Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Newport News for 2026. Celebration in Lights opens its two-mile drive through Newport News Park on November 26, City Center at Oyster Point lights its tree and launches 500 drones on Saturday, December 5, Denbigh Community Center runs free Winter Wonderland crafts all month, and Holiday Frost throws a Polar Express pajama night with Santa on Friday, December 11. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Virginia Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Newport News
- 4 Christmas events for kids in Newport News
- Celebration in Lights: nightly November 26 to January 1, $15 to $20 per car
- Tree Lighting and Drone Show: Saturday, December 5, City Center
- Winter Wonderland: free programs December 3 to 28, Denbigh
- Holiday Frost: Friday, December 11, Polar Express night with Santa
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 3 more Newport News events researched for you.
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Free Christmas events for kids in Newport News
Tree lighting and 500-drone showFree
Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Drone Show
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 6 to 9:15 pm; tree lighting 6:30 pm, drone show 9 pm
- Where: City Center at Oyster Point, 701 Town Center Dr, Newport News, VA 23606 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, with free garage parking and shuttle
- Ages: All ages
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City Center at Oyster Point kicks off the season with strolling entertainment, holiday vendors, children’s activities, games and food trucks, then lights the tree at 6:30 pm sharp.
The 2026 fountain light show debuts with Timber the Talking Tree, and at 9 pm 500 drones fill the sky; the Lights at the Fountain show then runs nightly through January 1.
Parent tip: Park free at the Canon Headquarters shuttle lot, 12000 Canon Blvd, which opens at 4:30 pm, and claim a fountain-side spot early for both the lighting and the drones.
- Host
- Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- City Center at Oyster Point, 701 Town Center Dr, Newport News, VA 23606 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport News events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport News daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport News.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 3 more Newport News events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Newport News.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Newport News before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Santa
- 2 Lights
- 2 Shows
- 3 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Newport News every week.
Free December kids programsFree
Winter Wonderland at Denbigh Community Center
- When: Select dates December 3 to 28, 2026, including Gingerbread Village Dec 3, Cookie Factory Café Dec 12 and Santa’s Creative Corner Dec 22
- Where: Denbigh Community Center, 15198 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23608 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: Kids and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Denbigh Community Center turns into a Winter Wonderland all December with free drop-in programs: a Gingerbread Village display on December 3, a holiday movie night on December 11 and the Cookie Factory Café on December 12.
Kids can make crafts at the Holly, Jolly Craft Studio on December 16 and Santa’s Creative Corner on December 22, and hot cocoa is on the house every Monday.
Parent tip: Pair a Monday cocoa stop with one of the evening craft nights, and check the schedule since each program runs only about two hours.
- Host
- Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Denbigh Community Center, 15198 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23608 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport News events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport News daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport News.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Pajama party with SantaFree
Holiday Frost: Polar Express Experience
- When: Friday, December 11, 2026, 5 to 8 pm (RSVP requested)
- Where: Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, 2410 Wickham Ave, Newport News, VA 23607 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, online registration requested
- Ages: Kids and families
Expand to see the parent tip
Holiday Frost turns the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center into a Polar Express adventure, with families arriving in cozy pajamas holding golden tickets.
The evening is packed with music, festive characters, crafts and hot chocolate, plus time with Santa Claus.
Parent tip: Register online ahead since RSVPs are requested, and let the kids wear pajamas, which is half the fun.
- Host
- Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center, 2410 Wickham Ave, Newport News, VA 23607 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport News events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport News daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport News.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Newport News
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Event hosts: free events are listed first. The #1 spot puts your event at the top of this page.Inquire about the #1 spotAdd your event for free
Drive-through lights
Celebration in Lights
- When: Nightly, Thursday, November 26, 2026, to Friday, January 1, 2027, 5:30 to 10 pm
- Where: Newport News Park, 13560 Jefferson Ave, Newport News, VA 23603 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $15 per car Monday to Thursday, $20 Friday to Sunday, $12 advance tickets at the Newport News Visitor Center, $85 per bus
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Virginia’s first drive-through holiday light show marks its 34th season with a two-mile route through Newport News Park past more than 1,000 displays.
New for 2026 are a 30-foot illuminated squid, a Poinsettia Arch and an all-new Santa’s Village, and kids stay buckled in and warm the whole way.
Parent tip: Buy the $12 advance ticket at the Newport News Visitor Center, which is good any night, and go Monday to Thursday to dodge the weekend line on Jefferson Avenue.
- Host
- Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Newport News Park, 13560 Jefferson Ave, Newport News, VA 23603 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Newport News events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Newport News daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Newport News.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
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 Virginia Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Newport News Christmas event for kids happens
Drive Celebration in Lights on a weeknight, make December 5 your tree lighting and drone night, and register early for Holiday Frost on December 11.
- Celebration in LightsNewport News · Nov 26 to Jan 1
- Winter Wonderland at Denbigh Community CenterNewport News · Dec 3 to Dec 28
- Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Drone ShowNewport News · Dec 5
- Holiday Frost: Polar Express ExperienceNewport News · Dec 11
Looking further afield? Our Virginia Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Hampton, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Suffolk. 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 AmazonKeep 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 Virginia city.
Newport News Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Newport News this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 4 Christmas events for kids in Newport News for 2026, all from Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism: Celebration in Lights, the Tree Lighting Ceremony and Holiday Drone Show, Winter Wonderland at Denbigh Community Center and Holiday Frost.
When does Celebration in Lights open in 2026?
Thanksgiving night, Thursday, November 26, 2026. It runs nightly from 5:30 to 10 pm through January 1, 2027, at Newport News Park, $15 to $20 per car.
When is the Newport News tree lighting?
Saturday, December 5, 2026, at City Center at Oyster Point. Activities start at 6 pm, the tree lights at 6:30 pm and 500 drones fly at 9 pm. Parking and shuttles are free.
What is Holiday Frost?
A free Polar Express themed pajama night at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center on Friday, December 11, 2026, from 5 to 8 pm, with crafts, hot chocolate, festive characters and Santa. Online registration is requested.
Who do I contact about Newport News holiday events?
Newport News Parks, Recreation and Tourism at nnparks-and-recreation@nnva.gov or 757-926-1400.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Virginia?
Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Virginia Christmas train rides page.
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 Newport News on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.
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.