Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Franklin for 2026, and all three are free. “Elf” plays under the stars at Harlinsdale Farm on November 20, kids hunt for candy canes by flashlight there on December 10 and 11, and Dickens of a Christmas fills Main Street with Victorian carolers and characters on December 12 and 13. We check every date on the host’s own website or the city calendar and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Tennessee Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Franklin
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Franklin, all free
- Elf in the Park: Friday, November 20, at Harlinsdale Farm
- Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt: December 10 and 11, ages 2 to 12, register first
- Dickens of a Christmas: December 12 and 13 on Main Street
- Every date checked on the City of Franklin and Heritage Foundation sites on Nov 11
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Rally’s Christmas research
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Free Christmas events for kids in Franklin
Holiday movieFree
Movie in the Park: Elf
- When: Friday, November 20, 2026, at dusk
- Where: The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The City of Franklin’s Movies in the Park series ends its 2026 season with a holiday favorite: “Elf” on the big screen at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm.
Bring chairs or a blanket and settle in on the lawn. Food vendors usually set up for the movie nights, so it is an easy family dinner outing too.
Parent tip: November evenings get cold once the sun is down, so bring blankets, hats and a thermos of cocoa.
- Host
- City of Franklin Parks (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Franklin events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Franklin daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Franklin.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Franklin events 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 Franklin.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Franklin 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
- 2 Shows
- 1 Crafts
- 3 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Franklin every week.
Candy cane huntFree
Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt
- When: Thursday and Friday, December 10 and 11, 2026, evening sessions
- Where: The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, pre-registration required
- Ages: Ages 2 to 12
Expand to see the parent tip
Kids grab a flashlight and hunt for candy canes hidden around The Park at Harlinsdale Farm after dark, a wintry twist on an egg hunt.
Before the hunt, kids decorate their own treat bags, and there is hot chocolate and cookies. Spots are limited and in past years the sessions have filled up, so register as soon as the city opens sign-ups.
Parent tip: Every child needs their own flashlight. Headlamps work great for little hands that also need to hold a bag.
- Host
- City of Franklin Parks (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Rd, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Franklin events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Franklin daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Franklin.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Victorian festivalFree
Dickens of a Christmas
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, December 13, 11 am to 5 pm
- Where: Main Street, Downtown Franklin, Main St, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
For one weekend, downtown Franklin turns into a scene from a Charles Dickens novel. Costumed characters including Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Cratchits stroll Main Street among carolers, dancers and musicians on three stages.
There are children’s activities, a Victorian village, holiday food and a big arts and crafts market. It draws more than 100,000 visitors, so it is busy, but the street performers keep kids entertained the whole way.
Parent tip: Ride the free shuttle into downtown rather than hunting for parking, and go Sunday morning if you want smaller crowds with little ones.
- Host
- Heritage Foundation of Williamson County (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Main Street, Downtown Franklin, Main St, Franklin, TN 37064 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Franklin events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Franklin daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Franklin.
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 Tennessee Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Franklin Christmas event for kids happens
Start with “Elf” on November 20. Register early for the Candy Cane Hunt on December 10 or 11, then spend the weekend of December 12 and 13 at Dickens of a Christmas downtown.
- Movie in the Park: ElfFranklin · Nov 20
- Flashlight Candy Cane HuntFranklin · Dec 10 to Dec 11
- Dickens of a ChristmasFranklin · Dec 12 to Dec 13
Looking further afield? Our Tennessee Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Nashville, Murfreesboro, Clarksville and Chattanooga. 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 Tennessee city.
Franklin Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Franklin, TN this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Franklin for 2026: Movie in the Park with “Elf” on November 20, the Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt on December 10 and 11, and Dickens of a Christmas on December 12 and 13. All three are free.
When is Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin in 2026?
Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, December 13, from 11 am to 5 pm, on Main Street in Downtown Franklin. Admission is free.
How do I sign up for the Franklin Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt?
The hunt is free for kids ages 2 to 12 on December 10 and 11, 2026, at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, but pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Email parksinfo@franklintn.gov or call the Parks Department at 615-794-2103.
Is there a Christmas movie in the park in Franklin?
Yes. The City of Franklin shows “Elf” at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, 239 Franklin Road, on Friday, November 20, 2026. It is free.
Who do I contact about Franklin holiday events?
City of Franklin Parks at parksinfo@franklintn.gov for the movie and candy cane hunt, and the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County at info@williamsonheritage.org for Dickens of a Christmas.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Tennessee?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Tennessee 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 Franklin 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.