33+ Free Christmas Events To Ring in Holiday Cheer in Atlanta

Looking for FREE Christmas events in Atlanta? We’ve got them!

Christmas can be so expensive — the gifts, the decorations, the food, the events — it can really add up. Anytime there is opportunity to enjoy Christmas festivities for free, we’re all over it.  You may be wondering, “Where are free Christmas events near me?” We’ve got some awesome options for you.

Atlanta, Georgia, has so many great budget-friendly options this holiday season. Here are 33+ free Christmas events in Atlanta that we know you and your crew will adore.

FREE CHRISTMAS EVENTS NEAR ME: ATLANTA OPTIONS

PONCE CITY MARKET

Ponce City Market offers several free and fun options this holiday season!

• Misfit DIY Wrapping Co.: Open Saturdays & Sundays beginning Nov. 30 from 12pm – 7pm + December 21 – 23 on the Second Floor by Elk Head Clothing and Glad & Young. You bring it, you wrap it! PCM will provide all the baubles, bows, wraps, frills and embellishments. Their factory workers are standing by to help you work the glue gun! Suggested donations benefit Rolecall Theater whose mission is to foster and elevate new stories and voices from the creatives of Atlanta. Dates: Saturdays & Sundays, Nov. 30 – Dec. 22 + Dec. 23, 2024

• Selfie Saturdays with Santa: Join Ponce City Market every Saturday during the holiday season for Selfies with Santa. Santa Adrian will be taking photos with guests on the second floor by Bar Vegan, where a festive photo backdrop will be set up. From 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, guests are welcome to capture their own photos using their phones or cameras. Afterward, Santa will be visiting the small businesses on the second floor to celebrate Small Business Saturday. Don’t miss this chance to create holiday memories with Santa and support local businesses. Dates: Every Saturday during the holidays beginning Nov. 30, 2024

LIGHT THE STATION AT ATLANTIC STATION

Date: Nov. 23, 2024, 6-9pm

On Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, the community is invited to watch the lighting of the 50-foot Christmas tree on Atlantic Station’s central greenspace, Atlantic Green.

Light the Station is a FREE event that includes lots of holiday fun for kids, live music, special performances, characters and more! At 7pm, make sure to check out the Parade of Lights that will lead in to the Tree Lighting at the Green.

CELEBRATE THE STATION AT ATLANTIC STATION

Dates: Nov. 23 – Dec. 25, 2024

Following Atlantic Station’s Light the Station event (above), you can view 250,000 lights within an 8-block radius at Atlantic Station‘s Celebrate the Station event. This is a wonderful FREE light display, and I love that you can walk around to see them all up close!

Celebrate the Station is an interactive experience with a festive video featuring holiday lights set to the music of some of your holiday favorites and swirls of snow. During the holiday season, check out this fantastic display at the top of every hour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Wednesday, Dec. 25.

MIGHTY MO AND MORE AT THE FOX THEATRE

DATE: December 18, 2024 at 7pm

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The annual, FREE holiday event Merry Mighty Mo and More! presented by Georgia Natural Gas will be a magical night of holiday cheer featuring free photos with Santa Claus, sing-alongs with the Fox Theatre’s famed organ, “Mighty Mo,” a performance by a cappella quartet Like The Dickens, a viewing of the holiday classic movie ELF, and more!

While the main event is complimentary, exclusive access to the Marquee Club presented by Lexus is available for purchase, offering a premium holiday experience with festive dining, encounters with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, and specialty drinks.

TOUR THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION

DATES: December 9-17, 2024

Celebrate the holidays with a free tour of the Governor’s Mansion on West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta.

The holiday tour is a hybrid of a guided and self guided tour.  They have docents stationed in each room to teach you about the collection, but you may go from room to room at your own pace.  Many of the docents have volunteered at the Governor’s Mansion under several Governors and are as much a part of the tour as the collection itself.

Monday through Saturday tours are 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Sunday tours are 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. All visitors need to be registered to attend.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT AT OAKLAND CEMETERY

DATES: December 7-8, 2024

Indulge in the seasonal spirit at Oakland Cemetery! Holiday Spirit, a unique seasonal open house, will feature holiday activities for the whole family! And it’s free!

Enjoy photos with Santa, decorated mausoleums, live holiday music, a wreath sale, a holiday gift market, a pop-up shop, photo ops, a family craft area, and snacks and hot drinks for purchase.

No tickets are required for this FREE event.

Read More: 6+ Sensational Reasons to Visit Oakland Cemetery Before You Die

HOLIDAY EVENTS AT BUCKHEAD VILLAGE

This holiday season, Buckhead Village will celebrate the merriest time of year as it transforms into an abstract winter wonderland decked with illuminated sparkling globes in trees, fresh eucalyptus garlands, oversized pastel ornaments and larger-than-life floral sculptures.

Don’t miss these at Buckhead Village:

• German Christkindl Market. This holiday market will be located on the corner of East Paces Ferry and Peachtree Road and feature over 50 vendors offering food and beverage treats and items to shop, plus live music and entertainment on the weekends. DATES: November 22 – December 24, 2024
• Apres All Day. Buckhead Village District is unwrapping new and returning favorites this holiday season! The shopping and dining destination invites guests to join and be merry at its property-wide holiday celebration on Saturday, December 7 featuring festive workshops, market pop-ups, live music, carolers, seasonal food and warm beverages, and more. Date: December 7, 2024

PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT THE BATTERY ATLANTA

DATES: Weekends Nov. 22 – Dec. 24, 2024

Santa Claus is once again setting up shop at his Post Office in The Battery Atlanta!  From Friday, November 22 to Saturday, December 24, Santa will continue the time-honored tradition of greeting local children in the Community Corner presented by Truist, located at the corner of Power Alley and Battery Avenue.

Families are invited to bring their handwritten letters to Santa – postage not required – at his official Atlanta outpost. Santa’s helpers will take care of the rest! This free opportunity allows parents and guardians to take their own photos of their children interacting with Santa as he listens to their wish lists.

Read More: Pictures With Santa Near Me: 25+ of the Best Places To Take Pictures With Santa in Atlanta (2024)

MARIETTA HISTORY CENTER POP-IN

Date: December 21, 2024

The Marietta History Center will be hosting its monthly Pop-In event on Saturday, December 21, 2024 from
10am-4pm. This is a monthly event that takes place on the 3rd Saturday of every month, and gives kids a chance to make holiday crafts.

Pop-Ins provide children and their families the opportunity to interact with the museum through themed activities and crafts. Join them in December for crafts and activities geared towards aviation. The program is FREE for all to enjoy.

FREE HOLIDAY OFFERINGS AT PHIPPS PLAZA

Dates: Various

Phipps Plaza announced its 2024 lineup of holiday events and some are FREE!

• Holiday Market Series (Three Saturdays: Nov. 30, Dec. 7 & Dec. 14 from Noon-6pm). Kicking off on Saturday, Nov. 30, enjoy Phipps Plaza’s festive holiday market series on The Green featuring local artisans and vendors, screenings of holiday movies, complimentary arts & crafts, live music, carolers, special appearances from characters like The Grinch, Buddy the Elf, and more. For a full schedule of events and performances, visit here.
  
• Grinch on The Green (Saturday, Dec. 7 from Noon-3pm). The mischievous Grinch returns to The Green at Phipps Plaza this holiday season, bringing entertainment to all ages – even your pets. Snap selfies and pet pictures with the iconic Dr. Seuss character and stop by Citizens Market Food Hall for a delicious lunch and holiday-inspired drink.
  
• Atlanta Opera Performance (Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6pm). Experience the powerhouse talent of The Atlanta Opera as they perform their greatest hits and favorite holiday melodies in Monarch Court on Level 1 of Phipps Plaza.

FREE CHRISTMAS EVENTS IN THE ATLANTA METRO AREA

FREE ADMISSION & HOLIDAY MARKET AT CHATTAHOOCHEE NATURE CENTER

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

We absolutely adore the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, and we consider it a “Top 10” Atlanta attraction. Each year, they offer a holiday gift to everyone — free admission!

On this special day you can enjoy the CNC, and also visit their Back To Nature Holiday Market. Explore the goods of local artisans who have made unique, handmade, and/or eco-friendly gifts for the holiday season. Art, jewelry, candles, children’s gifts, food, and much more are offered.

Admission is free, but reservations are requested. However, they may be able to accommodate walk-ups on the day of the event.

Read More: Chattahoochee Nature Center: 19+ Reasons Why You’re Going To Love It

TUBA CHRISTMAS

Music lovers won’t want to miss the annual Tuba Christmas! What began in 1974 as a tribute to artist/teacher William J. Bell has continued around the country over the years and is now one of Atlanta’s most beloved holiday traditions. This local favorite is back again for an outdoor show by adults and children of all ages!

• Blue Ridge Depot (Blue Ridge): Saturday, November 30, 2024 at 11am
• Peachtree Road United Methodist Church (Atlanta): Friday, December 6, 2024 at Noon
• Historic Gym Performance Space (Porterdale): Sunday, December 8, 2024 at 3pm
• Patio of Courtyard by Marriott Rome (Rome): Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 1pm
• Glover Park Stage (Marietta): Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 3pm

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS IN ALPHARETTA

Spend the most wonderful time of the year in Alpharetta by planning a relaxing Alpharetta holiday retreat to get you and your crew in the joyous spirit. Here are some of the great and FREE events they’re offering in 2024.

• Tree Lighting (Saturday, November 23, 2024): Kick off the holiday season with a 50 ft. tree lighting in Downtown Alpharetta on Saturday, November 23, 2024 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. Bring portable chairs and settle in for live holiday music from the Alpharetta City Band’s Jazz Ensemble, enchanting snow flurries, and other magical performances on the main stage in front of Alpharetta City Hall. 

• The Lighting of Avalon (Sunday, November 24, 2024 from 2pm-7:30pm): A celebration for the season you won’t want to miss! Get in the holiday spirit with festive music and free activities for the whole family. From the annual opening of Avalon on Ice to the magnificent tree lighting, and an appearance from Jolly Old Saint Nick himself, there’s something exciting for all to enjoy.

• Free Photos with Santa (December 7, 2024 from 10am – Noon): The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau is hosting a Free Pictures With Santa event on Saturday, Dec. 7. Families are encouraged to stop by for a complimentary individual or family photo with Santa Claus. A photo will be printed onsite and emailed instantly to each person, so it can be shared with family and friends.

• Snow Day at ACC (December 14, 2024 from Noon – 2pm): Experience a winter wonderland on the Town Green with snow flurries andfamily-friendly activities, savor holiday-themed treats, and create lasting memories at the holiday photo booth. Explore the charming Alpharetta City Center boutiques. Best of all, the event is entirely free, so grab your mittens and embrace the winter fun while supplies last!

SANTA’S WONDERLAND AT BASS PRO SHOPS AND CABELA’S

DATES: Nov. 2 – Dec. 24, 2024

During Santa’s Wonderland event at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s locations, you can pose with Santa and receive a photo for FREE!

There are also games, activities and crafts, and much more. Families can also enjoy the amazing aquariums and wildlife displays found in every Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s store. Online reservations recommended.

Read More: Santas Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops / Cabela’s Atlanta (FREE)

THE LIGHTING OF AVALON

DATE: November 24, 2024 from 2-7:30pm

The Lighting of Avalon in Alpharetta is a celebration for the season you won’t want to miss! Get in the holiday spirit with festive music and free activities for the whole family. From the annual opening of Avalon on Ice to the magnificent tree lighting and an appearance from Jolly Old Saint Nick himself, something is exciting for all to enjoy.

HOLIDAY MARKETS

DATES: Various

Shop local and find unique holiday gifts for those you love at some amazing Atlanta-area Holiday Markets! No matter what you’re looking for, there is guaranteed to be a holiday market that you’ll adore.

Most of the markets offer food, beverages, and family-friendly activities too!

Read More: Your Comprehensive Atlanta Christmas Market Guide

LIGHTS OF JOY

1510 Ben King Road NW | Kennesaw
When: Opens Dec. 1, 2024

You have GOT TO visit Lights of Joy in Kennesaw — it’s the Largest Residential Christmas Light Display in Georgia with more than 850,000 lights. I mean, it was a 2019 ABC’s Christmas Lights Fight Contestant! It’s an amazing walk-through Christmas lights display that you will have to see to believe.

The most prominent feature of the display is the lighting of the landscape. There are over 230 trees with lights in them. The trunks of the pine trees are wrapped in colored lights and the hardwood trees are filled with white lights. One tree has over 20,000 lights in it and there are three additional trees with approximately 15,000 lights each. And there are nine musical trees. It’s truly spectacular.

Lights of Joy is FREE, and donations are accepted. They encourage you to park across the street at the Influencers Church and walk to see the lights. The inside circle was new in 2018. It now contains 400,000+ lights and you cannot see it with a drive by. No pets, please!

Check out the link below for more Christmas light displays, including some free residential light shows that are worth a visit!

Read More: 37+ Sparkling Christmas Light Displays Near Me (+ Residential Light Shows)

VISIT WITH SANTA AT SOUTHERN BELLE FARM

DATES: Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 15, 2024

Bring the kids to visit with Santa Claus as he stops by Southern Belle Farm in Henry County on Saturdays and Sundays.  He’s quite photogenic, so bring a camera for some special holiday memories. You can also visit the animals in the Animal Barn for free.

In addition to the free activities, Southern Belle Farm also hosts other great farm activities for a fee.

Read More: Southern Belle Farm : Four Seasons of Festive Fun

CHRISTMAS IN GAINESVILLE

DATE: Saturday, November 23, 2024

The Jingle Mingle and the Lighting of the Chicken is one of the Southeast’s quirkiest, fun, family-friendly events and is the perfect way to start your holiday season in Gainesville, GA.

This event is the perfect way to start your holiday season in the Poultry Capital of the World!

The Downtown Square will be alive with the holiday spirit, including open houses in most of the stores, live music, carriage rides, kiddie train rides, Santa and his arrival on a Gainesville Fire Engine, the Coca-Cola bear, S’more Station, entertainment and the grand LIGHTING OF THE CHICKEN! (In case you’re unfamiliar, it’s a 25-foot metal chicken sculpture on top of Main Street Market on the Downtown Gainesville Square.)

FREE CHRISTMAS EVENTS AROUND GEORGIA

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS IN DAHLONEGA

DATES: Nov. 29 – Dec. 31, 2024

Visit Dahlonega in the North Georgia mountains this Christmas season for their annual Old Fashioned Christmas. A town that is literally straight out of a Hallmark movie!

On Friday, Nov. 29th, the magic and charm of Christmas in Dahlonega begins with a day filled with Christmas music and activities.

LIGHT UP BLUE RIDGE

DATES: Nov. 29 – 30, 2024

Light Up Blue Ridge is now a two day event!

Blue Friday will be held on November 29, 2024, and will include downtown merchants store discounts, Christmas holiday cheer, food vendors and strolling entertainment.

Light Up Blue Ridge will be held on Saturday November 30, 2024, and is a day to welcome in the Christmas season. Stroll through Main Street and take in the Christmas entertainment beginning at noon. The parade starts at 5.30 pm and runs down E. Main from Church to Mountain, down Mountain and back up W. Main to Depot. Lighting of the Great Tree will be right after the parade, approximately 7 p.m.

Not free, but worth every penny, you can also ride the Santa Express or the Night Train to Santa’s Pavilion on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. I love the shops in Blue Ridge for holiday presents, too!

Don’t miss the Gingerbread Village that will be open to the public at noon on November 29th and will be open anytime the Arts Center is open until December 17. There are supposed to be 65 houses in their village this year!

Read More: 50+ Best Adventurous Things To Do in Blue Ridge GA

CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE IN BLAIRSVILLE

DATE: Dec. 7, 2024

If you’re looking for a fun day to get into the Christmas spirit in Blairsville, the first Saturday of December is definitely for you! Truly an event that the entire community gets behind, Christmas on the Square is a great way to spend an evening and is sure to create memories for years to come.

From 3 until 5 p.m. there will be photos with Santa at the Historic Courthouse on the Square, activities for kids like ornament painting and games, caroling and the tree lighting, and their night-time parade starting at 6 p.m.

CHRISTMAS IN CLAYTON

DATE: Nov. 29-30, 2024

Thanksgiving weekend you can get Christmas day shopping done in one evening in Downtown Clayton, GA! On Black Friday, shops will be open until 8pm during their Christmas in Clayton event, with door prizes and special sales. Clayton will have music to get everyone in the holiday spirit!

Restaurants will be cooking up some fabulous food, and in the evening there will be luminaries lining the streets, too!

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS IN THOMASVILLE

DATES: December 12-13, 2024 from 6-9 pm

Journey into the past as the turn-of-the-century Downtown Thomasville ushers you into the spirit of Christmas long ago during their Victorian Christmas event.

Both nights include: Carriage Rides – Jefferson Street next to First Baptist Church, Live Nativity, visits with St. Nick, arts and crafts for kids, marshmallow roasting by local Boy Scouts and Trail Life Kids, performances by school bands, street musicians, strolling carolers, delicious food, blacksmith demonstrations, live reindeer, pet adoptions by the Thomasville-Thomas County Humane Society, live entertainment on The Ritz Amphitheater Stage and beautiful, larger than life photo ops including snowflakes, wreaths, Santa’s sleigh, and more!

HOLLY JOLLY JEKYLL

DATES: November 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025

It’s the best time of the year! A time filled with lights, festive fun, and lots of cheer. Holly Jolly Jekyll is a great way to celebrate the season by visiting beautiful Jekyll Island and seeing the lights all over the island.

Drive through the Historic District to see the lights and The Great Tree. Jekyll Island is home to more than half a million lights during the Holly Jolly Jekyll season. This year Jekyll actually has over one million total light bulbs, 350 + light displays and 45,000+ lights on the Great Tree, which is more per square foot than the NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

Visitors can also enjoy the Twelve Days of Christmas light displays that run from Great Dunes Beach Park to the Historic District, along Shell Rd. Count the days until Christmas in this coastal wonderland! You can drive through and see the lights for free from your own vehicle, or you can take a tour with Holly Jolly Light Tours for a fee.

We attend this event every year and it truly is the most magical experience! The kids love walking through the Historic District and seeing all the lights up close. We highly recommend a visit!

(Note: There is a fee required to enter Jekyll Island.)

Read More: Jekyll Island GA: Protected Coastal Beauty with Resort Fun

MAIN STREET CHRISTMAS LIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA IN MACON

DATES: November 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025

Witness a colorful canopy of 500,000+ lights moving in time to Christmas music on the city streets of Macon with a visit to the Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza! The best part? It’s FREE!

Hear your favorite Christmas carols, but with a new twist! Christmas lights are synchronized to music arranged and produced by Macon Pops, an innovative, high-energy, and world-class orchestra that performs with orchestral musicians from around the southeast and across the country.

Lights are on nightly from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and each show lasts about 45 minutes. Shows begin at the top of the hour at 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, & 9:00pm.

The Main Street Christmas Light Extravaganza spans 4.5 city blocks in the center of downtown Macon. Nightly shows are completely open and FREE to the public. You can catch the lights in Downtown Macon on Poplar Street from First Street to MLK Jr. Blvd. and on Third Street from Poplar Street to Cherry Street.

Read More: Your Complete Guide To The Best Things To Do In Macon, Ga

MORE HOLIDAY FUN:

• YOUR GEORGIA VACATION
• MORE CHRISTMAS EVENTS: Christmas in Atlanta: Your Festive Guide To The Best Holiday Events
• LAKE LANIER ISLANDS LIGHTS: Lakeside Lights Spectacular Returns
• GARDEN LIGHTS: Atlanta Botanical Garden Lights: Brilliant Holiday Fun
• STONE MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS: Tips & Tricks for Maximum Fun At Stone Mountain’s Christmas Event
• ICE SKATING: The Best Rinks in Atlanta for Kids, Teens & Adults
• CHRISTMAS DAY: 15+ Things To Do On Christmas Day In Atlanta