Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Wantagh for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5) (December 1), Brunch with Santa (December 13) and Candy Cane STEM Lab (Grades K-5) (December 28). 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 York Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Wantagh
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Wantagh
- Meet Santa: Brunch with Santa (December 13)
- Also on the list: 3 craft workshops
- Season: December 1 (Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5)) to December 28 (Candy Cane STEM Lab (Grades K-5))
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 3 events
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Waiting inside
- 3 Crafts
- 2 Breakfast and treats
- 1 Santa
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Wantagh
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday crafts
Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5)
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026, 4 to 5 pm
- Where: Wantagh Public Library, Community Room, 3285 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Registration required; no price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Grades 2 to 5
Expand to see the parent tip
Children build holiday art out of candy in the library's Community Room, with snowmen and gingerbread houses among the designs. Theresa Maritato leads the class, and kids in grades 2 to 5 take part on their own while a caregiver stays in the building.
The class is on Tuesday, December 1, 2026, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Registration is required, online only, with each child registered separately: Wantagh Public Library cardholders can sign up from November 17 at 10 am and out-of-district families from November 24 at 10 am. The library may ask for proof of age.
Parent tip: The library warns that its food programs contain allergens including nuts, dairy, gluten and eggs, so think twice before signing up a child with allergies. Cardholders get a one-week head start on registration, so be online at 10 am on November 17.
- Host
- Wantagh Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Wantagh Public Library, Community Room, 3285 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wantagh events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wantagh daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wantagh.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Wantagh 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 Wantagh.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Wantagh 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
- 3 Crafts
- 2 Breakfast and treats
- 1 Santa
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Wantagh every week.
Breakfast with Santa
Brunch with Santa
- When: Sunday, December 13, 2026, 11 am to 2 pm (Doors open at 10:00 am. The organizer's page lists December 13 only.)
- Where: Mulcahy's, Gallery Room, 3232 Railroad Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $55 adults, $30 children 12 and under
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Families sit down to a full brunch buffet in the Gallery Room at Mulcahy's, and a visit and photos with Santa come with the ticket. Kids get crafts and activities, holiday music plays, and a cash bar pours Christmas themed drinks for the grown-ups.
The brunch is on Sunday, December 13, 2026, with doors at 10 am and an 11 am start, and the event listing shows it ending at 2 pm. Tickets cost $55 for adults and $30 for children 12 and under and are bought through the venue's ticket link. All ages are welcome.
Parent tip: Doors open a full hour before the 11 am start, so arriving early gives children time to settle before the buffet. The venue encourages holiday best, so dress the kids for the Santa photo before you leave home.
- Host
- Mulcahy's (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Mulcahy's, Gallery Room, 3232 Railroad Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wantagh events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wantagh daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wantagh.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Holiday event
Candy Cane STEM Lab (Grades K-5)
- When: Monday, December 28, 2026, 11 am to noon
- Where: Wantagh Public Library, Community Room, 3285 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Registration required; no price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Grades K to 5 (ages 6 to 11)
Expand to see the parent tip
Kids move from station to station in a science program where every experiment uses candy canes. They make predictions, test how candy canes react to different conditions and try building and engineering with them, with Tammy Manor presenting.
The lab is on Monday, December 28, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Community Room. Registration is required, online only and one per child: cardholders from December 14 at 10 am and out-of-district families from December 21 at 10 am. Children attend on their own while caregivers stay in the building.
Parent tip: It lands three days after Christmas, a handy outing once the new toys have lost their shine. The library says kids may get a little sticky, so skip the good clothes.
- Host
- Wantagh Public Library (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Wantagh Public Library, Community Room, 3285 Park Ave, Wantagh, NY 11793 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Wantagh events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Wantagh daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Wantagh.
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 York Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Wantagh Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5) in Wantagh on December 1; the last runs to December 28. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5)Wantagh · Dec 1
- Brunch with SantaWantagh · Dec 13
- Candy Cane STEM Lab (Grades K-5)Wantagh · Dec 28
Looking further afield? Our New York Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Mineola, Hewlett, West Islip and Bohemia. 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 Wantagh
Wantagh shares its name with the sachem, or chief, of the Merokee tribe in 1647, though early settlers knew the place as Jerusalem and for a time it was called Ridgewood. Today the hamlet known as the Gateway to Jones Beach spends December on candy crafts at the library and a brunch with Santa on Railroad Avenue.
How Wantagh celebrates
Christmas programs for kids in Wantagh center on two places. Wantagh Public Library runs hands-on classes in its Community Room: Holiday Candy Art for grades 2 to 5 on December 1, where children design snowmen and gingerbread houses from candy, and a Candy Cane STEM Lab for grades K to 5 on December 28. On Railroad Avenue, Mulcahy's hosts Brunch with Santa in its Gallery Room on December 13, with a buffet, kids' crafts, holiday music and photos with Santa. The Long Island Rail Road, which has served the community since 1885, still stops at Wantagh station.
Fun facts about Christmas in Wantagh
Early settlers called the area Jerusalem, and the original post office was built in 1837 under that name. Around the 1880s it became Ridgewood, then was renamed Wantagh to avoid confusion with another Ridgewood in New York State. The Long Island Rail Road has served the hamlet since 1885, and the Wantagh Railroad Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The population was 18,613 at the 2020 census.
Traditions today
- Holiday Candy Art: Children in grades 2 to 5 make snowmen, gingerbread houses and other holiday designs from candy in the library's Community Room.
- Brunch with Santa: Families share a brunch buffet in the Gallery Room at Mulcahy's and take photos with Santa.
- Candy Cane STEM Lab: After Christmas, kids in grades K to 5 run candy cane experiments at stations set up in the library.
A fact for kids
Checkers, the dog that belonged to President Richard Nixon, is buried at the Bide-a-Wee Pet Cemetery in Wantagh.
Questions about Christmas in Wantagh
How did Wantagh get its name?
Wantagh was the name of the sachem, or chief, of the Merokee tribe in 1647, who later served as grand sachem of the Montauk tribe. The community was called Jerusalem, then Ridgewood, before it was renamed Wantagh to avoid confusion with another New York town called Ridgewood.
Why was Wantagh once called Jerusalem?
Early settler accounts refer to the area as Jerusalem, and the creek running through it was the Jerusalem River. The original post office was built in 1837 for Jerusalem. The old name survives in local roads such as Jerusalem Avenue and North Jerusalem Road.
How old is the settlement at Wantagh?
European settlement began in the mid-17th century. Historical markers in Wantagh point to 1644, the date given for the home of Robert Jackson, described as Jerusalem's pioneer settler, and for North Jerusalem Road. The town's first school was established in 1790.
Did George Washington visit Wantagh?
Yes. George Washington rode through Jerusalem, as Wantagh was then known, on April 21, 1790, during a five-day tour of Long Island. The Daughters of the American Revolution placed a plaque on Hempstead Turnpike to commemorate his travels.
When did the railroad come to Wantagh?
The Long Island Rail Road has served the community since 1885, and possibly as early as 1867. The tracks were elevated in 1968, and the Wantagh Railroad Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Trains on the Babylon Branch stop at Wantagh station.
How many people live in Wantagh?
Wantagh had 18,613 residents at the 2020 census. It is a hamlet and census-designated place in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on Long Island, and it is known as the Gateway to Jones Beach.
What happens at Christmas for kids in Wantagh?
Wantagh Public Library holds Holiday Candy Art for grades 2 to 5 on December 1 and a Candy Cane STEM Lab for grades K to 5 on December 28. Mulcahy's hosts Brunch with Santa on December 13, with a buffet, crafts and photos with Santa.
Where do the Christmas events take place?
The library programs are in the Community Room at Wantagh Public Library. Brunch with Santa is in the Gallery Room at Mulcahy's, 3232 Railroad Avenue. The Wantagh article notes that the land around the library once belonged to Thomas Jackson, a Revolutionary War soldier.
Who organizes the Christmas events in Wantagh?
Wantagh Public Library organizes the two candy-themed classes, which are led by presenters Theresa Maritato and Tammy Manor. Mulcahy's, a venue on Railroad Avenue, runs Brunch with Santa and sells the tickets through its own event page.
Sources
- Wantagh, New York, Wikipedia
- Holiday Candy Art (Grades 2-5), Wantagh Public Library
- Brunch with Santa, Mulcahy's
- Candy Cane STEM Lab (Grades K-5), Wantagh Public Library
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 York city.
Wantagh Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Wantagh to start with?
For school-age children, begin with Holiday Candy Art at Wantagh Public Library on Tuesday, December 1, for grades 2 to 5. For the whole family, Brunch with Santa at Mulcahy's is on Sunday, December 13. The library's Candy Cane STEM Lab on Monday, December 28 keeps the season going after Christmas Day.
Where can kids meet Santa in Wantagh?
Santa is at Brunch with Santa in the Gallery Room at Mulcahy's, 3232 Railroad Avenue, on Sunday, December 13. Doors open at 10 am and the brunch starts at 11 am. A visit and photos with Santa are included in the ticket, along with the buffet, crafts and holiday music.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Wantagh?
The two Wantagh Public Library programs, Holiday Candy Art on December 1 and Candy Cane STEM Lab on December 28, list no price on their pages, though neither page uses the word free. Both require online registration. Brunch with Santa on December 13 is a paid, ticketed event.
Which Wantagh Christmas events need tickets or registration?
All three. Brunch with Santa on December 13 is ticketed. Holiday Candy Art opens registration to library cardholders on November 17 and to out-of-district families on November 24. Candy Cane STEM Lab opens to cardholders on December 14 and to others on December 21, always at 10 am and online only.
Can children attend the library programs on their own?
Yes, that is how they are run. In both Holiday Candy Art for grades 2 to 5 and Candy Cane STEM Lab for grades K to 5, children attend the class independently. A caregiver has to remain in the library building for the whole session.
Is there anything for kids in Wantagh after Christmas Day?
Yes. The Candy Cane STEM Lab at Wantagh Public Library is on Monday, December 28, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm. Kids in grades K to 5 rotate through stations and run experiments with candy canes. Registration opens for cardholders on December 14.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Wantagh?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s New York Christmas train rides guide. This Wantagh 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.