Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Duluth, GA for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Georgia Festival of Trees (from November 21) and Special Preschool Storytime (December 23). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Georgia Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Duluth
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Duluth
- Meet Santa: Georgia Festival of Trees (from November 21)
- Season: November 21 (Georgia Festival of Trees) to December 23 (Special Preschool Storytime)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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All 2 events
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- 1 Story time
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Duluth
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday event
Georgia Festival of Trees
- When: Sat November 21 (10:30 am to 5:30 pm), Fri November 27 (10:30 am to 5:30 pm) and Sun November 29 (10:30 am to 3:30 pm), 2026 (Open November 21 to 24 and November 27 to 29; closed November 25 and 26. Times shown are Santa's visiting hours, the only hours on the organizer's home page.)
- Where: Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30097 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets required; prices are on the organizer's ticket page
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Decorated trees, wreaths, centerpieces and nativities are donated to this festival and go up for bid in its signature Tree-mendous Auction. Santa is on hand for visits and photos every festival day, and the organizers post a schedule of performances. The festival raises awareness and funds for its cause of helping end the sexual exploitation of women and children.
The 2026 festival runs November 21 to 29, with no festival days on November 25 and 26. Santa visits and photos run 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM from Saturday, November 21 through Saturday, November 28, and 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Sunday, November 29. Tickets are sold through the festival's website, which has a separate page for pricing, and auction bidding ends at 6:00 PM on November 28.
Parent tip: Santa finishes two hours earlier on the final Sunday, at 3:30 PM, so do not save photos for the last afternoon. The festival is closed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and on Thanksgiving Day, so pick the opening weekend or the days right after the holiday.
- Host
- Georgia Festival of Trees (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30097 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Duluth events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Duluth daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Duluth.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Duluth 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 Duluth.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Duluth 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
- 1 Santa
- 1 Shows
- 1 Story time
- 1 Zoos and museums
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Duluth every week.
Holiday story time
Special Preschool Storytime
- When: Wednesday, December 23, 2026, 11 to 11:30 am
- Where: Gwinnett County Public Library, Duluth Branch (Duluth Meeting Room), 3180 Main St, Duluth, GA 30096 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Ages 2 to 5
Expand to see the parent tip
Ms. Sarah reads the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas to preschoolers in the Duluth Branch meeting room. It is a holiday edition of the library's Preschool Storytime, which is built around early literacy and getting ready for kindergarten.
The storytime is Wednesday, December 23, 2026, from 11:00 to 11:30 AM at 3180 Main Street. It is meant for children ages 2 to 5. The page does not mention registration or a fee.
Parent tip: At just 30 minutes and two days before Christmas, this is an easy winter break outing for 2 to 5 year olds. Arrive a few minutes early to settle in, since the page lists no sign-up to hold a spot.
- Host
- Gwinnett County Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Gwinnett County Public Library, Duluth Branch (Duluth Meeting Room), 3180 Main St, Duluth, GA 30096 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Duluth events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Duluth daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Duluth.
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 Georgia Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Duluth Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Georgia Festival of Trees in Duluth on November 21; the last runs to December 23. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Georgia Festival of TreesDuluth · Nov 21 to Nov 29
- Special Preschool StorytimeDuluth · Dec 23
Looking further afield? Our Georgia Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Alpharetta and Dunwoody. 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 Duluth
Duluth, Georgia borrowed its name from Duluth, Minnesota in 1871, when a railroad line was on its way to the settlement then known as Howell's Crossing. Trains still pass through this Gwinnett County city, and in late November the Georgia Festival of Trees opens the Christmas season on Sugarloaf Parkway.
How Duluth celebrates
The season's listed events start before Thanksgiving. The Georgia Festival of Trees, run by the organization of the same name, fills November 21 to 29, 2026, with decorated trees, wreaths and nativities, daily visits and photos with Santa, performances and its Tree-mendous Auction. It is held off Sugarloaf Parkway, the corridor where the arena was built near the convention center. Closer to Christmas, the Gwinnett County Public Library's Duluth Branch on Main Street hosts a Special Preschool Storytime on December 23, when Ms. Sarah reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas to children ages 2 to 5.
Fun facts about Christmas in Duluth
The settlement began as Howell's Cross Roads, where cotton merchant Evan Howell built a road from his cotton gin to Old Peachtree Road, and it was renamed Duluth in 1871 after Congress funded a railroad line into the community. In 1922 Duluth elected Alice Harrell Strickland, Georgia's first female mayor. The city is home to the Southeastern Railway Museum, Georgia's official transportation museum. The 2020 census counted 31,873 residents.
Traditions today
- Georgia Festival of Trees: The festival of decorated trees runs November 21 to 29, 2026, with a break on November 25 and 26.
- Visits and photos with Santa: Santa keeps daily hours at the festival, starting at 10:30 AM each day it is open.
- The Tree-mendous Auction: Donated trees, wreaths, centerpieces and nativities are auctioned, with bidding closing at 6:00 PM on November 28.
- Grinch storytime at the library: The Duluth Branch on Main Street reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas to preschoolers on December 23.
- Southeastern Railway Museum: Duluth is home to this museum, which is Georgia's official transportation museum.
A fact for kids
Duluth is called a railroad city, and trains carrying passengers and cargo can be seen there at all times of day. It even has a train museum, the Southeastern Railway Museum, which is Georgia's official transportation museum.
Questions about Christmas in Duluth
How did Duluth, Georgia get its name?
The town was renamed Duluth in 1871 after Congress funded a railroad line into the community. It was named after Duluth, Minnesota, whose own railroad had been mocked in a speech in Congress that drew national attention. Evan P. Howell is reported to have jokingly suggested the name.
What was Duluth called before 1871?
It was Howell's Cross Roads, later Howell's Crossing. Cotton merchant Evan Howell built a road linking his cotton gin at the Chattahoochee River with Old Peachtree Road, and the settlement grew up where the roads met. The area had earlier been Cherokee territory.
How did the railroad shape Duluth?
The railroad's arrival in 1871 encouraged the growth of Duluth's economy. A schoolhouse and the first Methodist church both date to that year. Through the 1960s the Southern Railway ran passenger trains that stopped in Duluth, and the article still calls it a railroad city.
Who was Alice Harrell Strickland?
She was elected mayor of Duluth in 1922, making her the first woman elected mayor in Georgia. She donated one acre of land for a community forest and began efforts to conserve land for public recreation in the city.
Is there a train museum in Duluth, Georgia?
Yes. The Southeastern Railway Museum is located in Duluth and is Georgia's official transportation museum. It fits a city that took its name during the arrival of the railroad in 1871 and where trains are still seen at all times of day.
What happens at Christmas in Duluth?
The Georgia Festival of Trees runs November 21 to 29, 2026, with decorated trees, Santa visits, performances and an auction. On December 23, the Duluth Branch library holds a Special Preschool Storytime featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas for children ages 2 to 5.
Where is the Georgia Festival of Trees held?
The event listing places it at the Gas South Convention Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway. Wikipedia notes that development along Sugarloaf Parkway brought the arena built near the convention center, and that the arena sits in unincorporated Gwinnett County with a Duluth ZIP code.
Who organizes the Georgia Festival of Trees?
The festival is run by the Georgia Festival of Trees organization, which relies on volunteers for setup, festival days and tear-down. Its stated cause is creating holiday joy, building a stronger community and raising awareness and funds to help end sexual exploitation.
When can children see Santa at the Georgia Festival of Trees?
Visits and photos with Santa run 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM from Saturday, November 21 through Saturday, November 28, 2026, on days the festival is open. On the closing day, Sunday, November 29, Santa's hours are shorter, 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM.
How many people live in Duluth, Georgia?
The 2020 census counted 31,873 residents. Duluth is a city in Gwinnett County, north of Interstate 85 and northeast of Atlanta, bounded to the north by the Chattahoochee River. It grew rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s along with the rest of the county.
Sources
- Duluth, Georgia, Wikipedia
- The Georgia Festival of Trees, Georgia Festival of Trees
- Early Learning | Special Preschool Storytime, Gwinnett County Public Library
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 Georgia city.
Duluth Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are happening in Duluth, GA in 2026?
Two are listed. The Georgia Festival of Trees runs November 21 to 29, 2026 (closed November 25 and 26) with decorated trees, Santa visits and performances. On Wednesday, December 23, the Duluth Branch library holds a Special Preschool Storytime with a reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Where can kids meet Santa in Duluth?
Santa is at the Georgia Festival of Trees for visits and photos. His hours are 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM from Saturday, November 21 through Saturday, November 28, 2026, on days the festival is open, and 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Sunday, November 29.
Which Duluth Christmas events need tickets?
The Georgia Festival of Trees, November 21 to 29, 2026, sells tickets through its website, where a separate page covers pricing. The library's Special Preschool Storytime on December 23 does not mention tickets or registration on its page.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Duluth?
The Georgia Festival of Trees is ticketed. The Duluth Branch library's Special Preschool Storytime on December 23, 2026, lists no fee and no registration on its page, though the page does not use the word free. It is intended for children ages 2 to 5.
Is there a Christmas story time in Duluth?
Yes. On Wednesday, December 23, 2026, from 11:00 to 11:30 AM, Ms. Sarah reads How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Gwinnett County Public Library's Duluth Branch, 3180 Main Street. The session is a special holiday version of Preschool Storytime for ages 2 to 5.
What days is the Georgia Festival of Trees closed?
The 2026 festival is open November 21 to 24 and November 27 to 29. It does not operate on Wednesday, November 25 or Thursday, November 26. Bidding in its tree auction closes at 6:00 PM on Saturday, November 28, a day before the festival ends.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Duluth?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Georgia Christmas train rides guide. This Duluth 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.