Milwaukee Downtown Holiday Lights Festival
Downtown Milwaukee WINovember 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 It’s a glowrious time to be Downtown! Our parks and streets will soon be aglow with holiday spirit and more than a half million brilliant bulbs. […]

Welcome to the MKE With Kids Events Calendar — your go-to guide for family-friendly events in the Milwaukee area. From free storytimes and hands-on workshops to can’t-miss festivals and seasonal celebrations, we round up the best local happenings for kids and families all in one place.
Want to share an event? Submit it here for consideration.
November 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 It’s a glowrious time to be Downtown! Our parks and streets will soon be aglow with holiday spirit and more than a half million brilliant bulbs. […]
Experience the magic of the holidays! Each December, the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center partners with local businesses and nonprofits to transform Zeunert Park in Cedarburg into a glowing drive-thru winter wonderland. […]
November 22 - January 31* *Closed for Thanksgiving (11/27) & Christmas (12/25) *Open Fridays & Saturdays only in January November 22 & 23 (Grand Opening): 5pm to 10pm November 24 […]
Join us for a Christmas Family Night! Santa Cow will be there ready for photos, as well as crafts, samples, and fun. Free to attend. Please note: Dates, times, and […]
Santa's Mailbox has Arrived in Cathedral Square Park! Make a day of it and ride the hop there and get some hot cocoa along the way. Santa’s Mailbox November 10 […]
Listen to a seasonally-themed book read by one of our staff members! Then take a short, guided hike and come back for a fun nature craft! All children must be […]
The historic and magical Kooky Cookie House has its new and permanent location at Shady Lane Greenhouse in Menomonee Falls. Kids of all ages will enjoy this opportunity to walk […]
🎄 Step into a winter wonderland at the Milwaukee Public Market, where talented students from the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Bakery Program present a dazzling display of gingerbread houses! […]
Thanks to generous grants from the Greater Cedarburg Foundation and Festivals of Cedarburg, Inc., a charming 15' x 15' gingerbread house graces Cedarburg's Washington Avenue for the entire Christmas season; […]
November 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 It’s a glowrious time to be Downtown! Our parks and streets will soon be aglow with holiday spirit and more than a half million brilliant bulbs. […]
Santa's Christmas Cavalcade in partnership with Milwaukee Downtown Saturday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 12, 2025 Departs at 5:15 PM from Milwaukee Public Market See Santa and Mrs. Claus on […]
Experience the magic of the holidays! Each December, the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center partners with local businesses and nonprofits to transform Zeunert Park in Cedarburg into a glowing drive-thru winter wonderland. […]
November 22 - January 31* *Closed for Thanksgiving (11/27) & Christmas (12/25) *Open Fridays & Saturdays only in January November 22 & 23 (Grand Opening): 5pm to 10pm November 24 […]
You're invited to our Winter Formal on Friday, December 12th from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, as we step into a magical Winter Wonderland! Get ready for music, milestone photos, laughter, […]
This festive community event invites young creators ages 6–16 to launch their very own mini-business for a day. From branding and product creation to setting up their booth and selling […]
Santa's Mailbox has Arrived in Cathedral Square Park! Make a day of it and ride the hop there and get some hot cocoa along the way. Santa’s Mailbox November 10 […]
Family Art Workshop at The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts 3270 Mitchell Park Dr Brookfield WI Free Family Art Workshops *Pre-registration required. Space is limited, no drop-ins […]
This remarkable attraction began in 1998 when proprietor Karl Hornung was inspired by a magazine article about garden-scale railroads. What started as a small 6′ x 24′ Christmas setup quickly […]
The historic and magical Kooky Cookie House has its new and permanent location at Shady Lane Greenhouse in Menomonee Falls. Kids of all ages will enjoy this opportunity to walk […]
Step into a European-inspired Christkindl Market Village market full of artisan vendors, warm drinks, handmade goods, cozy holiday vibes, and a Kinder Korner for the little ones! Families will enjoy […]
It’s going to be a very Grinchmas Christmas in downtown Grafton, and you’re invited to join the merry mischief! From 10AM–4PM, bop around to your favorite participating businesses as […]
🎄 Step into a winter wonderland at the Milwaukee Public Market, where talented students from the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Bakery Program present a dazzling display of gingerbread houses! […]
ABC Academy Saturdays, 10:30-11:30 am Central Library - 814 W Wisconsin Ave Milwaukee WI Stories and a fun letter craft help build pre-reading and fine motor skills to support early […]
Join us for a story time! We will be reading one of our favorite stories every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. RSVP encouraged but not required. We hope to see you […]
JCPenney hosts families for FREE craft events in the Kids Zone section of their stores on the second Saturday of every month. The crafts — things like stitched animal pillows, […]
𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗹𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆! Get ready to dance, sing, and celebrate the season at Southridge Mall’s Holiday 𝗘𝗹𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆! A 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗲 will be […]
𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗹𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆! Get ready to dance, sing, and celebrate the season at Southridge Mall’s Holiday 𝗘𝗹𝗳 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆! A 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗲 will be […]
Thanks to generous grants from the Greater Cedarburg Foundation and Festivals of Cedarburg, Inc., a charming 15' x 15' gingerbread house graces Cedarburg's Washington Avenue for the entire Christmas season; […]
Cocoa with the Clauses at Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee Cocoa with the Clauses Sat, December 13 | 11am to 2pm Cathedral Square Park Santa and Mrs. Claus return for […]
Come to the Pebble House in Port Washington from 12-3pm to visit with Santa! Kids of all ages are welcome. There will be cookies and treats and, of course, Santa. […]
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Kapco’s Kids2Kids Toy Drive! In 2006, the Kacmarcik family, along with WTMJ-AM, created a simple grassroots toy drive. Thanks to the growth and […]
November 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 It’s a glowrious time to be Downtown! Our parks and streets will soon be aglow with holiday spirit and more than a half million brilliant bulbs. […]
Join UScellular and T-Mobile for a free, family-friendly drone show illuminating the Milwaukee skyline. All are welcome to enjoy the lights, community cheer and hot chocolate. In addition to holiday […]
Experience the magic of the holidays! Each December, the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center partners with local businesses and nonprofits to transform Zeunert Park in Cedarburg into a glowing drive-thru winter wonderland. […]
November 22 - January 31* *Closed for Thanksgiving (11/27) & Christmas (12/25) *Open Fridays & Saturdays only in January November 22 & 23 (Grand Opening): 5pm to 10pm November 24 […]
Santa's Mailbox has Arrived in Cathedral Square Park! Make a day of it and ride the hop there and get some hot cocoa along the way. Santa’s Mailbox November 10 […]
This remarkable attraction began in 1998 when proprietor Karl Hornung was inspired by a magazine article about garden-scale railroads. What started as a small 6′ x 24′ Christmas setup quickly […]
The historic and magical Kooky Cookie House has its new and permanent location at Shady Lane Greenhouse in Menomonee Falls. Kids of all ages will enjoy this opportunity to walk […]
Sendik's Food Market in Franklin Santa Claus will be at Sendik's Food Market in Franklin. When: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 Where: Sendik's Food Market, Franklin, 5200 W. Rawson […]
🎄 Step into a winter wonderland at the Milwaukee Public Market, where talented students from the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Bakery Program present a dazzling display of gingerbread houses! […]
Please note: Dates and times are subject to change, and occasionally events may be cancelled. Please check the event website to confirm the latest details.
Join us in-store for this Winter Workshop project where we'll be making a Trinket Tray out of Air Dry Clay. Please note: Dates and times are subject to change, and […]
Join us for a festive afternoon of holiday music! Sunday, December 14th at 2:00 PM (Note our special Sunday afternoon time - not our usual Friday evening!) Get into the […]
Holidays on The Hop 📅 December 7, 14 & 21, 2025 | 4–6 p.m. 📍 Downtown Milwaukee Hop aboard Milwaukee’s free streetcar for live holiday music and sweet treats. Each Sunday features […]
Join us as we light up Milwaukee with our annual Chanukah Festival & Gelt Drop: a celebration of light, joy, and community for all ages! ✨Pre-register to get a FREE […]
Join us at The Chocolate Factory in downtown Menomonee Falls for Sundaes with Santa! Stop by for FREE sessions with Santa . No purchase necessary. Everyone’s on the nice […]
November 20, 2025 - January 1, 2026 It’s a glowrious time to be Downtown! Our parks and streets will soon be aglow with holiday spirit and more than a half million brilliant bulbs. […]
November 22 - January 31* *Closed for Thanksgiving (11/27) & Christmas (12/25) *Open Fridays & Saturdays only in January November 22 & 23 (Grand Opening): 5pm to 10pm November 24 […]
The historic and magical Kooky Cookie House has its new and permanent location at Shady Lane Greenhouse in Menomonee Falls. Kids of all ages will enjoy this opportunity to walk […]
Children & Families Series Celebrations Mondays & Tuesdays, 12-2 pm Washington Park Library - 2121 N Sherman Blvd Milwaukee WI Find your new favorite book series by participating in art […]
Want to share an event? Submit it here for consideration.

