Rockin’ around the Christmas tree, let the Christmas spirit ring! We’ve gathered a list of events happening in the Auburn/Opelika area from here ’til the end of the year. From parades, Christmas markets, outdoor activities, and train rides, to live music and theatre productions, we’re sure you’ll find something for your whole family to enjoy! Be sure not to miss Snopelika this year. Opelika is debuting a massive new attraction – Alabama’s tallest Christmas tree, measuring a towering 72 feet! It’s a beaut, Clark! This list includes both free and ticketed events, so be sure to click the link in the title of the event for more information.
November 27th – December 31st: Opelika Public Library’s Very Merry Stroll
Step into the holiday spirit at Very Merry Stroll, a festive event that showcases live trees beautifully decorated by local groups and businesses. Perfect for families and friends, this event promises to fill your heart with holiday cheer. Join us as we light up the night and celebrate the season together! The trees will remain lit each night from dusk until 9 pm. Check out these special days: December 5 Santa Paws • 5 – 7 p.m., December 12 Grinchmas • 5 – 7 p.m., December 19 Winter Wonderland • 5 – 7 p.m.
December: The Farm at Rocky Top Country Christmas
Join The Farm at Rocky Top for Country Christmas! This event is for the whole family. Join in for a fun filled time at this country winter wonderland! There will be a Christmas Tree Lot selling North Carolina Fraser Firs as well as activities such as an ugly Christmas sweater photo booth, Rocky Top Train Ride, nighttime Christmas lights, a Christmas zip line, and more! See below for the full list of activities.
December 1st, 2 – 6 pm: Downtown Auburn’s Holiday Fair & AU’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
Your favorite holiday traditions in one festive day! The downtown retailers will host a Holiday Open House with specials, sips and snacks. The Holiday Market, featuring local artisans, will be set up from 2-5 PM. Enjoy free train rides and other fun children’s activites along with live music! The Auburn University Tree Lighting Ceremony will cap off our evening from 5-6 PM
December 1st, 4 – 6 pm: O Town’s Ice Cream with Santa Claus
Santa and Mrs. Claus return to O Town! Come and get ice cream, espresso drinks and cookies with Santa! Bring your cameras
December 3rd, 6:30 pm: OHS/OMS Holiday Choral Concert
Opelika Center for Performing Arts
December 5th, 3:30 pm: Auburn Public Library’s Letters to Santa
Visit with your favorite APL elves to write a letter to the man in the big red suit. We bet you’ll get a personal letter back from him in the mail! Join us for some fun, music and snacks as we celebrate the season. We can’t wait to see you there! No registration is needed for this event.
December 6th, 5:30 pm: Snopelika Parade & Tree Lighting
Snopelika is an annual community event held to kick off the Christmas season in Opelika. Thousands of local citizens attend to celebrate every year, with visitors traveling from around the area. We kick off the Christmas season by bringing cheer to all those who attend! This year’s Snopelika will be held on Friday, December 6th beginning at 5:30pm in downtown Opelika! It is a rain or shine event. Come see the tallest tree in town at Snopelika!
December 6th & 7th: Santa in the Window
December 6th and 7th from 5pm to 7:30pm. Snap your own pictures and all donations benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs if Greater Lee County.
December 7th: Marriott at Grand National’s Brunch with Santa
Be a special guest for the annual brunch with Santa event at The Marriott Resort & Spa! There will be a delicious brunch, children’s activities, train rides through the resort, pictures with Santa, and a holiday-themed movie.
December 7th, 14th, & 21st: Marriott National Gingerbread Decorating Contest
Join us for our annual Gingerbread House Contest. The winner will be selected by our very own Chef. Each booking will receive a gingerbread house, up to 4 guests per booking.
December 7th, 6:30 am: Jingle Jog 5K and Santa Stroll Fun Run
The Jingle Jog 5k and Santa Stroll Fun Run are here again – so pull out those Santa hats and ugly sweaters! Join Active Auburn on Saturday, December 7th at 6:30 a.m. as we ring in the holiday season in style! The Santa Stroll Fun Run (1 mile) will begin at 6:30 a.m. at Toomer’s Corner and the Jingle Jog 5k will begin at 7:00 a.m. at Toomer’s Corner. Registration for both races begins on Monday, September 4th. A schedule of registration fees is below. Any applicable discounts will be added at checkout.
December 7th, 8 am – 12 pm: Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity Annual Cookie Walk Fundraiser
The annual Cookie Walk Fundraiser is back for the 29th time! The Cookie Walk is a fundraiser sponsored by the WeHelp Coalition of Churches to benefit the mission of Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity.
December 7th, 2024, 4:45 pm: Hey Day Holiday Grand Opening & Ice Skating
Get ready for a festive holiday season at Hey Day Market! Starting with the grand opening on Saturday, December 7th. Enjoy magical experiences like ice skating, hot chocolate, and Santa visits. Don’t miss the Lighting of the Tree, and the exciting Breaking of the Ice ceremony. Also, join us for the tradition of the Auburn Gingerbread Village on December 8th! 
December 7th, 8:30 am – 1 pm: AUMC’s Annual Christmas Market
Over 50 vendors featuring art, handmade crafts, food and other items will be featured at this year’s annual Christmas Market Saturday, Dec. 7 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Auburn United Methodist Church. All proceeds from the bake shop and registration fees for the Christmas Market are used to support local area missions.
December 7th, 10 am – 12 pm: OPL’s Kids Craft Fair: Holiday Market
This holiday market will feature some of Opelika’s youngest entrepreneurs! Come shop for one-of-a-kind holiday wares handmade by local kiddos.
December 7th & 8th: Santa on the Corner
All the way from the North Pole to Toomer’s Corner, Santa Claus himself will be here on December 7th and 8th for Santa on the Corner. Join the Auburn Downtown Merchants Association for this holiday tradition benefiting United Way of Lee County. Photos with Santa are complimentary, but donations to United Way are appreciated.
December 8th, 2 – 3 pm: Auburn Christmas Parade
Join us for your favorite holiday tradition Auburn Christmas Parade. The parade will be held in Downtown Auburn on Sunday, Dec. 8th at 2 pm. All businesses and organizations are invited to participate in the parade.
December 8th: Auburn Gingerbread Village Unveiling
East Alabama’s largest Gingerbread Village display will debut Sunday, December 8 inside The Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center just after the Auburn Downtown Christmas Parade concludes. This event is free to the general public and will remain open through New Year’s Day!
December 12th, 6 – 8 pm: Covington Recreation Center’s Christmas Drop-In
A special occasion drop-in featuring food, fun and games. 3rd-5th graders.
December 13th – 15th: East Alabama Community Ballet presents The Nutcracker
A holiday tradition since 1995, East Alabama Community Ballet is excited to present The Nutcracker. Join Clara and the Nutcracker as they battle the Mouse Queen and journey through the Land of the Sweets!
December 13th, 6 – 9 pm: Christmas in a Railroad Town
Downtown Opelika’s annual Christmas celebration is back on December 13th! Come join us for a festive evening filled with Santa, holiday crafts, shopping, and live entertainment as we ring in the season together.
December 13th – 17th: Victorian Front Porch Tour
Opelika is celebrating Christmas like it’s 1899! From December 13 to 17, 2024, homes in Opelika’s Northside Historic District are transformed into a colorful, nostalgic reminder of Christmas from a simpler era. 2024 is this event’s 31st incarnation!
December 13th, 5 – 9 pm: Collinwood Luminaries
Collinwood residents continue Opelika’s oldest neighborhood Christmas tradition, one Friday night only in December from 5 to 9 pm. For over 55 years, the streets of Collinwood have been transformed into a miraculous Christmas journey commemorating the path of Christ’s birth. Over 1,300 candle filled bags line the way through live scenes (people and animals) of the Christmas story and concluding at the Nativity.
December 13th – 15th: AACT’s Over the River and Through the Woods
Jo DiPietra’s Over the River and Through the Woods, is a warm-hearted, boisterously funny, and touching story about intergenerational relationships, deep familial love, and the inevitable little heartbreaks that occur as time passes and children grow. Auburn Area Community Theatre’s performance of a staged reading will be held at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center.
December 14th, 8:30 am: 2023 Toys for Tots 1 Mile, 5K, and 10K
This year’s Auburn Toys for Tots race will be held on Saturday, December 14th. Start the holiday season in a festive mood with a 10K, 5K, or 1-Mile! All participants are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to be distributed to children in need.
December 14th, 8 am – 1 pm: Auburn Drive Thru Toy Drive
Every year, Auburn Public Safety hosts a toy drive campaign benefiting disadvantaged families who need a “hand up” in the Auburn area over the holiday season. The 2024 Auburn Toy Drive is returning as a drive-through donation event! Bless disadvantaged children in Auburn by delivering newly purchased unwrapped toys on Dec. 14 from 8 am to 1 pm!
December 14th, 9 am – 12:30 pm: Holiday @ the Haus
On Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., Art Haus will offer a kids art class with Ms. Hammond. Kids will leave with a complete holiday project (perfect for a gift)!
December 14th, 9 – 11 am: Breakfast with Santa at The Oak’s Farm
Join us for breakfast with Santa!
December 14th, 12 – 4 pm: Santa’s Workshop on 8th Street
The Fired Fox Art Studio is partnering with Precious Cargo, The Coffee Shop and Tart & Tartan for an AMAZING experience for your child. Your $20 ticket includes a trip to each of Santa’s Workshop areas.
December 14th, 1 – 4 pm: Holiday Cookie Baking at Rane Culinary Science Center
Join us for a cookie-baking class just for kids! Kids ages 7-12 can bring a grown-up to learn how to make and decorate gingerbread and other holiday cookies. Our guest chef will share her amazing recipes and skills in a fun, kid-friendly format. Every child will go home with an Aubie apron, the cookies they make, a set of cookie cutters and a fun memory of cookie-making with their grown-up.
December 14th, 1 – 3 pm: Kreher Preserve’s Wreath Workshop
Get into the holiday spirit with our Wreath Building Workshop! Join us for a delightful afternoon where you’ll create your own beautiful wreath using natural materials. All supplies are provided, so just bring your creativity and festive cheer. This is a perfect opportunity to unwind, connect with nature, and craft a unique decoration for your home.
December 14th, 1 – 5 pm: Holly Jolly Drop & Shop
Join us for our Holly Jolly Drop & Shop at Frank Brown Recreation Center on Saturday, December 14th. Kids ages 6-12 are invited to make holiday crafts, write letters to Santa, play games, enjoy snacks and watch a movie (Rated G/PG), giving parents an opportunity to do some kid-free holiday shopping! This event is free, but participants must register in advance. Space is limited so register early! FREE to the public.
December 14th-16th: The Holiday Wrap Up
Auburn Parks and Recreation will offer its 4th Annual gift-wrapping service just in time for the 2024 holidays. Are you hiding holiday gifts just hoping they aren’t discovered? Waiting for extra time in your day to sit down and wrap everything up? Let us help you! Drop off up to 20 pre-boxed gifts at the Harris Center (425 Perry Street) and pick them up wrapped and ready to go the same day! You can choose from our selection of paper, or you can supply your own. We have a limited number of gifts we can wrap each day, so the event is first come, first serve.
December 16th – 20th: Where’s Theodore Elf Hunt
The Opelika Park and Recreation has lost their Elf on the Shelf. He is running around Opelika getting into mischief please help us find him. During the week of Dec 16-20 if you can identity where Theodore is from the pictures on our Facebook and Instagram page and bring the Christmas ornament he has left behind to the SportsPlex you will be rewarded.
December 17th, 6 pm: Fox Run/OMS Christmas Band Concert
Opelika Center for Performing Arts
December 19th – 21st, 5 – 8 pm: Rocky Brook Rocket Reindeer Express
Children will love riding the Rocky Brook Rocket around Municipal Park! This adorable miniature train has been a staple in Opelika since 1955, but during the Christmas season, the Rocket transforms into one of Santa’s Helpers and becomes the Rocky Brook Rocket Reindeer Express! Don’t miss this fun event featuring food, hot chocolate, and pictures with Santa.
December 20th, 3:30 – 4:30 pm: OPL’s Christmas Concert with Roger Day
Nothing brings in yuletide cheer better than merry melodies filled with fun and laughter. In Roger Day’s holiday show, the audience will sing, dance, and laugh. Featuring original music like “Ukulele Christmas,” “I Think It’s Santa Claus,” & “Must Be Santa/Reindeer Rap Medley,” as well as seasonal sing-a-longs like “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” this show will put even the most stubborn Scrooge in the holiday spirit!
December 21st, 10 am: OPL’s Winter Wonder Workshop
Wonder awaits at our Winter Wonder Workshop! Stop in to make some special keepsake crafts, play fun games, enjoy some hot cocoa, and even meet the Big Man himself!
December 23rd, 10 am – 5 pm: OPL’s Christmas Movie Marathon
Opelika Public Library will be showing a full day of Christmas Movies. Stop by for one, two, or more! Bring a comfy chair for extended viewing. Popcorn provided at no charge.
