The Kenosha area has 5 Christmas events for kids we could confirm for the 2026 season, from City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting in Kenosha on November 27 to Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts in Kenosha, which runs through December 12. Every listing links straight to the host. It is one stop on our guide to Christmas events for kids in Wisconsin, part of our guide for every state.
The short version
- 5 kids’ Christmas events confirmed in Kenosha for 2026, in Kenosha
- First: City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting, Kenosha, November 27. Runs latest: Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts, Kenosha, through December 12
- Every event here charges admission or a ticket; check each host
- Checked on each host’s own page; each listing links straight to it
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Christmas events for kids in Kenosha
5 confirmed events for kids in Kenosha, soonest first.
Tree lighting
City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting
- When: Friday, November 27, 2026
- Where: Downtown Kenosha, Kenosha
- Cost: Price not listed, check with the venue
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists the City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, Nov 27, followed by Santa's appearance at the Rhode Center for the Arts from 4 to 8 pm. The calendar does not give the lighting time or location.
In 2025 the lighting was at Veterans Memorial Park near Sixth Avenue and 54th Street, with a vendor market, a drone show over the harbor and free streetcar rides. Check the city's announcement for the 2026 program.
Parent tip: The 2026 time and place are not on the calendar, so watch the City of Kenosha site or call before you go.
- Host
- City of Kenosha (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downtown Kenosha, Kenosha, WI
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visit
Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts
- When: Fri November 27 (4 to 8 pm), Sat December 5 (3 to 6 pm) and Sat December 12 (noon to 2 pm), 2026
- Where: Rhode Center for the Arts, Kenosha
- Cost: Price not listed, check with the venue
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts on Friday, Nov 27 from 4 to 8 pm, Saturday, Dec 5 from 3 to 6 pm, and Saturday, Dec 12 from noon to 2 pm. The Nov 27 visit follows the City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting.
In 2025 the Rhode Center was also the Santa stop on tree lighting night, and the visits were free. The 2026 calendar does not list a price, so confirm with the venue.
Parent tip: Tree lighting night is busy downtown, so allow extra time for parking near 56th Street.
- Host
- Rhode Center for the Arts (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Rhode Center for the Arts, Kenosha, WI
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visit
Santa at Kenosha History Center
- When: Sat November 28 and Sat December 12, 2026, 10 am to 2 pm
- Where: Kenosha History Center, Kenosha
- Cost: Price not listed, check with the venue
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists Santa at the Kenosha History Center on Saturday, Nov 28 and Saturday, Dec 12, from 10 am to 2 pm each day. A third Saturday, Dec 19, also appears on the calendar, but its link points to Kemper Center, so confirm that one before you plan around it.
The calendar does not give a price or street address. The History Center sits near the lakefront in downtown Kenosha, close to the Southport Light Station and the free electric streetcar line.
Parent tip: Call the History Center before you go to confirm hours and whether there is a fee. Add the Dec 19 date only after the venue confirms it.
- Host
- Kenosha History Center (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Kenosha History Center, Kenosha, WI
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visit
Santa at Kenosha Public Museum
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Where: Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha
- Cost: Price not listed, check with the venue
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists Santa at the Kenosha Public Museum on Saturday, Dec 5, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. It is a short visit window, so plan to arrive early.
The museum also shows a holiday train display in its lobby with a scavenger hunt, according to a VisitKenosha holiday guide, though that guide does not give 2026 dates. The Santa calendar does not state a price, so check with the museum.
Parent tip: Check the museum's website for admission and whether Santa photos are included.
- Host
- Kenosha Public Museum (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha, WI
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visit
Santa at Kenosha Symphony Orchestra
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 3 to 5 pm
- Where: Reuther Auditorium (Kenosha Symphony Orchestra), Kenosha
- Cost: Price not listed, check with the venue
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists Santa at the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, with the venue given as Reuther Auditorium, on Saturday, Dec 12 from 3 to 5 pm.
The listing does not say whether it is tied to a concert, and it gives no price or street address. Families can see the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra page linked from the calendar for details on the day.
Parent tip: Confirm the entrance and any ticket requirement with the orchestra before heading over.
- Host
- Kenosha Symphony Orchestra (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Reuther Auditorium (Kenosha Symphony Orchestra), Kenosha, WI
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Kenosha? Bring Rally home.
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Every event above was confirmed on the host’s own page, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (sign-ups, ages, what is included). Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Wisconsin Christmas train rides page.
Kenosha Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 5 confirmed for 2026
- Cities
- Kenosha
- Season
- November 27 to December 12, 2026
- Free events
- 0
- Kinds of events
- Santa visit and tree lighting
- Last checked
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Kenosha Christmas event for kids happens
The first is City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting in Kenosha on November 27; the last runs to December 12. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- City of Kenosha Christmas Tree LightingKenosha · Nov 27
- Santa at the Rhode Center for the ArtsKenosha · Nov 27 to Dec 12
- Santa at Kenosha History CenterKenosha · Nov 28 to Dec 12
- Santa at Kenosha Public MuseumKenosha · Dec 5
- Santa at Kenosha Symphony OrchestraKenosha · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our Wisconsin Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Milwaukee, Madison, WI, Green Bay and Appleton. 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 Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November: unlock the list and we'll email you as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Kenosha
In Kenosha, the Christmas tree comes from a neighbor's yard. Each fall the city harvests a tree donated by a local resident, and in 2025 a drone show lit up the harbor before it glowed.
How Kenosha celebrates
Kenosha's Christmas season starts on the lakefront. Each fall the city parks department harvests a Christmas tree donated by a local resident, and it is lit on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the Lightin' Up celebration. Families also visit Santa at spots around town, including the Rhode Center for the Arts, the Kenosha History Center and the Kenosha Public Museum. Over at Kemper Center, volunteers decorate Durkee Mansion in the style of the 1860s, the former home of Senator Charles Durkee, while trees, wreaths and mantel displays fill the Anderson Arts Center.
Christmas last year in Kenosha
On Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, festivities began at 2 p.m. with a vendor market on Sixth Avenue. A drone show from Northern Lights Drone Shows of Caledonia sent hundreds of synchronized drones over Kenosha Harbor, forming animated holiday scenes set to music. Then three local youths chosen by Boys & Girls Club staff pushed the button to light a 30-foot blue spruce decorated with more than 1,000 colored bulbs. Kids could also see real reindeer for photos at Herzing University, write letters with Mrs. Claus at Actor's Craft and visit Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts.
Fun facts about Christmas in Kenosha
The 2025 city tree weighed about 3,000 pounds and was planted 43 years ago by Laurie Jacobs, who donated it to the city. Electric streetcar rides in downtown Kenosha were free all day on tree lighting day. The Kenosha Public Museum keeps a holiday train display in its lobby with a scavenger hunt, and the Southport Light Station has hosted a noon talk about the Rouse Simmons Christmas Tree Ship, a story kids who love ships and trees tend to enjoy.
Trains and Christmas in Kenosha
Kenosha's rail story at Christmas is a small, sweet one. The Kenosha Public Museum puts a holiday train display in its lobby, with a scavenger hunt for kids, and electric streetcars were free to ride all day on tree lighting day in 2025. The streetcar line runs through the downtown and lakefront area where the tree lighting, vendor market and Santa visits take place, so a ride can double as a short tour of the holiday sights.
Traditions today
- Lightin' Up and the city tree lighting: On the Friday after Thanksgiving, Kenosha lights a tree donated by a local resident.
- Harbor drone show: Hundreds of synchronized drones drew holiday scenes over Kenosha Harbor in 2025.
- Visits with Santa: Santa appears at the Rhode Center, the History Center, the Public Museum and more.
- Christmas at Kemper: Trees, wreaths and a mansion decorated in the style of the 1860s at Kemper Center.
- Holiday train display: A lobby train display with a scavenger hunt at the Kenosha Public Museum.
- Free streetcar rides: Electric streetcars were free all day on tree lighting day in 2025.
A fact for kids
Kenosha's Christmas tree started as a neighbor's backyard tree that was planted about 43 years ago. In 2025 it weighed about 3,000 pounds and wore more than 1,000 colored lights.
Questions about Christmas in Kenosha
When does Kenosha light its Christmas tree?
Kenosha lights its city Christmas tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving as part of Lightin' Up. In 2025 that was Friday, Nov. 28, and the VisitKenosha Santa calendar lists the 2026 tree lighting on Friday, Nov. 27. Our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page has the latest times and places.
Where does Kenosha's Christmas tree come from?
Each fall the city parks department harvests a Christmas tree donated by a local resident. The 2025 tree was a 30-foot blue spruce donated by Laurie Jacobs, who planted it 43 years ago. It weighed about 3,000 pounds and wore more than 1,000 colored bulbs when it was lit on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
What happened at the 2025 Kenosha tree lighting?
Festivities began at 2 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2025, with a vendor market on Sixth Avenue. A drone show flew over Kenosha Harbor after the mayor's holiday greeting, and then three local youths chosen by Boys & Girls Club staff pushed the button to light the tree. Free streetcar rides and Santa visits rounded out the day.
Who made the drone show at Kenosha's tree lighting?
Northern Lights Drone Shows, based in Caledonia, flew hundreds of synchronized drones over Kenosha Harbor in 2025. The drones formed animated holiday-themed displays set to music, and the show came right before the tree was lit. It was the headline of the City of Kenosha's announcement that year.
Where can kids see Santa in Kenosha?
The VisitKenosha Santa calendar for 2026 lists Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts, the Kenosha History Center, the Kenosha Public Museum and the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra's Reuther Auditorium on various Saturdays from Nov. 27 to Dec. 19. Our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page lists the dates and times.
Can kids see real reindeer in Kenosha?
In 2025, real reindeer were available for photos at Herzing University, 5800 Seventh Ave., during the tree lighting celebration, according to Kenosha.com. That was a 2025 listing, so check our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page and the host's site for this season before you plan a trip around it.
What is Lightin' Up Kenosha?
Lightin' Up is Kenosha's downtown holiday kickoff, centered on the City of Kenosha tree lighting on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In 2025 it included a vendor market, a drone show, s'mores fire pits at Veterans Memorial Park, visits with Santa and free electric streetcar rides. The sources do not say when the tradition started.
What is Christmas at Kemper?
Christmas at Kemper is a holiday tradition at Kemper Center, 6501 3rd Ave. Visitors stroll through trees, wreaths and mantel displays at the Anderson Arts Center and tour Durkee Mansion, which volunteers decorate in the style of the 1860s. Activities vary by season, and the Travel Wisconsin listing was marked as ended, so check Kemper Center for current dates.
Who was Charles Durkee?
Charles Durkee was a senator whose former home is Durkee Mansion at Kemper Center in Kenosha. At Christmas, volunteers decorate the mansion in the style of the 1860s, so kids can imagine how a Kenosha family might have celebrated more than 150 years ago. The listing does not give more about his life.
Does Kenosha have a Christmas parade?
The sources we opened do not list a Christmas parade for Kenosha, and its main kickoff is the Lightin' Up tree lighting on the Friday after Thanksgiving, with a vendor market, drone show and Santa visits. Our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page lists the confirmed 2026 dates for family events.
What is the Rouse Simmons Christmas Tree Ship?
The Rouse Simmons was a ship known as the Christmas Tree Ship, and the Southport Light Station has featured a noon talk about it during its December lighthouse day, according to VisitKenosha. It is a good story for kids who like ships and trees. The page does not tell the full history, so ask the lighthouse volunteers.
Can kids climb the Southport Light Station at Christmas?
A VisitKenosha holiday guide described a December Saturday where families could climb the lighthouse tower, with the climb for ages 8 and up and a noon talk on the Christmas Tree Ship. That listing did not state the year, so check the museum's site for the current schedule before you go.
What is the holiday train display at the Kenosha Public Museum?
It is a holiday train display in the museum lobby, paired with a scavenger hunt, that VisitKenosha lists for the month of December. The museum also offers Museum Munchkins story and song sessions for preschoolers on Wednesdays and a Candy House family workshop where kids build gingerbread houses. Check the museum for the current dates.
Can kids ride the Kenosha streetcar at Christmas?
Yes. On tree lighting day in 2025, Kenosha's electric streetcar rides were free all day, according to Kenosha.com. The line runs through downtown and the lakefront area. It is an easy way to see the holiday sights, and our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's confirmed dates.
Can my child write to Mrs. Claus in Kenosha?
In 2025, Kenosha.com listed letter writing with Mrs. Claus at Actor's Craft, 4900 Seventh Ave., as part of the tree lighting day. The VisitKenosha 2026 calendar lists Santa and Mrs. Claus appearances at several venues, so check our Kenosha Christmas events guide on this page for what is confirmed this season.
How do I explain the drone show to a little kid?
Tell your child that hundreds of tiny flying lights are working together like a team, each one following a plan so they can draw holiday pictures in the sky. In 2025 the drones flew over Kenosha Harbor and made animated holiday scenes set to music. Many kids find it easier to understand when they see it live.
Why do Kenosha kids push the button to light the tree?
The city lets local young people light the tree. In 2025, Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha staff chose three local youths to push the button. It is a nice way to make the tree feel like it belongs to Kenosha's children. The sources do not say when this custom began.
What should we wear to Kenosha's tree lighting?
Dress warmly in layers, because the tree lighting is outdoors near the lake in late November. The 2025 event was at Veterans Memorial Park near Sixth Avenue and 54th Street, with s'mores fire pits to warm up. Hats, gloves and a stroller blanket help little ones stay comfortable while they wait for the drones.
Is Kenosha's tree lighting free?
In 2025, Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha staff chose three local youths to push the button that lit the city tree. It is a nice way to make the tree feel like it belongs to Kenosha's children. The sources do not say whether this has happened in other years or when the custom began.
Where was the Kenosha tree lighting held in 2025?
In 2025 the tree lighting was at Veterans Memorial Park, near Sixth Avenue and 54th Street, with the vendor market on Sixth Avenue between 52nd and 54th Streets. The VisitKenosha 2026 calendar lists the tree lighting for Nov. 27 but does not give a place, so check the city's announcement before you go.
Sources
- Spectacular Drone Light Show Featured at City of Kenosha Tree Lighting Nov. 28, 2025, City of Kenosha
- Lightin' Up Kenosha & City Tree Lighting, Kenosha.com
- Santa and Mrs. Claus Appearances in 2026, VisitKenosha
- The Ultimate Christmas Break Adventure Guide, VisitKenosha
- Christmas at Kemper, Travel Wisconsin
- Merry & Bright Events Calendar: Holiday Events in Kenosha, VisitKenosha
Kenosha Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Kenosha this year?
We confirmed 5 for the 2026 season. Good places to start: Santa at Kenosha History Center (Nov 28 to Dec 12), City of Kenosha Christmas Tree Lighting (Nov 27) and Santa at the Rhode Center for the Arts (Nov 27 to Dec 12). Every event on this page has the times, the cost and a link to the host.
Where can kids meet Santa in Kenosha?
5 events here include a visit with Santa. Popular picks are Santa at Kenosha Public Museum (Dec 5) and Santa at Kenosha Symphony Orchestra (Dec 12). Bring your own camera; most visits allow photos.
Do we need tickets or reservations?
For 5 of the 5 events, yes: they sell tickets or ask you to sign up ahead. Meals with Santa and ticketed shows fill up first. Most library and park events are walk-in, and each listing says which is which.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Kenosha?
Yes, but they have their own guide. Santa trains and holiday train rides are listed in our Kenosha Christmas train rides guide, so this page sticks to story times, Santa visits 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 4, 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.