There are so many great holiday events in the Cincinnati area that I look forward to each year.
As your calendar fills up, you’ll want to make sure to save these dates so you don’t miss out on these favorite holiday classics located throughout the Queen City!
1. PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH
When is the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo?
November 18, 2022 – January 8, 2023
In addition to seeing your favorite zoo animals (many of which are conveniently located inside several indoor heated buildings), you’ll experience the magic of Christmas with over 4 million LED lights at the Festival of Lights.
Highlights for visitors include a ride on the North Polar Express train ride, the spectacular Wild Lights show on Swan Lake, and snacks at one of two S’mores-n-More stands.
Cincinnati Zoo hours during PNC Festival of Lights are 10:00am – 9:00pm.
- Festival of Lights activities begin at 4pm
- Admission to the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo is included with the Zoo’s general admission so you can visit the Zoo early, and then stay for the lights!
You can find the best deal on discounted tickets to the Festival of Lights here.
The Festival of Lights was one of my favorite holiday traditions as a child and now I share the tradition with my kids. Dress in layers because it can be really COLD!
2. The Nutcracker by the Cincinnati Ballet
Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark located across from Washington Park in downtown Cincinnati
When is The Nutcracker by the Cincinnati Ballet?
December 15-24, 2022
Don’t miss Cincinnati’s favorite holiday tradition!
Bring the whole family to enjoy the magic and wonder of The Nutcracker, with sparkling choreography, awe-inspiring sets and costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
When Clara receives a nutcracker on Christmas Eve, her dreams take her on a grand adventure. Follow Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the wondrous Land of Sweets, where a fantastic cast of characters awaits.
Meet the Snow Queen and her King, Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, mischievous mice, brave toy soldiers, chicks, bumblebees and even Clara’s friend Minnie the Poodle. Plus, dozens of local young performers join Cincinnati Ballet’s professional dancers onstage for these holiday performances. It’s a spectacular holiday treat for the entire family!
3. Downtown Dazzle at Fountain Square
520 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH
When is the Downtown Dazzle at Fountain Square?
Saturdays, including November 26, December 3rd, 10th and 17th, 2022
6:30p – Music and festivities
7:00p – Downtown Dazzle show begins
Downtown Dazzle is back to put a holiday twinkle in your eye! Gather in the heart of Cincy for one of the biggest highlights of the holiday season. See Santa Claus rappel from a Cincinnati skyrise and wait with anticipation for the sky to fill with a fabulous fireworks display!
Come early and stay late – Saturdays at the Square are full of festive fun! Enjoy a drink or hot coco at Fountain Square’s Bar or make a holiday memory at the UC Health Ice Rink, presented by Fifth Third Bank.
WEATHER POLICY: Events are rain or shine, however in the event of severe weather or heavy rain they may need to cancel an event. All event cancellations will be posted on Facebook, usually deciding approximately an hour before start time as the weather changes quickly. RSVP to their event pages for weather updates.
4. Scuba Santa‘s Water Wonderland at Newport Aquarium (Kentucky)
1 Levee Way, Newport, KY
When is Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland?
November 25- December 24, 2022
It’s a Water Wonderland full of playful penguins, colorful holiday lights and a flurry of magical bubbles.
See Scuba Santa swim underwater with a tank full of sharks and tell him what you want for Christmas. Meet cheerful elves straight from the North Pole and join in the fun as Scuba Santa fills the Theater with bubbles.
5. Christmas With Over the Rhine
December 16-18, 2022
Memorial Hall 1225 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH
This has been one of my all-time favorite local bands for over 2 decades. Their Christmas show is a wonderful tradition with a mix of originals and their takes on holiday classics.
6. Celestial Holiday at Krohn Conservatory
1501 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH
When is Celestial Holiday at Krohn Conservatory?
November 5, 2022 – January 8th, 2023
Experience a tapestry of colorful poinsettias, charming garden railways and beautiful replicas of Cincinnati landmarks created out of “Botanical Architecture” by local artisans, Applied Imagination.
Krohn Conservatory is where holiday traditions take place in the warmth of the tropics.
7. Holiday Junction Featuring the Duke Energy Trains at the Cincinnati Museum Center
When is Holiday Junction at the Cincinnati Museum Center?
Select days November 23- January 2, 2023
Location: Union Terminal
*Additional ticket required
This year the Duke Energy Holiday Trains are celebrating their 75th season.
The Duke Energy Holiday Trains have been a Cincinnati holiday staple since 1946, delighting generations since they first debuted downtown in 1946. Track-level views reveal intricate details of the display, where over 300 rail cars and 60 locomotives steam past anxious passengers waiting to board while cars sit with snow to their hubcaps and the perfect trees strapped to their roofs.
Holiday Junction features bursts of winter whimsy that greet you as soon as you enter the door. The Northern Lights display serves as the perfect backdrop for family photos as wispy green lights dance behind you and snow-rimmed trees surround you. The history of the Duke Energy Holiday Trains is also told through an interactive storybook filled with photos of the iconic trains over the decades.
To ensure guest safety, Holiday Junction’s riding train will not be pulling into station this season, but they’ve given you even more to discover in its place. The Holiday Scavenger Hunt features hidden objects in the garden railway layout begging you to walk around, peel your eyes and scour every detail for pigs, polar bears, dinosaurs, steamboats and astronauts tucked away in the snowy hills.
Returning once again is Brickopolis, a blizzard of LEGO bricks crafted into fantastical scenes from the magical worlds of Disney, Marvel, DC Comics and Harry Potter. The whimsical display is another seek and find treat surrounding a stunning LEGO metropolis complete with running trains, active seashores and hijinks by the local residents.
Visit with Santa
Of course, no holiday is complete without a visit from Santa. Santa makes his grand arrival on Friday, November 26. Although you won’t be able to sit with Santa, you can visit the jolly elf by his fireplace in the Public Landing adjacent to Holiday Junction. Santa will be busy preparing for the big day but will happily pause to speak with you from a safe distance.
Also returning this year is the OMNIMAX film Rocky Mountain Express, where you can immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Canadian Rockies aboard a historic steam locomotive.
Tickets are limited and timed entry is required so purchase yours in advance. Holiday Junction is free for Members but timed entry is required. Guests of Members will also require a paid, timed ticket.
8. Christmastown at the Creation Museum (Kentucky) FREE
2800 Bullittsburg Church Rd, Petersburg, KY
When is Christmastown at the Creation Museum?
5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on select days from November 25 through December 30, 2022
*Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Tour the dazzling garden of lights, reflect on the true meaning of the season at the live nativity, and experience more during the free, annual ChristmasTown!
*This is a free event but there is a fee for parking.
The Christmastown at the Creation Museum includes the Garden of Lights, Live Nativity, Eden Animal Experience, Children’s Playground and Encounter the Wonder 4D SFX Show.
9. Journey BOREALIS Light Show at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum
1763 Hamilton Cleves Road Hamilton, OH
When is Journey BOREALIS Light Show at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum?
November 18th, 2022 – January 1st, 2023
- 6PM TO 9PM Tuesdays to Thursdays
- 6PM TO 10PM Fridays to Sundays
- Closed on Mondays
This charming light show, Holiday Lights on the Hill, is a 2-mile round trip drive-through annual light display.
Visitors will then travel through Germany’s Candy Cane Forest with more than 50 yarn-wrapped trees. Next, see if you can find two sneaky characters in Grinch’s Greenland.
Then, celebrate Bethlehem’s birth of Jesus before finally arriving at the North Pole. Before exiting, there is one last surprise provided by Brave Berlin (the creators of Blink): a spectacular transformation of the park’s Pavilion into a beautiful Winterland with video projection surprises behind every door!
To enjoy the new, festive soundtrack by Butler Philharmonic Orchestra and vocals by Cincinnati Boychoir, please download the OTOCAST APP (see link below) before arriving to the show.
Admission Fee for Journey BOREALIS Light Show at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
- $25 per carload for non-members
- $15 per carload for members
- *Maximum 5 people per carload
- City of Hamilton residents get in FREE on Tuesdays (45011, 45013, and 45015 zip codes, please bring your license, current utility bill, or government-issued ID)
10. CHRISTMAS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS at Coney Island Amusement Park
6201 Kellogg Avenue Cincinnati, OH
When is the Christmas Nights of Lights at Coney Island Amusement Park?
November 11 to January 2, 2023
The show will begin nightly at dusk and run through 10 p.m. Christmas Nights of Lights will be open every night including holidays.
Nights of Lights operates rain or shine
Experience this amazing light show synchronized to both traditional and rocking holiday music through your car radio. Visitors of all ages will be awed by the larger-than-life trees, glowing snowflakes, dancing candy canes and fantastic tunnels of lights!
In the comfort of your car, you can sing along to the sounds of the season synchronized to each holiday display. Christmas Nights of Lights welcomes carloads of families and friends to enjoy this winter wonderland.
With two and a half miles to drive through, your family can see displays and light shows made of over a million lights driven by more than forty thousand computer channels.
11. Winterfest at Kings Island Amusement Park
6300 Kings Island Drive Mason, OH
When is Winterfest at Kings Island?
Winterfest will take place on select nights from Nov 25-Dec 31, 2022.
(Get tips for visiting Winterfest at Kings Island )
Imagine an old-fashioned winter…rosy-cheeked skaters gliding under twinkling lights, the magic of dazzling holiday events and carolers in traditional costumes, shops filled with ornaments, trinkets, and toys, the aroma of freshly-baked treats and the spirit of everyone’s favorite season captured in an atmosphere of warmth and nostalgia – a place where memories of holidays past are present; a place where memories of Christmas activities are waiting to be made.
Step into WinterFest at Kings Island on select nights in November and December. It’s an unforgettable experience with the park transformed into ten enchanting winter wonderlands.
There’s something for everyone in the family to enjoy at this Christmas event, like ice skating on the Royal Fountain, seeing the Eiffel Tower transformed into a magical 314-foot tall Christmas tree, live shows, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, rides (like Mystic Timbers and the bumper cars as well as snow tubing in the Action Ice Zone), delicious holiday treats, Charlie Brown’s Christmas Town, millions of lights and holiday characters spreading merriment, like Jack Frost, Candy Cane, and the Sugar Plum Fairy.t
Save on discounted Winterfest tickets here
12. Light in the Forest at the Cincinnati Nature Center
Enjoy a peaceful walk in the winter woods at their annual holiday lights event.
Featuring new artistic light displays curated by partner Brave Berlin, live music, shopping, a decorated historic home, and more!
When is Light in the Forest at the Cincinnati Nature Center?
Select dates December 1–January 1, 2022 from 5:30-9 pm
* Closed December 24 & 25
Free parking.
Which Can’t Miss Holiday Events in Cincinnati Are You Looking Forward To?
*All events were accurate at the time of this posting but make sure that you double-check with the event source before the event in case there are any changes or cancellations. Click the link for the event’s website.
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Christmas and New Year will come very soon. Thank you for the wonderful selection of festive events.
It looks like there are some great Christmas events in Cincinnati. I’d love to see the Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol. The lights look beautiful, too!
You forgot about the awesome Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Holiday concerts on Dec 8,9 & 10!!! Family tradition for many.