Christmas Events for Kids in Ogden, UT (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 5 min read

Looking for Christmas events in Ogden, UT this year? We found 3 for kids and families in 2026, including Holiday Electric Light Parade, Ogden Christmas Village and Breakfast with Santa at Union Station. 1 of them is free. We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Utah Christmas events for kids guide.

The short version

  • 3 Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT, plus Ogden
  • The season runs from Holiday Electric Light Parade (Ogden, November 28) to Ogden Christmas Village (through January 1)
  • Free: Ogden Christmas Village
  • Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 4

Christmas events for kids in Ogden

3 events in Ogden itself, soonest first.

Holiday parade

Holiday Electric Light Parade

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Ogden's Holiday Electric Light Parade is held on Saturday, November 28, 2026, the opening day of Christmas Village. The parade starts at 5:30 pm on Washington Boulevard, beginning at 22nd Street and ending at 27th Street.

The opening day schedule on the Christmas Village page also includes the Santa Run at 4:30 pm on Washington Boulevard. After the parade, a short ceremony takes place on the amphitheater stage at about 6:30 pm, followed by fireworks and the lights turning on. Santa is expected in his castle at about 7 pm. The Christmas Village itself is free, so a family can watch the parade, see the lights and visit Santa on the same evening. Parking is on the street or in the Municipal Building lot at 2549 Washington Blvd.

Parent tip: Expect crowds and cold. Arrive early for a spot along Washington Blvd.

Host
Ogden City (opens in a new tab)
Address
Washington Blvd (22nd to 27th Street), Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Ogden City (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 2 more Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT.
  • Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Ogden, UT 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.
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Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 2 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Breakfast and treats
  • 1 Free

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Holiday lightsFree

Ogden Christmas Village

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Ogden Christmas Village lights up downtown from November 28, 2026 through January 1, 2027. Admission is free. The lights come on daily at 5 pm, and they stay on every day, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's. Children can visit Santa, ride trains and see the displays at no charge.

Santa visits Monday through Friday from 6 to 9 pm and on Saturday from 5 to 9 pm, from November 28 through December 23. On opening day he is expected in his castle around 7 pm. Bring your own camera for photos. Mrs. Claus gives guided tours for preschool age children during the day, Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm, by reservation at 801-629-8338. Opening day on November 28 includes a Santa Run, the Holiday Electric Light Parade and a ceremony with fireworks. Dogs on a leash are allowed. Parking is on the street or in the Municipal Building lot at 2549 Washington Blvd.

Parent tip: Dress warmly. Mrs. Claus preschool tours need a reservation at 801-629-8338.

Host
Ogden City (opens in a new tab)
Address
Ogden Christmas Village, 2549 Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Ogden City (opens in a new tab)

New Ogden, UT events every week

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Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa at Union Station

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Ogden City hosts Breakfast with Santa at historic Ogden Union Station on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 9 to 11 am. The ticket is $35 per person and includes a breakfast, a chance to meet Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves, and a present for every child.

The morning also features face painters, balloon artists, magicians and mascots, and families can take their own festive photo with Santa. Tickets went on sale November 1, 2026 at 8 am, and the city warns that they sell out quickly. Buy only from the link on the city page, because scammers sell fake tickets. The city phone line, 801-629-8214, can verify a ticket. Children ages 3 and older need their own ticket. Children ages 2 and younger can sit on a parent's lap and share the parent's breakfast, but a child who needs a seat or a meal needs a ticket. High chairs and booster seats are not available.

Parent tip: Buy tickets only through the city page. No high chairs or booster seats are available.

Host
Ogden City Christmas Village (opens in a new tab)
Address
Ogden Union Station, 2501 Wall Ave, Ogden, UT 84401 (opens in maps)
Sign-up
Required ahead of time
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom Ogden City Christmas Village (opens in a new tab)

New Ogden, UT events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Ogden, UT daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Ogden, UT.

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Look inside the book

Story time with Santa in Ogden, UT? Bring Rally home.

A five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, painted in real watercolor. Turn a few pages now, then save it for bedtime after a big day with Santa.

Page 1 of 8

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

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

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 Utah Christmas train rides page.

Ogden, UT Christmas events for kids at a glance

Kids’ Christmas events
3 confirmed for 2026
Cities
Ogden
Season
November 28, 2026 to January 1, 2027
Free events
1
Kinds of events
Holiday parades, holiday lights and breakfasts with santa
Last checked
See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Ogden, UT Christmas event for kids happens

The first is Holiday Electric Light Parade in Ogden on November 28; the last runs to January 1. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.

Looking further afield? Our Utah Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Salt Lake City, Provo, UT, Orem, Saint George and Logan. 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 Ogden, UT

Ogden's Christmas Village began in 1962 with a disappointing parade, a dad and a big idea. It started with six little cottages and now has 62, plus a 70-foot tree story that starts with a missile.

How Ogden celebrates

Ogden's Christmas Village began in 1962, when Jerry Green came up with the idea after a disappointing Christmas parade he attended with his son Tom. He found funding and planned the village himself. The park held a large missile, a tribute to a local rocket maker, that did not fit a holiday scene, so it was covered with a 70-foot Christmas tree. Just before the first opening, a test of the lights shorted out the system. It was fixed by opening day, and when Santa switched on the lights, the crowd was amazed. It has grown into a long Ogden tradition.

Christmas last year in Ogden

The 2025 season opened on Saturday, November 29, with a Santa Run at 4:30 p.m., a Holiday Electric Light Parade on Washington Boulevard at 5:30 and lighting and fireworks around 6:30, followed by a drone light show. About 30,000 people came on opening night. The village had 62 cottages and nearly 500,000 lights, and it stayed open through January 1 with free admission. That December, it finished second in USA Today's 10Best contest for best public holiday lights display, up from third place in 2024.

Fun facts about Christmas in Ogden

The first Christmas Village had six cottages, and by 2025 there were 62, designed and kept up by local businesses and other community groups. Every cottage hides a themed item for kids to find. Runners in the Santa Run all dress up as Santa. Santa and Mrs. Claus visit the village daily through December 23. At the Light the World Giving Machine, visitors buy items from $5 to $100 that are donated to families in need. The 2025 theme was Rockin' Around the Christmas Village.

Trains and Christmas in Ogden

Christmas in Ogden has a train stop of its own. In 2025, Breakfast with Santa was held at Ogden Union Station on December 13, with reservations required. Back at the Christmas Village, a little train ride with a glow-in-the-dark Christmas tunnel runs in the northwest corner of the Municipal Gardens, next to the cottages and lights. For families with little train fans, those two stops make an easy pair: a holiday breakfast at the station, then a ride through the glowing gardens.

Traditions today

  • Ogden Christmas Village: A free light display in the Municipal Gardens with 62 decorated cottages and nearly 500,000 lights, open through January 1.
  • Santa Run: Runners all dress as Santa in a 5K that opens the Christmas Village each year.
  • Holiday Electric Light Parade: A lighted parade on Washington Boulevard that kicks off opening night.
  • Cottage hunt: Families look for a themed item hidden in each cottage and can vote for a favorite online.
  • Breakfast with Santa at Union Station: A breakfast held at Ogden Union Station in mid December, with reservations required.
  • Light the World Giving Machine: Visitors buy gifts from $5 to $100 that are donated to families in need.

A fact for kids

Ogden's Christmas Village once started with just six tiny cottages, and today it has 62, each with a secret item hidden inside for kids to find.

Questions about Christmas in Ogden, UT

When did Ogden's Christmas Village start?

Ogden's Christmas Village started in 1962, and it began with six cottages. Jerry Green came up with the idea after a disappointing Christmas parade, then found the funding and planned it. It has grown into a major attraction that draws big crowds each season.

Who started Ogden's Christmas Village?

Jerry Green started it in 1962. After he and his son Tom went to a Christmas parade that let them down, he developed the idea for a holiday village, secured funding and planned it. Local businesses and community groups now design and keep up the cottages he started.

What is the story of the missile and the Christmas tree in Ogden?

Jerry Green's biggest challenge in 1962 was a large missile in the park, a tribute to a missile maker in Box Elder County, which did not fit the holiday theme. He solved it by covering the missile with a 70-foot Christmas tree, and the fire department helped finish the decorations.

What happened when the lights were first tested?

Shortly before the first opening, a test of the tree's lights caused the whole system to short out. It was repaired in time for opening day, and when Santa switched on the lights, the crowd was amazed. It is a favorite bit of Ogden Christmas history to tell kids.

How many cottages are in the Ogden Christmas Village?

There were 62 cottages in 2025. The village began in 1962 with just six. Local businesses and community members design and keep up the cottages, and each one hides a themed item for kids to find. Visitors can also vote for their favorite cottage online.

What happened at Ogden's Christmas Village last year?

The 2025 season opened November 29 with a Santa Run, a Holiday Electric Light Parade, lighting and fireworks, and a drone light show. About 30,000 people came on opening night. The village stayed open through January 1 with free admission, live shows at the amphitheater, and Santa and Mrs. Claus every day through December 23.

How many lights does the Ogden Christmas Village have?

The village itself had nearly 500,000 lights in 2025. Ogden's spokesman estimated about a million lights when you add Historic 25th Street and Washington Boulevard. The village is free to visit, and the lights come on at 5 p.m. most evenings during the season.

How many people visit Ogden's Christmas Village?

Opening night draws the biggest crowd. Reports estimate 20,000 to 30,000 people on opening night, and about 30,000 came in 2025. The village stays open through January 1 and admission is free, so families can choose a quieter evening later in the season.

Has Ogden's Christmas Village won any awards?

Yes. In 2025 it finished second in USA Today's 10Best contest for best public holiday lights display, up from third in 2024. The recognition came for the second year in a row, a nice fact to share with kids who love holiday lights.

What is the Santa Run in Ogden?

The Santa Run is a 5K that opens the Christmas Village. In 2025 it started at 4:30 p.m. on opening day, November 29, and every runner dressed up as Santa. It is followed by the Holiday Electric Light Parade, so kids can watch the many Santas and then the glowing floats.

What is the Holiday Electric Light Parade in Ogden?

It is the lighted parade that opens the Christmas Village season. In 2025 it started at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 29, and ran along Washington Boulevard from 22nd Street to 27th Street. The official lighting and fireworks followed around 6:30 p.m.

What is the Light the World Giving Machine in Ogden?

It is a giving machine in the Christmas Village where visitors buy items from $5 to $100 that are donated to families in need. It is a simple way to show kids that Christmas is also about giving. It is one of the quieter, more thoughtful stops in the village.

How can I explain the cottage hunt to my kids?

Tell them every little cottage has a secret surprise. Each cottage hides a themed item, so kids go from house to house like detectives to find it. Families can also vote for a favorite cottage online at the Christmas Village website, which gives kids a say in the winner.

When is Santa at the Ogden Christmas Village?

Santa and Mrs. Claus were in the village daily through December 23 in 2025, and Santa welcomed visitors in his castle on weekdays. There are also photos with Santa throughout the season. For this season's schedule, see our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page.

Is there a train ride at the Ogden Christmas Village?

Yes. A small train ride with a glow-in-the-dark Christmas tunnel runs in the northwest corner of the Municipal Gardens. It is a gentle ride for little ones who love trains. For this season's hours and details, see our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page.

Is there a Breakfast with Santa at Ogden Union Station?

In 2025, yes. Breakfast with Santa was held at Ogden Union Station on December 13, and reservations were required. Because it is a train station, it makes a fun setting for a holiday meal with kids who love trains. See our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page for this year's date.

What was the 2025 theme of Ogden's Christmas Village?

The 2025 theme was Rockin' Around the Christmas Village. The season included live shows on the Ogden Amphitheater stage through December 23, a hot chocolate booth, Santa's Store and a gift shop selling the official Christmas Village sweatshirt. Themes change from year to year.

Where is Ogden's Christmas Village?

It is in downtown Ogden at the Municipal Gardens, around the Ogden Municipal Building on Washington Boulevard. Admission is free, and the lights come on at 5 p.m. most evenings, so families can plan an evening visit. For this season's dates and hours, see our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page.

Is there a Christmas parade in Ogden this year?

Ogden's Holiday Electric Light Parade opens the Christmas Village season on Washington Boulevard, and in 2025 it started at 5:30 p.m. on opening day, just after the Santa Run. For this season's confirmed date, time and route, see our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page.

Where can kids see Christmas lights in Ogden?

The best place is the Ogden Christmas Village in the Municipal Gardens, with nearly 500,000 lights and 62 decorated cottages. About a million lights shine across the village, Historic 25th Street and Washington Boulevard. Our Ogden Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's dates and times.

Sources

  1. Ogden Christmas Village: A Long Tradition, Ogden Union Station
  2. Ogden's Christmas Village receives national recognition for second year in a row, Standard-Examiner
  3. All aglow: Ogden's Christmas Village, My Local Utah
  4. Ogden Christmas Village gets going Saturday, Deseret News

Keep the Christmas magic going: watch Rally deliver presents on Christmas Eve, print free coloring pages for a cozy night in, learn how kids say Merry Christmas around the world, find railroad museums for little train fans, or browse Christmas events in every Utah city.

Ogden, UT Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT for the 2026 season, and 1 of them are free. Good places to start: Holiday Electric Light Parade (Nov 28), Ogden Christmas Village (Nov 28 to Jan 1) and Breakfast with Santa at Union Station (Dec 12). Each one is listed with its dates, times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT?

Yes. 1 of the 3 Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT confirmed for 2026 are free. Some free events still need a reservation, so check the host’s page before you go.

Where can kids meet Santa in Ogden, UT?

2 Christmas events in Ogden, UT this season include a visit with Santa. Breakfasts with Santa usually sell out first, so book those as soon as you pick a date.

Where can kids see Christmas lights in Ogden, UT?

There are two Christmas light displays and tree lightings in and around Ogden, UT this year, including . Most light walks run on set evenings only, so check the host’s dates before you go.

Is anything on for kids in Ogden, UT on Christmas Eve or after Christmas?

Yes. Ogden Christmas Village runs through Jan 1.

Do we need tickets or reservations?

For 2 of the 3 Christmas events for kids in Ogden, UT, 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.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Ogden, UT?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Utah Christmas train rides guide. This Ogden, UT guide covers story times, Santa visits, 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 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.

Kelsey Cecil
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