New York City family weekend planner
Holiday events in New York City: lights, Santa and Christmas shows
Holiday events in New York City for 2026: 6 listings across 4 cities — light displays, Santa visits, tree lightings, Nutcracker shows, markets and New Year's Eve, from official calendars.
New York family life runs on the public library systems and the parks department: storytimes, chess clubs and nature programs in all five boroughs, most free and most requiring nothing but showing up. The trade-off is distance — a Brooklyn event and a Manhattan museum rarely make a sensible single afternoon, so plan by borough and use the subway rather than a car.
What's on this weekend in New York City →
Light displays and lantern walks
- Holiday Lights — Bronx Zoo, Bronx · Nov 21
- Festival of Lights: Santa in the Park — Carmine Carro Community Center at Marine Park, Brooklyn · Dec 5 · Free
- Festival of Lights: Chanukah — Carmine Carro Community Center at Marine Park, Brooklyn · Dec 6 · Free
- Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Celebration — Great Lawn at Astoria Park, Queens · Dec 6 · Free
Santa visits and tree lightings
- Winter Wonder — Queens Botanical Garden, Flushing · Dec 6 · Free
Nutcracker and holiday shows
- Hot Cocoa & Grinch — Gymnasium (Full) at Kwame Ture Recreation Center, Bronx · Dec 10 · Free
Holiday traditions in New York City
Quick questions
When do the holiday lights start in New York City?
The earliest listing on this page opens Nov 21: Holiday Lights.
What holiday events in New York City are free?
5 of the 6 listings here are free, including Festival of Lights: Santa in the Park, Winter Wonder, Festival of Lights: Chanukah.
Where can we see Santa in New York City?
1 listings include a Santa visit, at Queens Botanical Garden.