Create a New Christmas Tradition Today!
We believe one of the best things about Christmas is the family traditions that build up around it, creating happy memories that last long after the last of the Christmas is gone. So, continue your family tradition or start a new one, and here’s five special ideas we’ve chosen from 34 years experience in Northwest Indiana to celebrate Christmas 2022! We promise you’ll go home with memories that last a lifetime.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Drive Thru – MICHIGAN CITY
The Washington Park Festival of Lights is held each year in Michigan City, Indiana during the month of December and continues through the first week of January with special events held on the first Saturday of December, 3rd 2022 thru January 2nd, 2023. Lights come on at dusk and stay on until midnight! See 18 Photos of the Lights on the PanoramaNOW Facebook Page, click here!
Over five million individual bulbs light up a variety of holiday and traditional displays that are truly a sight to behold! It is the largest free drive-through light exhibit in the Midwest. This unbelievable display often includes fun and entertaining light graphics, such as elves shooting gifts out of cannons, firetrucks, dinosaurs, and much more. This has been an annual event for over 22 years at Washington Park. Opening Day is After the Snowflake parade.
Washington Park is Location on Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore at 115 Lake Shore Drive or 2 On the Lake, Michigan City, IN 46360. For more info Call 219-873-1506 (Gate Phone) or 219-873-1548.
WINTER LIGHTS DRIVE THRU AT SUNSET HILL PARK:
Don’t forget that the Winter Lights Drive Thru is open nightly at Sunset Hill Park from 6-9 pm Nov 20th, 2022 through January 2nd2023! The drive thru features a lighting of a display of myriad, dazzling light displays throughout the park for only $5 per car.
The light displays are unique to the park, and many of them were custom-made by members of the maintenance staff. Some of the displays include farm scenes consisting of various pieces, a roller coaster in lights over 20 feet tall, and Santa taking off into the sky pulled by his reindeer and many more.
The Winter Lights Drive Thru has been going on since 1999 – now in its 18th year. For more information on this event, or any other questions related to Porter County Parks and Recreation, call 219-465-3586 or e-mail pcparks@porterco.org.
Get a sneak peak at some of the displays in the photo album on PanoramaNOW ‘s facebook page:
A CHRISTMAS STORY COMES HOME – HAMMOND INDIANA
This holiday season, the “A Christmas Story” Comes Home exhibit, presented in collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will be on display from Nov. 19, 2022 until Dec.31st, 2022, at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond, Indiana. A Christmas Story Comes Home exhibit features six animated scenes from the holiday movie. The exhibit takes visitors to the streets of downtown Hohman, a fictional Indiana town which was a disguise for author, Jean Shepherd’s hometown Hammond, Indiana.
Letters to Santa, live entertainment and more! Bring the whole family to enjoy live entertainment on the weekends and write letters to Santa and drop them in the big mailbox in the exhibit hall! For a complete list of special events, contests, hours of operation and directions click here. The Welcome Center gift shop offers an array of movie memorabilia including the infamous leg lamp!
Grammy Contender, Keenan Baxter, has Specialized in Christmas Music for the past 10 years. Book him today!
Click here so see the animated displays with music by Keenan Baxter
Christmas in Crown Point Indiana
Join Mayor David Uran and the City of Crown Point as they light the trees on the Court House lawn. They will be joined by the Harmony Handbells & CPHS Choir for the celebration.
Crown Point celebrates the season in style all season long. There are a series of annual events occur throughout the Season including: Tree Lighting Cerermony, Tank Lighting Ceremony, Santa Parade, Winter Market, Tour of Lights and Santa Claus Zoom (normally in the courthouse) Continue Reading . . .
Photo By Dan Sheehan
CHRISTMAS TOURS AT BARKER MANSION:
An annual holiday tradition, Michigan City’s Barker Mansion will open Dec 2nd – Dec 30th, 2022 10am – 5pm, Tue – Sun. Its decorated rooms to the community for viewing in December. Please note that the mansion is only open during advertised dates and times; the building will be closed on Sundays and Mondays for upkeep and City holidays. The Barker Mansion is located at 631 Washington Street in Michigan City, Indiana. The 38-room mansion was built by freight car industrialist and philanthropist John H. Barker in 1905.
Self-Guided Mansion Tours:
3 p.m. CST, $8/adult & $5/youth or senior, with last entry at 2:15 p.m. View the Barker Mansion at your own pace during a self-guided tour. Participants will browse through all three floors of the elegant mansion at their leisure.
The 38-room mansion was built by freight car industrialist and philanthropist John H. Barker in 1905, after he expanded onto his father’s original 1857 home on the same site. Barker took advantage of the mansion’s location right next to the Haskell and Barker Car Company, bringing many of the factory’s advanced mechanical amenities to the home. The Mansion contains original furnishings, art objects, a ballroom and has and architectural style sunken garden.
The Barker Mansion’s Christmas schedule varies by week; Call (219) 873-1520 for details.
Christmas in Northwest Indiana:
Where to Go For Christmas Lights – 2021
5 Holiday Traditions – Thru Dec 31st – 5 Things to do For the Holidays Your Family Will LOVE!
What’s on Theatre Stage this year TBD
Candlelight Tour in Laporte Cancelled in 2022
Winter Lights Drive Thru – Valparaiso Nov 19th, 2022 thru Jan 2nd, 2023
Holly Days in Valparaiso – Friday, Dec 2nd, 2022
A Christmas Story Comes Home – Hammond Indiana Nov 19th – Dec 31st, 2022
Christmas At Barker Mansion – Michigan City – Opens Dec 2nd – TBD
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS DRIVE THRU – Michigan City Dec 3rd, 2022 thru Jan 2nd 2023
The Nutcracker – 5 shows
Shipshewana On The Road, Dec. 10th and 11th, 2022
NwIndiana Christmas Tree Farms
To Read More Articles about Christmas (Click Here)
To Read More Articles about Michigan City (Click Here)
Local Christmas Tree Farms
Orak Shrine Circus, Hammond Civic Center;Christmas the Park – Spencer Park, Demotte; • East Chicago Celebration of Lights, City Hall;• First Friday Art Walk – Downtown Michigan City, Santa Procession &Tree Lighting at Pruzin Park, Merrillville; City Tree Lighting, Festival Park, Hobart; Carol Fest at VU, Valparaiso University; Chesterton H.S. Madrigal Dinner, Chesterton H. S.; Community Tree Lighting & First Friday, St. Mary of the Lake, Miller; Illuminated Parade, Whitlng City Hall; Shake It Up Musical Show, Living Hope Church, Merrillville; “Plaid Tidings” Towle Theatre, Hammond; Snowflake Parade, Michigan City; Breakfast with Santa – Valparaiso YMCA; •A Christmas Story Comes Home, Indiana Welcome Center, Hammond; Christmas Open House, Family Express, Kouts; • Breakfast w/Santa (Dyer); • Breakfast with Santa, Wilbur Wright School, Munster; • Breakfast w/Santa, Schererville ; Christmas Craft Show – Portage; • The Nutcracker by Indiana Ballet Theatre at Valparaiso, Gary and Crown Point • Annual Cookie Walk, Westminister Presbyterian Church, Munster; Ethnic Cookie Sale, Whiting; St. Mary of the Lake Annual Christmas Bazaar Miller; Folk Art Holiday Open House, Fawn Run Farm, Rolling Priaire; Hammond Holiday Parade, Hammond; •Winter Jam Craft & Vendor Fair, Lake County Fair Grounds, Crown Point; • Christmas on the Farm – Countryside Park, Portage; • Candy Cane Express, Hesston Steam Museum, Laporte; •Santa in the Courthouse, Crown Point; • Portage Christmas Festival, Founder’s Square, Portage; • Pioneerland Christmas, LaPorte County Fairgrounds, LaPorte; • Santa at the Kaske House – Heritage Park, Munster; • 5-11:30pm, , Madrigal Dinner, United Methodist Church, Michigan City; • 8- 9:45pm, Babes & Boys Christmas Show, Beatniks On Conkey, Hammond; • Shake It Up Musical Show, Living Hope Church, Merrillville; • Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular! Majestic Star Casino, Hammond • Shake It Up Musical Show, Living Hope Church, Merrillville; • Babes & Boys Christmas Show, Beatniks On Conkey, Hammond; • Folk Art Holiday Open House, Fawn Run Farm, Rolling Priaire; • Christmas on the Farm – Countryside Park, Portage; • Candy Cane Hunt – Dyer, Plum Creek Center, Dyer; • Santa in the Courthouse, Crown Point Courthouse; Three Little Birds Market, Valparaiso, Brunch with Santa at Lansing Country Club, Breakfast with Santa AT White Rhino, Dyer. Christmas at the mill.
Mommy’s Little Piggy Eating Contest, Oh Fudge Relay Race
Susie Young Baxter, CEO, has published PanoramaNOW Magazine for 31 years. Her hobbies are Camping, Boating, Hiking, Nature, Gardening and Outdoor Activities. She is an Artist, Graphic Designer, an Avid Seamstress, Dabbles in Homemade Crafts and Landscaping. Since her Father was a Health Teacher, she also likes homeopathic Health Solutions. Since blogging started over 10 years ago, PanoramaNow has been added to Newsbreak – a national news affiliate.
