101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Hartford - 2025
KidsOutAndAbout is Hartford'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!
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!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for Hartford, 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!
Santa Sightings
Old-Time Christmas
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28, 2025 | Christmas By Candelight - Old Sturbridge Village |
| Nov 28, 29 & 30, 2025 | Winter Pastimes at Historic Deerfield |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 5, 2025 | Lantern Light Village - Mystic Seaport Museum |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Holiday Stroll Open House — Keeler Tavern Museum |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Holiday Carnival at Olde Mistick Village |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Homes for the Holidays at Webb Deane Stevens Museum |
| Dec 6, 2025 | A Victorian Holiday with the McCooks at Butler-McCook House & Garden |
| Dec 6 & 7, 2025 | Holiday Lantern Tours – Connecticut Landmarks |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 6, 2025 | Holiday Magic at Lyman Orchards |
Light Displays
Holiday Theatre
| Multiple dates starting Nov 28 & 29, 2025 | Cirque Dreams: Holidaze at Toyota Oakdale Theatre |
| Nov 30, 2025 | Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 30, 2024 | Santa Story 3 - Downtown Cabaret |
| Multiple dates starting Dec 3, 2025 | Scrooge and Marley — LegacyTheatreCT |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Pentatonix at PeoplesBank Arena |
| Dec 12 & 13, 2025 | Charlie Brown Christmas at Mohegan Sun Arena |
| Dec 13 & 14, 2025 | The Nutcracker at Warner Theatre |
| Dec 29-30, 2025 | The Nutmeg Ballet: The Nutcracker | The Bushnell |
| Dec 20 & 21, 2025 | Connecticut Ballet's 'The Nutcracker' | The Bushnell |
| Jan 15 - 18, 2025 | Disney On Ice: Frozen and Encanto |
Holiday Concerts
| Dec 17, 2025 | Travelers Chorale Concert – The Colors of the Season | The Bushnell |
Chanukah Events
| Dec 7, 2025 | Chanukah Glow Party |
| Dec 14, 2025 | Lighting of the Menorah - Parade Plaza – Downtown New London |
Kwanzaa Events
| Dec 26, 2025 | Kwanzaa Lighting Celebration – Downtown New London Association |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Opening Nov 22, 2025 | Dzen Tree Farm |
| Opening Nov 28, 2025 | Jones Family Farm |
| Opening Nov 28, 2025 | Corian Tree Farm |
| Opening Nov 28, 2025 | Pell Family Farm |
| Opening Nov 28, 2025 | Fairview Tree Farm |
| Opening Nov 28, 2025 | Maple Hollow Tree Farm |
| Opening Nov 29, 2025 | Mark's Christmas Trees |
Active Holidays
| Nov 27, 2025 | 48th Goshen Turkey Trot 10K Run/Walk |
| Dec 4, 2025 | Roaring Brook Nature Center Full 'Cold' SUPER Moon Hike |
| Dec 6, 2025 | Santa Made Me Do IT 5K - Bethlehem, CT |
| Dec 7, 2025 | Blue Back Mitten Run |
| Dec 21, 2025 | Roaring Brook Nature Center Winter Solstice Hike and Celebration |
Ice Skating
| Starting Nov 28, 2025 | Winterfest Hartford |
| Open all year | Veteran's Memorial Ice Rink |
| Open all year | Public Skating at Amelia Park Arena |
| Open all year | Norwich RoseGarden Ice Arena |
| See website for updated info | Public Skating - South Windsor Arena |
| Open all year | Champions Skating Center - Public Skating |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Multiple dates starting Nov 8, 2025 | Flanders Artisan Marketplace |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 20, 2025 | Holiday Boutique in the Barn: Keeler Tavern Museum |
| Nov 22 & 23, 2025 | Holiday Makers Market | New Britain Museum of American Art |
| Nov 23, 2025 | Holiday Craft Fair – Roaring Brook Nature Center |
| Weekends starting Nov 29, 2025 | Winterfair: Hartford's Holiday Market |
| Multiple dates starting Nov 39, 2025 | Annual Holiday Market: Indigenous and Local Artisans | IAIS Museum |
| Dec 6 & 7, 13 & 14, 2025 | Pratt Street Winter Village | Outdoor Holiday Market |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Santa Shopping Stroll – Downtown New London Association |
| Dec 13, 2025 | Handmade Holiday Bazaar at Connecticut Science Center |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 31, 2025 | Countdown to Noon - Niantic Children's Museum |
Miscellaneous
Below are upcoming holiday events that local organizations have added to our calendar. If your business has upcoming events for the holidays, please click here for information about how to post it to our calendar.
Christmas Tree Farms
Do you cut your own Christmas tree? Here's our big list of farms where you can cut your own Christmas tree in our area.
Subscriptions Boxes: Gifts That Keep on Giving
Send thoughtful choices to the ones you love near and far, and plan some excellent expected surprises for your own family in the months to come. KidsOutAndAbout has put together of some of our favorite choices with a range for all different ages and interests.
