Christmas Events for Kids in Marietta, OH (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 4 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Marietta, OH for 2026, and here is what he found: 7 family events, 2 of them free. The magic runs from November 21 (Merry-Etta Tree Lighting) through December 19, with Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade (November 28), Joyful Christmas Tea at the Historic Buckley House (from November 28) and Opening Night of the Holiday Tree Walk (November 29) along the way. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Ohio Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Marietta

  • 7 Christmas events for kids in Marietta
  • 2 free events, including Opening Night of the Holiday Tree Walk and Santa House
  • Meet Santa: 4 chances, including Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade (November 28) and Opening Night of the Holiday Tree Walk (November 29)
  • Parades and tree lightings: Merry-Etta Tree Lighting (November 21), Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade (November 28) and Opening Night of the Holiday Tree Walk (November 29)
  • Also on the list: 2 Christmas shows and 1 Christmas light display
  • Season: November 21 (Merry-Etta Tree Lighting) to December 19 (The Polar Express Pajama Matinee and Teddy Bear Clinic)
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10

Free Christmas events for kids in Marietta

Tree lightingFree

Opening Night of the Holiday Tree Walk

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Marietta Main Street switches on the Holiday Tree Walk, a path of decorated trees in East Muskingum Park that local businesses, organizations and families each sponsor and dress in their own style. Once the trees are glowing, the season's first Santa House opens in the park gazebo, where Santa poses for pictures while nonprofits hand out hot cocoa and cookies.

The lighting is Sunday, November 29, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, and the Santa House that follows is free, including photos you take yourself. No tickets or sign-up are mentioned. The trees remain lit for visitors all through December.

Parent tip: Everything happens outdoors after dark in late November, so bundle children up and bring a phone or camera, since families take their own Santa photos here. If the opening night crowd is too much, the trees look the same on any quiet December evening.

Host
Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)
Address
East Muskingum Park, Front St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 6 more Marietta events researched for you.

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Coming up on this page

  • 4 Santa
  • 3 Lights
  • 3 Zoos and museums
  • 3 Breakfast and treats
  • 2 Free

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Santa visitFree

Santa House

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Santa sets up his chair inside the gazebo at East Muskingum Park for a pop-up visit run by Marietta Main Street. Children, whole families and even dogs can have a picture taken with him, and area nonprofits serve hot cocoa and cookies with the Holiday Tree Walk lit up all around.

There are two dates in 2026: Sunday, November 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, right after the tree walk lighting, and Saturday, December 12, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Visits and photos are free. You take the pictures on your own phone or camera, and volunteers will step in to shoot group photos if you ask.

Parent tip: Pick the December 12 afternoon date for toddlers or anyone who dislikes cold, dark evenings, and save November 29 for seeing the trees switched on. Charge your phone first, because there is no photographer and no prints.

Host
Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)
Address
Gazebo at East Muskingum Park, Front St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)

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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Marietta

Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.

Tree lighting

Merry-Etta Tree Lighting

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Marietta opens its holiday season by lighting the city's Christmas tree on the lawn of the Armory downtown. The tree has stood there each winter since 2018 and carries thousands of lights.

The 2026 lighting is listed for Saturday, November 21, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM on the Armory lawn at 241 Front Street. The organizer's calendar shows no tickets or price for the gathering.

Parent tip: The lighting falls a full week before the parade, so families can see the tree lit on one Saturday and come back for the floats the next. The gathering is outdoors and scheduled for an hour, so dress children for standing on a lawn in the cold.

Host
Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)
Address
Armory lawn, 241 Front St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday parade

Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade

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Marietta's yearly evening parade sends floats, dance groups and carolers through downtown, all strung with Christmas lights. Nonprofits, businesses and civic groups build the entries, and Santa Claus closes the procession.

The parade is Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. The organizer's page lists no charge and no tickets for spectators, and it does not publish a route, so confirm viewing spots with Marietta Main Street.

Parent tip: Santa only appears at the very end, so let children know he is coming last and plan to stay the full hour. It is an after-dark parade in late November, and blankets and warm hats make the wait much easier.

Host
Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)
Address
Downtown Marietta, Front St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Marietta Main Street (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday event

Joyful Christmas Tea at the Historic Buckley House

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Hosts in Victorian dress welcome guests to a seated afternoon tea inside the Buckley House, with candlelight, Christmas decorations and fine china on every table. Each party gets its own table and a pot of tea served with seasonal savory bites and sweets. The organizer, who goes by Madam Joy, pitches it as a gentle way to introduce children to afternoon tea alongside grandparents or friends.

Seatings are offered Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 12:00 to 1:30 PM and 3:00 to 4:30 PM, though Saturday's seated tea is marked sold out. The price is $45 per guest with tax and service included, booked online. A $25 take-away picnic box with baked treats and a hot drink can be picked up either day between 4:30 and 8:00 PM.

Parent tip: A 90-minute seated tea with china on the table suits children who can sit through a long meal, so the $25 to-go box may be the better choice for wiggly little ones. On Saturday that box can be carried to the 6:00 PM parade, and on Sunday the 3:00 PM seating ends in time for the 6:00 PM tree walk opening.

Host
Joyful Afternoon Tea (opens in a new tab)
Address
The Historic Buckley House, 332 Front St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Joyful Afternoon Tea (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday show

A Christmas Carol

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A touring stage version of the Dickens story comes to the Peoples Bank Theatre for one night, presented by CMI Entertainment with Entertainment Central Productions Orlando. It follows Ebenezer Scrooge through his visits from Jacob Marley and the three Christmas spirits, and the theatre describes the tone as funny in places and a little spooky in others.

The performance is Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Reserved tickets are priced at $29, $39, $49 and $54, and each price already includes a $5 historical restoration fee. Tickets are ordered through the theatre.

Parent tip: This is a 7:00 PM curtain on a school night, so it fits older children better than preschoolers. Tell younger kids ahead of time that the ghost scenes are meant to be a bit scary and that Scrooge ends up kind.

Host
Peoples Bank Theatre (opens in a new tab)
Address
Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Peoples Bank Theatre (opens in a new tab)

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Holiday show

The Polar Express Pajama Matinee and Teddy Bear Clinic

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Families come in Christmas pajamas to watch The Polar Express on the big screen at the Peoples Bank Theatre, with hot cocoa on hand. Before the film, children are given a teddy bear at no charge and walk it through a pretend check-up at the Teddy Bear Clinic, a playful introduction to visiting the doctor. Santa is expected to drop in during that same hour.

It is Saturday, December 19, 2026. Doors open at 1:00 PM along with the clinic and Santa's visit, and the movie begins at 2:00 PM and runs 1 hour 40 minutes. General admission tickets are $15 and are on sale now through the theatre.

Parent tip: The bear and Santa both happen in the hour before the film, so arrive right at 1:00 PM or your child may miss them. Seating is general admission, which is one more reason to get there early if your group wants to sit together.

Host
Peoples Bank Theatre (opens in a new tab)
Address
Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Peoples Bank Theatre (opens in a new tab)

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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 Ohio Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Marietta Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Merry-Etta Tree Lighting in Marietta on November 21; the last runs to December 19. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Ohio Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Lancaster, OH, Granville, New Philadelphia and Pickerington. 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.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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 Amazon (opens in a new tab)

2026 Christmas events are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Marietta

Every winter Marietta respells its own name. Downtown becomes "Merry-etta", with a Merry-Etta tree on the Armory lawn, a Merry-Etta lighted parade and wreaths and garland on more than a hundred lampposts.

How Marietta celebrates

Marietta's Christmas is run largely by Marietta Main Street and its Hometown Holidays Committee, and most of it is recent. The city first put up its downtown Christmas tree on the Armory lawn in 2018, and the mayor lights it each November. A lighted evening parade follows a week later, an event the Marietta Times reported in 2024 had been held by Main Street for six or seven years. The Holiday Tree Walk in East Muskingum Park debuted in 2019, and Santa greets families for free photos in the park gazebo. December's First Friday, called Moonlight Madness, keeps downtown shops open late.

Christmas last year in Marietta

The 2025 season opened on Saturday, November 22, when Marietta Main Street and Mayor Josh Schlicher lit the tree on the Armory lawn at 6:00 PM. The Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade followed on Saturday, November 29, at 6:00 PM with the theme Hometown Holidays. The Marietta Times reported about 60 decorated trees around the Muskingum Park gazebo that December, among them a log cabin tribute to local history writer Louise Zimmer, a book-themed tree from the Washington County Public Library and a kitten tree from Friends of Forgotten Felines. The trees stayed up through the end of the month.

Fun facts about Christmas in Marietta

The 2024 parade had 85 entries, not counting fire trucks and snow plows, and organizers estimated about 5,000 people watched the year before. Every float must be lit, and Santa is allowed on only one of them, the last. The Tree Walk's trees stand 6 to 7 feet tall and are hauled in and set up by a local landscaping company. Downtown has 113 lampposts available for sponsors to dress with pre-lit garland, a wreath, a red bow and a gift tag.

Traditions today

  • Merry-Etta Tree Lighting: The mayor and Marietta Main Street light the city's Christmas tree on the Armory lawn on a Saturday evening in late November.
  • Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade: Illuminated floats, dance groups and carolers travel through downtown after dark, with Santa saved for the final float.
  • Holiday Tree Walk: Dozens of trees adopted and decorated by local businesses, nonprofits and families line the path to the gazebo in East Muskingum Park all December.
  • Santa House: Santa takes a chair in the park gazebo on pop-up dates for free photos, with hot cocoa and cookies from area nonprofits.
  • Adopt a Lamppost: Sponsors pay to wrap downtown lampposts in lit garland and wreaths, each finished with a red bow and a gift tag naming who it honors.
  • Moonlight Madness: On the first Friday of December downtown shops stay open late for an evening of holiday shopping.

A fact for kids

In Marietta's Christmas parade, every single float has to be covered in lights, and only the very last one is allowed to carry Santa.

Questions about Christmas in Marietta

Why is Marietta, Ohio called Merry-etta at Christmas?

It is a seasonal play on the town's name. Marietta Main Street uses the spelling for its holiday events, including the Merry-Etta Tree Lighting and the Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade, and a local magazine has pointed out that the word Merry is hiding in Marietta if you adjust the spelling.

When did Marietta, Ohio get its downtown Christmas tree?

Marietta Main Street says the city first installed the tree downtown in 2018. It stands on the lawn of the Armory on Front Street, carries thousands of lights and is switched on by the mayor each November. The 2026 lighting is listed for Saturday, November 21, at 6:00 PM.

How old is the Merry-Etta Christmas Parade?

Organizers call it an annual parade without giving a founding year. In December 2024 the Marietta Times reported that Marietta Main Street had been holding it for six or seven years, and that it was started to bring holiday cheer to downtown.

How big is the Marietta Christmas parade?

The 2024 parade drew 85 entries, a number that left out the fire trucks and snow plows that also rolled through, according to the Marietta Times. Main Street's director estimated about 5,000 spectators in 2023. The parade starts around 6:00 PM and lasts roughly an hour.

What route has the Marietta Christmas parade taken?

The Marietta Times described the 2024 route as running along Ohio and Greene streets, down Front Street, up Scammel Street and down Second Street. Christmas music played outside the Armory. The 2026 event page does not publish a route, so check with Marietta Main Street before choosing a spot.

When did the Holiday Tree Walk begin?

Marietta Main Street says the Tree Walk debuted in 2019 in East Muskingum Park. A local magazine reported that the idea was partly modeled on the Gallipolis in Lights display, and that the second year brought 51 adopted trees after a strong first-year response.

How many trees are in the Holiday Tree Walk?

The count grows and changes each year. A local magazine reported 51 trees in the walk's second season, and the Marietta Times counted about 60 around the gazebo in December 2025. Each tree is 6 to 7 feet tall and decorated by the group that adopts it.

Who decorates the trees in East Muskingum Park?

Local businesses, nonprofits and families adopt a tree, choose a theme and bring their own weatherproof decorations and outdoor lights. Some trees are dedicated in memory or in honor of a person. In 2025 the themes ranged from a public library book tree to a kitten tree from a cat rescue.

What happened in Marietta, Ohio at Christmas in 2025?

The tree on the Armory lawn was lit on November 22, 2025, and the lighted parade ran on November 29 with a Hometown Holidays theme. About 60 decorated trees then surrounded the Muskingum Park gazebo, and the Marietta Times reported they would stay through the end of December.

Where does Santa visit children in Marietta, Ohio?

Santa's regular spot is the gazebo in East Muskingum Park, in the middle of the Holiday Tree Walk. Marietta Main Street runs free pop-up Santa Houses there, with two on the 2026 calendar: Sunday, November 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and Saturday, December 12, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.

Sources

  1. Hometown Holidays, Marietta Main Street
  2. Events, Marietta Main Street
  3. Merry-Etta Christmas Tree Lighting (November 22, 2025), Marietta Main Street
  4. 2025 Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade, Marietta Main Street
  5. Here comes Santa Claus: Merry-Etta Christmas Parade lights up downtown Saturday, The Marietta Times
  6. Giving joy: Muskingum Park trees fill area with happiness, The Marietta Times
  7. Marietta Main Street's Holiday Tree Walk Returns to Muskingum Park, Clutch MOV
  8. The Hallmark Factor, Clutch MOV

Keep 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 Ohio city.

Marietta Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

Which Christmas events for kids in Marietta, Ohio are good to start with?

Begin with the Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade downtown on Saturday, November 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM, which ends with Santa on the last float. The next evening, November 29, the Holiday Tree Walk is lit in East Muskingum Park at 6:00 PM and the first Santa House opens in the gazebo.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Marietta, Ohio?

Yes. Marietta Main Street describes its Santa House in the East Muskingum Park gazebo as free, photos included, on November 29 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM and December 12 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The Holiday Tree Walk around the gazebo can be visited throughout December, and the Peoples Bank Theatre bills its December 19 Teddy Bear Clinic as free.

Where can kids meet Santa in Marietta, Ohio?

Santa sits in the gazebo at East Muskingum Park for the Santa House on Sunday, November 29 and Saturday, December 12. He rides the final float of the Merry-Etta Lighted Christmas Parade on November 28, and he is due at the Peoples Bank Theatre from 1:00 PM on December 19 before the Polar Express matinee.

Are there Christmas shows or movies for families in Marietta?

The Peoples Bank Theatre on Putnam Street has two. A touring stage production of A Christmas Carol plays Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM. On Saturday, December 19, the theatre screens The Polar Express at 2:00 PM as a pajama matinee, with a Teddy Bear Clinic and Santa from 1:00 PM.

Which Marietta Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?

The two Peoples Bank Theatre events are ticketed: A Christmas Carol on December 1 and the Polar Express Pajama Matinee on December 19. The Joyful Christmas Tea at the Buckley House on November 28 and 29 must be booked online, and Saturday's seated tea is listed as sold out. The Santa House and tree walk need nothing.

What is the Holiday Tree Walk in Marietta, Ohio?

It is a path of decorated Christmas trees around the gazebo in East Muskingum Park, each one adopted and themed by a local business, nonprofit or family. Marietta Main Street lights it on Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 6:00 PM, and the trees stay up for the whole month of December.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Marietta?

Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Ohio Christmas train rides guide. This Marietta guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows 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 10, 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.

Kelsey Cecil
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