The Dayton Holiday Festival is your source for family-friendly holiday fun in downtown Dayton.
Downtown Dayton will celebrate 47 years of celebrating the holiday season during the month-long Dayton Holiday Festival, which kicks off with the Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights from 4 to 9 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 29. Courthouse Square will be the center of the evening full of family entertainment!
“The Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights is a great night for the entire family to come downtown,” said Sandra Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership (DDP). “It is a magical night guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.”
Come meet our North Pole ambassadors! Two of Santa's reindeer will be available to meet on Courthouse Square. Don't miss your chance to take your picture on Santa's sleigh!
View all of the delicious contest entries and the award-winning houses on display inside The Old Courthouse.
Enjoy holiday songs and other live entertainment on the Courthouse Square Main Stage leading up to the lighting ceremony.
Located in the lobby of the Kettering Tower, this is a favorite stop for children, featuring free crafts and games, Mrs. Virginia Kettering's holiday train display, and lots of other surprises for the kids.
Blinking lights and whirring sounds are just a small part of the wonder you'll find at the Street Fair on Third. Enjoy free carnival rides for kids throughout the evening!
Enjoy a wagon ride through downtown Dayton! The rides are extremely popular and lines can be long, so plan to come early!
For decades, children in Dayton have been able to shop for their loved ones in a store that's just their size. The Tike's Shoppe will be located in the Schuster Center Wintergarden near the entrance at Ludlow and Second streets, and will officially open the day of the Grande Illumination. Guests also can relive the magic of Rike's animated holiday windows, on display in the Wintergarden. The shop will also be open on selected dates in December. For more information, click here.
Don't miss this free downtown scavenger hunt for kids! Kids will go on an adventure around the festival footprint. Children who visit all of the stops will receive a free book.
The Dayton Holiday Festival continues throughout the month of December with these activities:
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