Christmas Events for Kids in Bartlett (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 Bartlett for 2026, all from the Bartlett Park District. The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up plays the Community Center on December 4 to 5 and 11 to 12, Santa joins a plated breakfast at Villa Olivia on Saturday, December 12, and Splash Central shows The Grinch in the pool on Sunday, December 20. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Bartlett

  • 3 Christmas events for kids in Bartlett
  • The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up: December 4, 5, 11 and 12, Community Center
  • Breakfast with Santa: Saturday, December 12, 9:30 am, Villa Olivia
  • Flick N Float Grinch: Sunday, December 20, 4:30 pm, Splash Central
  • Every date checked on bartlettparks.org on Nov 11

Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Bartlett

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

Event hosts: free events are listed first. The #1 spot puts your event at the top of this page.Inquire about the #1 spotAdd your event for free

Jazzy family Nutcracker

The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up

Expand to see the parent tip

The Bartlett Park District and Lisa’s School of Dance stage their annual Nutcracker with a twist: Tchaikovsky’s score re-orchestrated into an upbeat, jazzy version danced by local performers.

Clara’s journey runs about 90 minutes, a comfortable length for younger kids, across two December weekends at the Community Center.

Parent tip: Tickets are online only, so buy ahead rather than at the door. The 2 pm Saturday matinees on December 5 and 12 suit preschoolers best.

Host
Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bartlett Community Center, 700 S. Bartlett Road, Bartlett, IL 60103 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)

New Bartlett events every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 2 more Bartlett events 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 Bartlett.
  • Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Bartlett 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 Shows
  • 1 Santa

Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Bartlett every week.

Free. One email a week with new events in Bartlett. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy

Plated breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa

Expand to see the parent tip

Villa Olivia hosts the Bartlett Park District’s Breakfast with Santa, with a plated breakfast, holiday crafts and festive music around an early visit from the big man.

Children under two can still visit Santa and receive a small gift, though the meal and crafts are for older kids and grown-ups.

Parent tip: Everyone must pre-register and seating is assigned, so do not arrive before 9:15 am. Bring your own camera for the Santa photo.

Host
Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
Villa Olivia, 1401 W. Lake St., Bartlett, IL 60103 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)

New Bartlett events every week

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

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Grinch movie at the pool

Flick N Float: How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Expand to see the parent tip

Splash Central screens How the Grinch Stole Christmas in the indoor pool the Sunday before Christmas, a warm-water break from a Chicago December.

Kids can bob along on a float while the movie plays, or families can watch from the pool deck.

Parent tip: Bring your own float and pack dry clothes for the drive home. Regular admission applies, so check the Splash Central rates first.

Host
Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
Splash Central, 700 S. Bartlett Road, Bartlett, IL 60103 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Bartlett Park District (opens in a new tab)

New Bartlett events every week

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

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 Illinois Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Bartlett Christmas event for kids happens

Saturday, December 12, can be a full Bartlett day: Breakfast with Santa at 9:30 am, then the 2 pm Nutcracker matinee. Save Sunday, December 20, for The Grinch at the pool.

Looking further afield? Our Illinois Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Streamwood, Elgin, Schaumburg and West Chicago. 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 Bartlett

Bartlett, Illinois, planned its Christmas tree years in advance: the village, the chamber and the park district planted a young tree in Bartlett Park so it would be ready when the old one grew too big to decorate safely, and it was lit for the first time in December 2013. Today Santa rides up in a bucket truck to switch on the lights himself.

A tree planted ahead of time and first lit on December 6, 2013

On a chilly Friday night, December 6, 2013, Bartlett gathered in Bartlett Park to light a brand new village Christmas tree. The Daily Herald reported that the Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bartlett Park District had bought and planted it several years before, knowing the old tree would soon be too large to decorate safely. Santa came, and Connie Born, dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus, helped greet the children.

For years the lighting stayed a Friday after-work tradition centered on the Log Cabin in Bartlett Park, where Santa met children before the switch was thrown. In 2015, Village President Kevin Wallace counted down to the lighting while a South Elgin High School choir, directed by Cheryl Brhel, sang at the gazebo. In 2016, Santa visited the Log Cabin from 5 to 6:30 pm and the tree came on at 7 pm.

A Stroll to the North Pole, a bigger tree and a laser show on December 6, 2025

In 2025, Bartlett moved its lighting from a weeknight to a Saturday and renamed it Merry and Bright. Under new Village President Dan Gunsteen, the village added a larger tree, a procession and a laser light show. Assistant Village Administrator Scott Skrycki told the Daily Herald the Saturday move was one way to bring more people downtown and support local businesses.

On December 6, 2025, families gathered at 4:30 pm in the Metra lot on Oneida Avenue, picked up jingle bells and set off at 4:45 pm on the Stroll to the North Pole to Bartlett Park. Around 5 pm, Santa went up in a bucket truck and lit the tree. The South Elgin High School choir and a DJ played, Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked and Jack Skellington and Sally greeted guests, horse-drawn wagons ran, and the library hosted holiday trivia and a story time at the gazebo. A 10 to 15 minute laser show at 7 pm closed the night. A week later, the chamber's Cocoa Crawl sold $10 mugs on December 13, and Mrs. Claus hosted breakfast at Bartlett Hills Golf Club on December 14.

Santa's Log Cabin, Lions food drives and Clara's jazzy Nutcracker

The Log Cabin in Bartlett Park has been Santa's December home base for years. The Bartlett Lions Club hosts photo visits there and asks families to bring nonperishable food for the Hanover Township Food Pantry, a custom that was part of the 2022 lighting and again in 2025. In 2022, Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves arrived at 5 pm, Elsa, Ariel and Rapunzel stopped by, and North Avenue closed for carriage rides through downtown.

The Bartlett Park District keeps its own holiday customs indoors. With Lisa's School of Dance it stages The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up, an annual show where local dancers follow Clara on her journey to Tchaikovsky's score, re-orchestrated into an upbeat family version about 90 minutes long. Families also book Breakfast with Santa at Villa Olivia, and on the Sunday before Christmas the park district screens How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Splash Central, the park district's swim center.

From the Metra lot to Santa, and the Happy Holiday Railway in Union

Bartlett's own Christmas walk now begins at the train station: the 2025 Stroll to the North Pole set out from the Metra commuter lot and led families with jingle bells to Santa's tree. The village's Depot Museum at 100 W. Railroad Avenue closes for the winter, so December rail fun means a short drive.

Out in Union, the Illinois Railway Museum runs its Happy Holiday Railway in December, a special holiday train day outside its regular season, set for December 20, 2026, with its own tickets. Closer to home in South Elgin, the Fox River Trolley Museum keeps old electric cars that once carried riders along the river valley.

  • Illinois Railway Museum: One of the largest railway collections in America, with the Happy Holiday Railway holiday trains in December.
  • Fox River Trolley Museum: About 30 old trolleys and railroad cars in South Elgin, including what is called the oldest electric interurban car running in the United States.

Traditions today

  • Merry and Bright tree lighting: The village tree lighting in Bartlett Park, moved to a Saturday in 2025, when Santa lights the tree from a bucket truck.
  • Stroll to the North Pole: Started in 2025, a jingle bell procession from the Metra lot on Oneida Avenue to the tree in Bartlett Park.
  • Santa in the Log Cabin: Santa hears wishes in the Log Cabin in Bartlett Park on lighting night, with the Lions collecting food for the Hanover Township Food Pantry.
  • Cocoa Crawl: A December Saturday when the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce sends cocoa lovers with souvenir mugs to local businesses.
  • The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up: The park district's annual jazzy Nutcracker with Lisa's School of Dance and local dancers.

A fact for kids

In Bartlett, Santa does not climb a ladder to light the Christmas tree. He rides up high in a bucket truck and turns on the lights himself.

Questions about Christmas in Bartlett

When did Bartlett get its current village Christmas tree?

Bartlett's current tree in Bartlett Park was lit for the first time on Friday, December 6, 2013. The Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bartlett Park District had bought and planted it several years earlier because the old tree was going to be too large to decorate safely. In 2025, the Daily Herald reported a larger tree as part of the new Merry and Bright lighting.

What is Merry and Bright in Bartlett?

Merry and Bright is the name Bartlett gave its tree lighting in 2025, when the event moved from a weeknight to Saturday, December 6. It ran from 4:30 to 7:30 pm in Bartlett Park at Oak and North avenues, with a procession, Santa lighting the tree, choirs, characters, wagon rides, food trucks and a laser light show that officially kicked off the season.

Why did Bartlett move its tree lighting to a Saturday?

Assistant Village Administrator Scott Skrycki told the Daily Herald in November 2025 that moving the lighting from an after-work slot to a Saturday was one way to get more people downtown and support local businesses. The 2025 changes under new Village President Dan Gunsteen also added a larger tree, the Stroll to the North Pole and a laser show.

What is the Stroll to the North Pole in Bartlett?

The Stroll to the North Pole is a holiday procession that began in 2025. Families gathered at 4:30 pm in the Metra lot on Oneida Avenue, received jingle bells while supplies lasted, and set off at 4:45 pm toward Bartlett Park, arriving in time for Santa to light the tree at about 5 pm.

How does Santa light the Bartlett Christmas tree?

At the 2025 lighting, Santa went up in a bucket truck and lit the tree first thing after he arrived at Bartlett Park around 5 pm. In earlier years the village president counted down to the lighting, as Kevin Wallace did in 2015. After the lighting, Santa moves to the Log Cabin to hear children's wishes.

Where does Santa visit at the Bartlett tree lighting?

Santa visits the Log Cabin in Bartlett Park. In 2025 he was there from 5:30 to 7:30 pm after lighting the tree, and families were encouraged to bring cameras. In 2016 he met children at the Log Cabin from 5 to 6:30 pm before a 7 pm lighting. The Bartlett Lions Club collects food for the Hanover Township Food Pantry there.

Who was at the first lighting of Bartlett's new tree in 2013?

The Daily Herald's photos from December 6, 2013, show Santa talking with six-year-old Isabella Kaspari of Bartlett, and Connie Born, dressed as Mrs. Santa Claus, holding a seven-month-old visitor from Chicago who had come to see his great-grandmother. The paper described the night as chilly but said residents had a warm time mingling.

Which choirs sing at the Bartlett tree lighting?

South Elgin High School students have sung at the lighting for years. In 2015 a mixed choir directed by Cheryl Brhel sang at the gazebo, in 2019 Kenyon Woods Middle School choir students joined them, and in 2022 and 2025 the South Elgin High School choir performed again, joined in 2025 by a DJ from 5 to 6 pm.

Which characters came to the 2025 Bartlett tree lighting?

In 2025, Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked and Jack Skellington and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas met visitors from 5 to 7 pm, with a special performance at 6 pm. In 2022, the visiting characters were Elsa, Ariel and Rapunzel, who stopped by from 6 to 8 pm while Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves held court earlier.

Was there a laser light show at the Bartlett tree lighting?

Yes, for the first time in 2025. A 10 to 15 minute laser light show at 7 pm ended the Merry and Bright tree lighting on December 6, 2025, and the village said it would officially kick off Merry and Bright in Bartlett. Before that, the lighting itself at 7 pm was usually the finale.

What food trucks came to the Bartlett tree lighting?

The Daily Herald listed Travelin' Tom's, My Cocina, Johny G's, D's Treats and Kory's Koop for the 2025 lighting, with trucks and horse-drawn wagons running from 5:20 to 7:20 pm. In 2022 the vendors were Toasty Cheese Mobile Eatery, My Cocina Grill, Hat Trick BBQ Company and Rebecca's Cakes and Lattes, along with cookies and cocoa.

What is the Bartlett Cocoa Crawl?

The Cocoa Crawl is a December Saturday run by the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $10 and include a souvenir mug while supplies last and a map of participating businesses serving cocoa drinks, some for adults 21 and older. Ages 16 and younger go free without a mug. In 2025 it ran December 13, from 11 am to 3 pm.

Is there a breakfast with Mrs. Claus in Bartlett?

Yes. In 2025, Bartlett Hills Golf Club at 800 W. Oneida Avenue hosted Breakfast with Mrs. Claus on Sunday, December 14, with an all-you-can-eat holiday buffet, a tea and hot cocoa station, photos with Mrs. Claus, a cookie decorating kit and pictures by the fireplace. It cost $25 for adults and $15 for kids, with reservations required.

What is The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up in Bartlett?

It is an annual holiday show by the Bartlett Park District and Lisa's School of Dance. Local dancers perform the story of Clara to Tchaikovsky's score re-orchestrated into an upbeat, modern version for families, about 90 minutes long. In 2026 it plays at the Bartlett Community Center on December 4, 5, 11 and 12, with tickets sold online only.

Can you watch the Grinch in a pool in Bartlett?

Yes. The Bartlett Park District's Flick N Float shows How the Grinch Stole Christmas at Splash Central, the park district's swim center. Families bring a favorite float and watch from the water or poolside, with regular admission. In 2026 it is Sunday, December 20, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.

Where is Breakfast with Santa in Bartlett, Illinois?

The Bartlett Park District hosts Breakfast with Santa at Villa Olivia. It includes an early visit from Santa, a plated breakfast, holiday crafts and music, with assigned seating, and children under two can see Santa and get a small gift. In 2026 it is Saturday, December 12, from 9:30 to 11 am, and guests should not arrive before 9:15 am.

Is there a Christmas train near Bartlett, Illinois?

The closest big holiday train is the Illinois Railway Museum's Happy Holiday Railway in Union, a December special event outside the museum's regular April to October season. It is set for December 20, 2026, needs its own ticket, and regular passes are not honored. Bartlett's own Depot Museum closes for the winter.

Does Bartlett recycle old Christmas lights?

Yes. After the 2025 season, the Village of Bartlett collected holiday lights through January 31 in the first-floor multipurpose room at Village Hall, 228 S. Main Street, on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It accepted mini lights, C7 and C9 bulbs, rope and LED lights and extension cords, but not lawn ornaments.

Who sponsors the Bartlett tree lighting?

In 2022 the Daily Herald listed the sponsors as the Village of Bartlett, the Bartlett Park District, the Bartlett Public Library District, the Bartlett Lions Club and the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, the Friends of the Library ran holiday trivia and library staff led a story time at the gazebo.

What can toddlers do at Christmas in Bartlett, Illinois?

Little ones can ring jingle bells on the Stroll to the North Pole, watch Santa light the tree from a bucket truck, and visit him in the Log Cabin. The library's gazebo story time is short and sweet, and at Breakfast with Santa children under two get a small gift from Santa without needing a meal ticket.

Sources

  1. Bartlett has itself a merry little party, Daily Herald
  2. Bartlett Merry and Bright tree lighting moves to Saturday, Daily Herald
  3. Village of Bartlett newsletter, November 30, 2025, Village of Bartlett
  4. Village of Bartlett newsletter, October 30, 2025, Village of Bartlett
  5. Bartlett tree lighting and Cocoa Crawl, 2022, Daily Herald
  6. Bartlett Christmas tree lighting photos, 2015, Daily Herald
  7. Pretty lights! Tree-lighting events across the suburbs, Daily Herald
  8. Images: Holiday celebrations in the suburbs, Daily Herald
  9. The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up, Bartlett Park District

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.

Bartlett Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

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

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Bartlett for 2026, all from the Bartlett Park District: The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up, Breakfast with Santa and Flick N Float with How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

When is The Nutcracker: All Jazzed Up in 2026?

December 4, 5, 11 and 12, 2026, at 7 pm, with 2 pm matinees on December 5 and 12, at the Bartlett Community Center, 700 S. Bartlett Road. Tickets are sold online only.

When is Breakfast with Santa in Bartlett?

Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 9:30 to 11 am at Villa Olivia, 1401 W. Lake Street. All guests must pre-register.

What is Flick N Float?

A movie night in the Splash Central pool. On Sunday, December 20, 2026, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, it shows How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Regular admission applies.

Who do I contact about Bartlett holiday events?

Bartlett Park District guest services at guestservices@bartlettparks.org or (630) 540-4800.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Illinois?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Illinois 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 Bartlett 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
Previous

Christmas Events for Kids in Batavia (2026)
Next

Christmas Events for Kids in Bartlesville (2026)