From parades and Santa visits to Christmas tree lightings and and holiday markets, here are the best family-friendly holiday events for your family to check out during the second week of December.
This is the SECOND of our December weekly guides to help you find the best events in advance! Stay tuned for future weekly guides:
Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 Lynchburg Area Holiday and Family Fun Events for 2024 - The first of our December weekly event guides!
Dec. 6 - Dec. 12 Lynchburg Area Holiday and Family Fun Events for 2024 - The second of our December weekly event guides!
Dec. 13 - Dec. 19 Lynchburg Area Holiday and Family Fun Events for 2024 - The third of our December weekly event guides!
Dec. 20 - Jan. 2 Lynchburg Area Holiday and Family Fun Events for 2024 - Our final December weekly+ event guide!
Add a few of these events to your calendar during December along with your family's annual holiday traditions to bring some holiday cheer into your family time.
Some of these events require advance reservations or tickets. Please check details for each event at the link.
** NOTE - First group of events below take place on multiple dates over an extended period and are not included in the daily listings below. Most weekend events are only listed once for the entire weekend on the first date if times are the same all days. **
Ongoing Events
Nov. 16 - Dec. 24 - Santa at River Ridge Mall - Daily hours vary; see schedule
Nov. 22 - Dec. 31 - Festival of Trees at Natural Bridge State Park from 10 AM - 5 PM (Closed Christmas Day)
Nov. 23 - Dec. 30 - Illuminights - Explore Park's Winter Walk of Lights (closed some dates, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) starting at 5 PM
Nov. 24 - Jan. 5 - Bright Nights on the Bluffwalk Block Party and Tree Lighting from 5 PM - 9 PM on Nov. 24; lights on Bluffwalk through Jan. 5
Nov. 25 - Dec. 11 - Trees of Hope at Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center (Monday through Friday from 8 AM - 5 PM)
Nov. 25 - Jan. 5 - Festival of Trees at Bedford Area Welcome Center from 9 AM - 5 PM (extended hours Dec. 6-8 and Dec. 13-15; closed major holidays)
Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 - Mistletoe Market at I Scream You Scream - Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 14 - Dec. 22 from 11 AM - 7 PM
Nov. 28 - Jan. 1 - Fashions for Evergreens at Hotel Roanoke - Daily from 8 AM - 9 PM at Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke
Nov. 29 - Jan. 4 - Trains Exhibit at Bedford Museum - Monday - Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM (open until 3 PM on Nov. 29 and Jan. 4; closed Sundays and major holidays)
Dec. 1 - Appomattox Christmas Tree Lighting at 5:15 PM - lights will remain lit every evening through New Year's
Dec. 1-31 - Christmas Display at 1487 Church Street in Appomattox from 7 PM - 11 PM - Starts Dec. 1 at 7 PM; lit through Dec. 31
Dec. 4 - Tree Lighting Ceremony and Christmas Party at Tree of Life Ministries - starting at 7 PM (lights will remain lit through the season)
Dec. 5-31 - Drive-Thru Winter Wonderland at Legacy Wealth Management Group from 5 PM - 11 PM (Community Night Dec. 5 from 5 PM - 9 PM)
- Christmas Light Display at Liberty Lake in Bedford - Nov. 23 - Jan. 1 around the clock
- Celebration of Lights at Riverside Park from 5 PM - 9 PM (no vehicles on special event nights)
- Buchanan's Festival of Lights - Lights remain lit through Jan. 1
- Christmas Lights Display at Spring Oak Bedford (Former Elks National Home) from 5:30 PM - 10 PM
- Select Air Mechanical Christmas Light Show in Altavista from 5:30 PM - 10 PM nightly - shows every 30 minutes; last show starts at 9:30 PM *tentative dates
- Lighting of the Garden at Awareness Garden from 5 PM - 9 PM (sing-a-long on opening night)
December 6-12 Lynchburg Area Holiday and Christmas Events
Dec. 5-8 - Mistletoe Market at I Scream You Scream - Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 14 - Dec. 22 from 11 AM - 7 PM
Dec. 6 - Early Dismissal - Lynchburg City Schools
Dec. 6 - Cookies and Crafts with Santa at Amherst Town Hall from 4 PM - 6 PM *Santa event
Dec. 6 - First Friday Storytime with Santa and the LSO at Lynchburg Public Library Downtown Branch from 5 PM - 6 PM *Santa event
Dec. 6 - Santa Swim at Crosswhite Athletic Club from 5 PM - 7 PM *Santa event
Dec. 6 - First Friday at Vector Space from 5 PM - 8 PM
Dec. 6 - First Fridays at Academy Center of the Arts from 5 PM - 8 PM
Dec. 6 - First Fridays in Lynchburg at Lynchburg Art Club and Art Galleries from 5 PM - 8 PM
Dec. 6-8 - Flames of Memory at National D-Day Memorial from 5 PM - 9 PM
Dec. 6-8 - Christmas in Wartime at National D-Day Memorial from 5 PM - 9 PM
Dec. 6 - Lexington Christmas Parade at 6 PM
Dec. 6 - Cookies with the Clauses at Hill City Montessori School (2 sessions) from 6 PM - 8 PM (2 sessions) *Santa and Mrs. Claus event
Dec. 6 - Amherst Christmas Parade at 6:30 PM
Dec. 6 - Christmas Sax with Trev Hicks at Apocalypse Ale Works at 7 PM
Dec. 5-7 - Drive-Thru Nativity at Tree of Life from 7 PM - 8:30 PM
Dec. 5-6 - Wind Symphony and Orchestra Winter Concert at University of Lynchburg at 7:30 PM
Dec. 7 - Chippy Hippie Vintage Holiday Market from 8 AM - 3 PM
Dec. 7 - 45th Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5K and 1 Miler at 8:30 AM
Dec. 7 - The Summit Holiday Brunch and Market from 9 AM - 1 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - Quaker Memorial Presbyterian Church 6th Annual Christmas Bazaar from 9 AM - 1 PM
Dec. 7 - The Happiest of Holidays Makers Market at Amherst Second Stage from 9 AM - 1 PM
Dec. 7 - Holiday Makers Market at Linkhorne Middle School from 9 AM - 3 PM
Dec. 7 - Christmas Craft Market and Photos with Santa at Cornerstone Christian Academy from 10 AM - 2 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - A Hometown Christmas at Hometown Finds from 10 AM - 5 PM *Santa event from 10-3
Dec. 7 - Bedford Christmas Parade at 11 AM
Dec. 7 - Meet and Greet Buddy the Elf at Anderson's Country Market II from 11 AM - 1 PM *Elf event
Dec. 7 - Christmas Market at West Edge Apartments from 11 AM - 3 PM
Dec. 7-8 - Christmas at Avoca Museum - Dec. 7 from 11 AM - 5 PM; Dec. 8 from 1 PM - 5 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - Lynchburg Art Club Holiday Bazaar from 12 PM - 4 PM
Dec. 7 - 5th Annual FREE Photos with Santa at Kissed Cupcakes from 1 PM - 5 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - Christmas Beerzaar at Apocalypse Ale Works from 2 PM - 5 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - 11th Annual Christmas Market at Spring Oak at Bedford from 2 PM - 6 PM
Dec. 7 - Freedom Market at Venue 4/24 from 3 PM - 6 PM *Santa event
Dec. 7 - Christmas on the Corner on Bedford Ave from 3 PM - 6 PM
Dec. 7 - Bedford Christmas Tree Lighting from 3 PM - 6 PM (Tree lit at 6 PM)
Dec. 7 - Saturday Matinee presents "White Christmas" at Bedford Central Library at 3:30 PM
Dec. 7 - Village Wonderland in Rustburg from 4 PM - 6 PM (Tree lighting and caroling at 5:45 PM) *Santa and friends event
Dec. 7 - Altavista Christmas Parade at 5 PM
Dec. 7 - Sundaes with Santa at Chick-fil-A Timberlake from 5 PM - 7 PM *Santa event
Dec. 8 - Advent Lessons and Carols at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 10 AM
Dec. 8 - Christmas At The Barn at Seneca Lake Venue from 12 PM - 4 PM *Santa event
Dec. 8 - Christmas Open House at Historic Sandusky - Lynchburg College from 1 PM - 4 PM *Santa event
Dec. 8 - Rustburg Christmas Parade at 3 PM (Rain date Dec. 15 at 3 PM)
Dec. 8 - Lynchburg Christmas Parade at 4 PM
Dec. 8 - Gretna Christmas Parade at 4:30 PM
Dec. 8 - Lessons and Carols at St. Thomas More Catholic Church at 5 PM
Dec. 8 - KIDSing Presents "We Knead a Little Christmas" at Liberty Baptist Church in Appomattox at 7 PM
Dec. 8 - Live Nativity at Bible Baptist Church in Appomattox at 6 PM
Dec. 9 - Santa at the Airport from 4 PM - 6 PM *Santa event
Dec. 10 - Santa at Patrick Henry Memorial Library in Brookneal from 6 PM - 7:30 PM *Santa event
Dec. 12-15 - Mistletoe Market at I Scream You Scream - Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 14 - Dec. 22 from 11 AM - 7 PM
Dec. 12 - Jingle Jam Holiday Sing Along at Miller Center at 6:30 PM
As always, we've created separate guides this year for the November and December events and then broken down the month of December by week to help you plan around your busy schedule. Check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid calendar of events for detailed information about these and many other family-friendly events in Lynchburg and the surrounding counties.
Make time for family fun while holiday planning. Soon enough, the kids will be out of school for the holidays. Pile in the car and go look at Christmas lights together. Walk around the mall and take selfies at all of the pretty displays. Visit the Bluffwalk in downtown Lynchburg and check out all of the lights. Bake cookies or make holiday treats. Making memories together is what Christmas is all about.
If you have a large holiday display at your home or business, reach out to us on our Facebook page or by email to sandyw@macaronikid.com to have your location added to our guide!
Check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid 2024 Christmas Holiday Guide for links to all of our holiday guides as well as holiday crafts, foods, gift ideas, and much more all in one place.
Holiday Shopping Events in Lynchburg and Central Virginia for 2024
Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Visits with Santa Guide
Live Christmas Tree Locations in Lynchburg and Central Virginia
Lynchburg Christmas Lights and Area Holiday Tree Lightings Guide
Local Shopping in Lynchburg and Central Virginia
Give the Gift of LOCAL Family Fun for the Holidays in 2024
8 Ways To Celebrate Hanukkah - Hanukkah is observed Dec. 25 - Jan. 2 in 2024
The list is updated as information is received about local family-friendly events. To add your organization’s Christmas or holiday family-friendly event to the list, message us at our Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Facebook page or click the “submit an event” link on our website. You’ll find more information about many of the local festival on the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid calendar of events.
December is always a busy month for families with so many fun activities and events for children of all ages. Make time to make some memories this month!
Let Lynchburg Macaroni Kid help you Find Your Family Fun® for the holidays in Central Virginia!
