If you love Christmas, then Utah is a great place to live or visit in December. These fun Christmas activities in Utah will keep your family busy all month long. There are so many events that you can go to.
Utah Christmas Activity #1 - Tree of Life
The tree of life is at Draper Park. It's a huge willow tree that is covered in lights. They even twinkle a little! The rest of the park has tons of lights of all colors. It's super pretty. They do the tree lighting ceremony on the Monday after Thanksgiving and the lights are on till January 1st.
2. Riverwoods Christmas Lights
The Shops at Riverwoods in Provo are decorated with Christmas lights and Santa is there to visit. The Lighting of the Riverwoods is on November 15, 2020 from 5:30-9pm. This is a fun and festive thing to do if you're in Utah County this holiday season.
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3. Temple Square Lights
The lights at Temple Square in Salt Lake City are extremely popular. There are tons of lights in every color on the temple grounds. I can't find dates and times for 2020 yet, but I'll keep checking.
Parking for this can be a little tough. We like to park under City Creek, walk around there a little, then walk around Temple Square.
4. ZooLights!
The ZooLights are at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. The 2020 schedule hasn't been uploaded yet, but it says it's coming soon. There are lots of lights and animal shaped lanterns to see. They have a lighted tunnel that is popular.
5. Tree Lighting at Outlets at Traverse Mountain
The Traverse Outlets in Lehi have a really big, pretty tree in the middle and decorations all around the outlets. They usually do a tree lighting ceremony, but I haven't seen if they're doing this in 2020 yet.
Adam and I went to this one year and had so much fun! Zendaya was there to perform, Santa was there, and it was fun to see the lights come on.
6. Christmas in Color
Christmas in Color is one of our favorite Christmas activities in Utah! We are so excited to do this with our twins this December. It's at County Equestrian Center in South Jordan.
It opens on November 16, 2020. It's a mile long with Christmas light displays, including super cool tunnels, and you'll listen to Christmas music that the lights are synched to.
7. Luminaria
Luminaria is in the Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. It's a light and music show with 6,500 lights. This is going November 20, 2020 through January 2, 2021. It's closed Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas. It goes 5-8:30pm.
We haven't done this yet, but the pictures look amazing, so we just bought our tickets to go this year!
8. Herriman Night of Lights
Night of Lights is on Monday November 30, 2020. It's at Herriman City Hall/Crane Park. They haven't posted anymore details yet.
9. Christmas Lights on Hidden Valley Club Dr
Hidden Valley Club Drive in Sandy has a big light display that spans across a few houses. You'll want to park and turn your radio on to enjoy it. We go to this every year and love it!
10. Christmas In The Village
Christmas In The Village is at Gardner Village in West Jordan. They have a few different things going on there. There are elf displays and an elf scavenger hunt November 21-December 31, 2020. You can download and print the scavenger hunt before going and bring it with you.
On certain days in December they are doing a Holiday Wine Dinner at Archibald's Restaurant. There will be a Santa 5K run on December 5, 2020. They are also doing Magic of the Seasons at Mystique Dining November 5-December 30, 2020.
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11. Festival of Trees
We've been going to the Festival of Trees for years and always have so much fun looking at how all the different trees are decorated. It's usually done in Sandy, but for 2020 it will be a virtual event. It's happening December 2-5.
The money that is made from this event goes to Primary Children's Hospital.
12. Christkindlmarkt
Christkindlmarkt SLC is a German Christmas market at This Is The Place Heritage Park. Sadly, it has been canceled for 2020. They have activities, vendors, parades, a live nativity, and more.
13. North Pole Express
The Heber Valley Railroad does the North Pole Express. It's going November 23-December 23, 2020. It's a 90 minute train ride with Santa, hot cocoa, cookies, singing, and more.
14. Santa Pictures
There are tons of places to get pictures with Santa. I'm not sure how this will work for 2020, but hopefully there will still be some Santa's you can go to. Some places that have had Santa Claus pictures in the past are City Creek, Outlets at Traverse Mountain, Cabella's, and Sandy South Towne Mall.
15. City Creek Holiday
City Creek in Salt Lake City has lights and window displays that you can see.
16. Layton Holiday Lighting Ceremony
This holiday lighting ceremony happens at the Layton High School Auditorium. They have singing from the school's choir and they light the holiday lights at Layton Commons Park. I haven't seen if this event is happening in 2020 yet.
17. Manti Christmas Light Parade
This parade celebration happens on State Street in Manti. The parade has a lot of cars and floats that are decorated with Christmas lights. I haven't found info for when this is happening in 2020.
18. Winter Lights Parade
The Winter Lights Parade is in Spanish Fork. Normally it's a one night parade down a street, but in 2020 it'll be a little different. Storefronts will decorate and people can go around and see each one. The kick-off/lighting event will be at 6pm on 11/27 and the lights will be on every night till 12/31.
19. Midway Tree Lighting Celebration
The Midway tree lighting celebration is at the Midway Town Square. It starts at 6pm on 11/28. This is a free event to attend.
20. Lights on Wakefield
Lights on Wakefield is on South Wakefield Way in West Valley City. There are so many lights and they're synched to music.
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21. Electric Light Parade
The electric light parade happens on Main Street in Park City. I haven't found dates for 2020 yet.
22. Holiday Electric Light Parade
The holiday electric light parade is in Ogden. It is canceled for 2020, but they're hoping to be back for 2021.
23. Young Living Country Christmas
Country Christmas is at the Young Living lavender farm in Mona. You'll go on a horse-drawn wagon ride through their Christmas light display. There will be food trucks. The dates for this are November 27-December 23rd. Wagon rides are on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
24. Lumaze Lights
Lumaze Lights is an indoor Christmas light festival in Salt Lake City at the Salt Palace. The dates for it are November 19, 2020 through January 2, 2021.
25. Christmas Cruise
The Christmas Cruise is on the Provo River. There are lots of Christmas lights along the river, Christmas scenes on the side, Christmas music, and Santa. The cruise takes about 20-25 minutes. The dates for it are November 30-December 23, 2020, closed Sundays. The cruises start departing at 6:30pm. Dress warm and bring blankets!
26. Jingle Bus
The Jingle Bus is in Salt Lake City. It's a fun way to get around SLC. It goes between Temple Square, City Creek, The Gateway, Gallivan Plaza, and the Capitol Theatre. This is not happening in 2020.
27. Sleigh Rides at the Homestead Resort
You can go to Midway and do horse-drawn sleigh rides at the Homestead Resort.
28. Dicken's Christmas Festival
The Dicken's Christmas Festival is at the Dixie Convention Center in St. George. There are old English shops, vendors, entertainment, and more.
29. Christmas Carole Sing-Along
The Christmas Carole Sing-Along is a free event at the Vivint Smart Home Arena. It's on December 12, 2020.
30. Candlelight Christmas
Candlelight Christmas is at This Is The Place Heritage Park. They have Father Christmas, a live nativity, carolers, and more. It is canceled for 2020.
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31. Holiday Window Stroll
The Holiday Window Stroll is at The Grand America Hotel. They have several windows that you can walk around and see that are decorated for Christmas.
32. Cut Your Own Christmas Tree
Take your family to a u-cut Christmas tree farm. Most of them open up the Friday after Thanksgiving. Some are only open weekends. It's good to call before you go to see if they're open and if they still have trees available. This website here has a list of places you can do this at.
33. Bells On Temple Square Holiday Concert
Bells on Temple Square is an annual Christmas concert put on by the handbell ensemble from the orchestra at Temple Square. This is canceled for 2020.
34. Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert is a concert with the Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra. It's at Temple Square. It is canceled for 2020.
35. The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is at Ballet West. It starts on December 4th and has dates through December 26th.
36. Torchlight Parade
The Torchlight Parade is in Park City. It happens at the Park City Mountain Village and is a free event.
What's your favorite of the Christmas activities in Utah? If you've found this post helpful, you'll love my other Utah posts.
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