Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Red Bank for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt (from November 27), The Nutcracker Presented by American Repertory Ballet (from December 5) and The Nutcracker Presented by CODA (from December 11). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Red Bank
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Red Bank
- Also on the list: 2 Christmas shows
- Season: November 27 (Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt) to December 18 (Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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All 3 events
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Red Bank
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday event
Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt
- When: Friday, November 27, 2026 to Friday, December 18, 2026 (Self-guided on any day from November 27 through December 18; elf guides are due back to RiverCenter by Friday, December 18)
- Where: Downtown Red Bank, 46 English Plaza Ste 6b, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
Elves settle into downtown Red Bank businesses in late November, and the shops report each sighting to Red Bank RiverCenter. RiverCenter then publishes an elf guide listing the reported spots, and families use it to track the elves down, along with a few that nobody has reported yet.
The guide comes out on Friday, November 27, 2026, and the hunt stays open through December 18, so you can search on any day in that window. Guides returned to RiverCenter by Friday, December 18 go into a drawing for a Red Bank Bucks digital gift card. The page lists no fee and no sign-up.
Parent tip: With three weeks to finish, split the search into a couple of short downtown walks instead of one long outing for small legs. Look for the elf guide on the RiverCenter event page before you set out, since it is not released until November 27.
- Host
- Red Bank RiverCenter (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downtown Red Bank, 46 English Plaza Ste 6b, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Red Bank events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Red Bank daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Red Bank.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Red Bank 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 Red Bank.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Red Bank 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 Shows
- 1 Zoos and museums
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Red Bank every week.
Holiday show
The Nutcracker Presented by American Repertory Ballet
- When: Sat December 5 (1 to 3:15 pm), Sat December 5 (6 to 8:15 pm) and Sun December 6 (1 to 3:15 pm), 2026 (Three performances over two days; end times are based on the stated running time of 2 hours and 15 minutes)
- Where: Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets required; no price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
American Repertory Ballet brings its Nutcracker back to Two River Theater, following Clara and her Nutcracker Prince on their trip to the Land of Sweets, all set to Tchaikovsky's score. The running time is 2 hours and 15 minutes, which includes one 15-minute intermission.
There are three performances: Saturday, December 5, 2026 at 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm, and Sunday, December 6 at 1:00 pm. Seats are booked through the theater's dates and tickets listing, and the page does not show prices.
Parent tip: At 2 hours and 15 minutes this is a long sit for preschoolers, so the 1:00 pm shows are an easier pick than the 6:00 pm performance, which lets out after 8:00 pm. Save the bathroom trip and the wiggles for the 15-minute intermission.
- Host
- Two River Theater (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Two River Theater, 21 Bridge Ave, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Red Bank events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Red Bank daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Red Bank.
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Holiday show
The Nutcracker Presented by CODA
- When: Fri December 11 (7 pm), Sat December 12 (1 pm), Sat December 12 (5 pm) and Sun December 13 (1 pm), 2026 (Four performances; doors open one hour before each showtime)
- Where: Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets required; no price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
CODA stages The Nutcracker in the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre on the Basie Center campus, tracing the Christmas Eve trip Clara and the Nutcracker Prince take to the Land of Sweets. The venue describes it as a holiday tradition for the performers as much as for the families watching, and CODA is back this December with four performances.
Showtimes are Friday, December 11, 2026 at 7:00 pm, Saturday, December 12 at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm, and Sunday, December 13 at 1:00 pm. Doors open an hour before each show and tickets are required. The page lists no prices and links to accessibility information.
Parent tip: Doors open a full hour before curtain, so you can get there early and settle kids into their seats without a rush. The 1:00 pm shows on Saturday and Sunday suit younger children better than the Friday 7:00 pm performance.
- Host
- Count Basie Center for the Arts (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Red Bank events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Red Bank daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Red Bank.
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 New Jersey Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Red Bank Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt in Red Bank on November 27; the last runs to December 18. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Red Bank Elf Scavenge HuntRed Bank · Nov 27 to Dec 18
- The Nutcracker Presented by American Repertory BalletRed Bank · Dec 5 to Dec 6
- The Nutcracker Presented by CODARed Bank · Dec 11 to Dec 13
Looking further afield? Our New Jersey Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Middletown, NJ, Ocean, Point Pleasant Beach and Brick. 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. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Red Bank
Red Bank takes its name from the red soil along the Navesink River, the waterway that once carried steamboat commuters from here to Manhattan. At Christmas the action is in the downtown that Red Bank RiverCenter looks after, with a town lighting, an elf hunt through the shops and two Nutcracker productions on the borough's stages.
How Red Bank celebrates
The season opens downtown on Friday, November 27, 2026, when Red Bank RiverCenter's calendar lists the Red Bank Town Lighting Featuring Holiday Express from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. RiverCenter releases its Elf Scavenge Hunt guide that same day, sending families through downtown businesses until December 18, and a Small Business Saturday Red Bank Bucks Giveaway follows on November 28. The theaters carry the rest of the month. American Repertory Ballet dances The Nutcracker at Two River Theater on December 5 and 6, and CODA says it is once again presenting four Nutcracker performances at the Count Basie Center for the Arts on Monmouth Street from December 11 to 13.
Fun facts about Christmas in Red Bank
The name Red Bank dates to 1736, the community was formed as a town in 1870, and it became a borough in 1908 when it was set off from Shrewsbury Township. The Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad built a railway through town in 1860, adding to the steamboat traffic on the Navesink River. The Count Basie Center for the Arts is named for Count Basie, who was born in Red Bank, and the 2020 census counted 12,936 residents.
Traditions today
- Red Bank Town Lighting Featuring Holiday Express: Red Bank RiverCenter lists the town lighting for November 27, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, and Wikipedia counts a holiday town lighting among the borough's annual events.
- Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt: Families follow RiverCenter's elf guide through downtown businesses from November 27 to December 18 and return it for a gift card drawing.
- The Nutcracker at Two River Theater: American Repertory Ballet returns with its Nutcracker for three performances on December 5 and 6.
- The Nutcracker at the Count Basie Center: CODA is once again presenting four Nutcracker performances at the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre from December 11 to 13.
- Small Business Saturday Red Bank Bucks Giveaway: RiverCenter's calendar lists a Red Bank Bucks giveaway on Saturday, November 28 from 10:00 to 11:30 am, the morning after the town lighting.
A fact for kids
Long ago, people in Red Bank rode steamboats down the Navesink River to get to work in Manhattan. The town is named for the red soil along that same river.
Questions about Christmas in Red Bank
When was Red Bank founded?
English colonists settled the area beginning in the 17th century, and the name Red Bank appears in a 1736 land sale. Red Bank was formed as a town on March 17, 1870 from parts of Shrewsbury Township, and it became a borough on March 10, 1908.
How did Red Bank get its name?
The borough was named for the red soil along the Navesink River. The name goes back to 1736, when Thomas Morford sold Joseph French a lot of just over three acres described as lying beside the highway that led to the red bank.
What did the railroad and steamboats mean for Red Bank?
After the Navesink River was dredged about 1845, Red Bank became a port where steamboats carried commuters to work in Manhattan. The Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad built a railway in town in 1860, and Red Bank grew as a result of both.
What happens in Red Bank at Christmas?
Red Bank RiverCenter lists a town lighting on November 27, 2026 and runs an Elf Scavenge Hunt through downtown businesses until December 18. Two Nutcracker productions follow, at Two River Theater on December 5 and 6 and at the Count Basie Center for the Arts from December 11 to 13.
Who organizes downtown Christmas events in Red Bank?
Red Bank RiverCenter runs the Elf Scavenge Hunt and lists the town lighting and a Small Business Saturday giveaway on its calendar. The borough authorized RiverCenter beginning in approximately 1991 to manage redevelopment in a special improvement district covering the central business district around Broad Street.
Where do Red Bank's Christmas events take place?
The elf hunt happens in downtown businesses, with guides returned to Red Bank RiverCenter. The Nutcracker productions are at Two River Theater and at the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre on the Basie Center campus at 99 Monmouth Street. Monmouth Street is one of the commercial streets in the Broad Street Historic District.
Is the Red Bank town lighting an annual event?
Wikipedia lists a holiday town lighting among the annual events held in Red Bank. For 2026, Red Bank RiverCenter's calendar shows the Red Bank Town Lighting Featuring Holiday Express on Friday, November 27 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, the same day the elf hunt guide is released.
Who is the Count Basie Center named for?
The Count Basie Center for the Arts is named for Count Basie, who was born in Red Bank. This December its Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre hosts four performances of The Nutcracker presented by CODA, on December 11, 12 and 13, 2026.
How big is Red Bank?
The 2020 census counted 12,936 people in Red Bank, its highest census count ever. The borough covers 2.16 square miles on the southern bank of the Navesink River in northern Monmouth County, about 24 miles due south of the tip of Manhattan.
Sources
- Red Bank, New Jersey, Wikipedia
- Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt, Red Bank RiverCenter
- The Nutcracker presented by American Repertory Ballet, Two River Theater
- The Nutcracker, Count Basie Center for the Arts
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 New Jersey city.
Red Bank Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Red Bank to start with?
Start with the Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt, which runs downtown from November 27 through December 18, 2026 and can be done at your own pace. For a seated show, American Repertory Ballet dances The Nutcracker at Two River Theater on December 5 and 6, and CODA presents it at the Count Basie Center from December 11 to 13.
Are there Christmas events in Red Bank that do not need tickets?
The Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt lists no tickets, fee or sign-up. Families pick up the elf guide that Red Bank RiverCenter releases on November 27, 2026 and search downtown businesses any day through December 18. RiverCenter's calendar also lists the Red Bank Town Lighting Featuring Holiday Express on November 27 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Where can kids meet Santa in Red Bank?
None of the event pages listed here mention a Santa visit. The closest community gathering is the Red Bank Town Lighting Featuring Holiday Express, which Red Bank RiverCenter lists for Friday, November 27, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Check the RiverCenter calendar for Santa appearances as the season fills in.
Which holiday shows are on stage in Red Bank this December?
There are two Nutcracker productions. American Repertory Ballet performs at Two River Theater on Saturday, December 5, 2026 at 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm and Sunday, December 6 at 1:00 pm. CODA performs at the Count Basie Center for the Arts on December 11 at 7:00 pm, December 12 at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm, and December 13 at 1:00 pm.
Which Red Bank Christmas events need tickets?
Both Nutcracker productions are ticketed. Two River Theater sells seats for the American Repertory Ballet performances on December 5 and 6, 2026, and the Count Basie Center sells tickets for the CODA performances from December 11 to 13. The Elf Scavenge Hunt needs no ticket, only the elf guide released on November 27.
How does the Red Bank Elf Scavenge Hunt prize work?
Families find as many elves as they can in downtown businesses using the elf guide Red Bank RiverCenter releases on November 27, 2026. Return the completed guide to RiverCenter by Friday, December 18 and it is entered in a drawing for a Red Bank Bucks digital gift card.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Red Bank?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New Jersey Christmas train rides guide. This Red Bank 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.