The tree lighting at Rotary Centennial Park gets the photos, but on Saturday, Nov. 28 it's the last stop of the day. The first one is at 1 p.m. at the History Center on Court Street, with a tray of Christmas cookies. Two parts of the event also keep running for two more weeks after the lights come on.
The details below come from the Huntington County Chamber of Commerce, which runs the event and printed the full plan in its November 2026 newsletter. Taken together, the schedule asks families to start at the History Center, spend the afternoon moving through downtown storefronts, and come back before Dec. 12 for the two parts that outlast the night.
The Saturday clock, from first cookie to tree lighting
The Chamber's schedule gives Nov. 28 four distinct windows. Each one hands families off to the next location.
- 1 to 3 p.m.: Huntington County History and Education Center, 315 Court St. Kids decorate Christmas cookies, and families can get pictures taken with Snoopy before heading downtown.
- 3 to 5:30 p.m.: Downtown activities. Santa sits in the Courthouse rotunda for the whole stretch, and most of the free activities run in this window.
- 5:40 p.m.: The light parade. Decorated HARTA bicyclists, the local Jeep Club and police vehicles lead the way, and Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive on a fire truck.
- 6 p.m.: Tree lighting at Rotary Centennial Park. Holiday lights and live music close out the day, and anyone in the crowd can tune a radio to 87.9 FM for the Christmas music.
The Chamber's online event listing gives the window as 3 to 6 p.m. The newsletter's breakdown ends the activities at 5:30 so the parade can start at 5:40. Either way, the timing gets tight at the end. Anyone still in line for Santa near 5:30 has about ten minutes to reach the park before the parade.
The Chamber tells families to arrive early to leave enough time for a Santa visit. That makes the 1 p.m. cookie table at the History Center a sensible place to start the day.
Nearly every stop belongs to someone downtown
Most of the event sits inside existing downtown doors, and each stop is run by a specific local business, church, bank or volunteer group.
| Stop | Who hosts it | What happens there |
|---|---|---|
| Courthouse rotunda, 201 N. Jefferson St. | Santa, with Frederick's Photography | Free photos with Santa, 3 to 5:30 p.m., music by local DJ Pat Teusch |
| Huntington Art Center, 32 E. Franklin St. | Beacon Credit Union volunteers, Faith Community Church Youth Group | Ornament making, story time, free popcorn |
| Lake City Bank Train Station | Lake City Bank | Holiday train rides |
| The 5th Parlour | Host business | Games and face painting |
| Meal Ministry, third block of downtown | Lake City Bank provides the treats | Free hot chocolate and cookies, Santa's mailbox |
| East Washington Street | Boy Scout Troop #130 | Fire pit for roasting marshmallows and making s'mores |
| Downtown | Huntington First Brethren Church | Live nativity scene |
The Meal Ministry is a program of New Life Ministries, which lists its address as 313 E. Franklin St. For the train rides, the Chamber's 2024 event write-up had riders board in front of Smith Furniture at 312 N. Jefferson St. The 2026 newsletter doesn't give a boarding spot, so check that on the day.
The character appearances follow the same pattern. Cindy Lou Who will be at Bend the Trend Boutique & Décor, elves at The Party Shop, and Buddy the Elf and Jovie at Gracefully Gourmet. The Grinch, Anna and Kristoff will also be out around downtown. Gracefully Gourmet is at 37 E. Washington St. and reopened in April 2026 after renovations, so this will be its first Christmas in the City in the updated space.
Between stops there's more to see on the street. Tim Hadaway drives a pony-drawn cart pulled by Cakepop, a small pony. Carolers from the Huntington Theatre Guild Act II will move through downtown, and Aiden Richardson and his instrumental group will play live. Photo spots include character cutouts, inflatables, Santa's Sleigh near the Courthouse, and Gingerbread and Olaf photo boards at Rotary Centennial Park.
Because the event is spread out like this, you'll walk past open storefronts all afternoon. The Chamber says downtown shops and restaurants will be open during the festivities.
The finale moves the crowd to one corner
The afternoon stops are spread around downtown, and the parade brings everyone to one spot. Rotary Centennial Park sits at 551 N. Jefferson St., near East Park Drive, and the City's park plan notes the holiday tree there.
Glow sticks will be handed out at the park to welcome the parade. The light parade starts at 5:40 p.m. with the HARTA bicyclists and Jeep Club members, and Santa and Mrs. Claus come in last on a fire truck. Once they reach the park, they help light the tree at 6 p.m.
The 87.9 FM broadcast is handy if you end up at the back of the crowd or would rather watch from a warm car. The Chamber lists that frequency for the Christmas music during the lighting.
Dec. 12 is the date to put on the fridge
The Saturday covers five hours. The rest of the event runs for two weeks, and two separate parts end on the same day.
The Walk of Trees starts Nov. 28 and runs through Dec. 12. Participating downtown businesses display decorated Christmas trees in a range of themes. Visitors can fill out a Walk of Trees entry form for a chance to win a downtown prize package and vote for their favorite trees. The top three trees win prizes.
That means you can see the trees on any visit downtown through Dec. 12, not only on the busy Saturday. The voting form is also a reason to visit businesses you might walk past otherwise.
Letters to Santa have the same deadline. Kids can write a letter at the event or bring one from home and drop it in Santa's mailbox inside the Meal Ministry. After Nov. 28, there are three more ways to send one:
- Drop it off at the Huntington City-Township Public Library
- Mail it to City Services, 634 Webster St., Huntington, IN 46750
- Email it to Shanon Spaulding at the City of Huntington, [email protected]
All letters must be received by Dec. 12. Santa can only write back if the letter includes the child's name and mailing address. If you're mailing a letter in the last week, give it a few days to arrive.
A Thursday stop in the middle of the two weeks
Right between the Saturday and the Dec. 12 deadline, the Chamber holds its Holiday After Hours on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Merillat Centre for the Arts on the Huntington University campus. It's free and come-and-go, and you don't need to be a Chamber member to attend.
The main draw is the Forester Festival of Trees, with decorated trees sponsored by local businesses. Proceeds go to the Huntington University women's volleyball team. Guests can also visit the Wilson Art Gallery, see the decorations in Zurcher Auditorium, hear live Christmas music provided by the Chamber, enjoy refreshments from Sodexo at Huntington University, and enter for door prizes.
So the season has two sets of trees. The Walk of Trees fills downtown storefronts, and the Festival of Trees is on campus for one evening. If you make time for both before Dec. 12, you'll see a good share of the decorating done by local businesses this year.
The Chamber lists the sponsors who make Christmas in the City possible: Beacon Credit Union, First Federal Savings Bank, Habitat for Humanity of GFW, Lake City Bank, Partners 1st Federal Credit Union, Public Service Credit Union and Smith Furniture.
At Morken Real Estate Services, we pay attention to the downtown calendars that bring Huntington neighbors to the same blocks each December, because those traditions shape what it means to own a home here. If you're thinking about what your Huntington home is worth heading into the new year, we'd be glad to walk you through it. Request Your Home Valuation, and we'll give you an appraisal-informed number grounded in the local market.
