Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Andover for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are KidCreate Art Workshop: Color Me Merry (December 14) and The Nutcracker (from December 19). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Massachusetts Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Andover
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Andover
- Season: December 14 (KidCreate Art Workshop: Color Me Merry) to December 20 (The Nutcracker)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Andover
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday crafts
KidCreate Art Workshop: Color Me Merry
- When: Monday, December 14, 2026, 5 to 6:30 pm
- Where: Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen, 18 Magnolia Ave, Andover, MA 01810 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $40 residents, $45 non-residents
- Ages: Ages 5 to 12
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Children build a bright candy house that has the look of gingerbread without being the real thing, working with art supplies plus edible trimmings such as gumdrops and frosting. The Andover Recreation listing bills it as the most popular seasonal session in the KidCreate Art Workshops series.
The class meets Monday, December 14, 2026, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen. It is open to ages 5 to 12 and costs $40 for Andover residents or $45 for non-residents. Sign up through the Andover Recreation registration site, where the session is listed as activity REC075.
Parent tip: This one lands on a school night and runs 90 minutes through the dinner hour, so feed kids before you go, since the gumdrops and frosting are building materials more than a meal. If your child has food allergies, ask about the edible supplies when you register.
- Host
- Andover Recreation & Youth Services (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen, 18 Magnolia Ave, Andover, MA 01810 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Andover 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 Andover.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Andover 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.
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Holiday show
The Nutcracker
- When: Sat December 19 (2:30 pm), Sat December 19 (6:30 pm) and Sun December 20 (2:30 pm), 2026 (Two performances Saturday, one Sunday)
- Where: The Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Rd, Andover, MA 01810 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets required; no price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
Dance Prism Ballet finishes its 2026 Nutcracker tour in Andover, after stops in Fall River, Sudbury, Littleton and Worcester. Once the curtain comes down on each performance, children are invited to meet one of the Nutcracker characters.
Andover gets three performances at The Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Road: Saturday, December 19, 2026, at 2:30 and 6:30 pm, and Sunday, December 20 at 2:30 pm. Tickets are sold through the company's website, and the tour page does not list prices. Parties of 10 or more can email the company to ask about group rates.
Parent tip: The character meet and greet happens after the show, so do not hurry out to the parking lot when the applause ends. For younger children, either 2:30 pm matinee will be easier than the 6:30 pm Saturday performance.
- Host
- Dance Prism Ballet (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- The Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Rd, Andover, MA 01810 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Andover events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Andover daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Andover.
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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 Massachusetts Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Andover Christmas event for kids happens
The first is KidCreate Art Workshop: Color Me Merry in Andover on December 14; the last runs to December 20. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- KidCreate Art Workshop: Color Me MerryAndover · Dec 14
- The NutcrackerAndover · Dec 19 to Dec 20
Looking further afield? Our Massachusetts Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Lawrence, Haverhill, Boston and Westwood. 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 Andover
Andover was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646, and it is still twinned with its namesake, Andover in Hampshire, England. In December that long history shares the calendar with a children's candy house workshop at Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen and a touring Nutcracker at The Collins Center.
How Andover celebrates
Andover's confirmed holiday listings for 2026 come from two organizers. Andover Recreation & Youth Services hosts Color Me Merry, a KidCreate art workshop where children ages 5 to 12 build candy houses, on Monday, December 14 at Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen. The following weekend Dance Prism Ballet brings The Nutcracker to The Collins Center on Shawsheen Road, the final stop on a 2026 tour that also visits Fall River, Sudbury, Littleton and Worcester, with performances on December 19 and 20. Both venues carry the Shawsheen name, which they share with the town's river and its 1920s mill village.
Fun facts about Christmas in Andover
The first permanent settlement in the Andover area was established in 1642 by John Woodbridge and a group of settlers from Newbury and Ipswich, and the town was incorporated in May 1646. Its name was likely chosen to honor Andover in England, near the original home of some of the first residents. In 1855 the town divided along old parish lines into Andover and North Andover. Holt Hill, now part of the Charles W. Ward Reservation, is the highest point in Essex County, and the 2020 census counted 36,569 residents.
Traditions today
- Color Me Merry candy houses: Andover Recreation's KidCreate series includes this candy house workshop, which the listing describes as its most popular seasonal event.
- The Nutcracker at The Collins Center: Dance Prism Ballet's 2026 Nutcracker tour returns to Andover for three performances on December 19 and 20.
- Meeting a Nutcracker character: After every Dance Prism performance, children are invited to meet a character from the ballet.
- The Shawsheen River: One of the town's significant waterways, the Shawsheen lends its name to the road and the recreation site where these two holiday events take place.
A fact for kids
Shawsheen Village in Andover once had its own soccer team, and in 1925 that team won the national soccer championship.
Questions about Christmas in Andover
When was Andover, Massachusetts founded?
The first permanent settlement in the Andover area was established in 1642 by John Woodbridge and a group of settlers from Newbury and Ipswich. The settlement was incorporated as a town in May 1646, and the first recorded town meeting was held in 1656.
How did Andover get its name?
The name was likely chosen in honor of the town of Andover in England, which was near the original home of some of the first residents. The two places are still linked today, since Andover, Massachusetts is twinned with Andover in Hampshire, England.
Why is there both an Andover and a North Andover?
Andover was divided into North and South parishes in 1709 after a dispute over where to build a meeting house. In 1855 the town split into two separate political units along the old parish boundaries, with the West and South parishes keeping the name Andover.
What is Shawsheen Village?
In 1919 the American Woolen Company announced a new mill in Frye Village and renamed the area Shawsheen. It was rebuilt as a model industrial community, the mill began operating in 1922, and the company closed its mills in 1953. The buildings now hold businesses, homes and apartments.
Which famous author lived in Andover?
Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, was a longtime resident of Andover. Her home, known as Stowe House, is now owned by Phillips Academy, the school Samuel Phillips Jr. founded in 1778, and she is buried in the academy's cemetery.
What Christmas events for kids happen in Andover?
Two events are confirmed for 2026. Color Me Merry, a candy house art workshop for ages 5 to 12, is on Monday, December 14. Dance Prism Ballet's The Nutcracker plays at The Collins Center on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20, with a character meet and greet after each show.
Where do Andover's Christmas events for kids take place?
The candy house workshop is held at Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen, and The Nutcracker is staged at The Collins Center at 100 Shawsheen Road. Both names echo the Shawsheen River, one of the significant water areas within the town of Andover.
Who organizes these Christmas events?
Andover Recreation & Youth Services lists the Color Me Merry workshop as part of its KidCreate Art Workshops series. The Nutcracker is produced by Dance Prism Ballet, whose 2026 tour also plays Fall River, Sudbury, Littleton and Worcester before reaching Andover on December 19 and 20.
Are Andover's Christmas events for kids free?
The two confirmed events both have a cost. Color Me Merry is $40 for Andover residents and $45 for non-residents. The Nutcracker is a ticketed performance, and Dance Prism Ballet's tour page does not list prices, though it offers group rates for parties of 10 or more.
Sources
- Andover, Massachusetts, Wikipedia
- KidCreate Art Workshops, Andover Recreation & Youth Services
- The Nutcracker 2026, Dance Prism Ballet
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 Massachusetts city.
Andover Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Andover, MA to start with?
Two confirmed 2026 events make a good pair. Color Me Merry, a KidCreate candy house workshop with Andover Recreation, is on Monday, December 14 for ages 5 to 12. Dance Prism Ballet's The Nutcracker follows at The Collins Center on Saturday, December 19 and Sunday, December 20. One is hands-on and one is a sit-down show.
When is The Nutcracker in Andover in 2026?
Dance Prism Ballet performs The Nutcracker at The Collins Center, 100 Shawsheen Road, on Saturday, December 19 at 2:30 and 6:30 pm and on Sunday, December 20 at 2:30 pm. Andover is the last stop on the company's 2026 tour, and children can meet a Nutcracker character after every performance.
Where can kids do a Christmas craft in Andover?
Andover Recreation hosts Color Me Merry, a KidCreate art workshop, on Monday, December 14 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at Andover Recreation at Old Shawsheen. Children ages 5 to 12 build a candy house with art supplies, gumdrops and frosting. The fee is $40 for residents and $45 for non-residents.
Which Andover Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?
Both do. Color Me Merry on December 14 requires registration through the Andover Recreation site, where it is listed as activity REC075. The Nutcracker on December 19 and 20 is ticketed through Dance Prism Ballet's website, and groups of 10 or more can email the company about group rates.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Andover?
Neither confirmed listing is free. Color Me Merry on December 14 costs $40 for Andover residents and $45 for non-residents, and The Nutcracker on December 19 and 20 is a ticketed show whose tour page does not list prices. Check with Andover Recreation for any other seasonal programs it may add.
Can kids meet Santa at these Andover events?
Neither organizer's page mentions Santa. The closest thing to a character visit is at The Nutcracker, where Dance Prism Ballet invites children to meet a special Nutcracker character after each performance at The Collins Center on December 19 and 20. Bring a camera and allow extra time after the show.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Andover?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Massachusetts Christmas train rides guide. This Andover 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.