Things to Do in Louisville this Holiday Season

IgLOUs, 8UP Elevated Drinkery & Kitchen | November 2022-February 2023

Cozy up this winter in your own private heated igloo on the 8th rooftop bar of the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown. This outdoor winter wonderland features eight fully enclosed igloos with themes ranging from Diamonds & Fur to flannel Winter Lodge.

Lights Under Louisville, Louisville Mega Cavern | November 11, 2022-January 2, 2023

This one-of-a-kind underground holiday light show will take you on a 30-minute drive through a portion of Louisville Mega Cavern's 17-miles of underground passageways. The event features more than 900 lit displays and over four million points of light.

White Christmas, Derby Dinner Playhouse | November 16-December 31

Based on the timeless classic, celebrate the holiday season with a musical performance full of dancing, laughter and some of the most popular holiday songs ever written, White Christmas, at one of the oldest and largest professional dinner theatres in the country

Also playing at Derby Dinner Playhouse (Nov. 19-Dec. 23), younger theatre fans will enjoy Santa Claus The Musical and the jam-packed fun that ensues when Santa decides to retire and some of the elves aren't thrilled about the new person in charge.

Fête De Noël, Paristown | November 19-January 2

Paristown’s Fête De Noël ("Festival of Christmas") is a 6-week, winter holiday festival featuring Louisville’s only authentic outdoor ice skating rink. Shop, eat, and drink your way through the Winter Holiday Village. Enjoy special holiday movie nights, karaoke, a Spirits of Scrooge Escape Room, and ornament decorating at historic Stoneware & Co.

Miracle on Market Pop-Up Holiday Bar | November 23-December 28

This holiday-themed pop-up experience in NuLu will have you feeling festive with creative cocktails, specialty mugs, classic holiday movies and music.

Light Up Louisville | November 25

For over 40 years, this annual event rings in the holiday season in downtown Louisville. A parade through the streets of downtown leads up to the arrival of Santa Claus. The celebration concludes with a countdown to the illumination of the holiday tree and fireworks lighting up the night sky.

Winter Woods Spectacular | November 25-January 1, 2023

For the first time ever, guests will get to experience up-close the twinkling of millions of lights and dazzling holiday displays as they walk through the majestic woods of historic Iroquois Park.

Yuletide at Yew Dell | November 26-8, December 3-5 and 10-12

Head outdoors to Yew Dell Botanical Gardens for their annual Yuletide at Yew Dell event! This year, they will have an enhanced light display with photo ops on the festively lit path, holiday shopping opportunities, a take-home craft for kids, and of course, Santa!

Gardens Aglimmer, Waterfront Botanical Gardens | December 2-4, 9-11, 16-23, & 26-30

Wander the new Beargrass Creek Pathway under icicle arches and a waterfall stream aglow at Butchertown's Waterfront Botanical Gardens. This self-guided walking experience will take you through an illuminated outdoor wonderland of swans, snowflakes, deer, Moravian stars, oversized flowers, and a multicolor tunnel of lights. Visit Santa and his sleigh in the Graeser Family Education Center and Mrs Claus’ Cottage in the new Ellen T Leslie Botanical Classrooms.

Nutcracker in a Nutshell, Louisville Palace | December 3

Presented by MAGIC (Making Art Grow in Children), this shorter version of the Nutcracker, allows children to enjoy this classic holiday tradition. You'll see the magical Nutcracker come to life before Clara's eyes and watch him battle the Mouse King before embarking on a journey to the Land of the Sweets. Your kids will enjoy all the fun of watching this magical story filled with spellbinding dancing, performed by some of the area's best young dance talents.

Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour | December 3 & 4

Returning on the first full weekend in December, the Holiday Home Tour gives visitors a rare glimpse inside these historic Victorian mansions and townhouses stylishly dressed for the holidays.

Holiday Victorian Tea, Conrad-Caldwell House Museum | December 3 & 4

This annual Holiday Victorian Tea is in person once again! The price includes Louisville Tea Company teas, sweet and savory treats, live music and a tour of the museum.

Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland, Louisville Palace | December 9

Wonderland is an all-new musical journey that will transport audiences to a magical land far away for a fun-filled holiday-themed show experience they will never forget. This must-see holiday event ignites joy and wonder throughout the theatre like never before. Audiences will be dazzled by the acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks, and holiday cheer. The show blends the spellbinding grace and daredevil athleticism of today’s greatest circus performers with a musical mix of timeless seasonal favorites.

The Brown-Forman Nutcracker, Louisville Ballet | December 9-23

This Louisville Ballet holiday classic returns to delight audiences of all ages with magic, artistry, awe-inspiring sets, and costumes as Marie and her Nutcracker Prince as they travel to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Winter on the Farm, Locust Grove | December 12

This new event includes elements of past Christmastide events with the inclusion of first-person interpreters sharing the tales of residents, free and enslaved, at Locust Grove in 1816 with "Unfolding the Story." Discover how the farm prepared for the winter with food preservation demonstrations taking place in the outbuildings and learn how the family planned for gatherings.

A Christmas Carol: Ghost Story, Actors Theatre | December 14-23, 2022

Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, this modern adaptation mixes live performance and motion-capture technology as Ebenezer Scrooge journeys through a haunted dreamscape filled with ghostly apparitions he meets along the way.

To find all events happening in and around the city be sure to check out our event calendar and subscribe to our email newsletters for the latest updates on news and events.