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, (drive-thru continues through the first week in January . Lights come on at dusk and stay on until midnight!
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.
Washington Park is Location on Lake Michigan and the Indiana Dunes Lakeshore at 115 Lake Shore Drive, Michigan City, Indiana, 46360. For more info Call 219-873-1506 or 219-873-1548 (Gate Office) or visit www.michigancityparks.com
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There are Tree Lighting ceremonies in every city, and many Art and Craft Shows to enjoy. We invite you Click on these links (these blue letters) to find more information and keep clicking around our website.
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 we gather as many special ideas as we can from PanoramaNOW’s 40 years experience in Northwest Indiana to celebrate Christmas 2020 ! We promise you’ll go home with memories that last a lifetime.
Some of these Special Holiday Events include:
Holiday Lights Drive Thru – Nov 28 – Dec. 31st , 5:30 – 9pm, Sunset Hill Farm Park, Valparaiso
Holly Days & Live Nativity – First Weekend in December, Valparaiso; (Santa)
A Christmas Story Comes Home, Nov. 15th – Dec 30, 2025 Indiana Welcome Center, Hammond; (Santa)
Festival of Lights, (Drive Thru) 5-9pm, Dec 6th – Jan 2nd 2026, Washington Park, Michigan City;
Holiday Pops Concert, December 6th, 2025 Civic Auditorium, LaPorte
Northwest Indiana Symphony Holiday Pops, Dec. 4th and 6th, 2025
Create 5 Special Holiday Traditions for Family Memories
Holiday Pops Concert, TBD 7:30pm, Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso,
The Nutcracker by Indiana Ballet Theatre Gary
LaPorte Candlelight Tour, Dec 6th & 7th in 2025
Shake up Christmas TBD (Merrillville)
Holidaze Craft Show, November 22nd & 23rd, 2025, Valparaiso, Click Here
Shipshewana on the Road, December 13th & 14th 2025
To Find the Upcoming Holiday
Events ALL ON ONE PAGE
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Read More about Christmas in Northwest Indiana:
5 Holiday Traditions – Thru Dec 31st – 5 Things to do For the Holidays Your Family Will LOVE!
Winter Lights Drive Thru – Valparaiso Nov 27th thru Dec 31st ,
Holly Days in Valparaiso – Friday, Dec 3rd, 2021
A Christmas Story Comes Home – Hammond Indiana Nov 15th – Dec 30th,
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS DRIVE THRU – Michigan City Dec 6th thru Jan 2nd 2026
Candlelight Tour in Laporte – Dec 6th & 7th 2025.
RELATED STORIES:
Create A FREE Northwest Indiana Holiday Tradition
Find Things to Do For Christmas, Click here.
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Does your family take annual ski trips? Do you like to hit up the sledding hills or build a magnificent snowman after the first big snow of the season? What about winter hikes or runs through the neighborhood? No matter how you like to spend your time outside, winter is full of opportunities. However, you…
•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.
