Kooky Cookie House at Shady Lane Greenhouse (Menomonee Falls)
2025-12-22 10:00 - 15:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | Shady Lane Greenhouse, W172N7388 Shady Lane, Menomonee Falls, WI, 53051, United States
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 thru the functioning cookie factory. From those who have treasured memories of days gone by to those little ones who will get the chance to form new holiday memories.
Come see the inside workings of the gingerbread cookie factory, that has been refurbished by many passionate volunteers over the years. There are great photo opportunities, coloring pages, and more. Come visit, the house will be open daily through the holiday season, 10am to 3pm.
Shady Lane Greenhouse wishes to thank all those who have donated funds and time to the restoration of this beautiful and memorable “house!”
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.

Deck the Streets and Village at Milwaukee Public Museum
2025-12-22 10:00 - 17:00 | Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, 53233, United States
Deck the Streets and Village…There’s no place like MPM for the holidays!
November 16, 2025 – January 25, 2026
Wednesdays through Mondays
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Experience the magic of the holiday season inside two of MPM’s most beloved exhibits, Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village, where the walkthrough turn-of-the-century streetscapes have been transformed into a winter wonderland.
Stroll through our decorated Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Villageexhibits, attend a concert by the Florentine Opera, learn about European traditions from our docents, snap a pic with Santa, or indulge in festive food and drink during an after-hours party.
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.

Winter Scavenger Hunt at MKE Central Library
2025-12-22 10:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 19:00 | Milwaukee Central Library, 814 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, United States
Winter is here! Come celebrate with us at the Central Library and complete a fun winter-themed scavenger hunt.
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.

Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park MKE (Weather Permitting)
2025-12-22 10:00 - 20:00, 2025-12-23 10:00 - 20:00 | Red Arrow Park, 920 N Water Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
December through Early March 2026 (weather permitting): See website for updates
Red Arrow Park
414.289.8791 | countyparks.com
Ice skate in the heart of Downtown at the “Slice of Ice” rink while surrounded by twinkling lights and dazzling décor. Skate rentals are $11 for adults and $9 for children. Ice skating is free with your own skates.
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.

Now Showing at The Daniel Soref Theater and Planetarium
2025-12-22 10:30 - 16:10 | MPM Daniel M Soref Planetarium, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, 53233, United States
NOW SHOWING AT THE DANIEL M. SOREF THEATER AND PLANETARIUM
Check out the Planetarium programs and giant films playing daily.
Now through January 22, 2026 (Wednesdays through Mondays)

10:30 a.m.
Wisconsin Stargazing

11:10 a.m.
Serengeti: Journey to the Heart of Africa

12:10 p.m.
The First Stargazers

12:50 p.m.
Call of the Dolphins

1:50 p.m.
Wisconsin Stargazing

2:30 p.m.
Serengeti: Journey to the Heart of Africa

3:30 p.m.
The First Stargazers

4:10 p.m.
Call of the Dolphins

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.

Photos with Santa at Southridge Mall
2025-12-22 11:00 - 19:00, 2025-12-23 11:00 - 19:00 | Southridge Mall, 5300 S 76th Street, Greendale, WI, 53129, United States
Celebrate the season with magical holiday photos with Santa, available November 21 through December 24!
Capture personalized memories with your family and keep the festive spirit alive — photos will be available all season long.
Location: Lower Level, Center Court Walk-ins and reservations welcomeReserve your spot here bookmysantavisit.com
Santa takes a short break each day from 𝟮:𝟯𝟬-𝟯𝗽𝗺.
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Santa’s Arrival: Sat, 11/22 from 10:45am-1pm Sensory-Friendly Santa: Sun, 12/7 from 9-10:30am Pet Photo Night: Mon, 12/8 from 4-8pm Holiday Kids Corner: Sat, 12/13 from 11am-12pm Black Santa Experience: Fri, 12/12 from 3-7pm, Sat, 12/13 from 11am-7pm & Sun 12/14 from 11am-5pm
𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰Packages range from $25.99–$59.99 Customer Service: (888) 399-1959 | help@snaptasticphotos.com
Bring your smiles and holiday spirit — Santa photos are here all season long at Southridge Mall!

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.

H2GRoW at Betty Brinn Children's Museum
2025-12-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, 929 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
H2GR0W

July 14 & 21 2025 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Learn how to grow food plants like lettuce and basil with no soil and no digging! Our hydroponic Fork Farms garden can grow plants with only water and light. Join us for h2gr0w programs every Monday at 1 p.m. to plant seeds, keep the water healthy and pick plants that are ready to eat.

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.

Winter Break at The Milwaukee Public Museum
2025-12-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, WI 53233, USA, 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee, 53233, United States
WINTER BREAK
December 22, December 29-January 2
10 a.m. – Noon; 1 – 3 p.m.
Join MPM Educators as we highlight some of our favorite frozen topics during winter break! Feel the furs that cover Arctic animals, discover how to tell apart horns, tusks, and antlers, and explore the differences between the mammoths and mastodons that both called ancient Wisconsin home.
Furs and Footprints: Test your zoology skills by matching the furs and footprints of Arctic animals as you learn what helps animals survive and thrive in extreme cold!
Mammoths and Mastodons: Is that a mastodon? A mammoth? Learn how to tell the differences between these ancient animals and what each can tell us about Wisconsin’s past.
Points of Emphasis: What exactly is growing out of that animal’s head? What is it used for? Explore the differences between antlers, horns, tusks, and teeth and the many roles they play throughout the animal kingdom.
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.

Visit The Little Nature Museum at Hawthorn Glen MKE
2025-12-22 16:00 - 17:00, 2025-12-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Hawthorn Glen Nature Center, 1130 N 60th Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53208, United States
Little Nature Museum

Come and visit the Little Nature Museum and see animals native to Wisconsin, including tree frogs, several species of turtles, snakes, many birds and even a hawk.
Monday-Friday: 4-5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 3-4 p.m.
Attendance is FREE!
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.

Santa Days at Cedarburg Santa's Workshop
2025-12-22 16:00 - 19:00
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; located just outside of the Cedarburg Community Gym:
W63N645 Washington Ave
Cedarburg, WI 53012
Santa and Mrs. Claus often stop by in the days leading up to Christmas. When Santa’s not in to greet guests, you can peek in the windows to see his charming fireplace and the toys he and the elves have been working on!
Santa and Mrs. Claus are excited to meet with as many families as possible this year. Please note – there is high demand and we can’t always accommodate every family. We encourage you to arrive early as we schedule families into time slots the day of each event, and there are a limited number of time slots each day. Once you are on the list, we encourage you to walk around and enjoy our lovely town while you’re waiting for your reservation. We begin taking walk-up reservations 15 minutes BEFORE the workshop opens. Please note, some families do come well before the workshop opens to stand in line to make their walk-up reservations.
We appreciate your patience and kindness. Our volunteers work very hard to try to get every family in, and are just as upset to have to turn families away. Please don’t make their jobs more difficult than it already is!

2025 Santa Days:

Friday, November 21 (Santa and Mrs. Claus will be walking through Cedarburg, 5-8p)

Friday, November 28, 4-7pm

Saturday, November 29, 11am-2pm

Saturday, December 6, 11am-2pm

Friday, December 12, 4-7pm

Saturday, December 13, 11am-2pm

Friday, December 19, 4-7pm

Saturday, December 20, 11-2pm

Monday, December 22, 4-7pm

*Santa is at the Cedar Creek Settlement on Friday, December 5!

Please note: Dates, times, and pricing are subject to change, and occasionally events may be cancelled. Please check with the event organizer or venue to confirm the latest details.

Milwaukee Downtown Holiday Lights Festival
2025-12-22 16:30 - 22:00, 2025-12-23 16:30 - 22:00 | Downtown Milwaukee, WI
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. Meanwhile, a flurry of shows, Santa photo ops and exceptional dining opportunities are beckoning friends and family to gather here all season long! So, make the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival the highlight of your season.
View the 2025 festival guide here.
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.

Illuminate Ozaukee at Zeunert Park Cedarburg
2025-12-22 17:00 - 20:00 | Herman A. Zeunert Park, WI, United States
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. Families can wind through the park and take in dazzling light displays, festive music, and plenty of holiday cheer.
Keep an eye out for Santa or other fun holiday characters appearing throughout the season. They love surprising guests along the route!
Every display is created and sponsored by a local organization, each one adding its own sparkle and creativity. Visitors can cast their vote for a favorite display when they arrive, helping crown this year’s Holiday Design Champion. Enter the light show from Lincoln Blvd and exit onto Hamilton Road. Zeunert Park is located just a few minutes from downtown Cedarburg, making it easy to enjoy a full night of holiday fun, from shopping and dining to festive events.
This event is free, however there is a suggested minimum $20 donation. Your cash or credit donation helps strengthen our community! All proceeds support the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center and our network of local nonprofit agencies.
Illuminate Ozaukee celebrates community, creativity, and connection, all while supporting the programs and partners of the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center.

Please note: Dates, times, and pricing are subject to change, and occasionally events may be cancelled. Please check with the event organizer or venue to confirm the latest details.

Christmas Carnival of Lights (Caledonia)
2025-12-22 17:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-23 17:00 - 21:00 | Jellystone Park Caledonia, 8425 HWY 38, Caledonia, 53108, United States
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 – December 11
Sunday – Thursday: 5pm to 9pm
Friday & Saturday: 5pm to 10pm

December 12 – December 20
Sunday – Thursday: 5pm to 9pm
Friday & Saturday: 5pm to 10:30pm
December 21 – December 24
Sunday – Tuesday: 5pm to 10pm
Wednesday (Christmas Eve) : 5pm to 9pm
December 26 – 31
Everyday: 5pm to 9pm
January 2 – 31
Friday & Saturday: 5pm to 9pm
LOCATION
Jellystone Park™ in Caledonia, WI
8425 HWY 38 Caledonia, WI 53108
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.

Country Christmas at The Ingleside Hotel (Pewaukee)
2025-12-22 17:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-23 17:00 - 21:00 | Ingleside Hotel & Waterpark, 2810 Golf Rd, Pewaukee, WI, 53072, United States
The Ingleside Hotel

If Christmas Were A Place, It Would Look Like This!

Celebrating our 30th year as Wisconsin’s most spectacular drive-through holiday lights event!

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.

Wild Lights at The Milwaukee County Zoo (December Dates)
2025-12-22 17:30 - 21:00, 2025-12-23 17:30 - 21:00 | Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, 53226, United States
November 21 – December 31 / 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (admission gates close at 8:15 p.m.)

Dec. 3-31; except closed Dec 8-9, 15-16, 24-25
Wild Lights and frosty nights! Experience the magic of the Zoo after dark, walking through hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights throughout the forest and pathways. Enjoy an enchanted evening under the stars in an illuminated destination glowing with a variety of animal-themed light displays.
And celebrate opening night of Wild Lights — Nov. 21 — with a special drone show at 6:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Watch as your favorite animals appear in the sky! Weather permitting.
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.

Public Ice Skating at The Pettit MKE
2025-12-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Pettit National Ice Center, 500 S 84th St, Milwaukee, WI, 53214, United States
Public Ice Skating! Check The Website for additional times.
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.

It's A Wonderful Life (1946): Seasons Screenings at The Oriental Theatre Milwaukee
2025-12-22 19:00 - 21:15 | Oriental Theatre, 2230 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) December 16-24
Beset with personal and professional problems, George Bailey finds his previously happy life falling apart on Christmas Eve. Seeing no way out, he considers jumping off a bridge. Then, however, his guardian angel Clarence intervenes to show George what his beloved hometown would be like without him.
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.

Ninja Open Gym at Altius Gymnastics Academy Franklin (Ages 6+ Including Adults)
2025-12-22 19:05 - 20:05 | Altius Gymnastics Academy, 9670 S Franklin Dr, Franklin, WI, 53132, United States
Ninja Open Gym

Ages 6+ (Including Adults!)
Mondays 7:05-8:05 pm
Fridays 6:00-7:00 pm
Come practice in our dedicated Ninja Space at the 9650 Entrance.

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.

Milwaukee Ballet's The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer's Imaginarium
2025-12-22 19:30 - 22:00 | Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N Water St., Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
Milwaukee Ballet’s The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium is back and more magical than ever! After two whimsical years of record-setting audience attendance and universal critical acclaim, journey into the Imaginarium to experience the wonders of the holidays once again. Find your tickets here!
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.

Christmas at the Zoo at Shalom Wildlife Zoo West Bend
2025-12-23 09:00 - 15:30 | Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary, 1901 Shalom Dr, West Bend, WI, 53090, United States
Christmas at the Zoo is a daytime event that’s open daily from November 23rd through December 31st.
Walk or drive through in the comfort of your own car, relax, and enjoy the wildlife along with the unique holiday displays and decorations. The drive-through experience takes approximately one hour.
After your journey through the zoo, enjoy access to the petting zoo and a cozy, crackling campfire. Animal feed for the petting zoo is available for purchase in the gift shop.
The hours are from 9am-3:30pm. $15 per adult, $10 per child (ages 2 & under are FREE). No reservations needed, you can pay at the drive-up ticket booth. Last cars or walkers admitted at 3pm.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Please note: Dates, times, and pricing are subject to change, and occasionally events may be cancelled. Please check with the event organizer or venue to confirm the latest details.

Holiday Show at The Domes
2025-12-23 09:00 - 16:00 | The Domes Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, 524 S. Layton Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI, 53215, United States
November 22, 2025 – January 4, 2026
Show Dome Theme: Holiday Show
Monday-Friday:
9am-5pm
Saturday-Sunday:
9am-4pm
Closed:
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
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.
