Missed the Night of Lights, but still looking to make some festive memories with your loved ones? You’re in luck! Downtown Fort Wayne is full of sights, smells, and sounds that are sure to ignite some major holiday cheer.
Here are some ideas for celebrating the rest of the 2024 holiday season:
Events to Evoke the Holiday Spirit
For gifts that are truly one-of-a-kind, check out any of Artlink’s holiday pop-up shopping experiences and exhibits—featuring art, objects, and gifts made by local creatives. For specific dates and times, visit their website.
Visit the Botanical Conservatory this December, and you’ll find an exhibit full of winter wonderland landscapes, visits from Santa, carolers and holiday concerts. Check out their event calendar for more details.
Cinema Center is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Polar Express with a special showing—get your tickets here!
The History Center’s holiday event calendar is packed full of famous festivities, like their annual Festival of Gingerbread. You’ll also find crafts, storytelling, and photo ops with Santa himself. Visit The History Center’s event website for all the details—even take a virtual tour of years past!
Downtown Fort Wayne’s Holly Village is new to DTFW’s holiday line-up. Holly Village runs every Friday and Saturday through December 21—featuring seven rotating artisans that will be different each day it’s open—taking over The Porch Off Calhoun with chalets full of handmade crafts, jewelry, apparel, pottery, upcycled textiles, candles, and more. Learn more.
Looking for something a little more interactive for the kiddos? Look no further than Santa’s Workshop Experience at the Bell Mansion, where admission includes everything from live reindeer and a visit with Santa to ornament decorating and cookie kits!
Interested in seeing a live performance? Between the Arena Dinner Theatre, Baker Street Centre, The Embassy Theatre, First Presbyterian Church Fort Wayne Theater, Fort Wayne Youtheatre, and Reverie Dance Studio, you’ll find a variety of performances ranging from theater and dance to concerts and celebrity Q&As.
Relish in the Magic of DTFW’s Light & Window Displays
DTFW illuminates every holiday season, with installations like the famous PNC Santa and his Reindeer and the iconic I&M Merry Christmas Wreath. Check out our map of Downtown’s lighting displays to plan your trek through DTFW’s luminescent landmarks. If you want to expand your exploration past the 99 blocks, check out Visit Fort Wayne’s Holiday Lights Challenge, which includes installations all around Fort Wayne.
While you’re on your jolly journey, you can’t miss out on Parkview Field’s new Holiday Lights exhibit, which features more than one million lights and displays choreographed to holiday music throughout the ballpark. Learn more about the event here.
In addition to Downtown’s lights, you can find storefront window displays decked out in holiday adornments. You can even vote on your favorite window display now through December 15! To see all participating locations, and to vote, click here!
Grab Yourself a Warming Little Bevvie
No winter wonderland stroll is complete without a comforting cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa in hand. While you’re out gazing, pop into one of DTFW’s top-notch coffee shops:
- Conjure Coffee (inside the Botanical Conservatory)
- Crescendo Coffee & Cafe (inside The Pearl)
- Dash-In
- Fortezza Coffee
- Kanela
- Penny Drip
- Starbucks (inside the Hilton Hotel)
- Starbucks (corner of Jefferson and Fairfield)
- Utopian Coffee & Kitchen
To learn more about each location, check out our coffee shop guide!
Get Out & Move
Every winter, Headwaters Park transforms from summer venue
to picturesque ice skating rink—equipped with special lessons, concessions, and themed skates every Thursday. See their website for hours and more details about their programming.
Looking for something a bit more challenging? Fleet Feet is hosting two festive 5Ks: the Ugly Sweater Run (it’s also a food drive!) and the Great Santa Run (everyone who registers gets a Santa suit!).
Celebratory Pop-up Bars (21+)
First travel through the seven levels of the candy cane forest, past the sea of swirly and twirly gumdrops, and then take the elevator to the seventh floor of the Hampton Inn and Suites for Connor’s Rooftop Buddy the Elf Pop-Up Christmas Experience. It’s the next best thing to the North Pole—last one there is a cotton headed ninny muggins!
Venture over to Night Train’s Sippin’ Santa pop-up for a tropical spin on the holiday season. If Tiki and Hygge had a baby, it’d be Sippin’ Santa. Each carefully crafted cocktail is the brainchild of nationally renowned tiki connoisseur Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, so you know you’re in for a treat. Grab your besties, put on your finest aloha shirt, and have yourself a mele Kalikimaka.
From November 27th until December 31st, The Sidecar becomes Miracle on Jefferson, where all your dreams of cozy wintry camaraderie come true. Sip seasonal cocktails from novelty holiday mugs, pose in front of the decked out fireplace, and enjoy all the kitschy Christmas decor.
Molly Conner is a Fort Wayne native and freelance writer. Having lived in Downtown Fort Wayne throughout her twenties, she loves watching her stomping grounds grow. With her love of storytelling and community in tow, she’s eager to tell Downtown Fort Wayne’s story piece-by-piece—exploring the people, spaces, and organizations that bring it to life.