December Events in Western Michigan 2018

Submitted by: Mia Mahaney of West Michigan Consulting Services

Grand Haven, MI

Christmas Arts and Crafts Show

Friday, December 7 & Saturday December 8

10am – 5pm

$1 donation at the door, fresh greens and food for purchase too!

Come shopping for the holidays at the annual Christmas Arts and Craft Show

Happy Elves Craft Show

Saturday, December 8

9am – 3pm

Holiday Craft Show featuring 125+ crafters, artisans and direct sales vendors

Free Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides

Saturday, December 15th

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Pre-registration available for the first 20 time-slots. Walk-ups will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. 4 adults (13 yrs & older) & 2 children per carriage. Each carriage will be filled to allow maximum capacity.

Join us Saturday, Dec 15th for FREE horse-drawn carriage rides around Central Park. Bring friends & family for a charming night in picturesque Grand Haven…you won’t want to miss it! Spots may be reserved beginning at 6pm, so come early and sip a warm beverage while you wait!

Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids Art Museum Free Admission

Tuesdays (10am – 5pm)

Thursday (5pm – 9pm)

Current Collections:

– Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present (Oct 27 – Jan 13)

– Michigan Artist Series, Dylan A. T. Miner: Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives (Oct 27 – March 3)

– The Permanent Collection

Rooftop Reindeer at Meijer Gardens

Saturday, December 8, 15, 22

1pm – 4pm

Admission ticket (or membership) required

Reindeer will be on-hand the entrance to the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. Guests can visit the reindeer, get an up-close look and maybe even pet them.

Ready for Reindeer

December 10th

4pm – 5pm

Traveling all the way from the North Pole (via Rooftop Landing Reindeer Farms), live reindeer will be visiting the library. Dress warmly and don’t forget the camera!

Visits with Santa at Downtown Market

December 14, 15, 16

Friday: 12pm – 4pm

Saturday & Sunday: 12pm – 5pm

Free event.

Stop by the Downtown Market to visit the big guy himself! Bring your wish list to ensure you land on his ‘nice’ list this year.

-Bring your own camera or camera phone

-Each child who visits Santa will receive a candy cane treat

-Santa takes occasional breaks to feed his reindeer!

Cookies with Santa at GR Kroc Center

December 15th

2pm – 5pm

Free for Kroc Center members; $1/person for non-members (cash only). No registration required!

Stop by with your camera to snap a pic with Santa himself! We’ll also have a letter writing station, so you can be sure Santa gets your list before Christmas! Plus, everyone gets to enjoy some milk & cookies!

WinterWest 2018

Saturday, December 22

10am – 2pm

WinterWest is a winter fun, free event to encourage outdoor park engagement during the chilly winter months.

10:00am-10:45am – Registration Crazy Cardboard Sled Race

10:00am – 2:00pm – Kids Crafts & Activities

10:00am – 1:30pm – Snowman & Snow Fort Building Contest

10:00am – 2:00pm Snowshoeing

11:00am – Crazy Cardboard Sled Race Youth (Adult to immediately follow)

Holland, MI

Sinterklaas Eve Celebration

Friday, December 7

6pm – 9pm

The event is free to attend and participate in, with opportunities to purchase treats, warm beverages and holiday items at the Kerstmarkt.

Join us for an evening of Dutch holiday traditions as we celebrate Sinterklaas Eve.

6:00 pm – Dutch lantern making, crafts and storytelling at the Holland Area Arts Council. Dutch lanterns are available to the first 300 children beginning at 6:00 pm until supplies last.

7:00 pm – families head outside with their lanterns to join Sinterklaas on his white horse, leading the procession down 8th Street to the Kerstmarkt-Holland at the Holland Civic Center.

Activities at the Kerstmarkt include a special welkom, photo opportunities, holiday shopping, caroling, and trolley rides!

During the evening, find a Piet to pick up a candy cane, courtesy of the Holland Peanut Store.

A large portion of this event is outdoors, so please dress warm and bring your holiday cheer!

**Collecting bag lunch items for Kids’ Food Basket at the Holland Area Arts Council from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Please consider bringing a donation.

Holiday Craft Show

Saturday, December 8

9am – 3pm

100 vendors

$1 admission donated to Kids Food Basket

Photos with Santa at Holland Town Center

Saturday, December 8

11am – 1pm

Photos with Santa in Suite A040 (between Carters and EcoBuns Baby + Co.)!

Hot cocoa at Michigan Pantry!

Holiday Craft at Art as a Lifestyle for ages 7 and UP *while supplies last!

Holiday Ornament at EcoBuns Baby + Co. all ages *while supplies last!

All participants will receive a Santa’s Center punch card to complete for a chance to win a prize!

Homestead Holiday with Degraff Nature Center

Saturday, December 8

11am – 3pm

$0.50 per craft

No registration requiredThis popular “make it and take it” time is fun for everyone. Choose from an assortment of old-time pioneer-era holiday crafts. Visit the nature center’s log cabin for cookies and hot chocolate by a warm fireplace too.

Photo with Santa & North Pole Mailbox at Railhouse Grill

Wednesday, December 12th

6pm – 8pm

Join us at Rail House Grill for a FREE photo with Santa. The dining room will be decorated Polar Express themed for the entire month of December.

Make sure you drop off your letters to Santa in our magic mailbox starting December 1. All letters with an address written on them will get a response from Santa.

Hour of Code for Kids

Wednesday, December 12th

6:30pm – 7:30pm

Ages 8 – 11 years old
Registration required at herrickdl.org/events.

Join us to explore the basics of coding through code.org!

Holiday Craft Show

Saturday, December 15th

9am – 3pm

$1 admission donated to Kids Food Basket

Christmas Arts & Craft Show – 120+ vendors

Sneaky Elves Workshop with the Holland Area Arts Council

Friday, December 21 & Saturday, December 22

10am – 3pm

Ages 5-12

$15 per child – no pre-registration necessary

This open-house style even gives children the chance to participate in the gift giving! Parents can drop kids off and sneak away downtown while kids make and wrap gifts for their families. What they create is a secret… so no peeking!

Winter Scavenger Hunt with Degraff Nature Center

Saturday, December 29

10am – 5pm

$1 per person, no registration required

Stop by the front counter and pick up your scavenger hunt form and hit the trails, then claim a prize when you finish.

Walker, MI

Walker WinterFest

Thursday, December 6 from 5–7:30pm

Pictures with Santa

Hot Cocoa and Cookies

Live Reindeer

Holiday crafts with the Kent District Library – Walker Branch

Free ice skating and skate rental for the first 300 guests

Caricature drawings with Francesca Hillary

Live Music from KHHS Orchestra and Band

$2 Pizza Slices from Peppino’s

Walker/Standale Businesses Stocking Competition hosted by the Walker Youth Commission & more!

Tree lighting ceremony with words from Mayor Huizenga

Zeeland, MI

Feel the Zeel of Giving

Thursday, December 6 & Friday, December 7

5:30pm – 8pm

Photos with Santa & Trolley Rides are $2 each

Come join us in Downtown Zeeland for Feel the Zeel of Giving to meet Santa and his reindeer, take a trolley ride and shop! Event proceeds and a portion of downtown holiday shopping sales will benefit Mosaic.