photographer and we walked out with a printed […]

Midian Shrine Feztival of Trees

Midian Shrine’s annual Fezitval of Trees event will provide a fun walk through dozens of fully decorated Christmas trees on display, along with festive activities and swag packages to be raffled off. The 2024 Feztival of Trees will be held several dates throughout late November. See below for the whole schedule. Admission is $5 and […]

Wichita Mayor’s Tree Lighting at Union Station Wichita

The Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting will be at Union Station 2024, and it’s called Merry & Bright. This is a completely FREE event in Wichita, and there will be lots of holiday activities to get you into the Holiday Spirit!  Union Stations Merry & Bright event and Christmas tree lighting has become one of my […]

Fulton Valley Farms: A Country Christmas Holiday Event

Fulton Valley Farms in Butler County puts on A Country Christmas starting November 29 with over 1,200,000 lights, live reindeer, Santa and so much more. They have also added some really fun special events for this Holiday Season that are reasonably priced. Fulton Valley Farms is a short 15-minute drive east of Wichita just south […]

City of Valley Center Tree Lighting

Join in the magic of the season! The Valley Center Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Christmas in the Valley event on December 7, 2024. This year, the focus of the event is Hometown Christmas. December 7  Valley Center Tree Lighting Celebration The events will take place in the 100 block of West Main. […]

Where to see Santa in Wichita 2024

He’s a busy guy, but Santa still always makes time to visit Wichita every year. See the full schedule of his stops below! He loves our city because the people are great, there isn’t a lot of traffic, and we have so many affordable things to do. But best of all, of course, is the […]

Watson Park Christmas Polar Express Polar Activity

Polar Express ride in Wichita at Watson Park!

All aboard for a fun trip to visit Santa! This year Wichita Park and Recreation is offering two ways to enjoy the “Polar Express” experience they call Watson Christmas Express.  Watson Christmas Express will be running at O.J. Watson Park throughout the holiday season. Kids are encouraged to wear pajamas, just like the boy in […]

FREE: Board Games with Santa & Blitzen!

Free board games with Santa and Blitzen

Sedgwick County is bringing its Bonding thru Board Games event to the community to connect family and friends in a fun way on Friday, December 17, 2021. The Bonding Thru Board Games with Santa & Blitzen event will be from 6:30pm to 9 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 W. 21 st […]

Free pet photos with Santa at PetSmart

FREE pet photos with Santa Wichita

You have photos with Santa for the kids, but what about our furbabies? PetSmart is giving away FREE pet photos with Santa this month. Santa photos are available by reservation in all PetSmart  stores in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico from 12 – 3 p.m. (local time) Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and […]

A Night with Santa in Haysville

Haysville KS Night with Santa event December 11, 2021 flyer

Join in the fun at the first-ever Night with Santa event in Haysville on Friday, December 11, 2021.  Haysville Recreation has invited Santa to visit and enjoy a festive holiday evening with kids and families from 6-8 p.m. in the historic district.  You’ll get to take a picture with Santa, ride on a horse-drawn carriage, […]

Santa’s arrival at the mall

Well this is an annual tradition that stretches way back to your parents’ childhoods: Santa is arriving at the mall! And wow is it going to be a big to-do. This is going to be at Towne East Square Mall at Douglas and Rock Road in Wichita. On Friday, December 3 at 6 p.m., meet at […]

Story Time with Santa

story time with Santa

Snuggle up and get ready for Christmas with Story Time with Santa. Santa will be reading a story on December 22, 2020 for anyone to watch online! [sc name=”subscribe-link” ] The story will begin at 6 p.m. and last about 30 minutes. Santa will be reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Comment on the Facebook […]

Skate with Buddy the Elf and the Grinch at the Wichita Ice Center

Buddy the Elf? I know him! I know him!! The Wichita Ice Center is going to be hosting a fun day this December for Wichita kids to skate with Buddy the Elf and the Grinch. Also see: Where to See Santa Claus in Wichita In addition to being able to skate with these characters, you’ll […]

Santa Drive Thru

  Go see Santa on December 20th from 11:30-3pm! [sc name=”subscribe-link” ] This is an opportunity to snag your pic with the big guy & share your list from a safe distance. $5 minimum donation per car with all proceeds going to local Ronald McDonald House Chapter. Your professional pictures will be sent to you […]

Nights Before Christmas Hutchinson Light Display

Christmas lights in Hutchinson

December 12-19 go for a drive and experience Christmas lights in Hutchinson! This year you can experience the Nights Before Christmas light display from the warmth and comfort of your car. Drive along the outside of the Hutchinson Zoo and see the light displays put on by several non-profit groups and the light displays from […]

Happy Hoofidays at Tanganyika

happy hoofidays at tanganyika

The Holidays are all about spending time with friends, family, and… animals!! Happy Hoofidays with Tanganyika is sure to be an fun and safe way to celebrate the holidays. Tanganyika has fun activities planned: Animals Up-Close Petting Zoo Games Holiday Crafts Cookie Decorating  Family Photos with Santa and The Grinch Meet & Greet with Tanganyika […]