The holidays often come with added expenses and stress. One area, though, were you can really save money is in the holiday fun department.
Check out these 16 Places to Find Free Holiday Entertainment. This time of year, there seem to be more free events to take advantage of than any other.
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1. Holiday Lights Tour-Whether driving around neighborhoods or downtown, you will find plenty of free lights and festive decorations to check out. Also, some commercial venues waive admission fees on certain evenings or offer admission in exchange for canned good donations.
2. Parades-Thanksgiving and the Christmas season are prime parade time. Many cities host big free celebratory parades with floats, bands, classic cars, Santa, and more. Some parades allow participants to throw out candy, cups, beads, etc… from their floats. And a few cities even host pet parades that furry four-legged friends can participate in.
3. Christmas Light Flotillas-On lakes and rivers across the United States, you will find boats of all sort lining up to for floating light displays and processions.
4. Holiday Tree Displays-Public locations, both indoors and out, in many cities host decorated tree displays. Civic organizations, high school art classes, and other groups decorate trees in distinctive styles that are then displayed together for visitors to enjoy.
5. Holiday Concerts-Churches, malls, and public facilities open up their doors for citizens to enjoy free holiday music by a variety of artists.
6. Festivals-Family Fun, Kwanzaa Fest, Lantern Festival, and so many more festivals are available with free entry to the public.
7. Holiday Story Time-Libraries, malls, and children’s activity centers host holiday story reading times. These gatherings often come complete with hot chocolate and marshmallows.
8. Caroling-Grab a group of friends and help brighten other people’s days or nights. Singing adverse? Check community calendars for caroling events that you can attend as a spectator.
9. Photos with Santa-Some Children’s Museums and business such as Bass Pro Shops offer free photo opportunities with Santa.
10. Craft Workshops-Check your local library, craft stores, and home improvement outlets for free holiday craft classes for both children and adults. Also, take a look at Learn How To Take Professional Family Portraits with Craftsy for FREE! (Great for those holiday cards).
11. Tour of Windows-Stores tend to go all out this time of year with their window decorations. Why not take an evening stroll in pedestrian friendly shopping areas to check out the creativity.
12. Artificial Snow Fun-In regions that do not see much seasonal snow, artificial snow machines may be set up to give kids the feel of a snowfall or a tubing and sledding experience. These events are often underwritten by businesses to be able to offer them free to the public.
13. Holiday Movie Viewings-Indoors and out (in some warmer locals), you can find public libraries and others offering free holiday movie viewing parties.
14. Community Free Days-Many museums offer free entry days this time of year. Check your local museum websites or give them a call to see if they will be offering free days.
15. Gingerbread House Displays-It is amazing what people can do with gingerbread and candy. So fun to stare in amazement at these stunning and totally tasty looking creations.
16. Artist Studio Tours-Groups of artists work together to offer the public the opportunity to visit their studios and see their work during coordinated times.
For more ways to save money on the holidays:
This is a great list! I’m looking forward to holiday lights going up soon!
Will be here quickly won’t it. I saw that they already have lighted holiday wreaths on the light poles in our city.