Fun, Free Events

Celia’s Yuletide Express and Winter Market (STL), Thursday, December 18 from 2-8pm at the History Museum in Forest Park, 5700 Lindell Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112. Beginning at 2pm, browse the vendors at the Sold on St. Louis Winter Market, and stay for craft activities from 4-6:30pm. From 6:30-7:30pm, enjoy Celia’s Yuletide Express, a merry group of singers and sleigh bell ringers, bring the holiday cheer to St. Louis by the trainload. Information

Family Nights at The Magic House (STL),Friday, December 19 from 5-8pm at The Magic House, 516 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122. These special nights enable a family (up to two adults and four children) to visit the Museum at no cost. Space is limited. Information

Third Friday at 3rd Degree Glass: Ugly Sweater Contest (STL), Friday, December 19 from 6-10pm at 3rd Degree Glass, 5200 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108. Wear your best ugly sweater you can find. We’re having a contest and it’s the audience’s choice! If you’re chosen the winner, our glass artists will replicate your fashion sense as a piece of glass. And when it’s cooled off and ready, you get to take it home. Enjoy live music by Dodging Potholes, seasonal specialty cocktails, hands-on glass experiences and more. Information

Winter Festivities, Art & Nature Day at Laumeier Sculpture Park (STL), Saturday, December 20 from 10am-1pm at LSP, 12580 Rott Rd, St. Louis, MO 63127. Celebrate the arrival of winter at the Sculpture Park. Create bird seed ornaments using fun shapes and molds while learning about the importance of feeding your backyard birds during the winter. Get your legs moving by strolling through the park on a winter themed tour before warming up with some roasted chestnuts. Cost: Free. Information

Pictures with Santa at Westport (STL), Saturday, December 20 from 10am-12noon at Westport Mall (2nd floor in the Gold Building)Join Westport for a free, family-friendly holiday celebration. Meet Santa, snap magical photos, and enjoy festive fun. Learn more.

Pictures with Santa at Chicken ‘N Pickle (SCC), Saturday, December 20 from 10am-2pm. Enjoy our delicious brunch buffet (cost for brunch) and capture a picture-perfect moment with Santa! Photos are free, just bring your own camera or phone to snap the magic. Brunch sold separately. Information

Ornament Painting at Michael’s (STL & SCC), Saturday, December 20 from 1-3pm all Michael’s store locations across the metro STL/SCC area. Take a step back from your holiday chaos and come relax with us and paint a wooden ornament. We will also have some sweet treats for you to enjoy. Free, but please Register Here ~ If you can’t attend an in-person class, check out all the virtual classes in Michael’s Winter Workshop. 

Central West End Window Walk (STL), Saturday, December 20 from 1-5 p.m. in the Central West End, St. Louis, MO 63108 (map). Enjoy free holiday festivities, including trolley rides, live music, ice carvings, street performers, pictures with Santa, s’mores, holiday vendors, a scavenger hunt, and more. Learn more.

Gateway Ringers Handbell Concert (STL), December 21 from 4-5pm at Bethesda Gardens, 420 S Kirkwood Rd, Kirkwood, MO 63122.  No tickets are required, but preferred seating will be given to Bethesda residents.  Enjoy our Holiday Concert, “Celebrating 30 Years of Ringing,” at our free concert.  Information

Chanukah on Main (SCC), Sunday, December 21 from 5-6pm at Berthold Square on Historic Main Street in St. Charles, MO 63301. The evening features the lighting of the grand menorah, holiday music, and traditional Chanukah treats like gelt and jelly donuts. We welcome people of all backgrounds to share in this celebration of light. Information

Chanukah at The Arch in Kiener Plaza (STL), nightly from December 17-21, times varies each evening, at Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, MO 63101. Celebrate the holiday with the lighting of the candles of The Staenberg Menorah each evening of the holiday. Dates: Sunday-Sunday, December 14th-21st (times vary each evening). Admission is FREE. Information

Kwanzaa Celebration (STL), Friday, December 26 from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. at Saint Louis Art Museum, One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.  One of the region’s biggest Kwanzaa celebrations, the St. Louis Art Museum brings culture, performance, and tradition together for this event presented in partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Information

Plan Ahead…

Winter Getaway Series (STL), December 27 & 28, and December 30 & 31 from 10am-1pm at the History Museum in Forest Park, 5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112. Each day, we explore a different historical topic including winter animals, clothing trends, and carols and customs in Europe. December 31 is our special Noon Year’s Eve for those who can’t stay up until midnight. Free and no registration is needed. Information

Bald Eagle Events in the Middle Mississippi River Valley: beginning as early as December 27, 2025 and running through February 2026, the Mississippi River Valley is host to a wide range of eagle watching events. Various state agencies and parks, nature and other local organizations, and communities provide special programs and events to see our national symbol. Information

Season-Long Holiday Events…

Brewery Lights Drive Thru Nights at Anheuser Busch Brewery (STL), FREE – final dates Tuesday, & Wednesday, December 16, & 17, 2025. Enjoy driving through the Brewery with its historic buildings all dressed up for Christmas in half a million twinkling lights. Admission is FREE on these nights only. No Brewery Lights activities are held during Drive Thru Nights. Enter and exit Pestalozzi Street at the main gate located at Busch Place and Arsenal. Information

Festive Fridays at the Art Museum (STL), FREE, final date for the season: Friday, December 19 from 4-8pm at the St. Louis Art Museum (SLAM), One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri 63110. The Art Museum celebrates the holiday season with free concerts, tours, gallery activations, and art-making activities every Friday from November 28 through December 19. In between programs and visits to the galleries, stop by a holiday pop-up bar in Sculpture Hall to purchase seasonal drinks and snacks. Event Calendar

Christkindlmarkt – German Christmas Market (ILL): FREE, Weekends through December 23, 2025 in Belleville, IL. The annual Christkindlmarkt features live entertainment and demonstrations, live reindeer, German food vendors, unique European handcrafted items, family photo ops, Santa and more. Admission is free for you to browse the vendors selling holiday items. Information

St. Charles Christmas Traditions: (SCC) FREE with fees for optional special activities, through December 24, various times on Main Street, Historic St. Charles, MO, 63301. Step back in time to celebrate the holidays on historic Main Street in St. Charles. Enjoy hot-roasted chestnuts, meet Santas from around the world, and hear Victorian carolers. Every Wednesday evening, Main Street is transformed into 1840s London with the “A Christmas Carol” Stroll. Cost is free to attend, some activities have a fee. Information

Live Music at the City Foundry (STL), Fridays and Saturdays through December 27 from  7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at City Foundry, 3730 Foundry Way, St. Louis, MO, 63110. Enjoy a variety of music form St. Louis artists: jazz, acoustic, rock, covers and more. Browse the many food and retail vendors at the Foundry for some holiday shopping. Admission is FREE, and FREE parking is available. Information

Lady of the Snows Christmas Way of Lights (ILL), FREE with fees for optional special activities, through December 31, 2025 from 5-9pm at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, ILL. For 56 years, the Shrine of Our Lady of Snows hosts the drive-through Way of Lights Christmas display focusing on the Holy Family’s Journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus Christ. Inside the building, stroll through the free Christmas Tree display of professionally decorated trees with the theme of “Christmas Cookies” or stop to watch a musical performance by a community group.Fees apply to special activities including donkey, pony or camel rides, the petting zoo, refreshments, the Christmas wreath auction, quilt raffle tickets, and Christmas Lego display. Military Mondays and Family Night Tuesdays with special discounts for activities.  Information

Winterfest (STL),FREE with fees for optional special activities and parking, Open weekends through December 31, 2025 in Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. Winterfest is an eight-week winter celebration featuring ice skating, s’mores stations and igloos underneath 100,000 twinkling lights in the shadow of the Gateway Arch, special events “Try Hockey Free”, visits from princesses and superheroes, and a family friendly New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular. Winterfest is open most Friday’s, Saturday’s, and Sunday’s, with extended days/hours on Friday December 26, Saturday December 27, Sunday December 28, Monday December 29, Tuesday December 30, and Wednesday December 31 from Noon-8 p.m.  Winterfest Information

Holiday Toy Train Display (SCC), FREE, through January 4, 2026 from 10am-5pm at St. Charles County Heritage Museum, 1630 Heritage Landing, St. Peters, MO, 63376 (map). Bring your family and friends to see this small but whimsical portrayal of St. Charles County’s landmark buildings in a snowy model train display. Information

Holiday light displays in the Metro area, (some locations charge an entry fee): Information Here

Find out more about HOLIDAY LIGHT HOPPING 2025 – FREE self guided tours of lights in the metro area.

Search for more Activities in your part of town…