Columbus Ohio Christmas

You’ll never find the Columbus Ohio Christmas Season boring! With all the hustle and bustle of getting ready for that special day – right up to the festivities before – Christmas in Columbus is a wonderful time for all! A season of giving, of hope, of love, and sharing… may this be your best holiday season ever!

Columbus Ohio Christmas Festivities

Dickens of a Christmas

Join us in the village as the spirit of Dickens comes to life! Charles Dickens’ festive and enduring vision of Christmas transforms Ohio Village into a Victorian wonderland. Come enjoy crafts, decorations, caroling, cooking demonstrations and samplings and many more Victorian holiday traditions inspired by Dickens’ colorful tales.

Dates: to be announced
Location: Ohio Historical Center (Ohio Village), 1982 Velma Avenue, Columbus, Ohio
Admission to Dickens of a Christmas at Ohio Village is $12/adults, $9/youth (6-12), $10/Ohio Historical Society adult members and $7/Ohio Historical Society youth members (6-12). Parking is free. Call 800-686-1541

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Gifts of the Craftsmen

Our galleries will be filled with one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry, ceramics, art glass, clothing and more, all made in America by fine craft artists and all available for purchase. It’s a unique holiday shopping experience featuring new artists and long-time favorites.

Dates: to be announced
Hours: Special holiday hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sundays 12 – 4 p.m.
Location: Ohio Craft Museum, 1665 West Fith Avenue, Grandview, Ohio
Visit their website for more information

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Grand Illumination Ceremony

Mayor Michael B. Coleman invites you to celebrate the holiday season and Grand Illumination of Bicentennial Park and the Scioto Mile. Enjoy traditional carols, a custom light show choreographed to seasonal music, and a special appearance by Santa! In the spirit of giving, support the Empty Bowls project by purchasing a piece of handcrafted pottery and receive a bowl of signature mac’n cheese compliments of Milestone 229. All proceeds benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. Complimentary hot beverages and holiday sweets will be available.

Date: to be announced
Location: Bicentennial Park – Convenient parking available at COSI.

Grand Illumination

Dates: to be announced
Location: Bicentennial Park, 233 Civic Center Drive, Columbus, Ohio

Celebrate the season as Downtown Columbus comes alive during the holidays. Stroll along the illuminated Scioto Mile Promenade to Bicentennial Park where visitors can enjoy the stunning holiday light display. New this year, the Scioto Mile features over 200,000 holiday lights as well as dynamic seasonal imagery projected onto the Scioto Mile Fountain, creating a one-of-a-kind visual experience. Stop in Milestone 229 to warm up with a hot beverage and dinner while enjoying a panoramic view of the park and downtown skyline. Admission is free.

Grove City – Winter Lights Christmas Celebration

Activities
Visitors of all ages will enjoy a variety of holiday-themed live entertainment and activities including a parade, choral performances and the official Grove City tree lighting.

Charitable Donations
Nonperishable food, toy and monetary donations will be collected for the Grove City Food Pantry and the Jackson Township Fire Department’s Toys for Kids program the night of the event.

Parade
The parade will step off at 7:30 p.m. and will feature floats decorated in Christmas lights. To participate as a parade entry, contact Grove City Town Center, Inc., located at 3378 Park St., by e-mail at info@grovecitytowncenter.org or by phone at 614-539-8762.

The Town Center tree lighting immediately will follow the parade.

Date: to be announced

Location: Grove City Town Center, Grove City, Ohio

Holiday Carriage Rides

Horse-drawn carriage rides will again be offered during the holiday season in Easton Town Center’s North District. Rides begin November 16 after the Holiday Lighting Ceremony and run each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through December 16, with additional dates December 19-23, 2012.
Dates: Rides begin November 17-December 16, 2013; Fridays and Saturdays: 6:00 PM-10:00 PM; Sundays: 3:00 PM-7:00 PM
Additional dates and hours: December 19, 20, 21, 22: 6:00 PM-10:00 PM; December 23: 3:00 PM-7:00 PM
Location: Easton Town Center, 160 Easton Town Center, Columbus, Ohio
Admission: $10.00 – Children under 15 ride free with a paying adult.
Visit their website for more information

Holidays at the Conservatory – Merry & Bright

Celebrate the season! Hundreds of poinsettias, thousands of twinkling lights and joyous seasonal décor transform the Conservatory into a holiday destination for the entire family.

Paul Busse Model Garden Railway

Model railway designer Paul Busse’s enchanting railroad landscapes and structures are created using all natural materials, like acorns, leaves and twigs. Watch the model train zoom around corners, through tunnels and past the households of favorite fairytale characters including Cinderella, the Three Little Pigs, and Sleeping Beauty.

6th Annual Gingerbread Competition

Marvel at the whimsical and intricate entries in the amateur Gingerbread Competition. Feeling creative? Download an Entry Form at their website.

Holiday Entertainment and Activities

Enjoy festive live music and family activities at Merry & Bright Nights on Wednesday evening. Weekends, gather with family and friends for the always popular Breakfast with Santa or Holiday Candlelight Dinners. Check back soon for more details about scheduled events.

Dates: to be announced
Location: Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43203

Holidays in Powell

Get in the spirit of the season at the 2012 Holidays in Powell festivities on Saturday, Dec. 1 at the Municipal Building and Village Green Park.

The event features a visit from jolly ol’ St. Nick himself, decorated shops with a delightful array of gifts, trolley rides, children’s crafts and activities, warm foods and more!

At 5:30 p.m., Santa Claus and Mayor Richard Cline will light the official City Christmas Tree!

Date: to be announced
Location: Village Green Park & Municipal Building and Downtown, Powell, Ohio
Admission is free
Website: www.cityofpowell.us

Holiday Tour by SegAway Tours of Columbus

SegAway Tours of Columbus will once again be offering unique gliding tours during the upcoming holiday season. The 1.5 hour tour will cruise along the Scioto Mile, over the new Rich Street & Main Street bridges, through Columbus Commons and visit State Auto’s historic Christmas display. Riders will listen to festive holiday music through their helmets while they enjoy the decorations that illuminate our capital city.

Dates: to be announced: Reservations Required
Hours: Offered at 6PM and 8:15PM
Location: Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio
Costs: $45.00 per rider and can accommodate up to 8 riders
Contact: Phone: 614-222-3005 or visit www.segawaytoursofcolumbus.com/

Holiday Pops 2012

You and your family are invited to historic Symphony Hall to be announced when it will be transformed into a magical place for all ages. Be part of the traditional Pops sing-along, and enjoy a visit from jolly old St. Nick!

Click here for more information and to obtain tickets
Location: Ohio Theatre, 55 East State Street, Columbus, Ohio

Holiday Tours on Capitol Square

Step back in time with a guided tour of the 1861 Statehouse and see holiday decorations as they were in Victorian times. Visiting relatives and friends will enjoy a trip to the People’s House during their holiday visit in Columbus.

Dates: to be announced
Hours: Walk-in tours of the Statehouse meet in the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance on the hour on weekdays at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., and weekends at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Location: The Ohio Statehouse, Broad and High Streets, Columbus, Ohio
Free Admission
Contact Information: 888-OHIO-123, 614-752-9777

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Holiday Choir Performances at the Ohio Statehouse

Free lunch-time concerts from Ohio musical groups will take place weekdays from December 3 to December 14. Musical performances are scheduled each weekday at noon in the Crypt of the Ohio Statehouse. Residents, staff and visitors will be treated to a lunch hour concert as Ohio choirs and musical groups celebrate and sing the songs of the season. The concerts are free and open to the public.

Dates: to be announced

Location: Ohio Statehouse, Broad & High Streets; downtown Columbus, Museum Gallery, Ground Floor of the Ohio Statehouse

Home For The Holidays

“Home For The Holidays”, produced by Vaud-Villities Production Company, is an original musical production about Holiday wishes and Theatrical dreams. Come follow the journey of a young solider trying to get home for the Holidays. While in a layover in New York City, he crosses paths with a beautiful young dancer who has visions of dance lines flowing through her head. She is in the final call backs for those famous Rockettes, who are casting for their big Christmas Production at Radio City. Come see how this love story unfolds witha taste of the holiday season in New york.

There is plenty of singing, dancing,and heart felt moments.

This story is filled with tradition and charm that will make you feel like your home for the holidays.

Dates: to be announced
Location: Northland Performing Arts Center, 4411 Tamarack Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43229
Tickets: Open seating at $16.00, 12 and under $10.00
Website: www.vvproductions.com, or call 614-262-7469

Jingle Bell Run/Walk 2012

Get ready Columbus because it’s that time of year again! Get ready to tie bells to your shoes, wear festive holiday attire and jingle through the streets at the 24th Annual 5K Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. This event will help us help some of the 486,000 people in Central Ohio affected by arthritis.

Event Day Schedule: to be announced

Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel Downtown

Click here to register or for more information!

North Market Holiday Open House & Craft Extravaganza

Enjoy the samples that will wet your appetite from the merchants at North Market! Local artists, vendors, and crafters will be on the second floor of the market place for your shopping pleasure! You’ll have entertainment, holiday music, warm drinks, trees and all the trimmings, and roasted chestnuts plust much more!
Date: to be announced
Location: North Market, 59 Spruce Street, Columbus, Ohio
Admission: Free
Website: www.northmarket.com

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Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival

Come one, come all! It is now that time of the year to grab your loved ones and holiday cheer to celebrate the Ohio Statehouse Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival. Everyone is invited! Save the date and join the fun at this year’s remarkable celebration.

The festival marks the commencement of the holiday season on Capitol Square and throughout all of Ohio. For almost a hundred years, this celebration has brought Ohioans together for a vision of seasonal wonder and the sights, sounds and flavors of the holiday season.

The ceremony will consist of a short welcoming of Santa Claus as he arrives at the Ohio Statehouse and a luminous tree lighting. When Capitol Square is lit up and filled with holiday cheer, the festivities will then continue inside the Statehouse for a magical evening. There will be refreshments, arts and crafts activities, games and special performances. A photo station will be available to capture the moment and hold on to the memory of this extraordinary evening with Santa Claus.

Visitors are asked to bring a nonperishable food item to be donated to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank.

Date: to be announced The event is free and open to the public!
Location: West Plaza, Rotunda, Atrium, Museum Gallery, Broad & High Streets; downtown Columbus, Ohio
Admission: Free
Website: www.ohiostatehouse.org

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The Nutcracker – BalletMet

Journey with Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy – a magical world of the imagination filled with colorful characters sure to enchant you and your family.

Dates: to be announced
Location: Ohio Theatre, 39 East State Street, Columbus, Ohio
Admission: For more information and tickets click here

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Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Dates: to be announced
Closed: November 22, December 24 and December 25
Location: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, 9990 River Road, Powell, Ohio
Cost: Regular admission rates apply. Free to Columbus Zoo and Aquarium members.

Turn up the wattage on your holiday season with Wildlights at the Zoo, presented by American Electric Power. Brighter and “greener” than ever, Central Ohio’s favorite family tradition is back with a whole new look. Thanks to AEP’s support, the Zoo converted half of its three million lights into more eco-friendly LED lights.

Don’t miss the Wildlights model train railway and pictures with Santa Clause located in Colo’s Cove and stop by and visit Ms. Clause’s kitchen located in the Kidz Market place.

Be sure to check out our new Animal Encounters Village winter wonderland with our reindeer and our special wildlights Animal’s on Holiday Shows. Finish up your holiday shopping at the Zoo’s Market Place and Manatee Gift Shop.

Winterfair

Beautiful, unique hand-crafted items will be on display at this holiday artists’ winterfair! Contemporary and traditional crafts will include wood, painting, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, glass, metal, photography and much more from artists all over the nation.
Dates: to be announced
Hours: 10 am – 8 pm Friday; 10 am – 8 pm Saturday; Noon – 5 pm Sunday
Location: Ohio Expo Center, Multipurpose Building, 717 East 17th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio
Website: www.ohiocraft.org

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Winter Wonderland at Creekside Park

Enjoy the magic as you step into Winter Wonderland at Creekside Park this holiday season. You’ll find awesome light displays and decorations in this beautiful spot.

Dates: to be announced
Location: Creekside Park & Plaza, 123 Mill Street, Gahanna, Ohio
Free Admission
For more information visit their website

Christmas Tree Farms in and around Columbus

Alum-Polaris Tree Farm, 6520 Bale Kenyon Road, Lewis Center – (740) 548-7923
Beck’s Christmas Tree Farm, 190 Rainbow Drive, Lancaster – (740) 653-6454
Blue Spruce Tree Farm, 8448 Otterbein, Lancaster – (740) 837-9745
Cackler Family Farms, 4971 Cackler Road, Delaware – (740) 524-5311
Christmas Tree Junction, 430 Wiley Road, Delaware – (740) 363-9105
Country Cabin Trees, 3600 Wilson Road, Sunbury – (740) 832-9345
Coyle Farm, 1214 Rockmill Road, Lancaster – (740) 654-0253
Dale’s Christmas Tree Farm, 9481 Kilbourne Road, Sunbury – (740) 524-7473
Flyaway Farm, 1950 Lackey-Old State Road, Delaware – (740) 548-7355
Hessler’s Trees, 7650 Rodebaugh Road, Reynoldsburg – (614) 861-1347
Holiday Acres Tree Farm, 3905 Neff Road, Grove City – (614) 871-4444
Homestead Christmas Trees, 2551 Loudon Road, Granville – (740) 587-1345
L & R Tree Farm, 8708 Palner Road, Pataskala – (740) 927-6375
M & M Tree Farm, 4127 Loudon Street, Granville – (740) 587-3492
McGlone Tree Farm, 2323 Rt. 674, Canal Winchester – (614) 833-0039
Mr. Tree Pines, 1099 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Road, Reynoldsburg – (614) 577-0081
Poplar Ridge Tree Farm, 3623 W. Poplar Ridge Rd. NW, Malta, OH 43758, (740) 962-4628
Prairie Run Tree Farm, 1015 Rt. 61, Sunbury – (740) 965-1427
Saum Family Farms, 4675 Hamburg Road, Lancaster – (740) 969-2058
Sharing Farm Christmas Trees, 7747 Roberts Road, Hilliard – (614) 870-7888
Taylor Tree Farm, 3720 Wilson Road, Sunbury – (740) 965-3293
Timbuk Farms, 2030 Timbuk Road, Granville – (740) 587-2178
TNT Tree Farm, 7183 Davis Road, Hilliard – (614) 876-7297
Walsh Tree Farm, 9068 Fairmount Road S.E., Newark – (740) 323-4885