The holidays are full of amazing traditions – finding a tree, making grandma’s cookies, wearing an obnoxious sweater – but in Cincinnati those traditions also include many of our beloved arts and culture institutions.

If you’re family celebration isn’t complete without the Mighty Wurlitzer or The Nutcracker, check this list to see when you’re favorite things are happening this year.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
962 Mt Adams Circle
cincyplay.com

Through Dec. 29

Adapted and originally directed by Blake Robison

In Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy curmudgeon who finds his heart changing when three spirits and the ghost of a long-lost friend show him the errors of his ways. Across one fateful Christmas Eve night, Scrooge recalls the warmth and generosity of past loved ones, learns the value of kindness through Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family and glimpses a terrifying future should his heart remain the same.

Featuring a dazzling set created especially for the new theater that opened last year, with amazing costume and lighting designs, A Christmas Carol is magical holiday experience for the whole family.

Cincinnati Nights of Lights
Clermont County Fairgrounds
1000 Locust St., Owensville
queencitylightshow.com

Through Jan. 5

The region's beloved drive-thru holiday light show is bigger and better than ever this year. For its ninth season, the show moves to a new home at the Clermont County Fairgrounds.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
The Otto M. Budig Theater, 1195 Elm St.
cincyshakes.com/

William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Through Dec. 7

Shakespeare's delightful comedy of mistaken identities and romantic entanglements, is a family-friendly spectacle that promises laughter and joy for all. Set in the whimsical land of Illyria, the play follows the adventures of Viola, who, disguised as a man, finds herself at the heart of a hilarious series of misunderstandings and mishaps. With a colorful cast of characters, the play is a merry dance of romance, comedy, and playful deception perfect for audiences of all ages.

Every Christmas Story Ever Told
Dec. 13 – 29

CSC's holiday smash hit Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) by Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald, and John K. Alvarez returns for another season of holiday hilarity! What begins as another annual production of A Christmas Carol, soon devolves into a slightly irreverent (but undeniably adoring) look at all of your “Beloved Holiday Classics” including pop culture favorites like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Grinch, Rudolph, Charlie Brown and more! Add in topical references that always keep this annual tradition fresh and fun as we send up everything from Dickens to Dr. Seuss in an evening of high-octane jollity and frivolity.

Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Ave
www.cincymuseum.org/holiday-junction

Through Jan. 6, 2025

The Duke Energy Holiday Trains have been a Cincinnati holiday staple for decades, delighting generations since they first debuted downtown in 1946. Track-level views reveal intricate details of the display, where over 300 rail cars and 50 locomotives steam past anxious passengers waiting to board while cars sit with snow to their hubcaps and the perfect trees strapped to their roofs.

Holiday Junction features bursts of winter whimsy that greet you as soon as you enter the door. The Northern Lights display serves as the perfect backdrop for family photos as wispy green lights dance behind you and snow-rimmed trees surround you. The history of the Duke Energy Holiday Trains is also told through an interactive storybook filled with photos of the iconic trains over the decades.

PNC Festival of Lights
Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St.
cincinnatizoo.org/events/festival-of-lights

Through Jan. 5, 2025

The Cincinnati Zoo is shining bright for the 42nd annual PNC Festival of Lights! Come early to see more animals and stay for the lights!

In addition to admiring the beauty of 5 million LED lights, visitors can find the 5 Fiona fairies in Fairyland, take in a blacklight puppet show, marvel at the spectacular Wild Lights on Swan Lake, or snack at one of our seasonal concessions.

PNC Festival of Lights is included in Zoo admission. Visit the Zoo early and stay for the lights!

A few tips

To avoid crowds, visit on a weeknight.
PNC Festival of Lights is all about… the LIGHTS! The Zoo animals usually head indoors around 5 p.m. or sooner so make sure to come early and stay for the lights if you’re hoping to see animals!
Meet-A-Creature: meet ambassador animals at Manatee Springs, Discovery Forest, and Club House
Buildings open during PNC Festival of Lights: Reptile House, Gorilla World*, Night Hunters, Dragons, World of the Insect, Manatee Springs, Jungle Trails West, Discovery Forest
Goat contact yard closes at 6:30pm but goats may be viewable

Pyramid Hill Lights
1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton
www.pyramidhill.org/

Through Jan, 5, 2025

Pyramid Hill ‘s annual light show combines art and nature along a route illuminated by more than one million lights, with installations by local artists. Bring the whole family along for a drive through our magical holiday experience.

Each year, Pyramid Hill works with local artists to bring fresh installations to the light show! Works have included fiber art, woodworking, sculpture, and light projections throughout the years.

The Pyramid Hill Lights is an entirely drive-through holiday experience, which means that everyone in your family (including your fur-family) can come along! We are continuously striving to make our Park more accessible, and hosting a drive-through holiday experience means that everyone can enjoy the show from the comfort of their own car.

Taft Museum of Art
316 Pike St.
taftmuseum.org

Explore all the Taft has this season and enjoy delightful teas, unique holiday displays, and more.

Holiday Traditions Old & New
Through Jan. 5, 2025, Collection Galleries

Do you often find yourself taking a break in the afternoon, perhaps for a cup of tea? Museum founders Charles and Anna Taft hosted an afternoon tea reception annually on New Year’s Day. According to a local newspaper, they provided their guests with “hot temptations” and “a delicious brew of eggnog.” Taking inspiration from these historical gatherings, we have adorned the museum’s dining room with a few must-haves for such an occasion, including gleaming tea and coffee services and a variety of dishes waiting to be filled with sweet treats.

Festive Transformations
Through Jan. 6, 2025 ,Taft Historic House

To celebrate the holidays this year, the Taft Museum of Art has partnered with Indigo Hippo, a Creative Reuse Center located in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Defining themselves as “a thrift store for art supplies,” the organization strives to bolster environmental sustainability, arts accessibility, and community engagement, all core values of the Taft as well. In keeping with this mission, Indigo Hippo chose to decorate this holiday tree by upcycling outdated Taft Museum of Art booklets, creating over two hundred ornaments. Indigo Hippo Executive Director Emily Dake says: “This project was a beautiful manifestation of Indigo Hippo’s mission to give materials a second life, and even more special that these publications by the Taft Museum of Art get to live on in the space the images feature.”

Join representatives from Indigo Hippo for an ornament-making workshop at the Taft on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. These special days offer music, art-making, and gallery engagements throughout the day to inspire young creators.

The Taft’s celebration also includes Holiday Family Fundays, on Sundays from, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Dec. 1 – German Christmas
Dec. 8 – Festive Folk
Dec. 15 – Hanukkah

Let It Glow!
Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive
www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org

Nov. 26, 2024 to Jan. 5, 2025, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

The museum’s courtyard has been transformed into an outdoor, immersive, light-filled winter wonderland! This new installation is a new holiday event featuring several attractions surrounding the main feature—a 30-foot interactive snow globe located in the museum’s Alice Bimel Courtyard. Visitors may enter the globe and experience themes of light. Other art-filled attractions include: infinity mirror, fractal walk, baubles & bubbles, and more!

Get your camera ready, because photo- and video-worthy moments can be discovered around every corner!The Terrace Café will sell an assortment of holiday goodies. Registration is not required. Free for members. $15 general public; $11 seniors, college students and children 6–17 years. Save $2 when buying tickets online.

Scuba Santa’s Water Wonderland
Newport Aquarium
1 Levee Way, Newport
www.newportaquarium.com

Nov. 29 – Dec. 24

t’s a Water Wonderland full of playful penguins, colorful holiday lights and a flurry of magical bubbles! See Scuba Santa swim underwater with a tank full of sharks – including the NEW Zebra Sharks and Shan the NEW Shark Ray! Through some holiday magic, you can even tell him what you want for Christmas. Meet cheerful elves straight from the North Pole and join in the fun as Scuba Santa fills the Theater with bubbles. His magical bubbles will float and fall all around you and every time a bubble pops, a wish will come true for someone throughout the world.

Alice in Wonderland
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
1127 Vine Street
ensemblecincinnati.org

Nov. 30 – Dec. 30

Based on the beloved, imaginative tale by Lewis Carroll, this modern retelling is the toe-tapping story of a lost girl, a cool cat, a wild hare, and the original “dancing queen.” When ever-curious Alice falls from her own world into another, she must find her way home with the help of some whimsical and wonderful characters. Featuring an updated score and exuberant new costumes, this beloved musical will delight audiences of all ages this holiday season. book by Joseph McDonough | music & lyrics by David Kisor

Relaxed Performance
Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m.

Relaxed performances create a comfortable arts experience for any audience member who may benefit from a more relaxed attitude surrounding theatre “rules.” Enjoy a welcoming, judgment-free environment with modifications including lower sound levels, relaxed attitude towards noise and movement from the audience, and more! Learn more and get your tickets to our relaxed performances

Show Up! Young Professionals Event
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m.

Join other Young Professionals (at a special YP price) for the performance then mingle and discuss the show over bites and a free drink at ETC’s bar!

American Sign Language
ASL-Interpreted Performance
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m/

Interpreters perform a translation of the play into ASL alongside the performance in a position with great sightlines to see both the action of the play and the interpreters.

Audio Described Performance
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m.

Patrons can use a headset for one ear to hear descriptions of key visual elements inserted into natural pauses in the show, allowing patrons to still hear dialogue, sound effects, and music.

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
www.cincinnatisymphony.org/pops

JMR and the Cincinnati Pops bring bring the joy, fun and vibrant energy you've come to know and love adding to the magic of the season with their beloved Holiday Pops program.

Home Alone
Nov. 30 and Dec. 1
Hilarious and heartwarming, Home Alone is holiday fun for the whole family! This Thanksgiving weekend, experience holiday hijinks and mayhem with Kevin, Harry and Marv as John Williams’ charming score is performed live by your Cincinnati Pops with the film projected on a giant screen in stunning high definition above the stage.

Holiday Pops
Dec 13–15
There’s nothing quite as magical as the memories made during the holiday season and, thanks to you, Holiday Pops has allowed us to share and create those memories year after year. With sold-out performances in a decked-out Music Hall, we invite you to join us again this year as Broadway star Norm Lewis joins JMR and the Pops with choruses, vocalists and dancers from around the city bringing festive favorites and holiday classics to life!

Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.
friendsofmusichall.org/events/happy-holidays-with-the-mighty-wurlitzer-2024

This holiday season, join in the celebration with the Friends of Music Hall and their annual Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer concert in Music Hall’s beautiful and historic Ballroom. Fan-favorite Mark Herman returns at the keyboard of the Mighty Wurlitzer.

Singer/actress Michele Ragusa returns as the special guest artist for this concert. In her 2019 Happy Holidays appearance, her rendition of "Santa Baby" brought smiles and laughter to everyone - and even made Santa blush!

Friends of Music Hall welcomes the award-winning Q-KIDZ Dance Team to the program to share their passion for dance with the Wurlitzer Holiday audience. The entire family will enjoy the concert, featuring favorite old and new holiday melodies, and, of course, the Wurlitzer's jingling bells.

Santa Claus: The Musical
The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati
Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifh St.
thechildrenstheatre.com/shows/santa-claus-the-musical

Dec. 7–15

It’s Christmas Eve! After 1,000 years of faithful service, Santa and Mrs. Claus announce their decision to hang up the big red suit and train a replacement. Enter Nick: a website designer and single dad to tech-savvy daughter, Bee. With pressures mounting–and a jealous, naughty elf thwarting their every move–will everyone in Santa’s Workshop come together in time for Nick to take the reins?

Jingle jam-packed with a sleigh full of fun, energetic, and original holiday music, Santa Claus: The Musical‘s heartwarming story and score put joyful audiences in the spirit of the season. Featuring Local 12’s Bob Herzog!

David Choate’s Hot Chocolate
Revolution Dance Theatre
Jarson-Kaplan Theater, Aronoff Center
750 Walnut St.
www.cincinnatiarts.org/events/detail/david-choates-hot-chocolate

Dec 13 –15

Experience the joy of the season with David Choate's Hot Chocolate. Returning for its fourth year, this year's performances include several surprises you're sure to love, while still providing the same great storytelling and wonder you expect. Do yourself a favor and see why this show has quickly become one of Cincinnati's most cherished holiday traditions.

The Nutcracker
Cincinnati Ballet
Music Hall, 1241 Elm St.
cballet.org

Dec. 19–29

This season, Cincinnati Ballet celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Nutcracker in Cincinnati. The Company first performed the holiday classic in 1973. New this season are additional performances after Christmas.

When a curious young girl named Clara receives a magical Nutcracker for Christmas, her dreams come to life. Joined by her Nutcracker Prince, Clara meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and a cast of colorful characters. With Tchaikovsky’s beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Merry and Bright

Ray of Sunshine

A Flavorful Mix