Christmas Events for Kids in Arlington Heights (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights for 2026, and here is what he found: 5 family events, 1 of them free. The magic runs from November 18 (Christmas Camp) through January 3, with The Christmas Schooner (from November 24) and A Christmas Carol (from December 3) along the way. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Arlington Heights

  • 5 Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights
  • 1 free event, including Christmas Camp
  • Parades and tree lightings: Tree Lighting at North School Park and Festive Fun at Harmony Park (November 27)
  • Also on the list: 4 Christmas shows and 1 craft workshop
  • Season: November 18 (Christmas Camp) to January 3 (The Christmas Schooner)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Free Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights

Holiday eventFree

Christmas Camp

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Children from preschool through fifth grade spend four Wednesday evenings learning the Christmas story through music, drama and crafts, led by the church's children's, youth and music ministries. The sessions build toward a costumed Children's Christmas Pageant on Christmas Eve morning, and kids are welcome at camp even if they cannot be there for the pageant.

Camp meets Wednesdays, November 18 and December 2, 9 and 16, 2026, from 6:45 to 8 p.m. at 302 N. Dunton Avenue, with no session on November 25. It is free and online registration is open. Families can come early for the Family Night dinner in Fellowship Hall from 6 to 6:45 p.m., and pageant children arrive at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, December 24, for costumes and a 9:30 rehearsal before the 10:30 a.m. service.

Parent tip: Preschoolers need to be at least 3 and potty-trained, and the church asks a parent to stay with them, especially the first week. Sessions end at 8 p.m. on school nights, so the 6 p.m. Family Night dinner beforehand can save you cooking.

Host
First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights (opens in a new tab)
Address
First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N. Dunton Ave, Arlington Heights, IL 60004 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 4 more Arlington Heights events researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 4 Shows
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Crafts
  • 1 Zoos and museums
  • 1 Free

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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Holiday show

The Christmas Schooner

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Set in Manistique, Michigan, in the late 1880s, this Main Stage production follows a German-American family whose cousin in Chicago writes that she longs for a Christmas tree like the ones from their childhood. One captain decides to sail a load of trees across a rough Lake Michigan, and the trip turns into a yearly tradition. The story draws on the real sailors who once carried Christmas trees to Chicago families.

It runs November 24, 2026, through January 3, 2027, at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre. Regular tickets are $49 and student tickets are $25, with a discount for groups of 8 or more through the box office at 847-577-2121. An open captioned performance is set for December 5 at 2 p.m. and an American Sign Language interpreted performance for December 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Parent tip: The theater recommends it for all ages but flags a dramatized shipwreck, so prepare sensitive children for a sad turn in the story. Kids who know Lake Michigan may like hearing beforehand that the Christmas tree ships were real.

Host
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)
Address
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)

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Tree lighting

Tree Lighting at North School Park and Festive Fun at Harmony Park

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The village opens its holiday season on the Friday after Thanksgiving in two parks at once. At North School Park, the Hersey Madrigals sing and the park district's Vibe dance groups perform before guests are welcomed and the crowd counts down to the tree lighting. Downtown at Harmony Park there are live reindeer, an ice carver, singers and a photographer, and trolleys carrying Dickens-era characters who tell stories of the village's past loop between the two.

It is Friday, November 27, 2026. Performances start at 4:30 p.m. and the welcome and countdown follow at 5 p.m. at North School Park, while Harmony Park's activities run 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and the trolleys run 3:45 to 6:45 p.m., including a wheelchair-accessible one. The village's page lists no admission charge and warns that parking is tight because the Vail Street Garage is under construction.

Parent tip: Pick your park for 5 p.m., since the countdown happens at North School Park while the reindeer are at Harmony Park, and ride the trolley over afterward. The Eastman and Evergreen garage can fill up, so the village suggests the underground lot on Evergreen or nearby free lots.

Host
Village of Arlington Heights Special Events Commission and Arlington Heights Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
North School Park and Harmony Park, Eastman & Evergreen (North School Park); Vail & Campbell (Harmony Park), Arlington Heights, IL (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Village of Arlington Heights Special Events Commission and Arlington Heights Park District (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday show

A Christmas Carol

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Metropolis stages the Scrooge story two ways this year. Daytime Family Series matinees present a 90-minute version of the Main Stage production, and three full Main Stage performances are offered as well. Either way, children watch three ghosts lead the miser through his past, present and future until he wakes on Christmas morning a kinder man.

Family Series matinees run December 3 through 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Main Stage performances are December 13 and 20 at 6:30 p.m. and December 24 at 2 p.m. The page lists general admission at $16, with a group discount for 8 or more through the box office at 847-577-2121, and an American Sign Language interpreted performance can be requested.

Parent tip: The theater warns that the ghosts may frighten small children, so the 90-minute daytime matinee is the gentler pick for a first visit. The 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. start times fall in the school day on weekdays, so check the ticket calendar for a date that works.

Host
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)
Address
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday show

The 12 Dames of Christmas with Angela Ingersoll

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Emmy nominee Angela Ingersoll sings her way through the voices of a dozen famous divas in one holiday concert, from a wistful Judy Garland and a prim Julie Andrews to a rocking Janis Joplin. The set list includes Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Santa Baby and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. The concert is presented by Artists Lounge Live.

There are two performances at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre: Monday, December 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, December 8, at 2 p.m. Standard tickets are $45 and are sold through the theater.

Parent tip: The page gives no age guidance, and the fun leans on knowing singers like Judy Garland and Janis Joplin, so this suits older kids and teens who love classic holiday songs more than little ones. The Tuesday 2 p.m. show falls during school hours, which leaves Monday evening for most families.

Host
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)
Address
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W Campbell St, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (opens in a new tab)

New Arlington Heights events every week

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

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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 Illinois Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Arlington Heights Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Christmas Camp in Arlington Heights on November 18; the last runs to January 3. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Schaumburg, South Barrington, Lake Zurich and Streamwood. 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 Arlington Heights

Arlington Heights has been lighting a community Christmas tree since 1926, according to its park district, and the ceremony still falls on the day after Thanksgiving. The setting today is North School Park, where a display of lighted figures first went up in 1991 and many of the originals were designed and welded by a park district employee named Louis Nagy.

How Arlington Heights celebrates

The Arlington Heights Park District traces its Holiday Tree Lighting to 1926, when it began as a way to bring neighbors together. In 1991 the district opened a holiday light display at North School Park, which it now counts at more than 20 displays and over 100,000 lights. The village's Special Events Commission co-hosts the evening and has added touches over the years, such as food trucks in 2013. A second celebration at Harmony Park downtown brings live reindeer and ice carving, and trolleys carrying Dickens-era characters link the two parks. Costumed carolers from Hersey High School have sung at the lighting since at least 2012.

Christmas last year in Arlington Heights

The 2025 lighting took place on Friday, November 28, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Daily Herald reported that Mayor Jim Tinaglia welcomed the crowd and led the countdown that switched on about 150,000 lights at North School Park, after performances by the park district's Vibe Dance Group and the Hersey Dickens Carolers. Downtown at Harmony Park, Rolling Meadows High School madrigal singers performed alongside ice carving, live reindeer and photo stations, and trolleys ran between the two parks. The park district said new displays that season marked its 100-year anniversary.

Fun facts about Christmas in Arlington Heights

The 2012 lighting closed the village's 125th anniversary year, and the Daily Herald counted 80,000 lights on the North School Park displays plus another half million on more than 300 downtown trees, with a 30-foot blue spruce as the centerpiece. More than 1,000 people came that night and were handed battery-operated tea lights, and it was Mayor Arlene Mulder's last lighting before she retired from a 20-year career. In 2007 a Mardi Gras prince led families in a parade from the tree to a Christkindlmarkt tent next door. In 2013 Mayor Tom Hayes threw the switch at his first village tree lighting.

Traditions today

  • Day-after-Thanksgiving tree lighting: The park district dates the Holiday Tree Lighting to 1926, and it is still held on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
  • North School Park light display: Opened in 1991, the display has grown to more than 20 lighted scenes and over 100,000 lights by the park district's count.
  • Festive Fun at Harmony Park: While the tree is lit at North School Park, Harmony Park downtown hosts live reindeer, an ice carver, singers and photo spots.
  • Dickens trolleys: Trolleys loop between the two parks with Dickens-era characters aboard telling stories about Arlington Heights' past.
  • Hersey carolers: Costumed singers from Hersey High School perform at the lighting, as they did in both 2012 and 2025.
  • The mayor's countdown: The village's mayor leads the crowd in a countdown and flips the switch, a job handled by Arlene Mulder, Tom Hayes and Jim Tinaglia in turn.

A fact for kids

For the 2012 tree lighting, a miniature train decorated like a candy cane sat in the fountain at Harmony Park. It was one of nearly two dozen decorated fiberglass locomotives placed around the village for its 125th birthday.

Questions about Christmas in Arlington Heights

When did the Arlington Heights tree lighting begin?

The Arlington Heights Park District says its Holiday Tree Lighting began in 1926 as a way to build community and bring neighbors together. The holiday light display at North School Park, now the centerpiece of the evening, opened later, in 1991.

When is the 2026 Arlington Heights tree lighting?

The village lists it for Friday, November 27, 2026. Singing and dancing start at North School Park at 4:30 p.m., guests are welcomed at 5 p.m. ahead of the countdown, and Festive Fun at Harmony Park runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Trolleys link the two parks from 3:45 to 6:45 p.m.

Where is the Arlington Heights Christmas tree lit?

The lighting is held at North School Park, at Eastman and Evergreen near downtown. The Arlington Heights Park District runs the park, which the Daily Herald describes as a year-round family spot with festivals, a concert amphitheater, a fountain and a playground.

How many lights are in the North School Park display?

It depends on who is counting. The park district says more than 100,000 lights across over 20 displays. The Daily Herald reported about 150,000 lights at the 2025 lighting, 80,000 colored and crystal lights on the displays in 2012, and 70,000 lights in 2007.

Who made the holiday displays at North School Park?

According to the park district, many of the original displays were designed and built by Louis Nagy, a former park district employee. The district credits his artwork and welding skills with shaping the display, which opened in 1991 and added new pieces in 2025 for the district's 100-year anniversary.

What happens at Harmony Park during the tree lighting?

Harmony Park, at Vail and Campbell downtown, runs its own celebration alongside the lighting. The village's 2026 schedule lists live reindeer, an ice carver, singers and a photographer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. In 2025 the Rolling Meadows High School madrigal singers performed there.

What are the Dickens trolleys in Arlington Heights?

They are trolleys that loop between Harmony Park and North School Park during the tree lighting. Characters in Dickens-era dress ride along and tell stories about Arlington Heights' past. In 2026 they are scheduled from 3:45 to 6:45 p.m., with a wheelchair-accessible trolley on the same route.

Who flips the switch at the Arlington Heights tree lighting?

The mayor usually does. Village President Arlene Mulder pulled the switch in 2007 and passed it to her children and grandchildren at her final lighting in 2012. Mayor Tom Hayes presided for the first time in 2013, and Mayor Jim Tinaglia led the countdown in 2025.

What was special about the 2012 tree lighting?

It capped Arlington Heights' 125th anniversary year, which had begun at the same event a year earlier. More than 1,000 people attended, the Special Events Commission handed out battery-operated tea lights, and a half million lights went on across more than 300 downtown trees.

Is the Arlington Heights tree lighting free?

The Daily Herald's 2025 listing described the tree lighting as free, and the park district billed the Harmony Park activities as free family fun. Hot cocoa and treats were sold separately. The village's 2026 page does not mention any admission charge.

Did Arlington Heights ever have a Christkindlmarkt?

Yes, at least in 2007. The Daily Herald reported that after the tree lighting that year, a Mardi Gras prince led families in a parade to a Christkindlmarkt tent beside North School Park, described as a German carnival with food, music and beer.

Sources

  1. Holiday Light Display, Arlington Heights Park District
  2. Holiday Tree Lighting 2025, Arlington Heights Park District
  3. Tree Lighting at North School Park & Festive Fun at Harmony Park, Village of Arlington Heights
  4. Arlington Heights lights up for the holidays, Daily Herald
  5. Things to do Nov. 28 to Dec. 4: Tree lightings, 'Nutcrackers' and more, Daily Herald
  6. Suburban Skyview: Sunset competes for attention with North School Park, Daily Herald
  7. Arlington Heights' holiday lights spring to life, Daily Herald
  8. Tree-lighting caps milestone year in Arlington Hts., Daily Herald
  9. Tree lightings have all the trimmings -- and then some, Daily Herald

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 Illinois city.

Arlington Heights Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights to start with?

Begin with the village tree lighting on Friday, November 27, 2026, when North School Park lights up after a 5 p.m. welcome and countdown and Harmony Park has live reindeer and an ice carver. For a show, the Family Series matinees of A Christmas Carol at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre run December 3 through 19 in a 90-minute version.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Arlington Heights?

Christmas Camp at First Presbyterian Church is free. It meets Wednesdays, November 18 and December 2, 9 and 16, 2026, from 6:45 to 8 p.m. for preschoolers through fifth graders, with online registration. The village's page for the November 27 tree lighting at North School Park and Harmony Park lists no admission charge.

Where can kids meet Santa in Arlington Heights?

None of the organizer pages gathered for this guide names a Santa visit. The closest thing is the tree lighting celebration on November 27, 2026, where Harmony Park has live reindeer, an ice carver, singers and a photographer from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Check the village and park district calendars closer to December for Santa appearances.

What Christmas shows can families see in Arlington Heights?

Metropolis Performing Arts Centre at 111 W. Campbell Street has three. The Christmas Schooner runs November 24, 2026, through January 3, 2027. A Christmas Carol plays December 3 through 24 with daytime Family Series matinees. The 12 Dames of Christmas with Angela Ingersoll is on December 7 and 8. The first two carry an all-ages recommendation from the theater.

Which Arlington Heights holiday events need tickets or sign-up?

All three Metropolis shows are ticketed: The Christmas Schooner at $49 regular and $25 for students, A Christmas Carol at $16 general admission, and The 12 Dames of Christmas at $45. Christmas Camp is free but asks families to register online. The village page for the November 27 tree lighting mentions no tickets.

How do the trolleys work at the Arlington Heights tree lighting?

On Friday, November 27, 2026, trolleys loop between Harmony Park and North School Park from 3:45 to 6:45 p.m., and riders in Dickens-era costume share stories about the village's past. A wheelchair-accessible trolley runs the same hours. The stops are at Eastman and Evergreen and just south of Vail and Campbell, near the Harmony Park tree.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Arlington Heights?

Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Illinois Christmas train rides guide. This Arlington Heights 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.

Kelsey Cecil
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