December has arrived with a sleighful of holiday activities, from bar crawls to model trains

• By Kyra Howard, TheStatehouseFile.com
• Dec 4, 2023

Jingle Rails at the Eiteljorg Museum takes visitors through a miniature world of local landmarks and holiday scenes.

Photo provided by the Eiteljorg Museum and Zach Dobson Photography.

Looking for reasons to venture out in the cold, icky weather?

The classic holiday celebrations around Indy have begun—Newfields Winterlights, Christmas at the Zoo—and they all promise to get both adults and kids into the holiday spirit. The Circle of Lights was lit the day after Thanksgiving, which means Indy is officially in winter-wonderland mode.

Here are just a few of the events in and around Indianapolis happening this holiday season:

For those who want to avoid the cold, there are many indoor events. Punch Bowl Social downtown will host an ugly sweaty party on Dec. 6 with holiday-themed cocktails and classic holiday movies. Admission is free.

A family-friendly indoor option is Jingle Rails at the Eiteljorg Museum. Model trains travel through landscapes “crafted out of natural materials and decorated with holiday trimmings and lighting. Jingle Rails features miniature versions of local treasures of Downtown Indianapolis along with legendary sites through out the American West,” according to the Eiteljorg’s website.

Another family event is the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. It is a German-inspired winter wonderland experience with markets for shopping, live entertainment, ice skating and character meet-and-greets. With so much to do, this could be an all-day adventure or even be split into multiple visits.

Carmel Christkindlmarkt brings the old European holiday tradition to Central Indiana, with ice skating, hot drinks and artisanal goods for sale.

Sullivan Hardware & Garden hosts a train ride experience at its Keystone location. The train passes talking bears, reindeers and elves on the way to the North Pole. The North Pole has entertainment for both kids and adults, including a beer and wine flight and North Pole Comedy Club show.

On Dec. 3, Broad Ripple will kick off the season with Broad Ripple Lights Up presented by DAVID Electric. It will feature a wonderland village, twilight parade and tree lighting.

Broad Ripple also has a 12 Bars of Christmas bar crawl on Dec. 9. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite holiday sweaters and costumes. A Santa stadium cup is included with ticket purchase.

Johnson County has added a new experience to its list of holiday activities—an outdoor ice rink.

Youngs Creek Park has a temporary ice rink until Dec. 9. It costs $5 per hour per skater. Skates are provided.

Other events in Johnson County include the Franklin College Holiday Choral Concert Dec. 1 and 2, Santa at Greenwood Park Mall daily until Dec. 24, and the Franklin Holiday Lighting and Winter Market. A full list of events in Johnson County with details can be found on its site.

Finally, for families on the hunt for Santa, here is a list of places his sleigh stops in Indy.

FOOTNOTE: Kyra Howard is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.