Christmas Events for Kids in Findlay (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 Findlay for 2026, and here is what he found: 6 family events, 2 of them free. The magic runs from November 22 (Santa Portraits with Sensory Friendly Option) through December 19, with Breakfast with Santa at Camp Berry (December 5), Donuts with Santa (December 12) and North Pole Hang Out (December 19) along the way. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Ohio Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Findlay

  • 6 Christmas events for kids in Findlay
  • 2 free events, including Wee Ones: The Christmas Pickle and North Pole Hang Out
  • Meet Santa: 4 chances, including Santa Portraits with Sensory Friendly Option (November 22) and WinterFest and City of Findlay Tree Lighting (November 27)
  • Parades and tree lightings: WinterFest and City of Findlay Tree Lighting (November 27)
  • Also on the list: 1 Christmas market, 2 story times and 3 craft workshops
  • Season: November 22 (Santa Portraits with Sensory Friendly Option) to December 19 (North Pole Hang Out)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Free Christmas events for kids in Findlay

Holiday story timeFree

Wee Ones: The Christmas Pickle

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This toddler program from the Hancock Park District is built around the picture book The Christmas Pickle. After the story is read aloud, little ones go on a pickle scavenger hunt and then make an ornament meant to be hidden on the family tree at home.

It meets on Monday, December 14, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Discovery Center at Oakwoods Nature Preserve. The program is free and you do not need to register. It is planned for children 3 and under with a grown-up, and brothers and sisters of other ages may come along.

Parent tip: The hour is paced for children 3 and under, so an older sibling may finish the hunt quickly; let them help the little one search. Arrive a few minutes early so you are settled before the story starts at 10:00.

Host
Hancock Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
Oakwoods Nature Preserve, Discovery Center, 1400 Oakwoods Lane, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Hancock Park District (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

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Coming up on this page

  • 4 Santa
  • 3 Crafts
  • 2 Story time
  • 2 Breakfast and treats
  • 2 Free

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Holiday eventFree

North Pole Hang Out

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The Richard S. "Doc" Phillips Discovery Center at Oakwoods is dressed up for the season and opened for a drop-in afternoon. A reading of Merry Merry Holly Holly is the centerpiece, followed by an acorn and holly ornament craft, a snowball toss, a snowflake game and a fire to sit beside.

It is on Saturday, December 19, 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., with the story at 2:00 p.m. The Hancock Park District says all ages are welcome, it is free, and no registration is required.

Parent tip: The ornament craft and games come after the 2:00 p.m. reading, so plan to arrive before 2:00 rather than late in the afternoon. It falls on the last Saturday before Christmas, which makes it a calm, no-cost break from shopping.

Host
Hancock Park District (opens in a new tab)
Address
Oakwoods Nature Preserve, Discovery Center, 1400 Oakwoods Lane, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Hancock Park District (opens in a new tab)

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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Findlay

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

Santa visit

Santa Portraits with Sensory Friendly Option

  • When: Sunday, November 22, 2026 (Sessions run by appointment on Sunday, November 22. The studio sends each family its time slot two days ahead.)
  • Where: Chelsie Hosmer Photography, 1845 Fostoria Ave, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
  • Cost: $40 per child; sensory friendly visits are free
  • Ages: Children of all ages; sensory friendly sessions are for children with autism or other special needs and their siblings
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A local portrait studio sets aside one Sunday for children to sit and chat with Santa, then prints a 5x7 photo on the spot and slips it into a folder frame. Families of children with autism or other special needs can book a separate sensory friendly visit, where the music is switched off, flash is optional, families are spaced apart and each child gets more time with Santa.

All sessions are on Sunday, November 22, 2026, and you must register in advance and pick either the standard or the sensory friendly session. A standard visit is $40 per child, or one $40 fee if siblings sit together. The sensory friendly visit is free and includes one 5x7 print, with an optional donation to Pierce's Crew Foundation.

Parent tip: You will not know your exact time until two days before, so keep the whole of Sunday, November 22 open when you register. If you have more than one child, decide beforehand whether they will sit together, because separate sittings are charged per child.

Host
Chelsie Hosmer Photography (opens in a new tab)
Address
Chelsie Hosmer Photography, 1845 Fostoria Ave, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Chelsie Hosmer Photography (opens in a new tab)

New Findlay events every week

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Tree lighting

WinterFest and City of Findlay Tree Lighting

  • When: Friday, November 27, 2026, 4 to 7 pm (The WinterFest Market runs 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the tree is lit at 6:00 p.m. Kiwanis Santa's House opens afterward and continues on Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. until Christmas.)
  • Where: Dorney Plaza, Dorney Plaza, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
  • Cost: No ticket price listed; Kiwanis Santa's House is free
  • Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip

Downtown Findlay starts the season with the City's tree lighting in Dorney Plaza, next to the Hancock County Courthouse. Local makers and artists set up a WinterFest Market around the tree, and once the lights are on the Kiwanis Santa's House opens at St. Andrew's Church, where children can meet Santa, have cookies and hot chocolate, or ride a wagon through downtown.

WinterFest is on Friday, November 27, 2026. The market is open from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and the tree lighting is at 6:00 p.m. Santa's House is free and keeps running on Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. until Christmas. No tickets or sign-up are mentioned.

Parent tip: Santa's House keeps going every Friday until Christmas, so if the line is long on lighting night you can come back on a quieter Friday. Browse the market before 6:00 p.m., then find your spot by the tree.

Host
Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau) (opens in a new tab)
Address
Dorney Plaza, Dorney Plaza, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau) (opens in a new tab)

New Findlay events every week

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

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Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa at Camp Berry

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The local Scouting council opens its Camp Berry property to the whole community for a morning breakfast with Santa Claus. Along with the meal there are holiday activities and time for each family to visit with Santa, and you do not have to be a Scouting family to come.

It runs on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Camp Berry, 11716 County Road 40. Pre-registered guests pay $10 per person, walk-ups pay $12 at the door, and children 3 and under eat free. Registration is through the council's event page.

Parent tip: Signing up ahead saves $2 a head, which adds up for a larger family. Camp Berry is a Scout camp outside town rather than a banquet hall, so dress children for a cold December morning between the car and the building.

Host
Black Swamp Area Council, Scouting America (opens in a new tab)
Address
Camp Berry, 11716 Co Rd 40, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Black Swamp Area Council, Scouting America (opens in a new tab)

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Santa visit

Donuts with Santa

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Santa spends a Saturday morning at the YMCA's Downtown Branch, where children can visit with him, have a donut and sit down at a craft table. It is a relaxed, come-for-a-while morning rather than a seated meal with a set program.

The Y lists Donuts with Santa for Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Downtown Branch. Its home page does not give a price or say whether sign-up is needed, so check with the Y through its online question form before you go.

Parent tip: With a four-hour window you can time the visit around naps instead of rushing for an 8:00 start. The Y's listing does not say whether the morning is open to non-members, so ask ahead if your family does not have a membership.

Host
Findlay Family YMCA (opens in a new tab)
Address
Findlay Family YMCA Downtown Branch, 300 E Lincoln St, Findlay, OH 45840 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Findlay Family YMCA (opens in a new tab)

New Findlay events every week

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

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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 Ohio Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Findlay Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Santa Portraits with Sensory Friendly Option in Findlay on November 22; the last runs to December 19. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Ohio Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Bellevue, Toledo, Milan and Powell. 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 Findlay

The star on top of Findlay's downtown Christmas tree did not come out of a catalog. Construction, welding and engineering students at Millstream Career Center built it after Mayor Christina Muryn asked them for a tree topper, and she chose the final design from two prototypes they made.

How Findlay celebrates

Findlay opens the season with a Friday evening tree lighting in Dorney Plaza, in front of the Municipal Building and beside the Hancock County Courthouse. A WinterFest market of local makers surrounds the ceremony, and afterward Santa leads families to the Kiwanis Santa's House at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church for cookies, hot chocolate and horse-drawn wagon rides through downtown. Visit Findlay wrote in 2016 that Santa had been coming to the house since 2000 and that WinterFest and Santa's House had been a holiday favorite for 16 years. Outside town, volunteers at Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation run the North Pole Express, a ride on quarter-scale trains through light displays that reached its 24th season in 2025.

Christmas last year in Findlay

For 2025 the City set the lighting for Friday, November 28, at 6:00 p.m. in Dorney Plaza. The tree was a 25-foot blue spruce donated by Brian Coffman, and the Public Works Department hauled it downtown and decorated it. Findlay First Edition and Voices 5 were booked to sing before and after the lighting and lead carols, the Findlay Children's Choir performed at 4:30 p.m. during a 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Winterfest market, and Santa walked families to the Kiwanis Santa's House afterward. The North Pole Express ran its 24th season from November 21, 2025, to January 3, 2026.

Fun facts about Christmas in Findlay

The 2025 community tree stood 25 feet tall and came from a local donor rather than a tree farm. Visit Findlay counted 185 Christmas trees at the North Pole Express in 2019, along with an elf scavenger hunt for children. The same tourism office reported in 2016 that Santa had met several thousand children at the Kiwanis Santa's House, and that letters could be dropped in special North Pole mailboxes at a Main Street shop and at the railroad museum.

Traditions today

  • Tree lighting in Dorney Plaza: The City lights the community Christmas tree at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday in late November, with local choirs leading carols.
  • WinterFest Market: Local makers, creators and artists sell their goods in Dorney Plaza from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. around the tree lighting.
  • Kiwanis Santa's House: Kiwanis Club of Findlay volunteers host free Friday evening visits with Santa at St. Andrew's Church, with cookies, hot chocolate and wagon rides.
  • North Pole Express: Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation runs quarter-scale trains through light displays, with toy train layouts and a forest of decorated trees indoors.
  • South Main Street luminaries: Luminaries line South Main Street, and people drive or walk the street to see them, often with Christmas music playing.
  • Christmas Open House at the museum: The Hancock Historical Museum holds a Christmas Open House in December, listed for December 12 in 2026.

A fact for kids

The steam engine that pulls the North Pole Express is only a quarter the size of a real locomotive, and it still burns coal. Each little car has room for one grown-up and maybe one child.

Questions about Christmas in Findlay

When is Findlay's Christmas tree lighting?

The City of Findlay lights its community tree at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday at the end of November. In 2025 the ceremony was set for Friday, November 28. For 2026, Visit Findlay lists the tree lighting and WinterFest for November 27 in Dorney Plaza, next to the Hancock County Courthouse.

Where did Findlay's Christmas tree come from in 2025?

According to the City of Findlay, the 2025 tree was a 25-foot blue spruce donated by Brian Coffman. Crews from the City's Public Works Department moved the tree to Dorney Plaza and decorated it before the lighting ceremony on Friday, November 28, 2025.

Who made the star on Findlay's Christmas tree?

Students in the construction, welding and engineering programs at Millstream Career Center built it. WFIN reported that Mayor Christina Muryn asked them for a topper, the students produced two prototype designs, and she picked one. They then worked with the City on how to secure the star and supply it with power.

What is WinterFest in Findlay?

WinterFest is the downtown holiday kickoff built around the tree lighting. Visit Findlay describes a WinterFest Market in Dorney Plaza from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., with local makers and artists selling before and after the 6:00 p.m. lighting, followed by the opening night of the Kiwanis Santa's House.

What is the Kiwanis Santa's House?

It is a free Santa visit run by Kiwanis Club of Findlay volunteers at St. Andrew's Church downtown. It opens after the tree lighting and continues on Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. until Christmas. Families can meet Santa, have cookies and hot chocolate, and take a wagon ride through downtown.

How long has Santa's House been a Findlay tradition?

A Visit Findlay article from December 2016 said Santa had been visiting the Findlay Santa's House since 2000, and that WinterFest and the Kiwanis Santa's House had been a holiday favorite for 16 years. It added that Santa had met several thousand children there over that time.

What is the North Pole Express in Findlay?

It is a holiday train ride at Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation on County Road 99. Riders board open-air, quarter-scale trains for a nighttime trip past Christmas light displays. Inside the museum and train barn there are toy train layouts, a Christmas tree forest and a hidden-elves scavenger hunt for children.

How long has the North Pole Express been running?

Findlay Living reported that 2025 was the North Pole Express's 24th season, running from November 21, 2025, to January 3, 2026, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Admission that season was $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under, with tickets sold at the site.

Who sings at the Findlay tree lighting?

In 2025 the City announced that Findlay First Edition and Voices 5 would perform before and after the lighting and lead the crowd in traditional carols, with the Findlay Children's Choir singing earlier at 4:30 p.m. Visit Findlay's 2026 holiday calendar again lists Findlay First Edition at the tree lighting on November 27.

Where do Findlay families go to see luminaries?

South Main Street. In a list of her favorite Findlay Christmas traditions, the director of Visit Findlay described driving or walking South Main to see the luminaries, often with Christmas music on, and a photo caption in the same article mentions caroling there on Christmas Eve.

Sources

  1. Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, City of Findlay
  2. WinterFest, Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau)
  3. The Holidays in Hancock County, Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau)
  4. Community Spotlight: Santa Claus, Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau)
  5. Top 10 Things I Love About Christmas in Findlay, Visit Findlay (Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau)
  6. Star Atop Findlay's Christmas Tree Made By Local Students, WFIN
  7. All aboard: Take a ride through an Ohio Christmas tradition, WOSU Public Media / The Ohio Newsroom
  8. North Pole Express Returns: Findlay's Holiday Lights Tradition Rolls Into Its 24th Season, Findlay Living
  9. An Under-The-Radar Small City In Ohio Transforms Into A Christmas Paradise That Locals Adore, Islands
  10. Oakwoods Nature Preserve, Hancock 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 Ohio city.

Findlay Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Findlay to start with?

For an easy first outing, try the North Pole Hang Out on Saturday, December 19, 2026, at Oakwoods Nature Preserve. It is a drop-in afternoon with a story at 2:00 p.m., an ornament craft and games. For a Santa morning, Breakfast with Santa at Camp Berry is on Saturday, December 5, from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Findlay?

Yes. The Hancock Park District runs two free programs at Oakwoods Nature Preserve with no registration: Wee Ones: The Christmas Pickle on Monday, December 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and the North Pole Hang Out on Saturday, December 19, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Sensory friendly Santa visits at Chelsie Hosmer Photography on November 22 are also free.

Where can kids meet Santa in Findlay?

Santa has several stops. He sits for portraits at Chelsie Hosmer Photography on Sunday, November 22, 2026, joins Breakfast with Santa at Camp Berry on Saturday, December 5, and visits the YMCA Downtown Branch for Donuts with Santa on Saturday, December 12. Visit Findlay also lists the Kiwanis Santa's House at St. Andrew's Church on Friday evenings.

Does Findlay have a tree lighting or holiday lights for families?

The City of Findlay lights the community tree at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 27, 2026, in Dorney Plaza next to the Hancock County Courthouse. A WinterFest Market of local makers runs in the plaza from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., and the Kiwanis Santa's House opens at St. Andrew's Church right after the lighting.

Which Findlay Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?

Santa Portraits on November 22, 2026, must be booked in advance, and the studio assigns your time two days before. Breakfast with Santa on December 5 takes walk-ups at $12, but pre-registering drops it to $10 per person. The two Hancock Park District programs on December 14 and December 19 need no registration at all.

Is there a sensory friendly Santa visit in Findlay?

Yes. On Sunday, November 22, 2026, Chelsie Hosmer Photography offers sensory friendly Santa visits for children with autism or other special needs and their siblings. The music is turned off, flash can be skipped, families are spaced out and visits are longer. These sessions are free and include one 5x7 print, but you must register.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Findlay?

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