101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun around Fairfield County - 2023
KidsOutAndAbout is Fairfield County's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for Fairfield County, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2023!
Santa Sightings
| Multiple Days Starting Nov 9, 2023 | Photos with Santa - Stamford Town Center |
| Multiple Days starting Nov 20, 2023 | Santa Photos at Ridge Hill |
| Multiple Dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Santa Express — Railroad Museum of New England - Naugatuck Railroad |
| Multiple Days starting Nov. 24, 2023 | Visit Santa at Shore Line Trolley Museum |
| Nov 24-Dec 23, 2023 (closed Sundays) | 15th Annual Greenwich Reindeer Festival - Sam Bridge Nursery & Greenhouses |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Holiday Lighting Festival - Town of Stratford |
| December 1, 2, 2023 | Christmas Festival - Bethlehem, CT |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Santa at Auerfarm |
| Dec 2 and Dec 9, 2023 | The 23rd Annual Hay Ride With Santa - Cove Island |
| Dec 3, 2023 | The Mike Barbis Santa Toy Drive - Rowayton |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Heights and Lights - Stamford Downtown |
| Dec 9-10, 16-17, 23, 2023 | Breakfast with Frosty - Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo |
Old-Time Christmas
| Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 | Christmas by Candlelight 2022 - Old Sturbridge Village |
| Multiple Dates starting Dec 1, 2023 | Holiday at The Homestead - Boothe Memorial Park and Museum |
| Dec 1, 2023 | Holiday Stroll Open House - Keeler Tavern Museum |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Carnival at Olde Mistick Village |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Christmas in Clinton OPEN HOUSE |
| Multiple Dates Starting Dec 7, 2023 | The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum’s History of Christmas Tour |
| Dec 8, 2023 | Holiday Caroling Party - Pequot Library |
| Dec 16, 2023 | Winter Wonderland- New Canaan Nature Center |
Light Displays
| Multiple Dates Begining Nov 17 - Dec 24, 2023 | The Holiday Wish Express - Stamford Town Center |
| Multiple Dates Begining Nov 17 - Dec 31, 2023 | Festival of Lights at Harvest Moon |
| Multiple Days Starting Nov 18 - Dec 23, 2023 | Glow Hartford | Holiday Indoor Light Festival |
| Multiple Days Starting Nov 24 - Dec 24, 2023 | The All New Holiday Stroll- Stamford’s Mill River Park |
| Select Nights Nov 25 - Dec 23, 2023 | Night of Lights Merry Christmas Hayride! at Fairview Tree Farm |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Stratford, CT |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Christmas Lighting Celebration - Stew Leonard's Norwalk |
| Multiple Dates beginning Nov 11, 2022 - Jan 8, 2023 | Illuminate the Farm at Queens County Farm Museum |
| Multiple Days Starting Nov 20, 2023 | Worldwide Lights Celebration at Stepping Stones |
| Daily from Nov 23 - Dec 31, 2023 | Magic of Lights - East Hartford |
| Nov 17, 2023 - Jan 7, 2024 (Select dates) |
Holiday Lights - The Bronx Zoo |
| Multiple Dates Starting Nov 24, 2023 | Holiday Lights - Lake Compounce |
| Nov 19, 2023 | The Lighting of Ridge Hill |
| Multiple Days Starting Nov 21, 2023 | Origami Holiday Tree - American Museum of Natural History |
| Multiple Days starting Nov 24, 2023 | Home For The Holidays - Mystic Aquarium |
| Multiple Days Nov 24 - Dec 30, 2023 | Winterfest and Tunnel of Lights - Connecticut Trolley Museum |
| Nov 26, 2023 | RCA Lights Up Rowayton and Egg Nog Contest |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Holiday Lighting Festival - Town of Stratford |
| Dec 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 2023 | 2023 Lantern Light Village - At Mystic Seaport Museum |
| Dec 8, 2023 | Festival of Lights - Olde Mistick Village |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Holiday Buoy Tree Lighting - Milford |
Living Nativities
| Dec 9, 2023 | RCA Nativity Pageant- Pinkney Park |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov. 24, Dec 2, and Dec 16, 2023 | The Nutcracker by the New Paltz Ballet at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort |
| Nov 28, 2023 | A Magical Cirque Christmas - Palace Theater |
| Nov 29, 2023 | The Clairvoyants - Holiday Spectacular - Ridgefield Playhouse |
| Multiple Dates Starting Nov 29, 2023 | A Christmas Carol at The Legacy Theatre |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet - Toyota Oakdale Theatre |
| Multiple Days Dec 1 - Dec 17, 2023 | A Christmas Story - Powerhouse Theatre in Waveny Park |
| Dec 1-3, 2023 | Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker at The Bushnell Center |
| Dec 3, 2023 | SENSORY FRIENDLY- Ballet Theatre's Nutcracker at The Bushnell Center |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Woodbury Ballet Presents The Nutcracker - Palace Theater - Waterbury |
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Dec 8, 9, 2023 |
Cirque Dreams Holidaze at Oakdale Theatre |
| Dec 8, 9, 10, 2023 | The Nutcracker - Ridgefield Playhouse |
| Dec 8, 9, 2023 | Elf The Musical Jr! at Edmond Town Hall |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Peppa Pig: Sing-Along Party - Palace Theater - Waterbury |
| Dec 13, 2023 | A Christmas Story – 40TH Anniversary Movie - Ridgefield Playhouse |
| Dec 16, 2023 | HSO POPS! SERIES: Holiday Cirque! - The Bushnell |
| Dec 16, 2023 | O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi at Queens County Farm Museum |
| Dec 16, 17, 2023 | Connecticut Ballet presents 'The Nutcracker' at The Palace |
| Dec 17, 2023 | Holiday Open House - Sensory-Friendly/Relaxed - The Bushnell |
| Dec 22, 23, 2023 | Connecticut Ballet presents 'The Nutcracker' at The Bushnell |
| Dec 30, 2023 | The Hip Hop Nutcracker - Palace Theater - Waterbury |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 18, 2023 | Laurie Berkner - Holiday Concert - College Street Music Hall |
| Dec 2, 2023 | "Home Alone" in Concert with the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra at Palace Theater- Waterbury |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at Palace Theater - Waterbury |
| Dec 9, 10, 2023 | The Holiday Show - The New Paradigm Theatre Co - Fairfield Theatre Company |
| Dec 17, 2023 | Ridgefield Chorale Presents: Holiday Pops Concertat Ridgefield Playhouse |
| Dec 20, 2023 | Travelers Chorale: 2023 Holiday Show - The Bushnell |
| Dec 20, 2023 | *** SOLD OUT ***Christmas With The Celts at Ridgefield Playhouse |
Holiday Trains
| Weekends starting Nov 18 - Dec 10, 2023 | Holiday Train Show - Greenburgh Nature Center |
| Nov 21, 2023 - Feb 18, 2024 | 30th Annual Holiday Train Show - the CT River Museum |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Express Train Show Opening Night at Fairfield Museum |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Averill Farm- Washington | |
| Belinsky Farm- Oxford | |
| Bob's Tree Farm- Bethel | |
| CT Christmas Tree Growers Assoc | |
| Fairview Tree Farm- Shelton | |
| Jones Family Farm- Shelton | |
| Plasko's Farm |
Ice Skating
| WPAL Rink @ Longshore | |
| Winter Garden Ice Arena | |
| Wonderland of Ice | |
| Darien Ice House |
Active Holidays
| Nov 24, 2023 | Black Friday Hike - Flanders Nature Center |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Thanksgiving Weekend Waddle - New Canaan Nature Center |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Santa Made Me Do It 5K - Bethlehem, CT |
Chanukah
| Dec 7, 2023 | Menorah Lighting Celebration - Stew Leonard's Norwalk |
| Dec 7, 2023 | Menorah Lighting - Ridge Hill |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Chanukah Menorah Car Parade - Stamford Chabad |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Chanukah Concert - Micha Biton - JCC of Greater New Haven |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Giant Menorah Lighting- Latham Park |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Hanukkah Party For All (Ages 10+) - Park City Music Hall |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Chanukah Menorah Lighting - Unite Through Light! - Chabad of Fairfield |
| Dec 12, 2023 | Menorah Lighting- Stratford CT |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Multiple Dates starting Nov 11, 2023 | Flanders Artisan Marketplace |
| Nov 12, 2023 | A Very Gifty Christmas - Newtown, CT |
| Nov 16 - Dec 17, 2023- (Thurs - Sun) | Holiday Boutique In The Barn - Keeler Tavern Museum |
| Multiple Days Nov 16 - Dec 23, 2023 | Clay Holiday Market - Clay Art Center |
| Nov 18, 2023 | Holiday Market- New Canaan Nature Center |
| Nov 18, 2023 | Indigenous Craft Fair - Mystic Seaport Museum |
| Nov 18-19, 2023 | Holiday Market at Greenburgh Nature Center |
| Nov 18-19, 2023 | Holiday Pop-Up Market- Fairfield Museum and History Center |
| Multiple Days starting Nov 25, 2023 | Annual Holiday Market - The Institute for American Indian Studies |
| Multiple Days starting Dec 2, 2022 | Wreath Display & Silent Auction - NBMAA |
| Dec 2, 2023 | 2023 Continuum Holiday Bazaar - New Haven, CT |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Stroll - Westport Downtown |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Lachat's Winter Market |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Craft and Gift Fair at JCC of Greater New Haven |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Holiday Celebration & Maker's Market - NBMAA |
| Nov 5, 2023 | Farm & Artisan Market - Stamford Museum and Nature Center |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 31 - Jan 1, 2024 | Ring in the New Year at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Noon Year's Eve - Newtown Community Center |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Noon Year's Eve - EverWonder Children's Museum |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Kids countdown to New Years with the BenAnna Band - At Mystic Seaport! |
Miscellaneous
| Nov 10, 2023 | Fall Wreath Family Workshop - Fairfield Museum |
| Nov 12, 2023 | Annual Thanksgiving Dinner - Webb Deane Stevens Museum |
| Nov 30, Dec 1, 21, 28, 2023 | Baking Workshop for Kids at Edmond Town Hall (Ages 8-12) |
| Nov 18, 2023 | Giant Balloon Inflation Party - Downtown Stamford |
| Nov 19, 2023 | Stamford Downtown Parade Spectacular |
| Nov 26, 2023 | Trees In The Rigging Boat Parade - CT River Museum |
| Dec 1, 2023 | Henry Whitfield State Museum, Guilford - Firelight Festival |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Homestead Holiday Workshop - Lachat Town Farm |
| Multiple Dates Starting Dec 3, 2023 | Holiday Festival- Newtown, CT (virtual and in Person activities) |
| Dec 9, 16, 2023 | Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt- Lachat Town Farm |
| Dec 9, 10, 2023 | Family Day! Wreath Festival Fundraiser 2023 - Woodcock Nature Center |
| Dec 26, 27, 28, 2023 | Drop-in: Paint-a-Train - Fairfield Museum |
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there...it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
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