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Christmas with kids in Great Falls
In Great Falls, Christmas begins with a parade of lights down Central Avenue and a tree switched on by Santa. About a week later, downtown closes the street for a Christmas Stroll.
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The story of Christmas in Great Falls
How Great Falls celebrates
Downtown Great Falls has two big holiday nights. The Parade of Lights comes first, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when local businesses and community groups build floats and roll down Central Avenue toward the Civic Center. Santa follows and lights the official downtown Christmas tree. The 2025 parade was the 31st, so it began in the mid 1990s. The Christmas Stroll comes next. Its 42nd edition in 2025 means it goes back to the early 1980s, and it turns Central Avenue into a pedestrian street for an evening.
Christmas last year in Great Falls
The 31st Parade of Lights stepped off at 6 pm on Saturday, November 29, 2025, with dozens of floats on Central Avenue. Santa brought up the rear and switched on the tree in front of the Civic Center, a tree donated by Great Falls resident Carol Sullivan and set up the week of November 21. The 42nd Christmas Stroll followed on Friday, December 5, from 5 to 9 pm, with a 1970s theme called A Groovy Little Christmas. Central Avenue closed to cars for vendors, music, performers, photo spots, treats and food trucks.
Fun facts about Christmas in Great Falls
Santa has made grand entrances in Great Falls. At a parade covered in 2010, he arrived at the Civic Center in a wagon pulled by draft horses and lit a large evergreen tree. That year the parade and stroll covered about seven blocks, with lit storefronts and replica historic lamp posts along the way. In 2025 a $5 Stroll Button gave shoppers a chance to win a downtown staycation. The event page for the 2010 stroll noted that crowds follow Santa to the tree, so arriving early helps.
Traditions today
- Parade of Lights: Floats from local businesses and groups roll down Central Avenue on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
- Downtown Christmas tree lighting: Santa switches on the tree in front of the Civic Center at the end of the parade.
- Christmas Stroll: Central Avenue becomes a pedestrian street with vendors, music, performers and food trucks.
- Stroll Button: A $5 button that enters shoppers in a drawing for a downtown staycation.
- Photo spots on Central Avenue: The stroll includes photo ops, treats and small-business specials along the closed street.
- Lit storefronts and lamp posts: Downtown shops and replica historic lamp posts glow along the parade route.
A fact for kids
In Great Falls, Santa once showed up to light the tree in a wagon pulled by draft horses, and the whole street followed him to the Civic Center.
Questions about Christmas in Great Falls
What is the biggest Christmas tradition in Great Falls?
The Parade of Lights is the kickoff. Local businesses and community groups build floats and travel down Central Avenue on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Santa joins at the end and lights the downtown Christmas tree in front of the Civic Center, which marks the start of the holiday season downtown.
When did the Great Falls Parade of Lights start?
The 2025 parade was billed as the 31st annual, which points to the mid 1990s. We did not find an exact first date, so it is safest to say it has run for about three decades. It takes place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and ends with Santa lighting the tree at the Civic Center.
Where does the Great Falls Parade of Lights go?
The parade moves down Central Avenue in downtown Great Falls and heads west toward the Civic Center. In 2025 it began at 6 pm. Watch from the sidewalk, and arrive early if you want a good spot for little ones, since the avenue fills up before the first float.
Who lights the Great Falls Christmas tree?
Santa lights it. In 2025 he followed the parade and switched on the Christmas tree in front of the Civic Center. A Great Falls resident, Carol Sullivan, donated the tree, and local businesses and agencies helped set it up the week of November 21.
What is the Great Falls Christmas Stroll?
The Christmas Stroll is a downtown evening when Central Avenue closes completely and becomes a pedestrian walkway. In 2025 it ran from 5 to 9 pm on Friday, December 5, with local vendors, small-business specials, music, performers, photo ops, treats and food trucks.
How old is the Great Falls Christmas Stroll?
The 2025 stroll was the 42nd annual, so it dates back to the early 1980s. We did not find an exact starting date. A report from 2010 says the stroll was usually held on the first Friday of December, and the 2025 date followed that pattern.
What was the theme of the 2025 Great Falls Christmas Stroll?
The 2025 theme was A Groovy Little Christmas, with a 1970s style. It was the theme of the 42nd Christmas Stroll on Friday, December 5, 2025. Themes can change from year to year, so check Downtown Great Falls for the 2026 plans when they are announced.
What is the Stroll Button?
The Stroll Button costs $5 and enters you in a drawing for a downtown staycation. In 2025 the prize included meals, experiences and gifts from local businesses such as Hotel Arvon, Sip 'n Dip, Fire Pizza, Magpie, The Newberry and Broke Axe Throwing.
How long does the Great Falls Christmas Stroll last?
In 2025 the stroll ran four hours, from 5 to 9 pm. Families with young children may want to plan a shorter visit and head home before bedtime. Plan for time outdoors and bring warm layers, since early December in Montana is cold.
Is the Great Falls Christmas Stroll good for young kids?
Yes, with the right plan. The stroll has music, performers, treats and photo spots on a street closed to cars. Come early, keep a stroller and warm layers handy, and stay together in the crowd. Santa and the tree lighting belong to the parade night instead.
What was the first big holiday night of 2025 in Great Falls?
It was the 31st Parade of Lights on Saturday, November 29, at 6 pm. Dozens of floats rolled down Central Avenue, Santa came last, and the tree in front of the Civic Center lit up. The tree had been put up about a week earlier.
How did Santa arrive at the Civic Center in 2010?
At the parade covered in 2010, Santa came to the Civic Center in a wagon pulled by draft horses and lit a large evergreen tree. The event page noted that crowds follow Santa to the tree, so arriving early helps if you want a front-row view.
How big is the Great Falls parade and stroll area?
In 2010 the parade and stroll covered about seven blocks and ended at the Civic Center. Downtown Great Falls coordinated the event, with food and drink vendors along Central Avenue, lit storefronts and replica historic lamp posts. The footprint may differ now, so check the latest map.
What should we wear to Great Falls Christmas events?
Dress for Montana winter: warm coats, hats, gloves, snow boots and layers. The parade and stroll are outdoors in the evening, and kids stand still for a while. A thermos of something warm and a blanket for the stroller make waiting much easier for little ones.
How do I explain the Parade of Lights to my kids?
Tell them local businesses and neighbors decorate floats with lights to welcome the Christmas season. At the end, Santa switches on the big tree in front of the Civic Center. Point out the floats, the music and the lit shop windows as the parade passes.
Is the Great Falls Christmas Stroll free to attend?
We did not find an admission fee for walking the stroll, and the Stroll Button is a separate optional $5 purchase for a prize drawing. Food, drinks and shopping cost extra. Check Downtown Great Falls for current details before you go, as plans change each year.
How do I get a good view of the Great Falls parade?
Arrive early and pick a sidewalk spot along Central Avenue, ideally closer to the Civic Center if you want to see the tree lighting. A report from a past parade noted that crowds follow Santa to the tree, so the view gets tight quickly. The parade starts at 6 pm, so give yourself time to settle in.
What can families find on Central Avenue during the Christmas Stroll?
In 2025 the closed street had local vendors, small-business specials, music, performers, photo spots, treats and food trucks. The Stroll Button was a separate $5 purchase for a downtown staycation drawing. Details change each year, so check Downtown Great Falls for the current list before you plan your evening.
Where can I find this year's Great Falls Christmas dates?
Downtown Great Falls posts its own announcements for the parade and stroll, and local news outlets such as the Great Falls Gazette and KRTV publish guides each season. Dates, times and prices can change, so check those sources again as the season gets closer.
Why does Great Falls decorate Central Avenue for Christmas?
Central Avenue is the heart of downtown, so it is where the parade, the tree and the stroll come together. Local businesses build floats, shops light their windows and replica historic lamp posts glow along the way. It brings the parade, the tree and the stroll into one part of town.
Sources
- A Groovy Little Christmas in Great Falls: your guide to all the festive fun, Great Falls Gazette
- Parade of Lights in downtown Great Falls, KRTV
- Christmas tree goes up in downtown Great Falls, KRTV
- Parade and Stroll in Great Falls, Central Montana