Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Dearborn for 2026. The city lights its Christmas tree and opens the Wanderlights display at PEACE Park West on Thursday, November 19, with Santa’s first visit of the season, and Downtown Dearborn throws its free Jingle Bell Bash on Saturday, December 12. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Michigan Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Dearborn
- 2 free Christmas events for kids in Dearborn
- Wanderlights and tree lighting: Thursday, November 19, 6 to 8 pm
- Lights stay up: through January 3, 2027
- Jingle Bell Bash: Saturday, December 12, 12 to 5 pm
- Where: PEACE Park West, West Village Drive
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Free Christmas events for kids in Dearborn
Tree lightingFree
Dearborn Wanderlights Kickoff and Christmas Tree Lighting
- When: Thursday, November 19, 2026, 6 to 8 pm; Wanderlights stays up through January 3, 2027
- Where: PEACE Park West, 22271 W Village Dr, Dearborn, MI 48124 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Dearborn lights its Christmas tree and switches on thousands of lights across PEACE Park West to open Wanderlights, the city’s walk-through winter display that stays lit into the new year.
Opening night brings Dearborn Combined Voices and community performers, free treats while they last, glitter tattoos and Santa’s first appearance of the season with family photos.
Parent tip: Treats are first come, first served, so arrive close to 6 pm, and come back on a quieter weeknight later in December to stroll the lights without the crowd.
- Host
- City of Dearborn (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- PEACE Park West, 22271 W Village Dr, Dearborn, MI 48124 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Dearborn events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Dearborn daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Dearborn.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Dearborn 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 Dearborn.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Dearborn 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.
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Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Dearborn every week.
Holiday festivalFree
Downtown Dearborn Jingle Bell Bash
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 12 to 5 pm; last year’s bash was held at PEACE Park West
- Where: Downtown Dearborn (2025 edition at PEACE Park West), 22271 W Village Dr, Dearborn, MI 48124 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, registration requested
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Jingle Bell Bash is Downtown Dearborn’s afternoon holiday party, with interactive activity stations, live entertainment, beloved holiday characters and free warm drinks.
Last year it drew more than 1,500 guests for face painting, balloon twisting, holiday crafts, a custom ornament giveaway and a visit from Santa.
Parent tip: Register through the city’s Wanderlights page before you go, and plan an early afternoon arrival so the kids get to the craft stations before the lines grow.
- Host
- City of Dearborn, Downtown Development Authorities (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downtown Dearborn (2025 edition at PEACE Park West), 22271 W Village Dr, Dearborn, MI 48124 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Dearborn events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Dearborn daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Dearborn.
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 Michigan Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Dearborn Christmas event for kids happens
Go to the November 19 tree lighting to meet Santa early, then return for the Jingle Bell Bash on December 12 and stay to walk the Wanderlights after dark.
- Dearborn Wanderlights Kickoff and Christmas Tree LightingDearborn · Nov 19
- Downtown Dearborn Jingle Bell BashDearborn · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our Michigan Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Detroit, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms and Rochester Hills. 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 AmazonKeep 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 Michigan city.
Dearborn Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Dearborn this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 free Christmas events for kids in Dearborn for 2026, both from the City of Dearborn: the Wanderlights kickoff and tree lighting on November 19 and the Downtown Dearborn Jingle Bell Bash on December 12.
When is the Dearborn tree lighting in 2026?
Thursday, November 19, 2026, from 6 to 8 pm at PEACE Park West, 22271 W Village Dr. It also opens Dearborn Wanderlights, which runs through January 3, 2027.
Is Santa at the Dearborn tree lighting?
Yes. The city says the November 19 kickoff includes Santa’s first appearance of the season with family photo opportunities.
When is the Jingle Bell Bash in 2026?
Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 12 to 5 pm. It is free and the city asks families to register.
Who do I contact about Dearborn holiday events?
For Wanderlights, the City of Dearborn at mwillett@dearborn.gov or 313-943-3346. For the Jingle Bell Bash, the Downtown Development Authority program manager at lrayshouny@dearborn.gov. General city line: 313-943-2150.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Michigan?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Michigan 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 Dearborn 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.