Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Allendale for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market (from November 27) and Laker Family Holiday Brunch (December 5). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Michigan Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Allendale
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Allendale
- Meet Santa: Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market (from November 27) and Laker Family Holiday Brunch (December 5)
- Season: November 27 (Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market) to December 5 (Laker Family Holiday Brunch)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 2 events
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- 2 Santa
- 2 Breakfast and treats
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Markets
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Allendale
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday market
Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market
- When: Friday, November 27, 2026 to Saturday, November 28, 2026 (Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28. The organizer's home page does not list opening hours.)
- Where: Countryside Greenhouse, 9050 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale, MI 49401 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets sold by the organizer; no price listed on the page
Expand to see the parent tip
Farmgirl Flea, the group behind West Michigan's seasonal vintage and handmade markets, brings its holiday edition to Countryside Greenhouse in Allendale. Shoppers browse gifts from small businesses and pick up festive treats, and Santa makes an appearance.
The market is set for Friday and Saturday, November 27 and 28, 2026. Farmgirl Flea sells Christmas at Countryside tickets through its website, though the home page does not show the price or the opening hours.
Parent tip: This is a shopping market first, with Santa as an extra, so plan a shorter visit with little ones and check the ticket page for the hours and for when Santa is due before you pick a day.
- Host
- Farmgirl Flea (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Countryside Greenhouse, 9050 Lake Michigan Dr, Allendale, MI 49401 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Allendale events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Allendale daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Allendale.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Allendale event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Allendale.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Allendale before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Breakfast and treats
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Markets
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Allendale every week.
Breakfast with Santa
Laker Family Holiday Brunch
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 9 to 11 am
- Where: Alumni House & Visitor Center, Grand Valley State University, 11150 N Campus Dr, Allendale, MI 49401 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $20 adults, $10 kids ages 3 to 12, free under 3
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Grand Valley State University's alumni office hosts a holiday brunch on the Allendale campus for Laker alumni and their families. Children get craft tables and a chance for photos with both Santa and Louie, while the adults have food and mimosas.
The brunch is Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Alumni House & Visitor Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12, and children under 3 are free. Spots are limited and registration is through the GVSU alumni events page.
Parent tip: Space is limited, so register early instead of counting on walk-in room. Bring your own camera or phone for the photo stops with Santa and Louie, and remember that kids under 3 get in free.
- Host
- GVSU Alumni Relations (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Alumni House & Visitor Center, Grand Valley State University, 11150 N Campus Dr, Allendale, MI 49401 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Allendale events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Allendale daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Allendale.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
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 Michigan Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Allendale Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market in Allendale on November 27; the last runs to December 5. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Christmas at Countryside Holiday MarketAllendale · Nov 27 to Nov 28
- Laker Family Holiday BrunchAllendale · Dec 5
Looking further afield? Our Michigan Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Corunna. 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.
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 Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Allendale
Allendale takes its name from Agnes Allen, the first person on the local tax roll and the daughter-in-law of Revolutionary War figure Ethan Allen. Today the community is best known as the home of Grand Valley State University, and the campus is one of two places where families gather at Christmas.
How Allendale celebrates
Allendale's holiday season on file has two anchors. On November 27 and 28, 2026, Farmgirl Flea holds its Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market at Countryside Greenhouse on Lake Michigan Drive, the M-45 corridor that runs through the community, with gifts from small businesses, festive treats and a visit from Santa. On December 5, GVSU Alumni Relations hosts the Laker Family Holiday Brunch at the Alumni House & Visitor Center on the Allendale campus, where children make crafts and take photos with Santa and Louie. Farmgirl Flea says it hosts three markets a year, and this is the holiday one.
Fun facts about Christmas in Allendale
Allendale is a census-designated place in Ottawa County that covers roughly the northern two-thirds of Allendale Charter Township, with the Grand River on its eastern edge. The township was organized in 1849. Grand Valley State University, founded in 1960, has its main campus here on 1,237 acres. The 2020 census counted 27,073 residents, with a median age of just 21.3 years.
Traditions today
- Christmas at Countryside: Farmgirl Flea's holiday market fills Countryside Greenhouse for two days over Thanksgiving weekend with gifts, treats and a visit from Santa.
- Laker Family Holiday Brunch: GVSU alumni and their families meet on campus for a December brunch with kids' crafts and holiday photos.
- Photos with Santa and Louie: At the campus brunch children can pose with Santa and with Louie at the Alumni House & Visitor Center.
- Shopping small for the holidays: Farmgirl Flea frames its holiday market as a way to find gifts for everyone on the list while supporting small businesses.
A fact for kids
Allendale is one of the youngest places around: at the 2020 census the median age was 21.3 years, because so many university students live here.
Questions about Christmas in Allendale
When was Allendale established?
Allendale Charter Township was organized in 1849, and the community of Allendale is named for the township. Wikipedia also lists Allendale among populated places established in 1842. Today it is a census-designated place in Ottawa County, not an incorporated city.
How did Allendale get its name?
A state senator named Pennoyer changed the township's name to Allendale in honor of Agnes Allen. She was the first person on the area's tax roll and the widow of Hannibal Allen, a son of Revolutionary War hero Ethan Allen.
What is Allendale known for?
Allendale is home to the main campus of Grand Valley State University, founded in 1960 and spread across 1,237 acres. Campus landmarks include Lubbers Stadium, the Cook Carillon Tower and the GVSU Fieldhouse. The Grand River forms the community's eastern boundary.
How many people live in Allendale?
The 2020 census counted 27,073 people in the Allendale census-designated place, up from 11,555 in 2000. The median age in 2020 was 21.3 years, and 15.3 percent of residents were under 18.
What happens at Christmas for kids in Allendale?
Families can visit Santa at the Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market on November 27 and 28, 2026. On December 5, the Laker Family Holiday Brunch at Grand Valley State University offers crafts for children plus photos with Santa and Louie.
Where are Allendale's Christmas events held?
Christmas at Countryside takes place at Countryside Greenhouse, listed at 9050 Lake Michigan Drive. The Laker Family Holiday Brunch is held at the Alumni House & Visitor Center on the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University.
Who organizes Allendale's holiday events?
Farmgirl Flea, which runs three vintage and handmade markets a year in West Michigan, organizes Christmas at Countryside. GVSU Alumni Relations hosts the Laker Family Holiday Brunch for alumni, families and community members.
Is anything free at Christmas in Allendale?
Children under 3 attend the Laker Family Holiday Brunch on December 5, 2026, for free, while adults pay $20 and kids 3 to 12 pay $10. Christmas at Countryside requires a ticket, and the organizer's home page does not state the price.
Sources
- Allendale, Michigan, Wikipedia
- Vintage, Antique, and Handmade Goods | Farmgirl Flea, Farmgirl Flea
- Laker Family Holiday Brunch (Allendale), Grand Valley State University
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 Michigan city.
Allendale Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Allendale?
Two stand out for 2026. Christmas at Countryside, Farmgirl Flea's holiday market at Countryside Greenhouse, runs November 27 and 28 and includes a visit from Santa. The Laker Family Holiday Brunch on the Grand Valley State University campus follows on Saturday, December 5, with crafts and Santa photos.
Where can kids meet Santa in Allendale?
Santa is expected at the Christmas at Countryside Holiday Market on November 27 and 28, 2026, at Countryside Greenhouse. He also poses for photos, along with Louie, at the Laker Family Holiday Brunch on December 5 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at GVSU's Alumni House & Visitor Center.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Allendale?
Neither event listed here is free for everyone. The Laker Family Holiday Brunch on December 5, 2026, does admit children under 3 at no charge. Christmas at Countryside on November 27 and 28 is a ticketed market, and the organizer's home page does not show the price.
Which Allendale holiday events need tickets?
Both do. Farmgirl Flea sells tickets for Christmas at Countryside, held November 27 and 28, 2026. The Laker Family Holiday Brunch on December 5 requires registration through the GVSU alumni events page, and the university says only limited spots are available.
How much is the Laker Family Holiday Brunch?
Tickets for the December 5, 2026, brunch are $20 for adults and $10 for kids ages 3 to 12. Little Lakers under 3 are free. The price covers a morning with food, crafts for children and photo opportunities with Santa and Louie at the Alumni House & Visitor Center.
Is there a Christmas market in Allendale?
Yes. Christmas at Countryside is a holiday market organized by Farmgirl Flea at Countryside Greenhouse on November 27 and 28, 2026. The organizer describes gifts from small businesses, festive treats and a visit from Santa. Tickets are sold on the Farmgirl Flea website.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Allendale?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Michigan Christmas train rides guide. This Allendale guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
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 every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
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.