Looking for things to do in Wichita, KS for Christmas? November and December are normally filled with holiday events in Wichita, including Christmas concerts and shows, festive bazaars and markets, visits with Santa, Christmas light tours, and even horse-drawn carriage rides.
Many of these events make for an affordable day out with the family, a date night with your spouse or an evening with friends.
Wichita Holiday Events for Families
Winter Wonderland and Mayors Tree Lighting This local tradition now takes on a new agenda with the Mayor’s tree lighting ceremony being combined with a new Winter Wonderland event at Nafzger Park.
Date: December 10, 2022 – 5pm
Bradley Fair Holiday Stroll As much a part of the Christmas season in Wichita as Santa himself, this shopping center’s event includes free carriage rides, a visit from Santa, and live entertainment, and more!
Date: Sunday, November 20, 2022 – 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Botanica 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 coco and treats, and the opportunity to visit Santa.
Dates: November 18 to January 1 (excluding Nov. 25 & 26, Dec. 24 & 25)
A Country Christmas Holiday at Fulton Valley Farms is a holiday event draped with over 800,000 lights, live reindeer, a new Santa Station and so much more. They have also added some really fun special events for this Holiday Season that are reasonably priced.
Dates: November 25 – December 16, 2022
Victorian Christmas at Old Cowtown Museum is a lamp-lit, carol-filled magical night where you can enjoying a warm cup of hot chocolate with family and friends while you stroll through the streets of Cowtown as it has been transformed into a good ol’ fashioned Victorian Christmas.
Dates: December 2, 3, 9, 10 – 6-9pm
Old Fashioned Christmas at Prairie Pines enjoy a traditional Christmas experience including horse-drawn wagon rides, a visit with Santa, bucket train rides for the kids, Christmas carolers, and cookies and hot cocoa to top it all off.
Dates: Begins Friday, November 25th, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
STRATACA Season of Lights enjoy a tour like no other as you experience a maze of magical lights throughout the mine.
Dates: NOV. 12, 2022 – JAN. 9, 2023 8am – 5pm
Additional Christmas Attractions Wichita
Take in a Show
We have our share of holiday shows and concerts in Wichita! There’s everything from Nutcracker performances – both traditional and unconventional – to musical performances from choirs or symphonies to holiday comedy and beyond.
Visit a Christmas Tree Farm
You can find live Christmas trees in a lot of places, but it’s really fun to go out into a field and choose the perfect tree for you and your family. Wichita’s Christmas Tree Farms will give you the full holiday experience. You won’t find the cheapest trees there but you’ll have memories that are priceless! (In a normal year, some Christmas tree farms have holiday activities and wagon rides out to the fields, making this a very Christmassy thing to do. This isn’t a normal year though, so be sure to double-check what is being offered before you make your plans.)
Look at Christmas Lights
Turn on the radio and enjoy festive holiday light displays in neighborhoods all over Wichita. You can enjoy the residential displays completely free of charge, or donate to the charities the homeowners are collecting for. Another way to enjoy holiday lights is to drive through The Arc Lights or drive or walk through Illuminations at Botanica.
Visit Santa
Ho ho ho! Where’s the big guy? You can find Santa (and even his reindeer) at locations around Wichita. Santa prefers Wichita’s milder climate and high-percentage of “Nice List” residents so he often flies in for visits (kind of like Harrison Ford). Find out Where to See Santa in Wichita.
Take a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride
There’s nothing better for a Hallmark Ho-Ho than to enjoy a horse-drawn carriage. (Okay, if we had more snow it would be better to ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, but this is Kansas.) See our complete list of horse-drawn carriage rides.
Do a Little Local Shopping
As soon as the autumn leaves start turning, local makers start bringing all their lovingly made goods to fall bazaars and Christmas craft fairs all around Wichita. In 2020, we did see several craft fairs and holiday markets get canceled but they aren’t all a thing of Christmas past!
Also visit our list of Discount and Outlets store in and around Wichita,
Photo Opp Locations in Wichita
Santa Photos:
Cabela’s – November 5 – December 24
2427 N Greenwich Rd from
Illuminations at Botanica – November 18 – December 23
Botanica, 701 N. Amidon
Santa Photo Experience at Towne East – Beginning November 23, during mall hours
7700 E. Douglas
Old Fashioned Christmas at Prairie Pines – Beginning November 25
4055 N. Tyler Road in Maize, KS
Other Holiday Photo Opps:
The Selfie Spot on Douglas – 1811 East Douglas Ave. Wichita, KS
Holiday themed vignettes beginning Nov. 19th
Adult Event:
Snowbound at Chicken N Pickle: Pop-Up Bar
Join us for Aprés-Ski in Snowbound, a pop-up holiday bar! With summit views, a gondola, a cozy atmosphere and outdoor fire-pits, there’s no question that Kris Kringle will be sipping holiday cocktails at Snowbound all season long.
Monday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 9:30pm
Friday: 5:00pm – 11:45pm
Saturday: 2:45pm – 11:45pm
Sunday: 2:45pm – 7:15pm
Reserve your ski passes and enjoy our spacious venue with summit views, craft bites, and unique holiday drinks. For more information check out the Snowbound FAQs.
For ages 21 & older
Checkout this Video: Snowbound Video
Photo Of Snowbound at Chicken N Pickle
Jingle and Mingle: A Christmas Pop-Up Bar
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 30
Time: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Location: Security First Title, 2127 N Collective Lane, Wichita, KS 67206
Cost: Free
Event Description:
Get the holiday tingles when you come to the mingle at our Christmas Pop-Up Bar! Gather your friends and family to enjoy holiday spirit cocktails, mingle with new and old friends, and snap a selfie at our festive selfie stations. Vote for your favorite designs by making a donation to St. Anthony Family Shelter at Catholic Charities to help provide shelter, food and supplies to homeless families in our community.
Come take a fun holiday photo, enjoy a drink, a mingle with friends while supporting a good cause. Selfie station designs by Mary Billings, Britney Mckenzie, & friends of Catholic Charities.
Link to learn more information: https://fb.me/e/3gabpeTcb
2020
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Friday, November 6, 2020
2019
Could you please add this to your list? Thank you so much!
Melodramas are back in the Empire House Theatre in Old Cowtown Museum!
We will be presenting “Belle of Bisbee or Expel All Wicked Ways” followed by an olio entitled “Christmas Ornaments” on December 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 at 7 pm; with matinees on the 11th and 18th at 2 pm. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 ages 5-12; 4 and under free. Show is rated G and runs about an hour and 45 minutes. Reservations available by calling Cowtown at 316-350-3323; or CASH at the door.
Susi, thanks for letting us know about your event! Can you tell me who “we” is? (In other words, is this a theater troupe, or Cowtown itself, or some other entity?)
Thanks!
Carolyn,
Thanks for all you do to keep families informed of great ways to spend time together. I wanted to let you know about an awesome free, family event coming up:
Holy Cross Lutheran Church and School at 600 N. Greenwich Rd is having a Renaissance Christmas Pageant on Dec 6 & 7. This FREE Renaissance Christmas Pageant: Boar’s Head Festival will include music, dance, costumes, comedy, worship and family fun to start the Christmas season!
The entire community is invited to attend and help us celebrate the joy of Jesus’s birth!
The Facebook event is: https://facebook.com/events/741918932934401/?ti=icl
Thanks, Sarah! I will add it.
My husband and I thought it would be nice if tracked down and listed the best holiday decorated restaurants and bars and hotel lobbies. We just want to go out for a holiday drink to enjoy the decorations as we have no family in town.
That is a good idea! I know that Old Town was having a contest for the best holiday window display, so maybe some of those places (in Old Town) would be good ones to start with.
Please let us know if you find anything awesome!
This is a great list! So nice to have these all in one place. Can you add the location to the Journey to Bethlehem?
Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words. There’s a link (in the article above) to the Journey to Bethlehem event with all the information you need, but it’s at Rose Hill Christian Church, 314 N. Rose Hill Rd., Rose Hill, KS 67133
Don’t forget the Luminaries in Hyde Park in Hutchinson from 18th – 23rd & Main St – Monroe St Dec. 23rd
Thanks, Amber! I’ve added it. 🙂
Wichita Childrens Theatre doing Best Christmas Pagent Ever December 5 – 10. Also they are doing Gingerbread Man November 29th – December 16th.
Thanks for all you do!?
Thanks for sharing all of these great events!
Christmas vendor, craft, & bake sale 12/6/13 at Westview Baptist Church @ 1325 S. Meridian 6-10pm. Come for some holiday shopping, storytelling, family photos, & more.
http://Www.facebook.com/events/1424706314424357
The Old Cowtown Christmas Dec 6/7, 13/14.
The Collegiate Association of Parents (CAP) of Wichita Collegiate School is hosting its annual holiday market and poinsettia sale on Thursday, December 6 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The event will be held in the school’s multi-purpose room, which is located on the southwest corner of Wichita Collegiate School’s campus. Admission is free.