Looking for fun, family-friendly activities to do this holiday season in Oklahoma? If so, you’re in luck as there are a ton of traditions that started right here in the state and plenty of events that are right in our backyard.
Below we’ve detailed several of the best-known activities in Oklahoma in and around the holiday season. For additional information and for up-to-date visitation hours on events, please check with the organization directly.
11 Holiday Traditions & Events That are Totally Oklahoma!
Here’s our list. If you know of any traditions or activities that we left off that totally deserve to be included, reach out and let us know!
#1 Chickasha’s Festival of Light
For Chickasha’s Festival of Light, millions of lights, holiday festivities, and a 40-foot inflatable leg lamp inspired by “A Christmas Story,” are the highlights.
The Chickasha Festival of Light is a magical place where you can enjoy twinkling holiday lights without spending a dime to walk or drive through. It’s open for free from the Saturday before Thanksgiving all the way to New Year’s Eve, every evening. If you feel like giving, you can drop a donation in the boxes around the park. They’re even open on big holidays!
The festival has lots of fun things to do. Hop on the Santa Shuttle for just $2, but kids under three can ride for free. You can skate on the ice every day, with or without your own skates for $8 or $12. Enjoy rides on the Ferris wheel and carousel daily for $5, or take a cozy carriage ride for $10, free for the tiny tots. On certain days, you can even ride camels!
Want a photo with Santa? Get it on weekends starting November 25. And if you get hungry, check out the food trucks! Just remember to check online if the weather looks iffy. Dogs? Sure, bring them along if they’re nice and leashed. No need to reserve carriage rides; they’re quick and cash-only. Enjoy the lights!
Learn more: chickashafestivaloflight.org
#2 Sapulpa’s Route 66 Christmas Chute
The Sapulpa Route 66 Christmas Chute decorates Dewey Avenue with lit canopies, live entertainment, snowball battles, and gingerbread house creation.
The Route 66 Christmas Chute in Sapulpa is a cool new holiday spot that took two years to create. A bunch of local shop owners and city folks worked together to make a special Christmas walk right in downtown Sapulpa. Imagine strolling down historic Route 66 with 800 feet of twinkling canopies, all decked out with different Christmas themes. There’s something happening every weekend, like pop-up shops and tasty places to eat, making it a must-see for the holidays.
Now, about getting there, Dewey Avenue will be closed from October 28th to the end of the year for the Christmas Chute. They start building it on October 28th, and it opens on November 16th. Don’t worry about where to park your car; there are over 1,000 spots to choose from. Just remember, the sixty spots on Dewey Avenue won’t be available, but there’s still plenty of room on the side streets and lots, with handicap spots too.
The decorations aren’t staying up all year; they’ll take them down after New Year’s and save them for next time. And guess what? Last year, people and businesses donated money to make the Christmas Chute happen, no taxes needed. It was such a big hit that the city gave $250,000 to do it all again this year!
Learn more: route66christmaschute.com
#3 Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Celebration
As one of Oklahoma’s top Christmas celebrations, Guthrie’s Territorial Christmas Celebration recreates Oklahoma’s Victorian past with festive activities.
For over 35 years, Guthrie, Oklahoma, has been throwing some of the best old-timey Christmas celebrations around. They mix the charm of the old Territorial days with the fun of today, and it’s a blast!
Guthrie invites everyone to check out their Victorian Christmas Walks. You don’t have to dress up, but if you want to, it’s even more fun! You can put on a costume that looks like it’s from the 1800s, but it’s cool if you just want to throw on a vest or a long skirt to get into the spirit. Comfort’s key, so good shoes and layers you can take off are smart moves.
If you’re looking to really look the part without spending a lot, you can find costumes in places like Victorian Choice or even on Amazon and eBay. They’re adding a new twist this year too—steampunk outfits! That means you can mix in some funky, futuristic stuff with the Victorian look.
The important thing is to keep it family-friendly, so nothing too wild or revealing. If you’re looking for ideas or want to learn more about the styles, there’s plenty of info out there on Victorian and pioneer fashion, and now steampunk too.
So, whether you dress up or not, come on down to historic downtown Guthrie on December 2nd and 9th to join the fun!
Learn more: guthriesterritorialchristmas.com
#4 Bricktown Water Taxi Rides
Downtown in December in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown section offers free water taxi trips to view holiday lights and decorations.
Since it opened back in 1999, the Bricktown Water Taxi has been a big hit in Downtown Oklahoma City, becoming a favorite for both visitors and locals. By 2007, over a million people had hopped on for a ride, and in 2009, they celebrated 10 years of cruising. It’s a fun way to see the sights and sounds of Bricktown from the water.
If you want to ride, you can grab your tickets at their booth on Mickey Mantle Drive or buy them online. They run mostly in good weather, and while summer sees them open every day, the schedule can change with the seasons. It’s best to book in advance, especially for groups over 20.
The boat ride lasts about 40-45 minutes, with tours leaving every 15-20 minutes in summer. The ticket booth and main dock are easy to find in the Bricktown entertainment district. Prices change depending on your age, and they offer group discounts.
You can pay with cash or card, and if you need to cancel, just do it 24 hours before your ride. If bad weather cancels your trip, they’ll let you know. Parking’s easy to find in Bricktown, but they don’t have their own lot. They offer special rates for groups and private charters, and they even have dinner cruises you can book. They’re open on most holidays, welcome all ages, and give discounts to active-duty military.
Learn more: bricktownwatertaxi.com
#5 Tulsa Winterfest
Tulsa Winterfest provides a beloved ice skating experience that becomes a highlight attraction during the holiday season.
It’s that time of year again when Tulsa transforms into a winter wonderland for the 16th Annual Arvest Winterfest! This year’s festivities start on November 24 and run all the way through January 2. It’s a big deal—back in 2008, 35,000 people came, and now it attracts over 150,000 visitors!
For 40 days, you can skate outside the BOK Center under the twinkling holiday lights. There’s a bunch of cool stuff to do every week:
On Fridays, from 4 to 7 PM, there’s free music right outside the BOK Center. Local kids from churches, schools, and other groups will be showing off their singing talents.
Saturdays are super fun with the Winterfest Express Train. It’s like it’s straight from the North Pole, and everyone can ride for free from noon to 3 PM.
Sundays are special too, because Santa’s coming to town! Thanks to Cox Communications, you can snap a free photo with Santa every Sunday until Christmas from 3 to 5 PM.
And there are discounts! Bring a can of food on Mondays for cheaper skating, or donate a cozy item like a coat or scarf on Wednesdays for a discount, all for good causes.
Wondering about parking? The BOK Center doesn’t own any parking lots, but there are over 9,000 spots within a short walk, and street parking is free after 5 PM. As for skate sizes, they’ve got toddler size 8 up to adult size 15, but it’s first come, first serve. And if you’re a bit shaky on the ice, grab one of the six free skating guides to help you glide.
Learn more: tulsawinterfest.com
#6 Rhema Christmas Lights
The Rhema Bible Church in Broken Arrow creates a magical holiday season with its dazzling light display.
The Rhema Christmas Lights Extravaganza is a bright tradition that started in 1982 with around 60,000 lights. Now, after more than 40 years, the 110-acre campus is sparkling with millions of LED lights! Starting on November 22 at 6 p.m., the lights turn on and keep shining every night until January 1, from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m., no matter the weather. This glowing display brings in nearly half a million people each year and it’s totally free to visit.
They’ve got a nativity scene with 50 figures, a gingerbread family scene, and even a musical light show with trees and dancing snowflakes. The Rhema Park bridge, all lit up, is something you’ve got to see. You can take a horse-drawn carriage ride or grab some treats at the concessions.
The lights are all about bringing joy and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. You can drive through, walk, or ride around to see everything. They’re located in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. There’s no entry fee, but they’re happy to accept donations. Pets need to stay home, but the lights will always be on for you to enjoy, come rain or shine.
Learn more: rhemalights.org
#7 Yukon’s Christmas in the Park
Yukon’s Christmas in the Park offers visitors an enchanting evening drive through a landscape of holiday-themes lights and displays.
Yukon’s opens to the public on the Saturday right before Thanksgiving and visitors can enjoy the light show between 6:00 and 11:00 PM each night.
The journey begins at Yukon City Park and meanders its way down towards Chisholm Trail Park. Along the route, visitors see an estimated five million lights!
Visitors are encouraged to take lots of photos. Folks are also welcome to park and walk the route, making photo ops with displays all that much more fun.
Don’t forget to ask about the Santa Express Train, where kids and adults alike are invited to enjoy a unique light and photo opportunity tour with custom-made cutouts.
Learn more: yukonchristmas.com
#8 North Pole City
North Pole City is Oklahoma’s funnest and largest Christmas-themed store.
You can visit North Pole City beginning in late September and find all of your Christmas decoration needs housed under one roof.
The venue is located in OKC and in addition to having an amazing array of holiday decorations on hand, you’ll find the location adorned with Christmas lights and decor.
You’ll find holiday ornaments that no other store in Oklahoma carries and the kids love going on miniature train rides; where they can get their pictures taken with Santa Clause!
North Pole City truly offers a magical holiday shopping experience. If you’ve never been, you may owe it to yourself to check it out this year!
Learn more: northpolecity.com
#9 Automobile Alley Lights
Oklahoma City’s Automobile Alley provides enchanting Christmas lights and decorations for visitors to enjoy.
This annual event is located on Broadway from December 2 through 9 from 3:00 to 7:00 every Saturday evening.
If you go, you’ll find a festive collection of holiday lighting, numerous window displays, and special promotions offered by local businesses.
There’s entertainment too! Visitors get to enjoy live music, balloon art, live performances, and much more. Such as a variety of food offerings from street vendors and local restaurants.
Don’t forget to get a picture taken with Santa, who you’ll find in the Oklahoma City Community Foundation parking lot. Don’t forget to bring your phone or camera to take plenty of photos with.
Learn more: downtownindecember.com
#10 The Nutcracker Ballet
The Tulsa Ballet’s performance of “The Nutcracker” is a cherished holiday tradition in Oklahoma.
Swing by the Civic Center Music Hall from December 10th to 18th for a holiday classic that sparkles with new excitement: Oklahoma City Ballet’s The Nutcracker!
This year, it’s not just the same old dance—new choreography by Ryan Jolicoeur-Nye will bring a fresh twist to the stage.
The music you love, by Tchaikovsky, will fill the air and bring back all those cozy holiday feels.
Plus, the stage will be extra special with young dancers from the OKC Ballet School and live tunes from Canterbury Voices and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
Don’t wait—tickets are already selling and they’re going fast!
Learn more: okcciviccenter.com
#11 Holiday Pop-Up Shops
The Holiday Pop-Up Shops near Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens offer over 40 unique boutiques for Christmas shopping.
Get ready for the Holiday Pop-Ups, coming back to town from November 24th to December 17th! Every weekend, Friday through Sunday, you’ve got the chance to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones while helping out local shops.
It’s not just about shopping—it’s about creating fun memories with your family and friends. So, mark your calendars and make it a plan to join in the festive fun and support small businesses this holiday season!
There are plenty of one-off opportunities, so be sure to plan your visit early into the holiday season.
Learn more: okcpopups.com
