Tulsa's biggest holiday events, light displays and parades
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays around Tulsa, as the city prepares to celebrate what the song calls “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Whether you’re the sort who enjoys taking in a spectacular light display, or likes to watch a parade passing by, or are looking to find some unique gifts, or just want to be part of a community’s celebration, there are holiday events to appeal to all interests and ages.
Nov. 29-Dec. 28: Philbrook Festival

Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road
Celebrate the holiday season at Philbrook as the museum comes alive with festive holiday music, décor and thousands of lights reflecting the spirit of the season, including three new synchronized light shows. Visitors enjoy self-guided group activities in the museum and gardens, a Lego Village, make-and-take activities, live music, a cash bar featuring hot cocoa and food items, Santa Claus in residence in the museum’s log cabin and Philbrook lit for the holiday season — creating the perfect photo backdrop for all. Tickets are $15, and capacity is limited.
Nov. 28-Dec. 31: Castle Christmas

The Castle of Muskogee, 3400 W. Fern Mountain Road, Muskogee
Experience one of the world’s largest collections of holiday inflatables and Christmas lights during Castle Christmas at the Castle of Muskogee. Bring the whole family and hop on an old-fashioned, tractor-drawn hayride or snuggle with someone special on a horse-drawn carriage ride throughout the Christmas village. Make your own ornaments at Santa’s Village or purchase unique gifts at the market.
Courtesy/Castle of Muskogee
Now through Dec. 24: Santa Photo Experience

Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial Drive
Woodland Hills Mall gets into the holiday spirit early, with daily visits with Santa Claus, who will pose for photographs with all and sundry. To ensure one’s place in line, times for photos may be reserved at the website santafastpass.com. In addition, the mall will be hosting a number of other holiday events, including performances of holiday music by local school bands and choirs, the Elf Academy, the Salvation Army Angel Tree and a special Pets Photo Night on Dec. 1.
Tulsa World file
Dec. 18- Jan. 1: Gathering Place Winter Wonderland

Gathering Place, 2650 S. John Williams Way
Gathering Place will once again transform into a Winter Wonderland, spreading holiday cheer with special performances and carolers, festive food, holiday drinks, a train for kids and, of course, thousands of twinkling lights turning the five-acre Adventure Playground into a festive holiday village. The light come on Dec. 4, but special programming occurs Dec. 18-Jan. 1. Check back for details.
Nov. 23-Jan. 5: Arvest Winterfest

200 S. Denver Ave.
Downtown Tulsa is transformed into a festive wonderland during Winterfest, now in its 12th year and recently named by People magazine as the state’s top holiday destination. Enjoy skating over a 9,000-square-foot outdoor ice rink — larger than the famous one in New York City’s Rockefeller Center — admire what is billed as the state’s tallest Christmas tree adorned with about 150,000 lights, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, listen to live entertainment or take the Winterfest Express train that will be chugging around the festival site on Saturdays.
It all begins Saturday, Nov. 23, with the Share the Light opening ceremony presented by PSO. Local performers, a fireworks display from Imperial Fireworks and the official lighting of the Winterfest tree will help ring in the holiday season. Admission is free. Skate rental is $12.
Nov. 29-Jan. 5: Garden of Lights

Tulsa Botanic Garden, 3900 Tulsa Botanic Drive
The Tulsa Botanic Garden is illuminated for the holidays. Visitors can make s’mores over fire pits, enjoy holiday music and take in such new sites as the “Frost Bison,” one-of-a-kind “lightscapes” and custom-created Art Deco-styled lanterns. Other events include visits from St. Nick, rides aboard Holiday Express Train and a special model train display by the Tulsa Garden Railroad Club. Tickets are $15 for ages 13 and up; $5 for 3-12.
Nov. 29-Dec. 22: Wonderland of Lights

Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville
More than 750,000 lights covering the building and grounds of the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve will transform the place into a Wonderland of Lights. Activities include wagon rides, live entertainment, visits with Santa Claus, hot cider, hot chocolate and cookies for sale in the lodge. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the Holiday Horseman, covered in lights, riding across the grounds. Admission to Wonderland of Lights is $6 for adults and $1 for children 11 and under.
Dec. 2: West Bend Winterland

Claremore Expo Center, 400 Veterans Parkway, Claremore
The third annual West Bend Winterland in Claremore will be highlighted by the lighting of the 65-foot Norway Spruce tree set up outside the Claremore Expo Center. The evening will include holiday music, free hot cocoa and popcorn and the chance to skate on a special synthetic skating rink. Additional days for skating will be offered through December; check the website for dates and times.
Nov. 23: Jenks Kiwanis Christmas Parade

Main Street, Jenks
Floats, classic cars, groups, saddle clubs and more will take part in this annual parade down Jenks’ Main Street.
Dec. 7: Broken Arrow Civitan Christmas Parade

Main Street, Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow’s picturesque Rose District will be the site for this annual holiday event. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entrants in selected categories.
Dec. 7: Carols & Crumpets

Tulsa Garden Center, 2435 S. Peoria Ave.
Carols & Crumpets is the yearly arts and crafts show put on by the Tulsa Herb Society, offering all sorts of gift items for the home and the individual. Take a break from shopping to enjoy lunch at the Snowflake Cafe in the Garden Center’s Ballroom.
IAN MAULE/Tulsa World
Dec. 6-8: Chriskindlemarkt

German-American Society of Tulsa, 2301 E. 15th St.
The German-American Society of Tulsa brings a taste of Germany to Tulsa for the holidays, with authentic food and glühwein (mulled wine), unique gifts, children’s activities, live entertainment and more. Admission and parking are free.
Dec. 13: Bixby Christmas Parade

Downtown Bixby
Celebrate Christmas with a full range of activities in downtown Bixby, from posing for photos with Santa at the Community Center, making crafts at the library, taking in the Festival of Trees at the Bixby Historical Society, then watching the annual Bixby Christmas parade.
Dec. 14 Tulsa Christmas Parade

Beginning at Sixth Street and Boston Avenue, Downtown Tulsa
Now in its 93rd year, the annual Tulsa Christmas Parade will have as its theme, “Rocking Around Tulsa Town.” The parade will trek around downtown Tulsa at 1 p.m. and finish at Sixth Street and Cheyenne Avenue. A block party will be 2-4 p.m. at H.A. Chapman Green Park, with live music, food trucks and activities for the kids. The parade is free to watch, although reserved bleacher seating is available at $26 per seat.
Dec. 22: Shalomfest Hanukkah Celebration

Temple Israel, 2004 E. 22nd Place
Temple Israel this year has expanded its ShalomFest, a program designed to share the Jewish culture and faith with others, into a series of events throughout the year. The ShalomFest Hanukkah Celebration is open to all, and will include doughnuts and hot cocoa, songs and special treats for youngsters, and the lighting of the first candle of Hanukkah as the temple’s rabbis share the miraculous story of Hanukkah.
Nov. 27-Jan. 1: Rhema Christmas Lights

Rhema Bible Church, 1025 W. Kenosha St., Broken Arrow
This holiday tradition has grown into one of the state’s most spectacular Christmas displays, with more than 2 million lights strung around the Rhema campus synchronized to Christmas music. Visitors to Rhema can drive through, walk around the park or view the displays from a horse-drawn carriage.
Nov. 28-Dec. 24: Lights On at Utica Square

Utica Square, 21st Street at Utica Avenue
Some 700,000 lights will start to glow Thanksgiving evening, as Utica Square shopping center hosts its 52nd annual “Lights On” event. Saxophonist Grady Nichols will perform holiday music, and a photo booth will let visitors snap some special family portraits. The Santa House in the center will also open during the Lights On event, so children can spend some quality time with the jolly old elf himself.
Nov. 29- Dec. 6: Holiday Market at Guthrie Green

Guthrie Green, 101 E. Reconciliation Way (formerly M.B. Brady St.)
Holiday festivities at Guthrie Green will begin with the traditional Glow on the Green, as all the decorated trees and structures in the park are illuminated for the first time in the season. Subsequent events will include an interfaith celebration, opportunities to donate to charities, a special live reading of “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a showing of the classic film “A Christmas Story” and performances by the School of Rock. Each night will feature family oriented activities and multiple vendors selling all sorts of goods and goodies.
Nov. 27-Dec. 25: Downtown Wagoner Christmas Light Show

Main Street in downtown Wagoner
The city of Wagoner will be celebrating the holiday season in a variety of ways, including a series of concerts, a holiday market, and a dance, as well as bedecking its streets with holiday lights. This year, the city will have a special light show, created by local high school theater arts students, that will be programmed to holiday music.
Nov. 30-Dec. 8: Cascia Hall Christmas Walk Home Tour

For the past 36 years, Cascia Hall Preparatory School has helped Tulsans get into the holiday spirit by giving them a glimpse into how some mid-town families deck their respective halls with its annual Christmas Walk Home Tour.
This year, Cascia Hall is expanding its public holiday festivities by hosting its first Christmas Tree lot, which will have more than 200 Fraser Fir trees for sale. During the lot’s operating hours, the school will also host a “Santa’s Village,” sponsored by The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis, that will include family-friendly activities.
”A lot of our families used to get their trees at the Christmas tree lot that used to be at 41st and Harvard,” said Sandy Willman, Cascia Hall director of school advancement. “We’d also heard about a school in Oklahoma City that started its own tree lot, as a way of making money for the school, and we thought we’d try it.”
The Christmas Tree lot will be located on the Cascia Hall campus, 2520 S. Yorktown Ave., and will be open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1 and Dec. 7-8, and 4-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6.
The Dec. 6 date will also feature a chili cook-off, sponsored by TulsaConnect. Visitors can sample and vote on their favorite chili entries, while enjoying the live music provided by the Gemstar Caribbean Steel Band. To enter a chili cook-off team: casciahall.com/walk.
The Annual Home Tour and Boutique, sponsored by Jim Norton Chevrolet and Jim Norton Toyota, will be held 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.
Four specially decorated homes will be featured on this year’s walk. They are:
• 1336 E. 26th Place – Decorations by The French Bouquet/Anne-Marie Foy
• 2703 S. Yorktown Ave. – Decorations by Candace Hull
• 2913 S. Quaker Ave. – Decorations by Jennifer Strickler Design
• 1519 E 26th Place – Decorations by Sherri Duvall, Duvall Atelier
Tickets for the home tour are $20 and are available at casciahall.com/walk, or at the school. Tickets will also be sold the day of the event at the Cascia Hall PAC or at each of the participating homes. Transportation will be provided between homes. More than 50 vendors will be offering unique gifts, clothing, jewelry, food, and décor items in the Holiday Boutique, held in the Cascia Hall PAC during the Christmas Walk hours. Admission to the boutique is free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Entertainment will be provided by Cascia Hall students.
Vast.bank is the Presenting Sponsor for Cascia Hall’s 37th Annual Cascia Christmas Walk.