The holidays
Tree lightings, light displays, visits with Santa, holiday markets, Nutcracker and carol performances, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations in Des Moines, updated every day.
Annual events, checked against each organizer's own page. Confirm details there before you go.
Saturday, November 14 · Doors open 5 PM; closes 9 PM
Evening holiday light displays in the garden's conservatory and grounds, on select nights from November 14 to January 3. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, 909 Robert D. Ray Drive
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden →Friday, November 20 · Friday 10 AM–2 PM; Saturday 8 AM–4 PM; Sunday 10 AM–2 PM
Three-day indoor holiday market from the Downtown Farmers' Market, now in its 21st season.
Capital Square, 400 Locust St., Downtown Des Moines
Downtown Farmers' Market (Greater Des Moines Partnership) →Friday, November 20 · 5 – 8 p.m.
East Village holiday evenings with lights and an annual tree lighting ceremony, running November 20 through December 18.
Historic East Village, Downtown Des Moines
Greater Des Moines Partnership →Friday, November 20 · Friday-Saturday 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday-Thursday 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
Drive-through holiday light display, running for more than two decades. It is open every night from November 20 to January 3, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines
Iowa State Fairgrounds →Thursday, December 10 · 7:00 PM (more shows Dec 11 at 7:00 PM, Dec 12 at 2:00 and 7:00 PM, and Dec 13 at 1:00 and 5:00 PM)
Ballet Des Moines performs The Nutcracker in six shows, with Nutcracker Teas on December 13.
Hoyt Sherman Place, 1501 Woodland Ave, Des Moines
Ballet Des Moines →Friday, December 11
Iowa Dance Theatre's yearly Nutcracker at the Des Moines Civic Center on December 11 and 12. Showtimes are not posted yet.
Des Moines Civic Center
Iowa Dance Theatre →34 holiday events for 2026 on Des Moines’s local calendars. Updated every day.
Light displays, drive-throughs and tree-lighting ceremonies.
Photos with Santa, breakfasts and letters to the North Pole.
Shop local makers for the holidays.
Ballet, choirs, concerts and holiday theater.
Menorah lightings and celebrations across traditions.
Crafts, story times and holiday fun for kids.
Everything else on local calendars this season.
Add your event to the Des Moines calendar. Staff review every submission before publication.
Christmas Day is Friday, December 25, 2026.
This page lists upcoming holiday events in Des Moines from local calendars, including libraries, the city, venues and organizers. It updates every day as calendars post new dates.
The “Holiday lights and tree lightings” section lists public light displays and tree-lighting events on local calendars, with dates and links to each organizer.
Use the "Share an event" form. Include the date, time, place and the organizer’s link; a person reviews it before it appears.
