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Christmas with kids in Kokomo
In Kokomo, Christmas has a drive-through. Every winter Highland Park fills with more than 50 light displays, and Santa is usually there most nights.
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The story of Christmas in Kokomo
How Kokomo celebrates
Kokomo's Christmas season centers on a few friendly, old-fashioned traditions. A downtown Christmas parade rolls down Main Street on a Saturday evening in early December with lighted floats, marching bands, and Santa and Mrs. Claus, and kids can visit Santa's house on the Courthouse Square afterward. City of Lights, a free drive-through display at Highland Park, opens nightly at dusk from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. Christmas at the Seiberling decorates a Victorian mansion, and The Frozen Sandlot puts a real ice rink at the municipal stadium.
Christmas last year in Kokomo
The most recent full family guide we found covers the 2024 season. Santa sat at Markland Mall from November 27 to December 24, City of Lights ran November 29 to December 24 for free, and The Frozen Sandlot opened November 29 and skated through January 12. Wintertyme Village filled weekends at the stadium, and the library offered Santa Science and a Gingerbread House Workshop. Nearby, Lights in the Airpark at Grissom Air Museum in Peru cost $9 for adults and was free for ages 5 and under.
Fun facts about Christmas in Kokomo
Highland Park's City of Lights has more than 50 displays, and Santa is usually there most nights. The ice rink at Kokomo Municipal Stadium measures 60 by 90 feet and is made of real ice. The Seiberling Mansion, a Victorian house, is decorated with trees, wreaths and garlands inside and out. And in 2024 a family guide counted dozens of kid events in one season, from breakfasts with Santa to a Santa's pool party at the YMCA for $5.
Trains and Christmas near Kokomo
Kokomo is not far from some real railroad history. The Linden Depot Museum sits in a historic junction depot once shared by the Nickel Plate Road and the Monon, and shows a caboose and a replica 1837 steam engine. The Monon Connection Museum in Monon has a big model layout and railcars outside. In Noblesville, the Nickel Plate Express offers themed family rides in two-story coaches. Check each season and hours before you go, since the depot is open April to October.
- Linden Depot Museum: A volunteer-run junction depot with a CSX caboose and a replica 1837 steam engine.
- Monon Connection Museum: A guided-tour museum with a big model layout and railcars and cranes outside.
- Nickel Plate Express: Themed family train rides in two-story coaches over 12 miles of old Nickel Plate track.
Traditions today
- Downtown Christmas Parade: Lighted floats, bands, Santa and Mrs. Claus on Main Street, with Santa's house on the Courthouse Square after.
- City of Lights: A free drive-through display of more than 50 lights at Highland Park, with Santa most nights.
- Christmas at the Seiberling: A Victorian mansion decorated with trees, wreaths and lights inside and out.
- The Frozen Sandlot: A real ice rink at Kokomo Municipal Stadium, with rental skates.
- Library holiday programs: Santa Science, gingerbread workshops and holiday stories at Kokomo-Howard County Public Library branches.
A fact for kids
In Kokomo you can see Christmas lights without leaving your car seat. More than 50 displays glow at Highland Park, and Santa is usually there most nights.
Questions about Christmas in Kokomo
How does Kokomo celebrate Christmas?
Kokomo celebrates with a Saturday evening downtown Christmas parade on Main Street, a drive-through lights display at Highland Park, ice skating at the stadium and the Victorian Christmas at the Seiberling mansion. Santa shows up at many of them, so a full month of small outings is easy to build.
What is the Kokomo Christmas parade like?
It is an old-fashioned evening parade on Main Street downtown with lighted floats, marching bands, and Santa and Mrs. Claus. In 2021 it started at 6 p.m. on a Saturday in early December, and kids could visit Santa in his house on the Courthouse Square afterward.
Where can kids see Santa after the parade?
Visit Indiana described Santa's house on the Courthouse Square, open after the downtown parade. Kokomo also has Santa at Markland Mall through Christmas Eve in 2024, plus many small visits at local businesses. Check our Kokomo Christmas events guide on this page for this year's list.
What is City of Lights in Kokomo?
City of Lights is a free drive-through display at Highland Park with more than 50 light displays. Santa is usually there most nights. It opens nightly at dusk from Thanksgiving Day through the end of the year, per Visit Indiana, and in 2024 listings it ran through December 24.
What is Christmas at the Seiberling?
It is a holiday display at the Victorian Seiberling Mansion, home of the Howard County Museum, with decorated trees, wreaths, garlands and lights inside and out. Kids can see what a grand Victorian house looks like dressed for Christmas, both inside and out.
Can kids ice skate in Kokomo at Christmas?
Yes, The Frozen Sandlot is a seasonal 60 by 90 foot real ice rink at Kokomo Municipal Stadium. You can bring your own skates or rent them. In 2024 it ran from November 29 to January 12, but check the rink's site for this year's hours.
What is Wintertyme Village?
Wintertyme Village was a holiday-themed weekend village at Kokomo Municipal Stadium in 2024, running on weekends from November 30 to December 22. It is part of how the stadium turns into a winter hangout alongside the ice rink, so families could skate and browse in the same trip. Check this year's listings for dates.
Does the Kokomo library have Christmas programs?
Yes. In 2024 the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library listed Santa Science, Holiday Stockings and Stories, Cookie Cottage Creations and a Gingerbread House Workshop across its main, South and Russiaville branches. Programs change yearly, so see our Kokomo Christmas events guide on this page.
Are there Christmas lights outside Kokomo?
Yes. In 2024 Lights in the Airpark ran at Grissom Air Museum in Peru from late November to early January, and the Greentown Lions put up Christmas lights at the Howard County 4-H Fairgrounds in December. Both are a short drive from Kokomo.
What is a Breakfast with Santa in Kokomo?
It is a morning meal where kids eat, chat with Santa and often take photos. In 2024 several were listed around Kokomo, at a church, a fire department in Sharpsville and a school in Russiaville, some free and some by donation or ticket.
Is there a Christmas nativity drive-through near Kokomo?
In 2024 churches in Tipton and Greentown offered drive-through live nativity scenes, which can suit small children who would rather stay in the car. Dates and times vary each year, so confirm with the host church first, and ask about parking and where to line up the car.
Where can kids visit Santa for free in Kokomo?
Several 2024 listings were free, including photos with Santa at Brady Insurance Group, a visit with Santa at Indiana Heartland Federal Credit Union, and breakfast or cookies with Santa at local churches and offices. Our Kokomo Christmas events guide on this page lists this year's free visits.
Is there a Santa at Markland Mall in Kokomo?
In 2024 Santa sat at Markland Mall from November 27 to December 24, according to The Kokomo Post's family guide. Hours and photo details change each year, so check the mall before you go. Our Kokomo Christmas events guide on this page lists this year's visits when they are confirmed.
How do I explain a Christmas parade to a young child?
Tell them everyone lines the street to watch lit floats and bands go by, and Santa comes last. In Kokomo the parade is on a cold evening, so bring blankets, hats and a small snack, and plan a spot near the Courthouse Square for the Santa house.
What should we wear to Kokomo's outdoor Christmas nights?
Dress in warm layers, boots, hats and gloves. Indiana evenings in December are cold, and the parade, the Highland Park lights and the ice rink are all outdoors. The drive-through lights are the warmest option because you stay in the car.
Is Kokomo's Christmas parade free to watch?
Watching the downtown parade on Main Street is open to anyone, and the sources we opened did not list a charge. Lights in the Airpark charged admission in 2024, while City of Lights is free. Check this year's listings for the current parade date and time.
What is the Kokomo Post?
It is a local family-focused news site that publishes seasonal guides such as its 2024 list of Christmas events for kids and families, covering Kokomo, Russiaville, Greentown, Peru and Tipton. Its lists cover several nearby towns, so they show what is going on around Kokomo.
Is there a train museum near Kokomo?
Yes, a few in Indiana. The Linden Depot Museum is in a historic junction depot, the Monon Connection Museum in Monon has a big model layout and railcars, and the Nickel Plate Express runs themed rides from Noblesville. Check seasons before you go.
Can kids ride a train near Kokomo at Christmas?
The Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville, a drive from Kokomo, runs themed family train rides in two-story coaches, with ride types booked online ahead of time. Ask the railroad about winter dates and what to expect, since the schedule changes by season.
Where is Kokomo, Indiana?
Kokomo is a city in north central Indiana and the seat of Howard County. Its holiday outings stretch to nearby towns such as Russiaville, Greentown, Peru and Tipton, which is why many local guides list them together for families who are planning a few stops in one outing.
Sources
- Holidays in Kokomo, Visit Indiana
- Local Christmas Events for Kids, The Kokomo Post
- Linden Depot Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Monon Connection Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Nickel Plate Express, Rally Takes the Train