Iowa Christmas 2026

Top Events Across Iowa

Find the best Christmas events across Iowa this year!

1. 1
   Festival of Trees & Lights Des Moines

   Central Iowa tradition featuring 90 decorated trees benefiting Blank Children's Hospital.

2. 2
   Christmas in Olde Town Altoona

   Holiday celebration featuring Santa, reindeer encounters, carriage rides, and s'mores.

3. 3
   Merry-N-County Christmas Holiday Lights Knoxville

   Extended holiday hours including Christmas Eve and Day

4. 4
   Old World Christmas Market Cedar Rapids

   European-inspired holiday market with crafts, entertainment, and museum gallery admission.

5. 5
   Festival of Trees Davenport

   Holiday showcase of designer trees and family attractions in Davenport.

6. 6
   Hometown Holidays Sioux Center

   Sioux Center's annual kickoff to the Christmas season.

7. 7
   The Nutcracker: The Magical Christmas Ballet Sioux City

   The largest Nutcracker production in North America.

8. 8
   Vue Rooftop New Year's Eve Celebration Iowa City

   Exclusive rooftop New Year's Eve celebration with city views.

9. 9
   Waterloo Lights the Night Waterloo

   Waterloo's kick-off to the holiday season with glowing downtown displays.

10. 10
    Reiman Gardens Winter Wonderscape Ames

    Holiday light show featuring over 200,000 lights across 17 acres.

11. 11
    Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad Santa Express Trains Boone

    Round-trip holiday train ride to the North Pole with Santa.

12. 12
    Jingle on Main West Des Moines

    Shop local in historic Valley Junction.

13. 13
    A Carol Christmas Greenfield

    Holiday concert featuring singer-songwriter Carol Montag.

14. 14
    Council Bluffs Winterfest at Bayliss Park Council Bluffs

    Kicks off with the Bayliss Park holiday lighting ceremony

15. 15
    Night of the Luminaria and Living Windows Galena

    Over 5,000 candlelit luminaries and animated holiday living windows.