Indianapolis Christmas Events
& The Circle of Lights 2026 | 2027

Indianapolis Christmas Events & The Circle of Lights 2026 | 2027

Kicking off  after Thanksgiving, Holidays on the Circle will take place every Saturday throughout December and feature holiday performances, signature treats and festive music will fill Monument Circle.

• Stay close to the city's Christmas attractions around Monument Circle. Enjoy the “Fabulous” rated Hyatt House hospitality featuring spacious rooms, superb gym and excellent on site restaurants.

The Event

• Next Edition: Awaiting dates, typically from Mid November to late January – (Most events are held from Thanksgiving onwards).
• Indianapolis comes alive at Christmas with the Circle of Lights, turning Monument Circle into a glowing holiday centerpiece surrounded by music, shows, and festive gatherings.
• From Winterlights at Newfields to the Festival of Trees and lively nights on Mass Ave, the city mixes tradition with a welcoming LGBTQ+ scene all season long.

Christmas Tree Lighting

• Next Edition: Typically the day after Thanksgiving – Indianapolis turns it up a notch for the holiday season with the Circle of Lights. It’s a display featuring the world’s largest Christmas tree at the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument.
• The tree lighting ceremony takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, with over 100,000 people joining in the festivities.
• If you don’t feel like braving the crowd, the tree stays lit all the way through New Year’s Day.
• Check out the top hotels closest to the Christmas Tree and festivities.

Circle of Lights

• Typically the day after Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve.
• Stroll around Monument Circle during the Circle of Lights to see the Soldiers and Sailors Monument transformed into a giant Christmas tree made of more than 4,000 lights.
• Monument Circle will also feature the continuation of “Shining A Light,” a multi-million dollar update of lighting, staging, audio and video technology that transforms the Circle into a life-size snow globe, enhancing Circle of Lights like never before.

Walk Through the Festival of Trees

• Awaiting dates – Walk through a holiday forest featuring more than 80 elaborately decorated trees at this Indiana History Center event, held from Mid November until the new year. Don't miss the “30-foot show-stopper” in Eli Lilly Hall.
• The seven-week annual holiday extravaganza includes special programs and enhanced dining and shopping options.

Carmel Christkindlmarkt

• Awaiting dates  – Head to nearby Carmel, just 30 minutes drive and explore the market for traditional foods and gifts, then go ice skating on the outdoor rink. Don't forget to check the schedule for live music acts.

Jingle Rails

• Awaiting dates. – Jingle Rails is a wonderland of model trains, which chug along nearly 1,200 feet of track. They go through tunnels, over bridges and trestles, and past scale models of national landmarks, such as Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. The display also includes local landmarks like Lucas Oil Stadium and Union Station — all decorated for the holidays.

Marvel at the Winterlights

• Awaiting dates – Some of the most spectacular light displays in the city can be found at Newfields, the 152-acre campus surrounding the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Here, guests get the opportunity to marvel at millions of dancing lights as they stroll along the garden paths on their own accounts. Holiday tunes, hot cocoa, and s'mores by the fire make the event even more festive.
• Also at Newfields, the Oldfields–Lilly House (a U.S. National Historic Landmark that opened in 1913) gets a festive makeover ahead of the holidays each year. The Great Hall will become “a scene from a snow-covered park, complete with trees, a gate, and snowballs,” Newfields says, while the dining room will be “frozen over with icicles.”

Other Christmas Highlights

• Catch the 3 million lights spanning around the famous oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra: “Yuletide Celebration” An annual tradition at Hilbert Circle Theatre, “Yuletide Celebration” features tap-dancing Santas and a reading of “Twas the Night before Christmas.”

Gay Christmas Celebrations.

• Mischievous elves, marching toy soldiers, and even dear old Saint Nick will grace the stage at the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus holiday spectacular, “The Magic of Christmas” during Christmas Week.
• Most of the gay bars along the Massachusetts Avenue Arts District host special theme parties and events throughout December. The district is spread out over five-block area,  with theaters, restaurants, art galleries, and, most attractively for shoppers, a number of eclectic, independent boutiques.
• Gregs Our Place – popular gay bar with drag performances, musical nights and queeraoke.
• Downtown Olly’s – restaurant and bar with several theme nights and bustling back patio, “The Backyard”.
• English Ivy’s – cozy restaurant and late night bar. Popular meeting point before heading downtown.
• Tini – Two story martini bar with a modern feel right on Mass Ave. Second floor opens as a dance club on weekends.
• Metro – Restaurant and Club with large patio, offering several spaces for a night out of conversation, cocktails and dancing.
• Almost Famous – Classic tapas and espresso bar by day, cocktail bar by night with plush booths and small stage for live performances.

Recommended Hotels in Indianapolis

The following hotels are all close to the Christmas festivities and the city's top attractions:

Conrad Hotel,  Hyatt Regency,  Hilton Garden Inn  Bottleworks Hotel