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The Ultimate List of Utah Christmas Activities including Santa photos, light displays, concerts, ice skating rinks, festivals, tree cutting, nativity displays and more!
**Last updated 2018**
Utah Christmas Activities
Looking for Christmas Activities in Utah? This Complete List provides dates, events, locations and cost of all the best Utah Christmas activities.
Get a head start planning your Christmas activities before concerts and events are sold out!
*Please note:
- This post will be updated throughout the season as new information becomes available. Bookmark it or Pin It for easy reference!
- I try my best to keep this list updated, but please double check times and details before you go.
THIS LIST IS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY TYPE OF EVENT IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:
- Christmas Lights and Tree Lighting Displays
- Christmas Trees and U-cut Farms
- Concerts/Events
- Ice Skating
- Festivals
- Nativity Displays
- Santa
- Service Opportunties
- Sledding + Skiing
- Advent Sundays
- Other
ENJOY! Merry Christmas Season!!
Christmas Lights & Tree Lighting Displays
FREE
- November 20-December 31- Layton City Lighting Ceremony and Display – Layton
- November 23- Temple Square Lighting– Salt Lake City – lights are on all season until January 1 (parking info here)
- November 25- Ogden’s Christmas Village Lighting – Ogden – light on until January 1
- November 25- Christmas Light Parade– Kanab
- November 27- Kaysville Lights the City– Kaysville
- November 27- Draper Tree Lighting – Draper (includes Tree of Life)
- November 28- Bountiful Tree Lighting– Bountiful
- November 29- Lights On! Gallivan Center Lighting and Festival– Salt Lake City- ice skating costs $- 4:oo pm
- TBA- Lights on Sherwood Drive- Kaysville
- Hooper Holiday House – Hooper
- Pond Town Christmas– Salem
COST MONEY
- November 24-December 30- Christmas in Color– South Jordan & Provo – $30 per car
- December 1-23- Provo River Christmas Cruise, Provo- $8
- Hogle Zoo Lights– Salt Lake City
- Thanksgiving Point – Lehi
- Spanish Fork Festival of Lights
- Willard Bay Festival of Lights
Christmas Trees and U-Cut Farms
*Be sure to contact the tree farm directly before going to ensure they still have trees left!
- Utah National Forests Christmas Tree Cutting – Heber/Kamas district-permits go on sale early November- permits sold at Soldier Hollow in Midway
- Utah National Forests Christmas Tree Cutting – Ashley National Forest district- permits go on sale November 15th at forest service offices
- North Pole Pines – Farr West – cut your own tree
- Prepaid Christmas Trees – delivered to your door
- Green Ridge Christmas Trees– Kaysville – opens November 24th, free hot chocolate and candy canes
- Meldrum Christmas Tree Farms– 2073 West Gentile Street, Layton – opens November 24th and 25th
- Papa’s Pines- Morgan – call 801-721-7075 for opening details
Concerts/Events
FREE
- November 16-17- Bells on Temple Square Holiday Concert – Salt Lake City
- November 24-December 23- Christmas in the Canyon– St. George
- November 25- Messiah Sing In at Abravenel Hall – Salt Lake City
- December 2- Young Chambers Christmas Oranges Concert– Salt Lake City
- December 2- Santa Parade– Tooele
- December 2- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Christmas Devotional– Salt Lake City
- December 4- Beehive Statesmen Barbershop Choir Christmas Concert– West Valley – open to children and families
- December 8, 10, 12 –Utah Valley Handbell Ringers– Click here for a list of ALL concerts
- December 9- A Cache Valley Christmas– Cache Valley
- December 11- Winter Symphony and Sing Along– West Valley – open to children and families
- December 13-15 – Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert
- December 16- Caroling on Main Street- Bountiful
- December 16- Kamas Valley Christmas Concert– Kamas
- December 18- Bonnie Harris and The Valley Jazz Christmas Concert– West Valley City
- December 24- Christmas Carols at the Cathedral of the Madeline – Salt Lake City
COST MONEY
- November 16-18- Clytie Adams School of Ballet Nutcracker – $15-20
- November 16- January 19- Savior of the World– Salt Lake City- varies
- November 21-22- Trans Siberian Orchestra– Salt Lake City- $
- November 24-25- Ballet West Nutcracker– Ogden – $10-45
- November 24-27-Cache Valley Civic Ballet – The Nutcracker- Logan- $
- November 24-December 23-A Christmas Carol– CenterPoint Legacy Theater- Centerville – $19.50-25
- November 24-December 23 –Polar Express Ride– Heber – $25-50
- November 25-December 23-The Forgotten Carols– Salt Lake City, Murray, St. George, Logan, Orem- $18-30
- December 1-23- A Christmas Carol – Hale Center Theater- Salt Lake- $29-35
- December 2- Nathan Pacheco Christmas Concert– Salt Lake City
- December 4-9- The Lower Lights Christmas Concert – Salt Lake City- $16-30
- December 2-30- Ballet West The Nutcracker – Salt Lake City – $
- December 7- Sing Choir of Angels Concert – Provo- $5-10
- December 9-20- Utah Regional Ballet Nutcracker – $
- December 10-11- Messiah– Cedar City
- December 14- Dicken’s Christmas Ball– West Jordan
- December 14-16- A Kurt Bestor Christmas– Salt Lake City- $
- December 15-16- Peter Breinholt Christmas Concert– Salt Lake City- $16.50-20
- December 22-23- Mannheim Steamroller– Salt Lake City – $40-75
- December 28- A Jim Brickman Christmas– Salt Lake City
Ice Skating
COST MONEY
- November 10-February 20- Outdoor Skating Rink- Station Park-Farmington
- November 15- March 9- Park City Mountain Resort Resort Center Ice Rink– Park City
- Outdoor Skating- The Gallivan Center
Festivals
FREE
- November 20- Festival of Lights– Bountiful
- November 25-January 1- Ogden’s Christmas Village – Ogden
- November 29-30, December 1-2- Christkindlmarkt– Salt Lake City
- November 18-December 26-Elf Display/Scavenger Hunt at Gardner Village– West Jordan
- November 21-December 31- Grand America Gingerbread House Display/Holiday Window Stroll – Salt Lake City
- December 1, 2, 4, 8, 9- Holly Days in the Park – Riverton (vendors, walk to see giant story book pages of Twas the Night Before Christmas, warm scones, hot chocolate, ($)
- December 2- Gingerbread Festival– Bountiful
- December 2- Holiday Fun Day– Ogden – crafts, food, and fun
- December 7-23- Candlelight Christmas @ This is the Place State Park– Salt Lake City
- December 11- Candy Cane Hunt – Draper- for ages 3-6
- December 11- Midway City Town Party– Midway
COST MONEY
- November 17- Utah Santa Run– Provo
- November 25- Utah Santa Run– Ogden
- November 28-Dec. 2 – The Festival of Trees– Salt Lake City
- November 29-Dec 2- Dickens Christmas Festival– St. George – $7 adults, $5 children
- December Hardware Ranch Elk Festival and Sleigh Rides – Cache Valley
- December 2- Utah Santa Run– West Jordan
- December 7-9-Dickens Christmas Festival– Salt Lake City – $7 adults, $5 children
- December 8-23- A Candlelight Christmas- Salt Lake City
- December 15-16 –A Pioneer Christmas– Provo
Nativity Displays
FREE
- December 1-4- Christmas Creche Display– Midway
- Echoes of Christmas Live Nativity– Salt Lake City- SUSPENDED THIS YEAR, but back in 2018
- SOLD OUT- The Live Nativity– Alpine
COST MONEY
- November 24-December 23- Christmas in the Canyon Live Nativity at Tuacahn– St. George- $2 or $15 per family
Santa
FREE
- November 18- Santa’s Arrival at Station Park- 6:30pm – Free (photos extra)
- November 20-December 18 (Mondays)- Paws and Claus Holiday Photos– Farmington Station Park
- November 27- Santa arrives in Riverton – Riverton
- December 2- Santa Parade– Tooele
- December 2- Farmington City Santa Photos– Farmington- (free to residents, reservations required)
- December 9- Bowman’s Santa– Kaysville- FREE
- December 11- See Santa in Midway– Midway
COST MONEY
- SOLD OUT- Breakfast with Santa– Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City
- SOLD OUT- Tea with Santa– Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City
- November 18- Supper with Santa– Hyatt in Farmington – $250-includes hotel stay
- November 17-December 23 – Santa at City Creek– Salt Lake City
- November 18- December 24- Santa at Station Park- Farmington
- December 2-3- Breakfast with Santa at Parkstone– Station Park Farmington
Service Opportunities
- Sub For Santa– United Way of Utah County
- The Road Home– collects items for the homeless including socks, hats, mittens, and other seasonal items. More info here.
- Primary Children’s Medical Center– collects bubbles, fingernail polish, matchbox cars and other items for children
- Ronald McDonald House – cook a meal for families with children who are terminally ill or sick at PCMC , volunteer , or donate items
- Sweet & Simple 12 Days of Christmas– spread some cheer with this easy 12 Days of Christmas
Sledding + Skiing
- Snow Basin
- Snowbird
- Park City Mountain Resort
- Deer Valley
- Brighton
More details coming soon!
Advent Sundays 2017
If you’re not familiar with the German Advent Sunday tradition (that will help you to slow down this season!), read about it here and get ideas on how to start this with your family.
- December 3- 1st Advent
- December 10- 2nd Advent
- December 17- 3rd Advent
- December 24- 4th Advent
Other
FREE
- Jingle Bus
- November 17- Gingerbread House Contest– South Jordan- entries due the 17th, on display until the 1st.
- November 27-December 18- Christmas Classics Movie Series– West Jordan (held each Monday)
- December 1-2- Swiss Christmas and Cottages for the Children– Heber
- December 2- Helping our Heroes Holiday Market– Layton
COST MONEY
- December 2- Jingle Bell 5k– Salt Lake City
- December 24- Christmas Eve Brunch Buffet at the Grand– Salt Lake City
We hope you enjoy all the Utah Christmas Activities! Leave a comment if you know of any other festive Christmas activities!
