Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Saint Matthews for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's (December 6) and Santa Cares Day (December 13). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Kentucky Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Saint Matthews
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Saint Matthews
- Meet Santa: Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's (December 6) and Santa Cares Day (December 13)
- Season: December 6 (Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's) to December 13 (Santa Cares Day)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Saint Matthews
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Breakfast with Santa
Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's
- When: Sunday, December 6, 2026, 9 am (The ticket page gives a 9:00 a.m. start and no end time.)
- Where: Dave & Buster's Louisville, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Suite D200, Saint Matthews, KY 40207 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Tickets listed at $15 plus taxes and fees; under 2 free
- Ages: All ages; children under 2 do not need a ticket
Expand to see the parent tip
Dave & Buster's lets ticket holders in early, before the doors open to the public. Families sit down to a breakfast banquet, then kids play arcade games alongside Santa, pose for a photo with him, write him a letter and decorate holiday crafts.
It takes place Sunday, December 6, 2026, with a 9:00 a.m. start at Dave & Buster's Louisville, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Suite D200. Tickets are sold in advance through Prekindle, where the listing shows $15 before taxes and fees, and come in two packages: the Holly Jolly Breakfast covers the banquet and drinks, while Santa's Ultimate Workshop adds a $10 Power Card with three hours of unlimited video game play and a personal photo with Santa. Everyone over age 2 needs a ticket, adults included, and tickets are non-refundable.
Parent tip: The unlimited play on the Ultimate Workshop ticket covers non-redemption video games only, so prize, crane and virtual reality games draw on the $10 card or cost extra. Explain that to kids before they head into the arcade, and remember that every adult needs a ticket too.
- Host
- Dave & Buster's Louisville (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Dave & Buster's Louisville, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Suite D200, Saint Matthews, KY 40207 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Saint Matthews events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Saint Matthews daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Saint Matthews.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Saint Matthews 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 Saint Matthews.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Saint Matthews 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
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Breakfast and treats
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Saint Matthews every week.
Santa visit
Santa Cares Day
- When: Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9:30 to 10:30 am
- Where: Mall St. Matthews, near Express, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Saint Matthews, KY 40207 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page; booking offered online
- Ages: Children with special needs and their families
Expand to see the parent tip
Santa Cares Day is a sensory-friendly photo session with Santa at Mall St. Matthews. The mall sets it up for children across the range of special needs and their families, and places it near the Express store.
The mall lists it for Sunday, December 13, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. The event page carries a Book now button, so plan to reserve a time online. No price is shown on the page.
Parent tip: The session lasts just one hour and is offered through online booking, so reserve early and arrive a few minutes ahead so your child is not rushed. The page gives few details, so ask the mall what the visit includes when you book.
- Host
- Mall St. Matthews (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Mall St. Matthews, near Express, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Saint Matthews, KY 40207 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Saint Matthews events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Saint Matthews daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Saint Matthews.
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 Kentucky Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Saint Matthews Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's in Saint Matthews on December 6; the last runs to December 13. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster'sSaint Matthews · Dec 6
- Santa Cares DaySaint Matthews · Dec 13
Looking further afield? Our Kentucky Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Louisville, Crestwood, La Grange, KY and Simpsonville. 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 Saint Matthews
In the early 1900s St. Matthews grew so many potatoes that its produce exchange was once the second-largest potato shipper in the country. The farms have since given way to one of Kentucky's major shopping areas along Shelbyville Road, and that is where Santa sets up for families in December.
How Saint Matthews celebrates
The Christmas events on file for St. Matthews both happen in its Shelbyville Road shopping district. Dave & Buster's Louisville, at 5000 Shelbyville Rd, holds what it calls its annual Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 6, 2026, opening early so ticketed families can eat, play arcade games with Santa, take a photo, write letters and make crafts. A week later, on Sunday, December 13, Mall St. Matthews hosts Santa Cares Day near Express, a sensory-friendly photo session for children with special needs and their families. The mall has history of its own: it opened around the time the city incorporated in 1950 as Louisville's first indoor shopping mall.
Fun facts about Christmas in Saint Matthews
The area was first settled by European Americans in 1779, when Col. James John Floyd of Virginia arrived and built cabins and a stockade known as Floyd's Station. By 1840 the crossroads community was called Gilman's Point after tavern owner Daniel Gilman. The name St. Matthews was adopted in 1850 after St. Matthew's Episcopal Church was completed, and it became official in 1851 when the new post office used it. St. Matthews incorporated as a city in 1950 and counted 17,534 residents in the 2020 census.
Traditions today
- Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's: Dave & Buster's Louisville describes its Breakfast with Santa as an annual event, with a breakfast banquet served before the arcade opens to the public.
- Arcade games with Santa: At the breakfast, families get early access to the arcade and kids can play games with Santa before posing for a photo.
- Santa Cares Day at Mall St. Matthews: The mall sets aside an hour on a Sunday morning for sensory-friendly photos with Santa for children with special needs and their families.
- Shelbyville Road: Both events take place along Shelbyville Road, the shopping corridor that is home to Mall St. Matthews and many smaller shopping centers.
A fact for kids
St. Matthews used to be potato country. From 1910 to 1946 it had a produce exchange that was once the second-largest potato shipper in the whole United States.
Questions about Christmas in Saint Matthews
When was St. Matthews, Kentucky founded?
European American settlement began in 1779, when Col. James John Floyd of Virginia arrived and built cabins and a stockade called Floyd's Station. The community that grew up nearby was known as Gilman's Point by 1840. St. Matthews did not incorporate as a city until 1950.
How did St. Matthews get its name?
The name was adopted in 1850 after the completion of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, the first church in the area. It became the community's official name in 1851, when the newly opened U.S. post office took it. Before that the place was called Gilman's Point, after tavern owner Daniel Gilman.
Did St. Matthews have a railroad?
Yes. St. Matthews was connected to the Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington Railroad, later part of the Louisville and Nashville, which linked Louisville with Anchorage and Middletown. The railroad did not change the local economy much, and the area stayed heavily agricultural well into the 20th century.
What was St. Matthews known for before it became a shopping area?
Farming. In the early 1800s the area was called the garden of the state, and in the early 20th century it was a major potato center. The St. Matthews Produce Exchange, open from 1910 to 1946, was once the second-largest potato shipper in the country.
How big is St. Matthews?
The 2020 census counted 17,534 residents, which makes St. Matthews the 23rd-largest city in Kentucky. It sits in Jefferson County about 7 miles east of downtown Louisville and is part of Louisville Metro government while remaining a separately incorporated city.
What happens at Christmas for kids in St. Matthews?
Two Santa events are listed for 2026. Dave & Buster's Louisville holds Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 6, with a banquet, arcade games, photos, letters to Santa and crafts. Mall St. Matthews hosts Santa Cares Day, a sensory-friendly photo session, on Sunday, December 13, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Where do Christmas events take place in St. Matthews?
Both listed events are on Shelbyville Road, the city's main shopping corridor. Breakfast with Santa is at Dave & Buster's Louisville, 5000 Shelbyville Rd, Suite D200. Santa Cares Day is inside Mall St. Matthews, near the Express store. The mall opened around 1950 as Louisville's first indoor shopping mall.
Who organizes the Christmas events in St. Matthews?
The two events on file are run by businesses rather than the city. Dave & Buster's Louisville organizes and sells tickets for its annual Breakfast with Santa through Prekindle. Mall St. Matthews runs Santa Cares Day and takes bookings through its own event page.
Is anything free at Christmas in St. Matthews?
Neither event page describes itself as free. Breakfast with Santa on December 6, 2026, needs a paid ticket for everyone over age 2. The Mall St. Matthews page for Santa Cares Day on December 13 lists no price, so check with the mall when you reserve.
Sources
- St. Matthews, Kentucky, Wikipedia
- Breakfast with Santa 2026, Dave & Buster's Louisville
- Santa Cares Day, Mall St. Matthews
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 Kentucky city.
Saint Matthews Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are happening in St. Matthews?
Two are listed for 2026, both on Shelbyville Road. Dave & Buster's Louisville holds Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 6, starting at 9:00 a.m. Mall St. Matthews hosts Santa Cares Day, a sensory-friendly photo session with Santa, on Sunday, December 13, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Where can kids meet Santa in St. Matthews?
Santa is at Dave & Buster's Louisville for Breakfast with Santa on December 6, 2026, where kids can play arcade games with him and take a photo. He is also at Mall St. Matthews, near Express, for Santa Cares Day on December 13 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Is there a sensory-friendly Santa visit in St. Matthews?
Yes. Santa Cares Day at Mall St. Matthews on Sunday, December 13, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. offers sensory-friendly photos with Santa. The mall says it is meant for children with special needs of every kind and their families, and the page has a Book now button for reserving.
Which St. Matthews holiday events need tickets or booking?
Both do. Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's on December 6, 2026, requires advance tickets through Prekindle for every guest over age 2, adults included, and they are non-refundable. Santa Cares Day at Mall St. Matthews on December 13 is offered through a Book now link on the mall's event page.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in St. Matthews?
Neither organizer page uses the word free. Breakfast with Santa on December 6 is ticketed, with the listing showing $15 before taxes and fees. The Mall St. Matthews page for Santa Cares Day on December 13 shows no price, so ask the mall about any photo cost when you book.
Do toddlers need a ticket for Breakfast with Santa at Dave & Buster's?
Children under 2 do not need a ticket for the December 6, 2026, breakfast. Everyone older does, including the adults who come with them, and children must be with an adult at all times. The ticket page lists the event as all ages.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Saint Matthews?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Kentucky Christmas train rides guide. This Saint Matthews 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.