Holidays in Kentucky
Holiday family fun is around the corner with many opportunities for festive experiences and light displays all around our beautiful state. Check out the listings below for the best holiday experiences around the Bluegrass.
November 6 - January 1
Festival of Lights at Patti's, Grand Rivers: Over 1.5 million lights adorn Patti’s 1880’s Settlement, the streets of the village, Little Lake Park, businesses, and the marinas. During the holiday season, special character breakfasts take place at Patti’s 1880s, Santa & Mrs. Claus takes time out of their busy schedule for breakfast & lunch with guests at the Community Center, Santa visits with children at Patti’s Settlement, vintage horsedrawn carriages take visitors through the village to view the amazing lights, live Christmas shows take place at the Badgett Playhouse, and much more!
November 13
Greenville kicks off the Christmas season with a bright new centerpiece: an 18-foot community Christmas tree in Veterans Plaza. Beginning at 6 p.m, the Festival of Lights invites visitors downtown for the tree lighting, a little local shopping and an evening of small-town holiday cheer. It’s a welcoming way to usher in the season in the heart of Muhlenberg County.
November 13 - 14
Get a head start on holiday shopping at the sixth annual Kentucky Mercantile Market in Somerset. Held at The 5th Quarter, the two-day event makes a convenient first stop for a weekend of Christmas-market browsing around town. Shoppers can visit Friday, November 13, from 5–8 p.m., or Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m., before continuing their holiday shopping at the Sheltowee Artisans market.
November 14 - 15
For gifts with a personal touch, head to the 32nd Annual Sheltowee Holiday Craft Fair at Somerset’s Center for Rural Development. Artists and craftspeople from across Kentucky and beyond bring high-quality handcrafted goods and Kentucky Proud products together for a shopping experience that celebrates creativity and craftsmanship. Food vendors will be on-site, and admission is free—making this an easy addition to a festive Somerset weekend.
November 14 - December 27
Oldham County puts a distinctly Kentucky spin on holiday celebrations. Sip Christmas tea inside the historic home at Hermitage Farm, browse an open-air Christmas market at 3rd Turn Oldham Gardens, or explore illuminated gardens and a model train village during Yuletide at Yew Dell. Seasonal highlights also include more than 600 nativity displays at Crestwood’s Festival of Music, Trees & Nativities, December 4–5, and Light Up La Grange on December 5, featuring shopping, Santa visits, a fire truck parade and an evening tree lighting—all against the backdrop of a historic downtown where freight trains roll along Main Street
November 14 - January 3
Lights Under Louisville at Louisville Mega Cavern: Enjoy a 30 minute ride through part of the 17 miles of underground passageways in your vehicle featuring over 900 lit characters with over 4,000,000 points of light. The Christmas Express is back and better than ever! What better way to get in the holiday spirit than to witness more than 4,000,000 points of lights and over 900 displays in an open top trailer!
November 16 - January 4
Winter Wonderland of Lights Festival, Ashland: You are invited to join in celebrating their five-week Winter Wonderland of Lights festival! Stroll through their 52-acre park ablaze with 60 magical holiday displays containing over 800,000 lights.
November 17 - January 2
November 18 - January 4
Merry & Bright at My Old Kentucky Home, Bardstown: Guides in Victorian hoop skirts and gentleman in tailcoats sing the song “My Old Kentucky Home,” on your tour of Kentucky’s most famous landmark decorated for Christmas, My Old Kentucky Home! The mansion is adorned and decorated with six beautiful 12′ tall Christmas trees, each with a unique Kentucky theme, including the Commonwealth Tree, Meadows in the Bloom, Birds Make Music All the Day, & more!
November 18 - December 31
Christmas Island at General Burnside Island, Burnside: Join us each week from November 18th to December 31st for fun for the whole family! Christmas Island at General Burnside Island features beautiful Christmas light displays each night.
November 25 - December 23
Christmas at Mustard Seed Hill, Millersburg: Experience a spectacular holiday tradition just 30 minutes north of Lexington in the heart of Bourbon County. Stroll the breath-taking lights, enjoy music, gather with friends, shop for the perfect gift and don’t miss the most stunning gingerbread house displays in Kentucky.
November 27 - January 2
Farmwald’s Restaurant & Dutch Bakery adds a generous helping of family fun to the holidays with Amish Country Christmas. Beginning November 27, visitors can lace up for ice skating, tackle the giant Snowzilla inflatable slide, bounce inside a giant snowman and decorate gingerbread houses. Bakery treats, hearty food and shopping for Amish-made favorites round out the experience. The seasonal celebration runs through January 2, with closures on Sundays; activity tickets and day passes are available.
November 27 - December 31
Christmas in the Park, Elizabethtown: This vibrant city invites visitors to the 30th annual Christmas in the Park, at Freeman Lake Park. Travel along an illuminated roadway to enjoy more than 100 brilliant displays. Freeman Lake acts as a stunning backdrop as the lights glimmer off the water. Elizabethtown also opens an artificial Ice Rink for guests and residents to skate around.
November 27 - December 31
Christmas at Panther Creek, Owensboro: Owensboro continues their holiday tradition to raise money for local non-profits. This annual holiday festival offers a drive-through light display with over 500,000 lights through Owensboro’s Panther Creek Park. The display is $5 per vehicle, and all proceeds go to support various Daviess County non-profit organizations.
November 27 – January 2
Christmastime at Ark Encounter, Williamstown: You’ll enjoy a life-size ark and gardens illuminated in rainbow-colored lights, Ararat Ridge Zoo, festive food and drinks, traditional Christmas carols, a massive fair trade market and gift shop for Christmas shopping, and so much more. Thursdays to Saturday, 5-8:30 p.m.
November 28 - December 31
Southern Lights at Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington: Southern Lights is a magical holiday tradition for thousands of families throughout the Bluegrass and beyond. See over a million twinkling lights from the safety of your car and enjoy a stroll through the Holiday Village featuring safe and family friendly activities for all ages. Tickets are $35 per carload.
November 27 - December 30
Holiday lights meet community giving at Paducah’s Christmas in the Park, where half a million lights illuminate Bob Noble Park from Black Friday through New Year’s Eve. Families can enjoy the drive-through display from the comfort of their vehicles, with Christmas music supplied by a local radio partner. Admission donations of nonperishable food are encouraged but not required; in 2025, the event generated 76,595 pounds of food and $44,175 for local food pantries. Make a getaway of it with a visit to Paducah’s historic downtown, where preserved 19th-century architecture, locally owned shops and twinkling lights set the scene for holiday shopping, dining and cozy overnight stays.
November 27 - December 30
Gardens Aglimmer, Waterfront Botanical Gardens Louisville: Enjoy a sparkling winter wonderland of swans, snowflakes, deer, Moravian stars, oversized flowers, light bursts, candles, and a multicolor tunnel of lights. Wander the Gardens under icicle arches and over a waterfall stream aglow. Visit Santa and his sleigh in the Graeser Family Education Center and Mrs. Claus' Cottage in the Ellen T Leslie Botanical Classrooms*. Holiday beverages will be available for purchase in the Jingle All the Way Cafe. Estimate visit length 45 minutes. Lights out at 9 pm. (No outside food or drink, pets, smoking or vaping allowed inside the Gardens)
December 4
Downtown Madisonville becomes a festive gathering place for art lovers, gift seekers and families during the sixth annual Mistletoe Art Stroll. Scheduled for December 4 from 4–8 p.m., the free event brings together local makers, holiday shopping and Christmas activities in the heart of downtown. It’s an invitation to slow down, browse for something special and enjoy the community’s hometown holiday atmosphere.
December 4 - 5
Downtown Murray becomes a Hallmark-style holiday scene during Main Street Merriment on the evening of December 4. Shops around the square welcome families with free children’s activities, Santa poses for photos and hears Christmas wishes, and an ice skating rink adds to the festive fun. A sprawling holiday vendor market evokes the charm of European Christmas street markets, inviting visitors to browse for gifts and soak up the seasonal atmosphere. The celebration continues December 5 with additional activities and Murray’s Christmas Parade.
December 5
Return to downtown Greenville on December 5 for another dose of hometown holiday spirit at the community Christmas parade. Scheduled from 5–7 p.m., the parade offers a festive follow-up to November’s Festival of Lights and another reason to gather along Main Street during the Christmas season.
December 5
Make room for a big helping of Christmas cheer at the Glasgow Christmas Parade, Kentucky’s longest parade. The event brings holiday excitement to the streets of downtown Glasgow, with Glasgow Square at the center of the celebration. It promises to be a festive Saturday-night outing for families and parade lovers alike.
December 5
Franklin’s historic downtown square sets the scene for Small Town Christmas on December 5. This beloved first-Saturday-in-December tradition brings together visits with Santa, caroling, hot chocolate and festive photo opportunities around the square. Community Christmas tree decorating and lighting add to the nostalgic atmosphere, creating the kind of celebration that invites families to linger and make memories together. Don't miss out on Storytime with the Grinch, but advance reservations are required because space is limited.
December 6
Experience holiday music in an extraordinary setting during Mammoth Cave National Park’s 47th annual Cave Sing. The cherished tradition brings musical groups and visitors together to fill the cave’s vast chambers and passages with carols. The modern celebration began in 1980, drawing inspiration from an 1883 Christmas gathering inside the cave that included singing and a decorated pine tree.
December 31
Muhlenberg County plans to give its postponed Independence Day celebration a sparkling holiday-season encore, moving the rescheduled Fourth of July fireworks to New Year’s Eve. The display promises a festive way to close out the year—with a little summertime spirit lighting up the winter sky.
Saturdays in December until Christmas
Illuminated Evenings at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg: During the holiday season, Shaker Village will bustle with light-hearted moments that remind us of long-ago winter days filled with wonder and laughter. Make time to delight in life’s simple gifts with family and friends, as lively music, merriment and candlelight illuminate the Village. In addition to their regular Holiday festivities, Illuminated Evenings will feature holiday music, roaring fires, twinkling lights and an appearance by Mrs. Claus!
Our Kentucky State Parks have numerous holiday experiences on schedule. Breakfast with Santa, holiday ornament workshops, Christmas teas, just to name a few. Visit their schedule of events here.
Don't forget to check out your local Convention and Visitors Bureau office for any additional holiday activities in your area.