Christmas is big business. According to surveys, Americans spent a colossal $957 billion on gifts, decorations, and holiday celebrations in 2023[1] — and if you’re looking for a way to hand-deliver all of the above, setting up a Christmas festival is the perfect solution.
Christmas festivals are the perfect way to bring people together, promote local business, and tap into the holiday spirit. The trick is to differentiate your festival and create memorable Christmas experiences for your guests.
That’s why we’ve created this guide.
Last year, Eventbrite supported our global community of creators in organizing more than 5 million unique events, so we know a thing or two about putting on the perfect Christmas festival. Read on for 10 amazing Christmas festival ideas, activities to include at your event, and tips on how to set up a Christmas market.
Table of contents
7 Christmas activities to boost your event
Entertainment for your Christmas festival
6 Tips for making your Christmas festival a success
10 Christmas festival ideas
Hosting a Christmas festival in your community brings people together to participate in holiday-themed activities, view twinkling light displays, and make memories.
Community Christmas event ideas can be profitable for event organizers and local businesses, such as merchants selling gifts or food trucks serving food and beverages.
Community Christmas event ideas
The holiday season is all about bringing people together — and Christmas festivals can unite communities and remind us of what (and who) really matters.
If you’re keen to ignite some community spirit with your next Christmas festival, try out one of these heart-warming community Christmas event ideas:
1. Christmas flea market
Everybody loves a bargain — especially around the holidays. A flea market is the perfect foundation for a community Christmas festival.
You can support local businesses by collaborating on stalls, entertainment, and catering. But you can also encourage community members to bring their bric-a-brac and focus on selling used goods. This is a great way to promote sustainability, and your market can even double as a charity fundraiser to bring Christmas to others in need.
Want to see a flea market that understands the assignment? Take a look at professional marketeers Uptown Flea Market.
Their last Holiday Market united a community of over 75 vendors to provide a unique Christmas market, including everything from vintage clothing and home decor to jewelry, crafts, shoes, and even tattoo artists.
2. Christmas food festival
Christmas is the perfect time to indulge! That’s why it’s worth organizing a community food festival to ring in the holidays.
There are so many nostalgic flavors and unique tastes associated with Christmas time. Tap into that nostalgia by reaching out to local vendors from your community to create a proverbial smorgasbord of Christmas dishes.
That’s what Battle Bros LLC has planned for their upcoming Space Coast Holiday Food Fest & Craft Fair 2024 event.
With an affordable tasting menu, holiday-themed cocktails, and live holiday music, this is how a Christmas food festival is done. Best of all, the proceeds from the event go straight to a kids’ charity.
3. Christmas concert
Christmas music is compelling. It can take even the “grinchiest” person right back to the joys of childhood, and it can cheer up a crowd in minutes.
Build on that joy and spread festive vibes by working a Christmas concert into your festival. You can collaborate with local musicians to give it a strong community feel — and with a local venue to generate footfall for local retailers.
For lessons in best practice, look at St Joan of Arc Church and their Christmas on the Prairie concert series. Featuring eight different musicians, this is precisely the sort of event that brings communities together.
Christmas festival ideas for small towns
We’ve all seen the vast Christmas fairs in Berlin and the towering Christmas trees of New York City. But let’s be real: there’s something about a small-town Christmas that just makes you feel at home.
That’s why it’s worth harnessing those local vibes to create a unique and intimate atmosphere. Here’s a round-up of some of our favorite Christmas festival ideas for small towns:
4. Christmas barn dance
Nothing screams small-town Christmas more than a festive barn dance. This is an excellent and inclusive way to get the whole town involved in the festivities, and you don’t have to blow an arm and a leg booking a venue.
Go for a rustic event space, dress it up with seasonal foliage and twinkling lights, and you’re good to go!
That’s what Shannon Perry has planned for their upcoming Christmas in the Country event.
The event, which is held in a Texas barn, includes a country dress code, a hot chocolate bar, a silent auction, and live music from the Grammy-nominated Triumphant Quartet.
5. Charity toy drive
Christmas is the season of giving, so why not create an event for people to give back during the holidays?
Organizing a charity toy drive can give kids a great Christmas by collecting a wide range of toys. It’s also a great way to clear out unwanted items before the holidays.
To create an atmosphere, try pairing your toy drive with some Christmas entertainment or festive activities.
For example, Mill City Events by Tara has doubled its charity toy drive with a sip-and-shop fair. It’s the perfect way to show everybody in your town a great time while giving back to the community.
6. Holiday brunch
Are you looking for an inclusive Christmas event that can be easily scaled to fit the size of your town? A holiday brunch is the way forward.
A Christmas brunch is a great way to collaborate with local vendors, restaurants, or farmers to support local businesses. But it can also be a cost-effective way to feed large groups of people because you can set up buffet stations.
Try doubling the meal with a visit from Santa and his elves to give the children something to look forward to.
For a different take on Christmas brunch, look at the Kennebunkport Resort Collection’s Sleigh All Day: A Holiday Drag Brunch event. With live music, a special brunch menu, and two 75-minute festive drag shows, this is one feisty way to brunch.
7. Holiday gift exchange
We’ve already mentioned that people love to give back during the holiday season. But let’s be honest: we all like to receive gifts, too.
Enter the holiday gift exchange.
Set your small-town Christmas festival up around a gift exchange with an event theme that gets the entire community involved.
That’s what the Military Veteran Team LPT Realty team has planned for their upcoming December Friday 13th “Nightmare Before Christmas” LPT Social. They’ve used the date to combine creepy with festive, and built the event around a white elephant gift exchange that will create unforgettable moments.
Outdoor Christmas event ideas
Just because the weather’s getting colder doesn’t mean your event has to be indoors. There’s something magical about winter that only an outdoor festival can showcase.
Here are some of our favorite outdoor Christmas event ideas to inspire you:
8. Christmas scavenger hunt
If you’ve got access to a big or unique outdoor event space, a scavenger hunt is an incredible way to show that space off.
You could collaborate with local vendors by plotting a hunt around community retailers to get participants out and about and boost footfall for local businesses.
A scavenger hunt is also perfect if your Christmas festival involves families with children. After all, kids usually enjoy moving and it helps keep them engaged.
You could even set up your scavenger hunt route as a Christmas lights tour to wow guests with show-stopping seasonal decor. That’s what NYC Social Group did for their last Holiday Lights, Sights & Scavenger Hunt — with historical facts and a huge after-party to boot.
9. Holiday trail of lights
Speaking of Christmas decor, why not let Christmas lights take center stage at your festival?
Event planning for this can be simple — your decorations double as your entertainment. A trail of lights is an amazing way to showcase local outdoor spaces. Just remember to include catering stations or hot drink tables to keep your guests warm on the trail.
Need inspiration? Take a look at Old West Christmas Light Fest and their 2024 event.
This annual event transforms an entire ranch into a festival of lights full of holiday cheer — with everything from Christmas trees and light installations to food trucks, a maze, and cooking decorating.
10. Winter wonderland walk
Looking for an outdoor Christmas event idea that will introduce locals to the beautiful nature on their doorstep? Build your Christmas festival around a winter wonderland walk.
When it comes to planning, you’ll enjoy the advantage of minimal decor—nature handles that beautifully! However, you’ll want to include catering options like food trucks and possibly local guides who know the area well.
That’s what FreeWalkers.org has planned for their upcoming Philly Christmas Walk. They’re plotting out an immersive walking tour spanning 10 miles to include outdoor beauty spots, Christmas markets, food spots, and everything in between.
7 Christmas activities to boost your event
Christmas festivals are a chance to enjoy the holiday season. Consider your venue, the space you have, and what attractions guests will enjoy.
Here are some Christmas activities and festival ideas for all ages:
11. Ice skating
Ice skating is practically synonymous with the holiday season, which is why it’s a great addition to any Christmas event.
You can either team up with an event space that already has a skating area or set up an outdoor ice skating rink with skate rentals available for your guests
Want to see a different take on festive skating? Take a look at United Skates of America’s Elf On the Shelf Skate Party.
Instead of your classic ice skating, they transform an indoor roller skating rink into a holiday party for all ages.
12. Meet Santa
A meet and greet with Santa Claus is pretty much a hole-in-one.
Design a photo booth backdrop for pictures with Santa, and offer an option to print photos or text digital copies to guests. You could even arrange ticketed story times so that Santa can read a Christmas story to kids and their families for a more intimate experience.
💡Pro tip: Use a ticketing platform like Eventbrite to set up timed entry to visit Santa. By creating and selling tickets, you can eradicate long lines and ensure the experience is as magical as possible for little ones.
Ready to start creating tickets for your event?
13. Gingerbread house contest
Gingerbread houses are another Christmas staple that you can port into your festival event.
Bring in a professional chef or some local bakers to run a gingerbread house workshop. This can include a demonstration followed by the chance to let guests decorate their own gingerbread house.
Or you can take it to the next level like Blind Tiger Guest House & Gathering Space.
They’re planning a Gingerbread House Decorating Contest with pre-baked house segments so that guests only have to worry about decorating — with the winner bagging a free stay at the venue’s boutique hotel.
14. Christmas decoration workshops
Host a workshop led by an expert to help guests craft homemade holiday decor.
You can focus your workshop on one type of craft like bunting and garlands, or you could set up multiple stations and have your guests move around to create several different decorations.
💡Pro tip: Make sure you’re setting up craft workshops people will love by asking them what they want to do! Use pre-event surveys to ask your ticket holders what types of skills they want to learn. You can then adapt your event accordingly to give the people exactly what they want.
15. Design a beautiful wreath
A big festive wreath is one of the all-time holiday classics — so why not add a wreath-making station to your Christmas event?
Recruit a local florist to teach guests how to design a Christmas wreath or centerpiece. Simply collect foliage and craft tables in your venue for guests to get stuck in at their leisure.
Want to see how the pros do it? Check out Rusted Rabbit’s Winter Succulent Holiday Wreath event.
Not only does their event enable guests to create a living work of art, but ticket holders get to enjoy discounted wine and amazing views to spend some quality time together.
16. Christmas card crafts
Holiday cards are a hallowed tradition for a lot of us. That’s why card making is a simple but enjoyable activity that’s sure to go down a treat.
Set up a Christmas card-making station stocked with paper, markers, scissors, glue, and other craft supplies. That’s all there is to it.
💡Pro tip: Christmas cards are a great idea for kids, but can also be a fun idea for adults-only holiday events. Make sure you adapt your supplies and techniques to your audience. For example, you might want to supply hot glue guns for adults to make more advanced cards — while kids get glue sticks instead.
17. Christmas photo booth
Everyone loves a good photo opportunity. Renting a photo booth is an easy way to get your guests involved and ignite a little festive spirit.
A photo booth adds to your event’s atmosphere and gives guests a simple (but memorable) souvenir from your Christmas event.
💡Pro tip: Make the most of your photo booth area by gathering loads of props before your festival. This will make your photo booth quirkier and more engaging for guests.
How to hold a Christmas market
Transform an indoor or outdoor space into a Christmas market with food, drinks, entertainment, and booths where vendors can sell goods.
This can be a one-day event or last for a week. Alternatively, open it every weekend in December leading up to Christmas. If you anticipate large crowds, a multi-day market is best to extend the event’s reach.
Where to hold your Christmas market
Finding the right location for your Christmas market depends on various factors, including how many people you expect to attend. Consider your typical weather during December to decide if an indoor or outdoor event is appropriate.
Here are some indoor and outdoor options for a Christmas market:
- A town hall: Community municipal buildings are usually conveniently located. Just make sure to check the capacity.
- A church: Some churches offer their gathering spaces for a reasonable price.
- A street party: Weather permitting, close off a street in the town center.
- A town square: Quaint town squares are charming options. Remember to research logistics such as lighting, security, and permits.
Food and beverages
Christmas food worldwide is about decadence. You’ll want to have a variety of food stalls to cater to different dietary considerations and preferences.
Line up vendors to sell traditional holiday fare for guests to enjoy onsite, as well as favorites to go — pies and cookies, anyone? Consider a theme like a German Christmas market, with beer and sausages.
Look to your community when reaching out to food vendors; they may already be familiar to attendees. Vendors will have the opportunity to introduce their food to hungry guests, and you’ll demonstrate your support of local businesses.
Shopping
Include shopping stalls for browsing gifts at your Christmas festival — combining a festive activity with productive holiday shopping is a win for guests.
Consider your audience when choosing the types of vendors.
A local vendors-only event creates a community-oriented experience. Or focus your festival on sustainable shopping practices. If you want to target a craftier crowd interested in artisanal goods, promote your Christmas market as a local crafts fair.
Entertainment for your Christmas festival
To create a genuine holiday ambiance, you need more than Christmas carols played through a speaker system. Reach out to local artists interested in playing some holiday favorites live.
Consider including local school music programs in the mix. Invite choirs, bands, and orchestras to perform Christmas classics for their families and neighbors.
Christmas event ideas in your community can include entertainment, such as:
- Local bands, high school orchestras, or choirs
- A nativity scene featuring actors and live animals
- Roving entertainers bringing festive cheer and Christmas spirit
- Carol singers showcasing holiday favorites
6 Tips for making your Christmas festival a success
A successful Christmas festival begins with smart planning. Keep these considerations in mind when developing your event.
18. Plan for the weather
Christmas markets are often in outdoor spaces, so prepare for different types of weather.
If your area is prone to snow, have a process for shoveling and keeping pathways safe for attendees. Establish your communication plan with vendors and attendees should you need to postpone or relocate your market.
If your outdoor Christmas fair is in a cold climate, you’ll want to keep your attendees and vendors warm. Rent heat lamps for outdoor seating areas where attendees might take a break or eat. Provide warm drinks like hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and coffee for purchase.
💡Pro tip: Make sure you select an event space that has structures for cover to protect vendors and guests in the event of bad weather. If you can’t find one, you can rent temporary cover that can be easily installed and removed.
19. Keep your attendees safe
Keep all local regulations and restrictions in mind when planning an event, like applicable mandates.
For example, if you’re hosting your Christmas festival in California, the California Assembly Bill No. 1775 states that vendor employees setting up events at a public venue must have completed the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health or OSHA’s 10-hour general entertainment safety training.
Be sure to have a process to check IDs if alcohol will be sold or served. Hand stamps or wristbands can help identify attendees over 21.
If winter weather is a concern, keep pathways dry and ice-free so no one slips as they browse the market.
When in doubt, research local laws to understand the health and safety requirements for hosting your community event.
20. Create standout marketing for your audience
During the winter holidays, you’ll be competing for attendees with other seasonal events, so create an event promotional plan that highlights what’s unique about your event.
Focus on popular vendors or artists who will be at your event. You can also offer discounts for early-bird ticket buyers. With Eventbrite’s discount tool, it’s easier than ever to offer discounts to capture attention and encourage more ticket purchases.
Even if your event is free, you need to grab your audience’s attention. Create a catchy hashtag and encourage attendees to post pictures on social media during the event. Remember to capture photos and videos you can use as collateral for next year’s event marketing.
Need a hand with your event promotion? Try Eventbrite’s marketing tools.
Eventbrite’s AI-powered content suggestions help you populate custom event pages in no time.
Meanwhile, its ad optimization tools help you target the right potential customers on social media — and integrations with platforms like TikTok and Facebook let you sell tickets directly through social media apps to sell out your event quicker.
21. Find the best partners and sponsors for your event
When seeking vendors, partners, and sponsors, think about your brand or organization’s values. If your event focuses on sustainability, for example, ensure your vendors are conscious of ethical and low-waste manufacturing processes.
Not sure where to begin when it comes to finding partners and sponsors?
Create a wish list of the organizations you’d love to work with. Then, narrow down your list to the organizations that appeal to your audience and align with your vision.
22. Give your Christmas fair a charitable component
Plan a Christmas market that lets you give back to the community. If attendees are paying for tickets, donate some of the proceeds to an organization whose mission connects with your brand. Discuss with your vendors and partners the possibility of making a charitable donation.
If you’re partnering with nonprofit organizations, offer a free booth or table at the Christmas market where they can distribute information about their mission and accept extra donations.
23. Create a sense of community around your festival
If you want your Christmas festival to live and breathe holiday spirit, it’s important that you build a community around your event.
One of the best ways to do this is to connect and engage with your vendor community in the run-up to your event. You can collaborate with vendors on marketing, or simply build a sense of comradery by getting to know them better.
That’s what In Todo co-founder Adele Tetangco did to help boost her team’s budding craft fair.
“For my career it’s always been about building community and working with artisans and emerging brands and retailers, so for me, this is an extension of that,” she says.
“A huge part of our success comes from the participation of our vendor community. There’s power in numbers, so with everyone promoting the event it makes our marketing initiatives even stronger.”
Ready to launch your Christmas festival idea?
When it comes to organizing a Christmas festival, you’ve got a world of options. That means you can make your holiday event just as unique as the community you’re building the festival for.
And if you need a hand in planning and promoting your Christmas festival, Eventbrite is here to help. You can post your event for free online and promote it in Eventbrite’s marketplace. Meanwhile, you can take advantage of our wide range of marketing tools to promote your festival online and make sure it’s a total success.
1. Tighe, D. (2024) Christmas spending in the U.S. 2000-2023, Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/246963/christmas-spending-in-the-us-during-november/ (Accessed: 10 September 2024).
