Christmas Events for Kids in Ridgeland (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

Updated 3 min read

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Ridgeland for 2026. The Christmas Tree Lighting brings Santa and Mrs. Claus to the Plaza at Old Town Crossing on Thursday, December 3, and the Christmas in Toyland parade loops through Old Town the next night, Friday, December 4. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Mississippi Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Ridgeland

  • 2 Christmas events for kids in Ridgeland
  • Tree Lighting: Thursday, December 3, 6 pm, free
  • Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Old Town Crossing
  • Christmas Parade: Friday, December 4, 6 pm, Christmas in Toyland
  • Every date checked on the City of Ridgeland site on Nov 11

Free Christmas events for kids in Ridgeland

Tree lightingFree

Ridgeland Christmas Tree Lighting

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Ridgeland starts its holiday season at the Plaza at Old Town Crossing, where the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting is presented by The Historical Society of Ridgeland.

Kids can pose for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, watch Christmas music and dance performances, and shout along with the countdown to the lighting.

Parent tip: Get in the Santa and Mrs. Claus photo line before the countdown, since everyone heads to the tree once the lights come on.

Host
City of Ridgeland Recreation and Parks (opens in a new tab)
Address
Plaza at Old Town Crossing, Ridgeland, MS 39157 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Ridgeland Recreation and Parks (opens in a new tab)

New Ridgeland events every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 1 more Ridgeland event 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 Ridgeland.
  • Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Ridgeland 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

  • 1 Santa
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 2 Free

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Christmas paradeFree

Ridgeland Christmas Parade: Christmas in Toyland

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Mayor Gene McGee and the city aldermen lead an old-fashioned Christmas parade of bands, businesses and local groups through the Old Town neighborhood.

The 2026 theme is Christmas in Toyland, and the route makes a square on Maple Street, Jackson Street and Sunnybrook Road, starting and ending at Holmes Community College Ridgeland.

Parent tip: Because the route is a loop, pick a spot on Jackson Street and you will see every float without fighting the start-line crowd.

Host
City of Ridgeland Recreation and Parks (opens in a new tab)
Address
Old Town Ridgeland, starting at Holmes Community College Ridgeland, Ridgeland, MS 39157 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Ridgeland Recreation and Parks (opens in a new tab)

New Ridgeland events every week

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

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 Mississippi Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Ridgeland Christmas event for kids happens

Two nights in a row in Old Town: the tree and Santa photos on Thursday, December 3, then the Toyland parade on Friday, December 4.

Looking further afield? Our Mississippi Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Madison, Jackson, Meridian and Oxford. 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)

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 Mississippi city.

Ridgeland Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Ridgeland this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 2 Christmas events for kids in Ridgeland for 2026, both from the City of Ridgeland: the Christmas Tree Lighting on December 3 and the Christmas Parade on December 4.

When is the Ridgeland Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

Thursday, December 3, 2026, at 6 pm at the Plaza at Old Town Crossing. It is free and presented by The Historical Society of Ridgeland.

Is Santa at the Ridgeland tree lighting?

Yes. Families can take photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and there are Christmas music and dance performances before the countdown.

When is the Ridgeland Christmas Parade?

Friday, December 4, 2026, at 6 pm. The theme is Christmas in Toyland and the parade begins and ends at Holmes Community College Ridgeland, looping along Maple Street, Jackson Street and Sunnybrook Road.

Who do I contact about Ridgeland holiday events?

The City of Ridgeland Mayor’s Office at 601-856-7113, or the Director of Public Relations at kim.cooper@ridgelandms.org.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Mississippi?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Mississippi 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 Ridgeland 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.

Kelsey Cecil
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