Christmas Events for Kids in Dunwoody (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 Dunwoody for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events, all of them free. They are Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade (November 22) and Photos with Santa and Special Guests (from December 5). 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 Dunwoody

  • 2 Christmas events for kids in Dunwoody
  • All 2 are free: Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade and Photos with Santa and Special Guests
  • Meet Santa: Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade (November 22) and Photos with Santa and Special Guests (from December 5)
  • Parades and tree lightings: Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade (November 22)
  • Season: November 22 (Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade) to December 20 (Photos with Santa and Special Guests)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Free Christmas events for kids in Dunwoody

Holiday paradeFree

Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade

Expand to see the parent tip

Dunwoody Village fills up on the Sunday before Thanksgiving with a kids market, a main stage of local performers and a lantern parade. The 2026 stage lineup includes a violin studio group, several dance schools, the Dunwoody Elementary singers and the Dunwoody High School Choir. After the parade come awards for lanterns and scarecrows, then a tree lighting in the courtyard with Santa.

It runs Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:30 PM and is free to attend. The Kids Market at the Shops of Dunwoody opens at 3:00 with more than 37 vendors, stage acts begin at 4:00, the Lantern Parade is at 5:45 and the tree lighting at 6:15. Lantern kits are available at Village Ace Hardware and at the event, overflow parking is at Dunwoody United Methodist Church, and organizers note the schedule may still change.

Parent tip: The tree lighting with Santa is the very last item, at 6:15 PM, so pace little ones for a long afternoon or arrive nearer 5:00 for the parade and lighting. If the weather turns, performances and awards move into the Dunwoody United Methodist Church gym.

Host
Create Dunwoody (opens in a new tab)
Address
Dunwoody Village, 5521 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Create Dunwoody (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 1 more Dunwoody event researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Shows
  • 2 Free

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Santa visitFree

Photos with Santa and Special Guests

  • When: Sat December 5 (noon to 4 pm), Sun December 6, Sat December 12, Sun December 13, Sat December 19 and Sun December 20, 2026 (Saturdays and Sundays, December 5 to 20; hours are posted only for December 5)
  • Where: High Street, 101 High St, Dunwoody, GA 30346 (opens in maps)
  • Cost: Free photos with Santa; reservations encouraged
  • Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip

High Street sets up holiday photo spots where families can get complimentary pictures with Santa. Some dates carry a theme, with the Grinch making an appearance and sessions where the family pet can be in the picture too.

The listing covers Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at 101 High Street, with more dates on December 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20. Booking a photo time in advance is encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome. The page does not say which dates are the Grinch and pet days or give hours for the later dates, so check with High Street first.

Parent tip: Reservations are encouraged, so book a photo time ahead if you can instead of counting on walk-in space in a four-hour afternoon. If your child is set on the Grinch or wants the dog in the photo, confirm the themed date before you go.

Host
High Street (opens in a new tab)
Address
High Street, 101 High St, Dunwoody, GA 30346 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom High Street (opens in a new tab)

New Dunwoody events every week

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

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 Dunwoody Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade in Dunwoody on November 22; the last runs to December 20. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

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 Roswell, Alpharetta, Atlanta and Marietta, GA. 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 Dunwoody

Dunwoody is one of Georgia's younger cities: it was incorporated on December 1, 2008, after years as a census-designated place in DeKalb County. Its Christmas season starts early, with a lantern parade and tree lighting in Dunwoody Village on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

How Dunwoody celebrates

Dunwoody's holiday calendar begins in Dunwoody Village, where Create Dunwoody and the Dunwoody Village Merchant Alliance are bringing back the Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade on Sunday, November 22, 2026. The free afternoon includes a Kids Market at the Shops of Dunwoody, a main stage of local dance, choir and music groups, a lantern parade and a courtyard tree lighting with Santa. In December the season moves to High Street, where families can get complimentary photos with Santa on weekends from December 5 through December 20, with themed dates featuring the Grinch and pets.

Fun facts about Christmas in Dunwoody

Dunwoody was incorporated as a city on December 1, 2008, and had 51,683 residents at the 2020 census. Interstate 285, known as The Perimeter, runs along its southern border. The Dunwoody MARTA station on the Red Line is the only rail station inside the city limits. Its parks include Brook Run Skate Park and Donaldson-Bannister Farm.

Traditions today

  • Lantern Parade: Families carry lanterns through Dunwoody Village at 5:45 PM, with kits available at Village Ace Hardware and at the event.
  • Kids Market: A market with more than 37 vendors opens at the Shops of Dunwoody at 3:00 PM on the day of the celebration.
  • Courtyard tree lighting: The Village Holiday Celebration ends with a tree lighting in the courtyard with Santa at 6:15 PM.
  • Lantern and scarecrow awards: An award ceremony for lanterns and scarecrows follows the parade on the main stage schedule.
  • Photos with Santa at High Street: High Street offers complimentary Santa photos on December weekends, with the Grinch and pets featured on themed dates.

A fact for kids

Dunwoody only became a city on December 1, 2008, so its birthday falls right in the Christmas season.

Questions about Christmas in Dunwoody

When did Dunwoody, Georgia become a city?

Dunwoody was incorporated on December 1, 2008. Before that it was a census-designated place in DeKalb County, appearing in U.S. census maps for 1990 and 2000. Today it has a council-manager form of government.

How many people live in Dunwoody?

The 2020 census counted 51,683 residents. The city covers about 13.25 square miles in DeKalb County, nearly all of it land, which works out to close to 4,000 people per square mile, according to the figures in its Wikipedia article.

How do families get around Dunwoody?

Interstate 285, called The Perimeter, runs along the city's southern border. MARTA provides rail and bus service, with the Dunwoody station on the Red Line as the only station within the city limits. Bus Route 150 links Perimeter Center and Dunwoody Village.

What happens at Christmas in Dunwoody?

The Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade takes place in Dunwoody Village on Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:30 PM. In December, High Street hosts Photos with Santa and Special Guests on weekends, beginning Saturday, December 5 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM.

Who organizes the Village Holiday Celebration?

Create Dunwoody and the Dunwoody Village Merchant Alliance organize it together. Their page says they are bringing the celebration and Lantern Parade back for all ages, with live performances and activities spread throughout the Greater Dunwoody Village area.

Is the Dunwoody Lantern Parade free?

Yes. Create Dunwoody states that the Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade on November 22, 2026, is free to attend. Lantern kits for the parade are available at Village Ace Hardware and at the event itself.

Who performs at the Village Holiday Celebration?

The 2026 schedule lists the James Violin Studio Group, Stayin' Alive Crew, Expressions in Motion Dance, North Georgia School of Ballet, Dunwoody Elementary singers, Georgia Dance Force, The Collective Dance Project and the Dunwoody High School Choir, all between 4:00 and 5:50 PM.

Where can children take photos with Santa in Dunwoody?

High Street, at 101 High Street, offers complimentary photos with Santa on December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, 2026. Reservations are encouraged and walk-ins are welcome. Certain dates feature the Grinch or photo sessions that include pets.

What parks does Dunwoody have?

The city's Wikipedia article lists Brook Run Skate Park and Donaldson-Bannister Farm among its parks. It also names the Dunwoody Trailway among routes for walking and cycling, alongside several other trails that are proposed or under construction.

Sources

  1. Dunwoody, Georgia, Wikipedia
  2. Village Holiday Celebration, Create Dunwoody
  3. Photos with Santa and Special Guests, Discover Dunwoody

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.

Dunwoody Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What Christmas events for kids are happening in Dunwoody, GA in 2026?

The season opens with the Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade in Dunwoody Village on Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 3:00 to 6:30 PM. In December, High Street offers Photos with Santa and Special Guests on weekends, starting Saturday, December 5 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM.

Where can kids meet Santa in Dunwoody?

Santa appears at the tree lighting in the Dunwoody Village courtyard at 6:15 PM on Sunday, November 22, 2026. He is also at High Street, 101 High Street, for complimentary photos on December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, with posted hours of 12:00 to 4:00 PM on December 5.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Dunwoody?

Yes. The Village Holiday Celebration and Lantern Parade on November 22, 2026, is free to attend, according to Create Dunwoody. The photos with Santa at High Street on December weekends are described as complimentary. Reservations for the Santa photos are encouraged, and walk-ins are welcome.

What time is the Dunwoody Lantern Parade and tree lighting?

On Sunday, November 22, 2026, the Lantern Parade is scheduled for 5:45 to 6:00 PM, followed by the lantern and scarecrow award ceremony and then the tree lighting with Santa from 6:15 to 6:30 PM. Organizers say the schedule is subject to updates.

Do Dunwoody's Christmas events need tickets or reservations?

The Village Holiday Celebration on November 22 is free to attend and its page mentions no tickets. For Photos with Santa at High Street, starting December 5, advance reservations are encouraged but walk-ins are welcome, so you can still stop by without booking.

What happens if it rains during the Village Holiday Celebration?

Create Dunwoody says that in case of inclement weather on November 22, 2026, the performances, awards and some activities will move into the Dunwoody United Methodist Church gym. The church is also the overflow parking location for the celebration.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Dunwoody?

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