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Christmas with kids in Johnson City
In Johnson City, Christmas grows in a forest of decorated trees downtown. What started in 2020 as a small, safe display has become a free tradition with about 180 trees, carolers and hot chocolate.
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The story of Christmas in Johnson City
How Johnson City celebrates
Johnson City celebrates with trees. In 2020 the nonprofit that runs the downtown Christmas Parade set up a smaller, COVID-safe display of 60 real trees in Founders Park. The parade returned the next year, but city hall kept the trees and made them an annual signature event called Candy Land Christmas. By 2021 there were 160 trees, 10 to 12 feet tall, linked by Candy Cane Lane. Local businesses, nonprofits and residents buy and decorate them, and the Grand Tree Lighting opens the season in late November. The Christmas Parade still rolls through downtown on a Saturday morning in early December, with Santa.
Christmas last year in Johnson City
The 2025 season opened on Saturday, November 29, with the Grand Tree Lighting at King Commons, where carolers sang and families got free hot chocolate. About 180 trees lit up along Main Street, King Commons and Founders Park, and Candy Land Christmas ran through January 4, free for everyone. Visitors scanned QR codes to vote for their favorite tree all month. On December 6 the Blue Plum Organization held the Christmas Parade downtown, with the theme Mountain Rails and Christmas Tales, the ETSU Marching Bucs, the Science Hill Hilltopper Band and Santa Claus. The train museum also hosted a Holly Jolly Express day with crafts and Santa.
Fun facts about Christmas in Johnson City
The trees come from a farm in Mountain City, Tennessee, and are ordered about a year ahead. Each costs $200 to sponsor, or $150 for the 30 reserved for nonprofits. Smart poles added in 2022 play Christmas music from about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. The online Best Tree vote passed 40,000 votes one year. The trees stay up through Epiphany, so families can visit well after December 25. Public Works crews handle the setup.
Trains and Christmas near Johnson City
Johnson City grew up around the railroads, and its downtown museum celebrates that story at Christmas. In 2025 the Railroad Experience held a Holly Jolly Express day with hot chocolate, cookies, crafts, movies and a visit with Santa, and the 2025 parade theme was Mountain Rails and Christmas Tales. Kids get wooden train tables and an N scale Tri-Cities layout. In Jonesborough, the Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society keeps the 1906 Chuckey Depot Museum, and Bristol's restored 1902 depot is a short drive for a look from outside.
- Johnson City Railroad Experience: A downtown Johnson City museum with a Tri-Cities model layout, kids' train tables and a Santa day in December.
- Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum: A volunteer group in nearby Jonesborough that runs the Chuckey Depot Museum in a 1906 Southern Railway depot.
- Historic Bristol Train Station: A restored 1902 depot beside an active rail line, best enjoyed from outside.
Traditions today
- Candy Land Christmas: About 180 decorated trees fill Founders Park, King Commons and Main Street from late November to early January.
- Grand Tree Lighting: A kickoff evening at King Commons with carolers and free hot chocolate, held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2025.
- Best Tree vote: Visitors scan QR codes to vote online for a favorite tree, and the votes pick second and third place.
- Johnson City Christmas Parade: A free family parade downtown on an early December morning, with school bands and Santa.
- Holly Jolly Express day: A museum day with crafts, cookies, movies and a visit with Santa at the Johnson City Railroad Experience.
- Storytime with Santa and Mrs. Claus: A past visitor center storytime for toddlers and elementary kids, with hot cocoa.
A fact for kids
In Johnson City, neighbors and shops each decorate their own Christmas tree, and about 180 of them light up downtown. You can scan a code on a tree to vote for your favorite.
Questions about Christmas in Johnson City
When did Johnson City's Christmas tree tradition begin?
Candy Land Christmas began in 2020 with 60 real trees in Founders Park. It started as a safe, COVID-era way to celebrate when the usual parade was canceled, and the city kept it. By 2021 it had grown to 160 trees, and by 2025 it was about 180 trees across downtown.
What is Candy Land Christmas?
Candy Land Christmas is a free downtown display of about 180 Christmas trees, each decorated by a local business, nonprofit or community group. The trees stand in Founders Park, King Commons and along Main Street, and families can walk between them. It runs from late November until early January.
Who started Candy Land Christmas?
In 2020 the nonprofit that runs the downtown Christmas Parade set up a smaller, COVID-safe display of 60 real trees in Founders Park. The parade returned the next year, but city hall kept the trees and made them an annual signature event called Candy Land Christmas. Local businesses, nonprofits and residents now sponsor and decorate them.
Who decorates the trees in Johnson City?
Local businesses, nonprofits, ETSU groups and residents buy a tree and decorate it however they like. Sponsoring costs $200, or $150 for the 30 trees held for nonprofits. Crews from the city's Public Works Department handle the setup, and the trees then stand downtown from late November into early January.
How long do the downtown trees stay up?
The trees stay up through Epiphany, so the 2025 display ran from November 29 to January 4. That means families can see them after Christmas Day too. Check the Visit Johnson City page for current dates and any kids' activities downtown this year.
What happens at the Grand Tree Lighting?
The Grand Tree Lighting opens the season at King Commons, where carolers sing and free hot chocolate is handed out. In 2025 it was held on Saturday evening, November 29, and the trees were switched on across downtown afterward. Families can then stroll through Gumdrop Forest and Cupcake Commons.
What are Gumdrop Forest and Cupcake Commons?
They are the candy-themed names for parts of the display. Gumdrop Forest is the tree area in Founders Park, and Cupcake Commons is King Commons. The sweet names match the Candy Land theme, and Candy Cane Lane once linked the trees together.
Does Johnson City play Christmas music downtown?
Yes. Smart poles installed in 2022 play Christmas music from about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day during the display. The music plays all day, so it is part of any walk among the trees. The display itself is free and needs no ticket or reservation.
How do people vote for the best tree?
Visitors scan QR codes on the trees and vote online, and voting runs all month. The votes decide second and third place. One year the unlimited online vote passed 40,000 votes, which shows how many people take part. Kids can pick a favorite tree as they walk and scan its code.
Where do the Christmas trees come from?
The real trees come from a farm in Mountain City, Tennessee. The city orders them about a year ahead so they are ready for the display. Each tree stands roughly 10 to 12 feet tall, and local businesses, nonprofits and residents then buy and decorate them. By 2025 about 180 trees filled downtown.
Does Johnson City still have a Christmas parade?
Yes. The Johnson City Christmas Parade is run by the Blue Plum Organization and rolls through downtown on a Saturday morning in early December. In 2025 it was on December 6, was free, and included school bands and Santa Claus. Check the Visit Johnson City page for this year's date.
Which bands and groups joined the 2025 Johnson City parade?
The 2025 parade had the theme Mountain Rails and Christmas Tales. The ETSU Marching Bucs and the Science Hill Hilltopper Band joined local businesses and nonprofits, and Santa Claus appeared at the end. It was a free, family-focused morning event on December 6, run by the Blue Plum Organization.
Is there a nighttime Christmas parade nearby?
Yes. Jonesborough, a short drive away, holds a nighttime Christmas parade downtown on the second Saturday of December, with movie-themed floats, bands, classic cars and Santa. It is separate from the Johnson City morning parade, so check Visit Johnson City for what is confirmed this year.
Can kids meet Santa and hear stories in Johnson City?
Yes, several local hosts have offered Santa visits. The visitor center has held a Storytime with Santa and Mrs. Claus with hot cocoa, and the railroad museum has held a Holly Jolly Express day with crafts and Santa. Dates change each year, so check Visit Johnson City for current listings.
How do I explain Candy Land Christmas to young kids?
Tell them that neighbors, shops and clubs each decorate a tree, and that the whole town makes a forest of lights downtown. Ask them to pick a favorite and vote by scanning its QR code. It started when the town needed a new way to celebrate together.
Is the downtown tree display free?
Yes. Candy Land Christmas is free and open to everyone, and you can visit any day while it is up. Free hot chocolate is handed out at the tree lighting. Parking and shopping downtown are separate, so budget for those if you plan to make an outing of it.
What was the Johnson City Railroad Experience's Christmas event?
In 2025 the museum held a Holly Jolly Express day with hot chocolate, cookies, crafts, movies and a visit with Santa. Admission was $10 for adults and $8 for children, with museum entry included. Reserve ahead on the museum website, and watch for a repeat in 2026.
Why do trains show up in Johnson City's Christmas?
Johnson City grew up around railroads, and the downtown railroad museum tells that story, with a model layout of the Tri-Cities. The 2025 parade theme was Mountain Rails and Christmas Tales, and the museum hosts a Holly Jolly Express day with Santa.
Which train museums can we visit near Johnson City?
The Johnson City Railroad Experience is downtown and has kids' wooden train tables and a Tri-Cities layout. The Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society runs the 1906 Chuckey Depot Museum in Jonesborough. Bristol's 1902 depot is a short drive away. Check hours before you go.
What is the best way to enjoy the trees with little ones?
Bring a stroller and warm layers, and plan a loop through Founders Park, King Commons and Main Street, where the trees stand. Let kids choose a favorite tree and vote by scanning its QR code. Visit in the evening if you want to see the trees lit up.
Sources
- Candy Land Christmas
- Candyland Christmas turns downtown Johnson City into a holiday destination
- Johnson City's Candyland Christmas trees officially lit for the season
- Candy Land Christmas draws crowds
- 2025 Johnson City Christmas Parade
- Johnson City host annual Christmas parade
- Holly Jolly Express
- Johnson City Grand Tree Lighting
- Storytime with Santa & Mrs. Claus at the Visitor Center
- Rally Takes the Train museum guide: Johnson City Railroad Experience
- Jonesborough Christmas Parade