If your family is in the mood for some festive fun, you’re in luck. Plenty of early holiday happenings are taking place throughout December in the greater Cleveland/Akron area.
December 1-17
Black Nativity. Joyous retelling of the traditional New Testament account of the nativity story, using gospel music, dramatic dance and more. Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, playhousesquare.org
December 2
Tree Lighting Ceremony. Santa will arrive in his horse drawn carriage and local choirs will sing holiday favorites at this free event. 6-6:30 p.m. Mentor Municipal Center, 8500 Civic Center Blvd., Mentor, cityofmentor.com
Celebration of Kwanzaa. Explore the elements of Kwanzaa and make a craft. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Willoughby Public Library, 30 Public Square, we247.org
December 4-23 & 26-30
Deck the Hall. Come see the estate illuminated with over one million lights on select evenings. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, stanhywet.org
December 5
Santa Claus and Furry Paws. Crafts, activities, photos, stuffed animal hospital and watch animals open gifts from Santa. 6-8 p.m. Sippo Lake Park-North, 5712 12th St. NW, Canton, starkparks.com
December 5-6, 12-13, 19-23, 27-29
Nature’s A-Glow. The beautiful botanical garden turns into a winter wonderland. Friday-Sunday. 5-9 p.m. Beech Creek Botanical Garden, 11929 Beech St. NE, Alliance, beechcreekgardens.org
December 5-7
Santa’s Wild Workshop in the Woods. Santa brought his team of elves to help you and your little one build a magical wooden toy. Wilwood Cultural Center, 7645 Little Mountain Road, Mentor, cityofmentor.com
A Bavarian Christkindlmarkt. Experience traditional food, drink, and seasonal items from open-air booths featuring local artisans and crafters to delicious German-inspired food. Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Middleburg Hts., christkindlmarkt-cle.org
December 6
Rocky River Holiday Walk. Stroll through the many shops in Downtown Rocky River while enjoying many family friendly activities! Enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, free photos with Santa, street and stage entertainment, circus acts, carolers, kid crafts, balloon artist, refreshments, and more!
Light Up Lakewood. The most joyous of Lakewood traditions is returning to Downtown Lakewood for the 16th annual celebration. 4-8 p.m. 14701 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, lakewoodalive.com
Santa on the Green. Cozy visits with Santa in the Cabin and family portraits by the elves. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Rotary Club of Hudson Scout Cabin, 2 W. Streetsboro St., hudson.oh.us
Kids Santa Shop. Children can pick out special gifts for the whole family with the help of personal shoppers. 12-3 p.m. BAYarts, 28795 Lake Road, Bay Village, bayarts.net
December 6-7
Ballet Theatre of Ohio presents “The Nutcracker.” This classic has become a treasured holiday tradition for families of all ages. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St., akroncivic.com
December 7
Hands-On Holidays & Hotcakes. Families can explore the traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa while eating pancakes and enjoying exciting STEM winter activities. 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Akron Children’s Museum, 216 S. Main St., akronkids.org
Hudson Holiday Walk. Join the Merchants of Hudson as they welcome shoppers and diners with activities for the entire family. 12-4 p.m. firstandmainhudson.com
Santa Fly In. Watch Santa fly into Akron-Canton. MAPS Air Museum. 2260 International Parkway, North Canton, visitcanton.com
December 7 & 14
Storytime with Santa. Enjoy a winter storytime, a holiday craft and plenty of time to take pictures with Santa. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Blvd., University Circle, holdenfg.org
December 9
Happy Hanukkah. Hear stories of Hanukkah and learn about this special holiday while making a fun craft. 6:30 p.m. Willoughby Public Library, 30 Public Square, we247.org
Holiday Sing-A-Long! NCJW/CLE’s singing groups and Horvitz YouthAbility of JFSA Cleveland will perform together and bring joy to the community. 6:30 p.m. Eton Chagrin Blvd., 28601 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere, [email protected]
December 10-14
How the Grinch Stole Christmas. A magical Dr. Seuss classic holiday tale comes to life on stage as a musical. Key Bank State Theatre, Playhouse Square, 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, playhousesquare.org
December 12
Holly Jolly Science Night. Join a Holiday Scientist for exciting experiments, a cocoa station, a craft center and a Kids Buffet Dinner. 6-8 p.m. Arrowhead Event Center, 1500 Rogwin Circle SW, North Canton, visitcanton.com
December 13-21
Cleveland Orchestra Holiday Concerts. An unforgettable experience that will fill Mandel Concert Hall with the sounds of the holiday season. 11001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, clevelandorchestra.com
December 14
Elf Toy Workshop. Each child will make three toys from the instruction of Santa’s elves and will be able to write a letter to Santa to be taken back to the North Pole. 2-4 p.m. Wellington Reservation, 535 Jones Road, Wellington, loraincountymetroparks.com
Friends of the Maltz Museum Chanukah Lighting. Hear the story of Chanukah, sing Chanukah songs, and join in on the lighting of the menorah. 3 p.m. Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage, maltzmuseum.org
Chanukah @ the Mall. A Community Chanukah Celebration. 5-8 p.m. Summit Mall, 3265 W. Market St., Fairlawn simon.com/mall/summit-mall
December 19
The Nightmare Before Christmas. A cozy evening of exploration and entertainment, captivating films, and a flashlight tour. 5-9 p.m. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, cmnh.org
Holiday Cardmaking for Ages 6-9. Join us for a cardmaking workshop! Kids will craft wintry cards just in time for the holiday season. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Valley Art Center, 155 Bell St., Chagrin Falls, valleyartcenter.org
December 20
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Bring the whole family to the beautiful and historic Canton Palace Theatre and get in the festive spirit. 6:30-7:30 p.m. 605 Market Ave. N., Canton, cantonpalacetheatre.org
Super Science Saturday: Winter Wonderland. Learn about all the wonders of this great season. 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Akron Fossils & Science Center, 2080 S. Cleveland Massillon Road, Copley, akronfossils.com
December 30
Kwanzaa Celebration. Celebrate this uniquely African-American holiday by coming together as a community to reflect and honor our shared history. 4 p.m. Hough Branch Library, 6530 Lexington Ave., Cleveland, cpl.org
THROUGH December 20
Yuletide Village. Discover sparkling lights, enjoy festive shows, savor cozy treats, and find unique gifts in the Yuletide Market. Fridays 5-9 p.m., and Saturdays 3-9 p.m. 10542 East State Route 73 Waynesville, Harveysburg, yuletidevillage.com
THROUGH December 21
A Christmas Story. The record-breaking show returns in all its pink-bunny-suit, glowing-leg-lamp, triple-dog-daring glory. Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square, 1407 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, playhousesquare.org
Holiday Lights. 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Carlisle Equestrian Center, 13630 Diagonal Road (drive-through), and Carlisle Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Road (in person) in LaGrange. loraincountymetroparks.com
THROUGH December 22
The North Pole Adventure. 26-mile, 90-minute excursion to the enchanting North Pole. Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Rockside Station, 7900 Old Rockside Rd., Independence, cvsr.com
THROUGH December 28
Country Lights Drive-Thru. Enjoy the festivities from the warmth of your own vehicle. 6-8:30 p.m. Lake Metroparks Farmpark, 8800 Euclid Chardon Road, Kirtland, lakemetroparks.com
THROUGH 12/30
Christmas Photo Shop. Let John’s Country Nursery provide the perfect background for your Christmas pictures.15808 Old State Road, Middlefield, johnscountry.net
Wild Lights. Enjoy the wildest lighting display this holiday season. 5-9 p.m. Akron Zoo, 505 Euclid Ave., Akron, akronzoo.org
Holiday Ice & Lights Festival. Bundle up and head outside to meet Santa, check out some ice carvings and pose in icy photos. 12-9 p.m. Lake Metroparks Farmpark, 8800 Euclid Chardon Road, Kirtland, lakemetroparks.com
Wild Winter Lights. Featuring over 1.5 million lights across holiday-themed areas including Enchanted Forest and Santa’s Workshop. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, futureforwildlife.org
THROUGH December 31
Tower City for the Holidays. It will transform into a winter wonderland with a variety of free family-friendly experiences. 230 W. Huron Rd. Cleveland Visit towercitycenter.com
THROUGH January 3
Magic of Lights. Immerse yourself in the Magic of Lights Wonderland Walk, a reimagined, dazzling walkthrough experience. Victory Park, 777 Victory Lane, N. Ridgeville, magicoflights.com
THROUGH January 7
Lights on the Lake. Experience a free lakefront drive-thru lighted holiday display at Lakeview Park. 5:30-9 p.m. 1800 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, loraincountymetroparks.com
