Christmas Events for Kids in Anderson (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Looking for Christmas events in Anderson this year? We found 3 for kids and families in 2026, including Nights of Lights, Christmas in Pendleton and Christmas at Callaway in Elwood. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Indiana Christmas events for kids guide.

The short version

  • 3 Christmas events for kids in Anderson, plus Elwood and Pendleton
  • The season runs from Christmas in Pendleton (Pendleton, November 14) to Nights of Lights (through December 27)
  • Every event here charges admission or a ticket; check each host
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 4

Christmas events for kids in Anderson

Holiday lights

Nights of Lights

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Nights of Lights is a drive-through display at Mounds State Park in Anderson. More than 60 light exhibits, each hosted by a community group, line the route and are set to music.

It runs Friday through Sunday evenings from 6 to 9 pm, starting November 27 and ending December 27. Admission is $10 per vehicle, so it is a budget-friendly way to see lights from a warm car with sleepy kids in pajamas.

Parent tip: Admission is charged per vehicle, so bring everyone in one car.

Host
Mounds State Park (opens in a new tab)
Address
Mounds State Park, 4306 Mounds Rd, Anderson, IN 46017 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Mounds State Park (opens in a new tab)

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Look inside the book

Story time with Santa in Anderson? Bring Rally home.

A five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, painted in real watercolor. Turn a few pages now, then save it for bedtime after a big day with Santa.

Page 1 of 8

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

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Christmas events in Elwood

Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 2 more Anderson events researched for you.

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Holiday lights

Christmas at Callaway

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Christmas at Callaway is a drive-through light display at Callaway Park in Elwood. The official opening is Friday, November 27, at 7 pm, and the display glows from dusk to dawn.

The listing invites families to bring everyone along. Elwood is roughly a 20 minute drive from Anderson. The page does not state a closing date or admission price, so check the tourism calendar before you go.

Parent tip: Bring the whole family in one car; the tourism listing does not state a closing date.

Host
Visit Anderson and Madison County (opens in a new tab)
Address
Callaway Park, 902 Calloway Park Dr, Elwood, IN 46036 (opens in maps) (near Anderson)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Visit Anderson and Madison County (opens in a new tab)

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Christmas events in Pendleton

Holiday parade

Christmas in Pendleton

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Christmas in Pendleton fills the historic downtown with holiday activities on Saturday, November 14, from 10 am to 6:30 pm. The day includes a tree lighting, a snowball fight and the annual Christmas parade.

Pendleton is about a 15 minute drive from Anderson, which makes it an easy half day for families. The listing does not give a street address or prices, so plan to park near downtown and check the tourism calendar for the latest schedule.

Parent tip: Arrive early for parking near the parade route.

Host
Visit Anderson and Madison County (opens in a new tab)
Address
Downtown Pendleton, Pendleton, IN 46064 (opens in maps) (near Anderson)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Visit Anderson and Madison County (opens in a new tab)

New Anderson events every week

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

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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 Indiana Christmas train rides page.

Anderson Christmas events for kids at a glance

Kids’ Christmas events
3 confirmed for 2026
Cities
Anderson, Elwood and Pendleton
Season
November 14 to December 27, 2026
Free events
0
Kinds of events
Holiday lights and holiday parades
Last checked
See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Anderson Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Christmas in Pendleton in Pendleton on November 14; the last runs to December 27. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Indiana Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Bloomington, Muncie, Gary, Terre Haute and Kokomo. 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)

2026 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 Anderson

In Anderson, Indiana, Christmas starts with a parade down Meridian Street and ends with a drive through dozens of light displays at Mounds State Park. Along the way there are princesses, live reindeer and a tree lighting at Dickmann Town Center.

How Anderson celebrates

Anderson's season centers on downtown. The Christmas Parade travels Meridian Street from Eighth to 13th streets on an early December evening, and the Mayor's Tree Lighting follows at Dickmann Town Center. Earlier that day the town center fills with Santa, princesses and activities for kids. A few miles away, Mounds State Park turns into a drive-through light show called Nights of Lights, with displays hosted by community groups and campsites. Neighboring towns add their own traditions, including Christmas in Pendleton and Christmas in Lapel. We could not confirm when these traditions began.

Christmas last year in Anderson

In 2025 Nights of Lights at Mounds State Park opened on Friday, November 28, and ran every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening in December from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission was $10 per vehicle, paid at the camp store, with the drive taking about 15 to 30 minutes. Visitors could vote online for their top three displays, and proceeds supported the Friends of Mounds State Park. The most recent downtown details we found are from 2024, when the parade stepped off at 5:30 p.m. and the Mayor's Tree Lighting followed at 6:30 p.m.

Fun facts about Christmas in Anderson

At the 2024 Dickmann Town Center celebration, Santa arrived at 3 p.m., and kids could meet princesses, see live reindeer, enjoy free cookies and hot chocolate, ride a train and visit photo booths. Lapel's Christmas celebration the same day had a tree lighting, games for children and an ice-skating rink along Main Street. At Mounds State Park the Nights of Lights route has dozens of decorated campsites, and the tourism calendar lists more than 60 community-hosted exhibits for 2026.

Trains and Christmas near Anderson

Little train fans had a train ride waiting at the Dickmann Town Center holiday celebration in 2024. For a bigger ride, the Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville runs themed trains over 12 miles of the old Nickel Plate Road, riding upstairs in two-story 1956 coaches, with family rides starting around $20 and online booking recommended. The Linden Depot Museum shows a caboose and a replica 1837 steam engine in a historic junction depot, but it is open only April to October.

  • Nickel Plate Express: Themed family train rides in two-story coaches, the closest heritage railroad to Anderson.
  • Linden Depot Museum: A historic junction depot with a caboose and a replica steam engine, best for a spring or summer visit.

Traditions today

  • Anderson Christmas Parade: A downtown parade that travels Meridian Street from Eighth to 13th streets on an early December evening.
  • Mayor's Tree Lighting at Dickmann Town Center: A ceremony with Santa, princesses and a musical performance, after a full afternoon of kids' activities.
  • Nights of Lights at Mounds State Park: A drive-through display of community-hosted light exhibits on weekend evenings, for $10 per vehicle.
  • Christmas in Pendleton: A day of tree lighting, a snowball fight and the town's annual Christmas parade.
  • Christmas in Lapel: A Main Street evening with a tree lighting, Santa, games for children and an ice-skating rink.
  • Christmas at Callaway: A drive-through light display at Callaway Park in Elwood that welcomes the whole family.

A fact for kids

At Mounds State Park, families drive through a forest of lights and vote for their three favorite displays. Some of the displays are made at campsites by neighbors.

Questions about Christmas in Anderson

What is the main Christmas tradition in Anderson, Indiana?

The downtown Christmas Parade and Mayor's Tree Lighting are the best-known traditions. In 2024 the parade traveled Meridian Street from Eighth to 13th streets at 5:30 p.m., followed by the tree lighting at Dickmann Town Center at 6:30 p.m. Nights of Lights at Mounds State Park is the biggest light display.

Where is the Anderson Christmas tree lighting held?

The Mayor's Tree Lighting is held at Dickmann Town Center in downtown Anderson. In 2024 it started at 6:30 p.m. and included an interview with Santa and the princesses plus a musical performance. Santa arrived at the town center at 3 p.m. that day, so families could come early for activities.

What does Santa do at Dickmann Town Center?

Santa arrives at the town center in the afternoon, and in 2024 he came at 3 p.m. Kids could meet princesses from Once Upon a Princess, see live reindeer, enjoy free cookies and hot chocolate, try giant inflatables and visit photo booths.

What is Nights of Lights at Mounds State Park?

It is a drive-through Christmas lights display at Mounds State Park in Anderson, with community-hosted exhibits set to music. The tourism calendar lists more than 60 exhibits for 2026. In 2025 it ran Fridays through Sundays in December from 6 to 9 p.m., and admission was $10 per vehicle.

How long does the Nights of Lights drive take?

The drive-through route takes about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic and how long you stop to look. That is a good length for toddlers and preschoolers, who can watch from their car seats. Visitors can also vote online for their top three displays after they go.

Who benefits from Nights of Lights?

Proceeds from Nights of Lights support the Friends of Mounds State Park, the group that helps the park. Admission in 2025 was $10 per vehicle, paid at the camp store with cash or credit cards. That makes it an easy way to treat the family and support a park.

Can kids vote at Nights of Lights?

Yes, visitors can vote online for their favorite three displays, so kids can pick the lights they liked best and cast votes with a parent after the drive. The displays include dozens of decorated campsites, which makes the route feel different from a regular lights show.

How old is the Anderson Christmas Parade?

We could not confirm when the parade began. We do know that in 2024 it started at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday and ran down Meridian Street from Eighth to 13th streets, with the Mayor's Tree Lighting following at 6:30 p.m. at Dickmann Town Center.

Is there a Christmas parade in Pendleton?

Yes, Christmas in Pendleton includes an annual Christmas parade, along with a tree lighting and a snowball fight in downtown Pendleton. The tourism calendar lists the 2026 event for Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pendleton is a short drive from Anderson.

What does Lapel do for Christmas?

Christmas in Lapel runs along Main Street in the evening, and in 2024 it lasted from 4 to 8 p.m. The celebration included a tree lighting, visits with Santa, games for children, food and craft vendors, and an ice-skating rink. Lapel is a small neighbor town of Anderson.

Is there a drive-through light display in Elwood?

Yes, Christmas at Callaway is a drive-through light display at Callaway Park in Elwood. The tourism calendar lists the official opening for Friday, November 27, 2026 at 7 p.m., with lights from dusk to dawn, and invites families to bring everyone. Elwood is a short drive from Anderson.

Do Anderson kids ride trains at Christmas?

Train rides have been part of the Dickmann Town Center holiday celebration, where the 2024 activities included train rides alongside live reindeer, photo booths and food trucks. For a longer ride, the Nickel Plate Express runs themed trains in Noblesville, a drive from Anderson.

What are the princesses doing at the tree lighting?

Princesses from Once Upon a Princess join Santa at the Dickmann Town Center celebration, and in 2024 they were part of the tree lighting interview. Kids can meet them during the afternoon activities, which also included inflatables, cookies and hot chocolate, and live reindeer.

How can I explain Nights of Lights to a toddler?

Tell them that neighbors and clubs have decorated the park with twinkling lights, and you get to drive through like a parade. Kids can pick favorites to vote for afterward. The drive takes only 15 to 30 minutes, so it works well for an early bedtime.

Is it free to see the lights at Mounds State Park?

No, Nights of Lights costs $10 per vehicle, paid at the camp store, and the price covers everyone in the car. The 2026 tourism listing shows the same $10 per vehicle price for Fridays through Sundays from November 27 to December 27, 6 to 9 p.m.

When does Nights of Lights run this season?

The 2026 tourism calendar lists Nights of Lights on Fridays through Sundays from November 27 to December 27, 6 to 9 p.m. Last year it opened Friday, November 28, 2025, and ran Friday through Sunday evenings all through December. Admission was $10 per vehicle, and the drive took about 15 to 30 minutes.

What time does the Anderson tree lighting start?

In 2024 the Mayor's Tree Lighting at Dickmann Town Center began at 6:30 p.m., right after the 5:30 p.m. parade, and included a musical performance and Santa. Families could also come early for the afternoon activities, which started when Santa arrived at 3 p.m.

Where can kids see trains near Anderson at Christmas?

The Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville runs themed family rides over 12 miles of the old Nickel Plate Road, using two-story 1956 coaches, and booking online ahead of time is advised. The Linden Depot Museum has a caboose and replica steam engine but is open only April to October.

Is there a depot museum near Anderson?

The Linden Depot Museum, in a historic junction depot once shared by the Nickel Plate Road and the Monon, has a CSX caboose and a full-size replica 1837 steam engine. It is volunteer-run and open Friday to Sunday afternoons from April to October, so it is not open in December.

Why is Christmas in Anderson a good small-city outing?

Anderson packs a lot into one area: a downtown parade, a tree lighting with Santa and princesses, and a drive-through light show at Mounds State Park. Nearby towns like Pendleton, Lapel and Elwood add their own events, so families can spread the fun across the season.

Sources

  1. Winter Events in Madison County, Visit Anderson and Madison County
  2. Nights of Lights Drive-Thru Christmas Lights at Mounds State Park, Indy's Child
  3. Anderson, Lapel kick off holiday season, The Herald Bulletin
  4. Nickel Plate Express, Rally Takes the Train
  5. Linden Depot Museum, Rally Takes the Train

Keep the Christmas magic going: watch Rally deliver presents on Christmas Eve, print free coloring pages for a cozy night in, learn how kids say Merry Christmas around the world, find railroad museums for little train fans, or browse Christmas events in every Indiana city.

Anderson Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

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

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Anderson for the 2026 season. Good places to start: Nights of Lights (Nov 27 to Dec 27), Christmas in Pendleton (Nov 14) and Christmas at Callaway in Elwood (Nov 27). Each one is listed with its dates, times, cost and a link to the host.

Where can kids see Christmas lights in Anderson?

There are three Christmas light displays and tree lightings in and around Anderson this year, including . Most light walks run on set evenings only, so check the host’s dates before you go.

Is anything on for kids in Anderson on Christmas Eve or after Christmas?

Yes. Nights of Lights runs through Dec 27.

Do we need tickets or reservations?

For 3 of the 3 Christmas events for kids in Anderson, yes: they sell tickets or ask you to sign up ahead. Meals with Santa and ticketed shows fill up first. Most library and park events are walk-in.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Anderson?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Indiana Christmas train rides guide. This Anderson guide covers story times, Santa visits, 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 4, 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.

Kelsey Cecil
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