Let’s get together: Holiday events and activities build community bonds
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- Spectators watch the fireworks over the Christmas Village in Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.
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- Deanna Devey poses for a photo in front of a sculpture at Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
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- The 2025 Christmas Village in Ogden Park.
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- Visitors interact with characters at the Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
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- Spectators look at the Light the World Giving Machine at the Christmas Village in Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.
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- Deanna Devey (right) and Jared Lloyd pose for a photo with the Krampus character at Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
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- Spectators watch the Holiday Electric Light Parade in Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.
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- Spectators watch the Holiday Electric Light Parade in Ogden on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025.
Summertime is often filled with community events, from city celebrations to farmers markets to movies and concerts in the park.
But while the (usually) cold weather and short days of December may not seem like a great time for gatherings, the excitement of the holiday season provides a number of its own unique opportunities to join with family, friends and neighbors for some delightful activities.
If you are considering getting out and experiencing what cities and businesses have to offer, here are a few ideas that can make the time of year merry and bright:
Special displays
Whether you are looking for something extravagant or more simple, locations throughout the Wasatch Front provide a variety of options where visitors can enjoy unique holiday displays.
One not to miss is the marvelous Christmas Village in Ogden, which features dozens of decorated cottages twinkling with Christmas lights and holiday cheer. The city website describes the experience by saying, “Spectators find themselves in a dazzling winter wonderland set aglow with Christmas lights and a unique setting of cottages modeled after Santa’s village at the North Pole.”
Other examples of special displays can be found at the Zoolights at Hogle Zoo and the decorated windows at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, as well as the Christmas Story Murals Display in Salem and the Pioneer Christmas at the Village in Provo.
Christmas markets
Everyone has their own way of shopping for both gifts and decorations during this time of year. For many, that includes exploring to see what crafts and wares (and food) vendors have brought to the many Christmas markets. You just never know what you might find.
Perhaps the largest of those markets is the Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City, which says more than 100,000 visit during the four-day event. It had dozens of booths with a wide range of products, treats, decorations, performances and characters to make it a bustling but magical event.
While that marked concluded earlier in December, there are still holiday markets taking place in Ogden in northern Utah and in Provo, Orem, Springville and Lehi in Utah Valley.
Holiday sing-a-longs
There are many beloved Christmas carols and holiday songs, and it can be an uplifting experience to let your voice ring out as you sing them with friends or even with strangers.
The Christmas Sing-Along at the Valentine Theater in American Fork is one opportunity to sing together, as is the Wasatch Master Chorale 44th Annual Messiah Sing-In in the Ogden Tabernacle. Both take place on Dec. 14, but there are also plenty of other opportunities at local community venues and churches.
If you aren’t interested in singing but love the holiday music, there are also many opportunities to listen to local choirs perform during December.
Festive parades
Many of us think of parades in Utah taking place with marching bands and floats during the summer, but there are a number of parades that also coincide with the Christmas season.
Ogden held its Holiday Electric Light Parade to kick off the season on Nov. 29 but other locations still have upcoming parades.
South Ogden, for example, is having its Santa Parade and Photo Event at the City Hall Fire Station this morning, while Lehi is doing its Santa Parade Celebration 2025 on Lehi Main Street this afternoon. Given the mild weather, you may not even need to be too bundled up to enjoy the festivities this year.
These are just a few possibilities of activities to go to during the holiday season, but there are plenty of others as well. Be sure to check out this week’s events calendar to find some that will make your holiday season the best it can be.
