Christmas Events for Kids in Alabaster (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 3 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Alabaster for 2026. The city’s Christmas Parade heads down Highway 31 on Saturday morning, December 5, and Santa drops into the Albert L. Scott Library for a Kids’ Holiday Party with cookie decorating on Wednesday, December 9. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Alabama Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Alabaster

  • 2 Christmas events for kids in Alabaster
  • Christmas Parade: Saturday, December 5, 10 am, Highway 31 South
  • Kids’ Holiday Party: Wednesday, December 9, 10 am to noon
  • Santa: at the library party
  • Both free

Free Christmas events for kids in Alabaster

Morning parade on Highway 31Free

Alabaster Christmas Parade

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Alabaster’s Christmas Parade, organized by city staff, rolls south on Highway 31 from Long Lewis Ford past the old police station judges’ stand, over the train tracks and on to Southbrook Village.

There is no set theme this year, so entries bring their own ideas, and candy is thrown along the route.

Parent tip: Stand south of Wayne’s Auto Sales on U.S. 31 to see every entry, and bring a bag for the candy.

Host
Alabaster Parks & Recreation (opens in a new tab)
Address
Highway 31 South, from Long Lewis Ford to Southbrook Village, Alabaster, AL 35007 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Alabaster Parks & Recreation (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

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Santa at the libraryFree

Kids’ Holiday Party at Alabaster Library

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The Alabaster library throws a morning holiday party for kids in the Nan Abbott Room with a visit from Santa Claus and cookie decorating.

More activities are still being added, and it is a good fit for preschoolers and homeschool families on a weekday.

Parent tip: Bring a camera for Santa and a container to carry decorated cookies home.

Host
Albert L. Scott Library (opens in a new tab)
Address
Albert L. Scott Library, Nan Abbott Room, Alabaster, AL 35007 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Albert L. Scott Library (opens in a new tab)

New Alabaster events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Alabaster daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Alabaster.

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We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Alabama Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Alabaster Christmas event for kids happens

The parade is a Saturday morning outing and the library party is a weekday morning, so both fit around school and work schedules for little ones.

Looking further afield? Our Alabama Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Montgomery and Auburn. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

The story of Christmas in Alabaster

In Alabaster, Santa does not ride on a float in the Christmas parade. He rides an Alabaster fire truck, and parade rules say he is the only Santa allowed in the whole procession down Highway 31.

A Highway 31 parade with one Santa on a fire truck and Santa trophies for the winners

The Alabaster Christmas Parade is the city's biggest holiday event. In 2023, City Council President Sophie Martin called it "an iconic event and one of the longest parades in the state," and a 2022 report from Carmeuse, a local lime company that marched in it, counted more than 140 participants and called it one of the largest parades in Alabama. City staff organize the parade themselves, and it costs nothing to enter.

The parade has its own quirky rules. No live Santas are allowed on the floats, because the only Santa rides on an Alabaster fire truck. Entries throw candy to the crowd, and judges on a platform at the old Alabaster Police Station hand out Santa trophies in categories such as Most Creative, Most Entertaining, Best Holiday Spirit and Best Walking Entry. The route runs south from Long Lewis Ford, crosses the train tracks and ends at Southbrook Village on 1st Street Southwest.

A lit Siluria water tower on December 5 and the parade on December 6, 2025

The 2025 season packed two big days back to back. On Friday, December 5, the city held its Water Tower Lighting from 6 to 8 pm on the Municipal Green at City Hall, with live music, photos with Santa, a train ride, vendors and food trucks. The Festival of Trees opened the same day and stayed up through early January. The next morning, Saturday, December 6, the Christmas Parade rolled down Highway 31 South at 10 am.

December kept going after that. A Sensory Friendly Afternoon with Santa at the Alabaster Senior Center on December 6 gave kids who find crowds hard a calmer visit. On December 9, Paws and Claus let families bring pets for photos with Santa at the amphitheater. Elf played on the big screen at the amphitheater on December 12, and Cookie and Cocoa with Santa wrapped up the month on December 20.

A water tower first lit in 2020 and a Festival of Trees that began in 2022

Two of Alabaster's favorite traditions are new. The historic Siluria water tower was first lit for Christmas in 2020 on the grounds of City Hall, glowing in alternating red and green. By 2024 the fifth annual lighting moved to the city's new amphitheater, its first major event, where Santa arrived to light the tower and kids found a snow machine, crafts, balloon animals and a trackless train ride.

The Festival of Trees started in 2022, when about 75 businesses and groups each paid $250 to decorate a tree and the money helped the city sponsor Christmas for 15 local families. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby County won best nonprofit tree that first year. The trees now stretch from City Hall toward the Alabaster Senior Center, stay lit from dusk to dawn, and compete for prizes like the Cindy Lou Who Children's Award. Parade themes change too: "Christmas at the Movies" in 2023 brought Grinches and Christmas Vacation floats, and 2024's theme was "An Old Fashioned Christmas."

A parade over the train tracks and the North Pole Express next door in Calera

Trains are close at hand in Alabaster at Christmas. The parade route crosses the railroad tracks on Highway 31, and the water tower lightings of 2023, 2024 and 2025 all included a train ride for kids on the green by City Hall.

For a real holiday train, families head just south to Calera, where the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Alabama's official railroad museum, runs the North Pole Express. In 2026 it runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from November 13 to December 20, with departures at 5, 6:30 and 8 pm, a Christmas story, carols, and Santa and Mrs. Claus boarding at a lit-up North Pole. Tickets are sold online only. For a daytime outing, the museum's Christmas at the Station is set for December 5, 12 and 19, 2026.

  • Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum: Alabama's official railroad museum in Calera, with free admission, two restored depots, Saturday train rides and the North Pole Express each winter.

Traditions today

  • Alabaster Christmas Parade: A Saturday morning parade down Highway 31 run by city staff, with candy, Santa trophies and Santa on an Alabaster fire truck. In 2026 it is December 5 at 10 am.
  • Water Tower Lighting: Since 2020 the historic Siluria water tower has been lit for Christmas at City Hall, with Santa, music and a kids' train ride.
  • Festival of Trees: Since 2022, local businesses, teams and city departments decorate live trees on the Municipal Green, and part of the entry fees helps adopt families for Christmas.
  • Christmas movie night: A free holiday film at the amphitheater next to City Hall, which in 2025 was Elf on December 12.
  • Cookies with Santa: A December morning at the Alabaster Senior Center for cookies, cocoa and a visit with Santa, held December 20 in 2025.

A fact for kids

In the Alabaster Christmas Parade, there is only one Santa allowed, and instead of a sleigh he rides on a big Alabaster fire truck.

Questions about Christmas in Alabaster

Why is Santa on a fire truck in the Alabaster Christmas Parade?

It is a parade rule. The City of Alabaster does not allow live Santas on parade entries, and the only Santa in the parade rides on an Alabaster fire truck. That keeps one real Santa for the kids to spot, and it makes the fire truck one of the most watched entries on Highway 31.

How big is the Alabaster Christmas Parade?

It is one of the biggest in the area. A December 2022 report from Carmeuse, which entered the parade, said it drew more than 140 participants and called it one of the largest in Alabama. The Shelby County Reporter described thousands of spectators in 2023 and 2024, and in 2024 the parade lasted about 90 minutes.

What was the theme of the Alabaster Christmas Parade in 2023?

The 2023 theme was "Christmas at the Movies," with floats and walkers dressed as scenes and characters from films like Christmas Vacation, The Grinch and A Christmas Story. The parade was delayed a week by weather and held Saturday, December 9, 2023. City leaders were glad it was postponed rather than canceled.

What was the 2024 Alabaster Christmas Parade theme?

The theme for the parade on Saturday, December 7, 2024, was "An Old Fashioned Christmas." It started at 10 am and lasted about 90 minutes. Thompson High School's Marching Southern Sounds band won Best Walking Entry, and the Alabaster Water Board won Most Holiday Spirit. The city also collected new toys for children with Shelby Emergency Assistance.

Does the Alabaster Christmas Parade have a theme in 2026?

No. Based on feedback from previous years, the city decided to continue with no designated theme for the 2026 parade, which gives entries freedom to bring their own ideas. The parade is Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 10 am on Highway 31 South. Registration ran from October 5 to November 7.

What awards are given at the Alabaster Christmas Parade?

Winners receive a Santa trophy. Categories include Most Creative, Most Entertaining, Best Holiday Spirit and Best Walking Entry, and some years add Best Use of Theme. Judges sit on a platform at the old Alabaster Police Station. Past winners include Hope Dance and Arts, Thompson High School's soccer teams and Beulah Mae's Southern Kitchen.

What happens if it rains on the Alabaster Christmas Parade?

The parade goes on rain or shine unless conditions become unsafe. If it has to be canceled, it is not made up. Weather has moved it before: in 2023 the parade was pushed back one week to December 9. Call the city's rain-out line at 205-378-4055 on parade morning.

When is Highway 31 closed for the Alabaster parade?

On parade morning, southbound traffic on Highway 31 is rerouted to the northbound side at 9:15 am, and Highway 31 North becomes two lanes for both directions. The parade starts at 10 am at Long Lewis Ford. Arrive early so the kids get a curb spot before the road closes.

When did the Alabaster water tower lighting start?

The historic Siluria water tower was first lit for Christmas in 2020 on the grounds of Alabaster City Hall, which makes it one of the city's newer traditions. In 2023 it was lit from below in alternating red and green, and in 2024 the fifth annual lighting was the first major event at the city's new amphitheater.

Who lights the Alabaster water tower?

Santa does. At the 2024 lighting, the Shelby County Reporter said Santa would arrive to light the water tower, and families could take pictures with him. The evening also had live performances on the new stage, a snow machine, inflatables, crafts, a trackless train ride, balloon animals and food trucks.

When was the 2025 Alabaster water tower lighting?

It was Friday, December 5, 2025, from 6 to 8 pm on the Municipal Green at City Hall, 1953 Municipal Way. The evening had live music, photos with Santa, a train ride, vendors and food trucks, and the Festival of Trees opened the same day. The Christmas Parade followed the next morning.

When did the Alabaster Festival of Trees start?

The Festival of Trees started in 2022 with a tree lighting on December 2. About 75 businesses and organizations sponsored trees at $250 each, and the city used the money to sponsor Christmas for 15 families. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby County won the nonprofit category. The trees stayed up until January 2.

Where is the Festival of Trees in Alabaster?

The decorated Christmas trees stand on the Municipal Green next to Alabaster City Hall, 1953 Municipal Way, stretching toward the Alabaster Senior Center. They stay lit from dusk until dawn each night, so families can drive by or walk through any December evening. In 2025 they were up from December 5 to early January.

What is the Cindy Lou Who award at the Alabaster Festival of Trees?

It is the Cindy Lou Who Children's Award, one of the prizes handed out at the Festival of Trees, named for the little girl in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Other 2024 categories were Most Creative, Support a College Tree, Best Business Showcase, Jolly Christmas Tree and Santa Showcase. Winners are announced at the water tower lighting.

Is there a sensory friendly Santa in Alabaster?

Yes. In 2025 the city held A Sensory Friendly Afternoon with Santa on Saturday, December 6, from 1 to 2:30 pm at the Alabaster Senior Center, after the morning parade. It gave children who find loud crowds hard a calmer chance to meet Santa. Watch the city calendar for a 2026 date.

Can you take pet photos with Santa in Alabaster?

Yes. Paws and Claus, sponsored by Kent Farms Animal Hospital, let families bring their pets for pictures with Santa on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 6 to 8 pm at the Alabaster Amphitheater next to City Hall. It is a fun way to include the family dog in the Christmas card.

What Christmas movie did Alabaster show in 2025?

The city showed Elf at its Alabaster Christmas Movie Night on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the amphitheater next to City Hall, starting at dusk. The Christmas Movie is one of the city's regular December community events, so bring blankets and chairs and watch for the 2026 film announcement.

Is there a Christmas train near Alabaster?

Yes. The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum in Calera, just south of Alabaster, runs the North Pole Express on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from November 13 to December 20, 2026, at 5, 6:30 and 8 pm. Riders hear a Christmas story, sing carols and meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. Tickets are sold online only.

What is Christmas at the Station in Calera?

It is the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum's daytime holiday event for families who would rather not ride at night. In 2026 it is scheduled for December 5, 12 and 19 at the museum in Calera. December 5 is also the Alabaster Christmas Parade, so a family could see the parade in the morning and the depot later.

What can kids do at Christmas in Alabaster?

Catch candy and spot Santa on the fire truck at the Christmas Parade, watch Santa light the Siluria water tower, walk the Festival of Trees at City Hall, decorate cookies with Santa at the library's Kids' Holiday Party, see a movie at the amphitheater, and ride the North Pole Express in Calera.

Sources

  1. Christmas Parade, City of Alabaster
  2. City Calendar, December 2025, City of Alabaster
  3. Festival of Trees, City of Alabaster
  4. Alabaster holds annual Christmas parade on Highway 31, Shelby County Reporter
  5. Alabaster prepares to host water tower lighting at new amphitheater, Shelby County Reporter
  6. Thousands attend Alabaster Christmas Parade, Shelby County Reporter
  7. Alabaster rings in the season with water tower lighting, Festival of Trees, Shelby County Reporter
  8. Alabaster marks the start of Christmas season in style, Carmeuse
  9. Alabaster Christmas Celebrations, University of Alabama PAL events calendar

Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Alabama city.

Alabaster Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Alabaster this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Alabaster, Alabama, for 2026: the Alabaster Christmas Parade on December 5 and the Kids’ Holiday Party at the Albert L. Scott Library on December 9.

When is the Alabaster Christmas Parade 2026?

Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 10 am on Highway 31 South. It starts at Long Lewis Ford and ends at Southbrook Village on 1st Street Southwest.

Where is the best place to watch the Alabaster parade?

The city recommends standing south of Wayne’s Auto Sales on U.S. 31 to see all of the entries.

Where can kids see Santa in Alabaster?

At the Kids’ Holiday Party at the Albert L. Scott Library on Wednesday, December 9, 2026, from 10 am to noon, with cookie decorating.

Who do I contact about Alabaster holiday events?

Alabaster Parks & Recreation at mnlawley@cityofalabaster.com or 205-664-6840 for the parade, and the library at alabasterlibrary@shelbycounty-al.org or (205) 664-6822.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Alabama?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Alabama Christmas train rides page.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Alabaster on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Kelsey Cecil
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