Christmas Events for Kids in Bellaire (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 Bellaire for 2026. Santa poses for selfies and kids decorate cookies at the Civic Center on Wednesday, December 2, and the next night Holiday in the Park brings snow, choirs and Santa’s official arrival to Bellaire Town Square. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Texas Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Bellaire

  • 2 Christmas events for kids in Bellaire
  • Selfies with Santa: Wednesday, December 2, slots from 4:30 pm, registration required
  • Holiday in the Park: Thursday, December 3, 6 to 8:30 pm, free
  • Snow, choirs and Santa’s official arrival at Town Square
  • Both dates checked on the City of Bellaire site on Nov 11

Free 1Ticketed and paid 1

Free Christmas events for kids in Bellaire

Snow and holiday festivalFree

Holiday in the Park

Expand to see the parent tip

Bellaire welcomes the season at Town Square with what the city promises will be lots and lots of snow, a rare sight for Houston-area kids.

Local choirs sing, food is on hand, and Santa makes his official arrival here after posing for selfies the night before.

Parent tip: Pack gloves. Fake snow still makes cold, wet hands, and kids will want to stay in it the whole night.

Host
City of Bellaire Parks, Recreation and Facilities (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bellaire Town Square, Bellaire, TX 77401 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Bellaire Parks, Recreation and Facilities (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 1 more Bellaire 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 Bellaire.
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Bellaire

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

Santa photos and cookies

Selfies with Santa

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The night before Holiday in the Park, Santa sets up at the Bellaire Civic Center for cookie decorating and photos in booked time slots.

Bellaire residents can register starting November 10 and non-residents starting November 17, and families bring their own camera for the pictures.

Parent tip: Slots start at 4:30 pm and fill fast, so register as soon as your window opens. Bring your phone or camera, since the city does not take the photos.

Host
City of Bellaire Parks, Recreation and Facilities (opens in a new tab)
Address
Bellaire Civic Center, 7008 South Rice Ave, Bellaire, TX 77401 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Bellaire Parks, Recreation and Facilities (opens in a new tab)

New Bellaire events every week

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

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 Texas Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Bellaire Christmas event for kids happens

Book a Selfies with Santa slot for December 2, then come back to Town Square the next evening for Holiday in the Park.

Looking further afield? Our Texas Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Houston, Pasadena, Pearland and League City. 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 Bellaire

In Bellaire, Santa does not wait for children to come to him. Every December the city's police and fire departments drive him down every street atop a big red truck, and since 2024 families can follow him on a live online tracker.

Snow on the Town Square lawn and a gazebo Santa: Holiday in the Park in 2019

Bellaire's Christmas season centers on Bellaire Town Square at 7008 South Rice Avenue, where Holiday in the Park is held on an early December Thursday evening. On December 5, 2019, the city welcomed the season on the Town Square Great Lawn with live entertainment, snow, a petting zoo and stories, and asked kids to bring their Christmas lists to hand to Santa before family photos.

The night before, on December 4, 2019, families lined up at the Town Square Gazebo for Selfies with Santa, bringing their own cameras. That two-night pattern, Santa photos first and the big snowy welcome the next evening, has held ever since. On December 2, 2021, Holiday in the Park returned with choirs, snow slides and food, and the city said it would welcome Santa there.

Cookie decorating with Santa on December 3, 2025, and lots and lots of snow the next night

The 2025 season followed the Bellaire pattern. On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Selfies With Santa moved indoors to the Civic Center at 7008 South Rice Avenue, where kids decorated cookies and took pictures with Santa in time slots starting at 4:30 pm, before his official arrival in town. On Thursday, December 4, 2025, Holiday in the Park filled Bellaire Town Square from 6 to 8:30 pm with music from local choirs, food and what the city promised would be lots and lots of snow.

From December 15 to 19, 2025, Santa Sightings took Santa through one neighborhood a night, with the tracker going live at 5:30 pm. In 2026 Selfies with Santa is Wednesday, December 2, and Holiday in the Park is Thursday, December 3.

Santa on a big red truck since at least 2019, and a 2023 storm that moved the snow to December 30

Santa Sightings is the tradition Bellaire children talk about most. Brought by the Bellaire Police and Fire Departments, Santa rides atop a big red truck with lights flashing and sirens sounding, covering the city one trash collection section per night between 6 and 8:30 pm. The city has posted it every December since at least 2019, describing it as Santa coming back to Bellaire one more time before Christmas. In 2024 the city added a live Santa Tracker, reached by QR code, that maps his path street by street.

Not every Christmas goes as planned. Holiday in the Park was set for November 30, 2023, but the city cancelled it out of caution because of a severe weather forecast. Instead it promised a Snow Day and held it on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at 9 am in Bellaire Town Square, so the kids still got their snow.

The Polar Express from Galveston's 1932 Union Station, a Christmas train for Bellaire families

Bellaire's own holiday ride is Santa's big red truck, but the nearest real Christmas train leaves from the coast. The Galveston Railroad Museum boards THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride at its restored 1932 Santa Fe Union Station from November 13 to December 23, 2026. The 60-minute round trip to the North Pole comes with hot chocolate, a cookie, carols, a visit from Santa and a silver bell for every child.

Families are asked to arrive an hour before departure, and the evening can include letters to Santa and a performance before boarding. Afterward, kids can look at the Santa Fe Warbonnet diesels 315 and 316 in their red and silver paint on the museum's tracks.

  • Galveston Railroad Museum: The 1932 Union Station where THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride boards from November 13 to December 23, 2026, plus red and silver Santa Fe diesels to see.

Traditions today

  • Holiday in the Park: Bellaire's early December welcome to Santa on Bellaire Town Square, with choirs, food and plenty of machine-made snow.
  • Selfies with Santa: Photos with Santa the night before Holiday in the Park, once at the Town Square Gazebo and in 2025 with cookie decorating at the Civic Center.
  • Santa Sightings: Santa rides a big red truck through every Bellaire neighborhood over five December nights, brought by the police and fire departments.
  • The live Santa Tracker: Added in 2024, it goes live at 5:30 pm on Santa Sightings nights so families know when Santa is close.
  • Christmas tree recycling: After Christmas, residents drop real trees, free of lights and tinsel, at the corner of Edith Street and Baldwin Avenue.

A fact for kids

In Bellaire, Santa rides a big red truck with the sirens on, and one night in 2024 the city's Santa Tracker stalled, but Santa kept right on driving.

Questions about Christmas in Bellaire

What is Santa Sightings in Bellaire?

Santa Sightings is a Bellaire Christmas tradition run by the city's police and fire departments. Over five December evenings, Santa rides atop a big red truck through one section of the city each night between 6 and 8:30 pm, with lights and sirens, so children can wave from their front yards. In 2025 it ran December 15 to 19.

How do I track Santa in Bellaire?

Since 2024 the City of Bellaire has run a live Santa Tracker during Santa Sightings. It goes live at 5:30 pm each night, and families scan a QR code or click the link on the city calendar to watch Santa's path through Bellaire. The city reminds users to refresh the screen and to listen for sirens as the big red truck nears.

How long has Santa ridden a big red truck through Bellaire?

The City of Bellaire has posted Santa Sightings on its calendar every December since at least 2019, when Santa rode the streets south of Bellaire Boulevard and east of 610 on December 16. In 2021 the city said elves had reported he would ride atop a big red truck on every street. The schedule follows the city's trash collection sections.

Which night will Santa come to my Bellaire street?

Santa Sightings follows Bellaire's solid waste collection sections. In 2025 Santa rode Section D, south of Bellaire Boulevard and east of 610, on December 15, then Sections E, B and C, and finished in Section A, south of Bellaire and west of South Rice, on December 19. Check the city calendar for the 2026 order.

When did Holiday in the Park start in Bellaire?

Holiday in the Park has been on the City of Bellaire calendar since at least 2019, when it was held on December 5 on the Bellaire Town Square Great Lawn with live entertainment, snow, a petting zoo, stories and Santa. It has been held on an early December Thursday evening most years since, and 2026's is December 3.

Does Bellaire really have snow at Holiday in the Park?

Yes, machine-made snow is the star of Bellaire's Christmas festival. The city has promised snow since at least 2019, added snow slides by 2021, and for 2025 forecast lots and lots of snow on Bellaire Town Square. For Houston-area kids, it is one of the few chances to play in snow in December.

Why was Bellaire Holiday in the Park cancelled in 2023?

The City of Bellaire cancelled Holiday in the Park, set for Thursday, November 30, 2023, out of an abundance of caution because of a severe weather forecast, saying the safety of participants and staff came first. To make up for it, the city held a Snow Day on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at 9 am in Bellaire Town Square.

When was Holiday in the Park in 2025?

Bellaire held Holiday in the Park on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 6 to 8:30 pm at Bellaire Town Square, 7008 South Rice Avenue. The city promised lots and lots of snow, music from local choirs, food and family fun, and Santa made his official arrival after posing for selfies the night before.

Where was Selfies with Santa in Bellaire in past years?

In 2019 Selfies with Santa was held at the Bellaire Town Square Gazebo on December 4 from 6 to 7:30 pm, and families brought their own cameras. By 2025 it had moved inside the Civic Center at 7008 South Rice Avenue, with cookie decorating and booked time slots starting at 4:30 pm on December 3.

Does Selfies with Santa in Bellaire fill up?

Yes. In 2023 the City of Bellaire posted that Selfies with Santa was full, and time slots are limited each Christmas. For 2026, Bellaire residents can register starting November 10 and non-residents starting November 17, so families who want a cookie-decorating slot with Santa on December 2 should sign up as soon as registration opens.

Who runs Christmas events in Bellaire?

The City of Bellaire Parks, Recreation and Facilities department runs Holiday in the Park and Selfies with Santa, and the Bellaire Police and Fire Departments bring Santa Sightings. For questions about the Christmas events, the city lists the Bellaire Recreation Center at 713-662-8280, and sponsors and vendors can email jdokell@bellairetx.gov.

Where do I recycle a Christmas tree in Bellaire?

Bellaire's Christmas tree recycling program ran from December 26, 2025, to January 12, 2026, with a drop-off at the corner of Edith Street and Baldwin Avenue, 4401 Edith Street. Remove all lights, ornaments and tinsel, and note that flocked trees are not accepted. Trees left on the curb for trash pickup are not recycled.

Are there Christmas markets in Bellaire?

In December 2025 the Bellaire city calendar listed a Holiday Open Air Market at Evelyn's Park, 4400 Bellaire Boulevard, on December 14, and a Nature Discovery Center Holiday Market at 7112 Newcastle on December 6. Both make easy add-ons to a Holiday in the Park weekend. Check each host for 2026 dates.

What is the closest Polar Express train to Bellaire?

The Galveston Railroad Museum runs THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride from its 1932 Union Station from November 13 to December 23, 2026. The 60-minute round trip to the North Pole includes hot chocolate, a cookie, carols, a visit from Santa and a silver bell for each child. The museum suggests arriving an hour before departure.

What can kids see at the Galveston Railroad Museum at Christmas?

Besides boarding THE POLAR EXPRESS at the restored 1932 Union Station, families can write letters to Santa before the ride and see the museum's trains, including Santa Fe diesels 315 and 316 in red and silver Warbonnet paint and a line of cabooses. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm.

What time is Bellaire Holiday in the Park in 2026?

Holiday in the Park is Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 pm on Bellaire Town Square, 7008 South Rice Avenue. The city again forecasts lots and lots of snow, along with Christmas music, food and Santa's official arrival. For details, the city lists the Bellaire Recreation Center at 713-662-8280.

Do Bellaire choirs sing at Holiday in the Park?

Yes. Local choirs have been part of Bellaire's Christmas festival since at least 2021, when the city promised live music from local choirs, snow slides and food. In 2025 the city again listed music from local choirs, and they are on the program for Holiday in the Park on December 3, 2026.

What happens on Bellaire Town Square at Christmas?

Bellaire Town Square, at 7008 South Rice Avenue beside City Hall and the Civic Center, is the center of the city's Christmas season. It hosts Holiday in the Park with snow, choirs and Santa, it has hosted Selfies with Santa at its gazebo, and it held the make-up Snow Day on December 30, 2023.

What was the Bellaire Snow Day in 2023?

After a severe weather forecast forced the City of Bellaire to cancel Holiday in the Park on November 30, 2023, the city promised families a fun Snow Day instead. It took place on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at 9 am in Bellaire Town Square, giving kids their snow just after Christmas.

Can kids give Santa their Christmas list in Bellaire?

Yes. At Holiday in the Park in 2019, the city told kids to bring their Christmas lists to give to Santa before taking family pictures. Today Santa poses for photos at Selfies with Santa on December 2, 2026, then makes his official arrival at Holiday in the Park the next evening, so there are two chances to share a list.

Sources

  1. Holiday in the Park, City of Bellaire
  2. Holiday in the Park, December 4, 2025 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  3. Selfies With Santa, December 3, 2025 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  4. Santa Sightings, December 15, 2025 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  5. Santa Sightings, December 17, 2024 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  6. CANCELLED! Holiday in the Park, November 30, 2023 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  7. Holiday in the Park, December 5, 2019 (city calendar), City of Bellaire
  8. City of Bellaire Presents: Holiday in the Park (2023), Japan-America Society of Houston
  9. Galveston Railroad Museum, Rally Takes the Train

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 Texas city.

Bellaire Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

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

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 for 2026: Selfies with Santa on December 2 and Holiday in the Park on December 3.

When is Holiday in the Park in Bellaire in 2026?

Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 pm at Bellaire Town Square, with snow, local choirs, food and family fun.

How do I register for Selfies with Santa in Bellaire?

Through the City of Bellaire. Resident registration opens November 10 and non-resident registration opens November 17, 2026. Time slots start at 4:30 pm on December 2.

Where is Selfies with Santa?

At the Bellaire Civic Center, 7008 South Rice Ave. Kids decorate cookies and take pictures with Santa, and families bring their own camera.

Who do I contact about Bellaire holiday events?

The Bellaire Recreation Center at 713-662-8280, or Recreation Supervisor Jordan Dokell at jdokell@bellairetx.gov.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Texas?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Texas 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 Bellaire 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
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