The 2026 holiday tree lightings in Northwest Indiana run from Saturday, November 21, to Saturday, November 28. Munster lights its trees first. Crown Point, Schererville, and St. John all light up the Friday after Thanksgiving. Highland, Hobart, and Valparaiso go the next evening, each at about 5 p.m. For lights you can see all season, Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso has a free drive-through every night.
Looking at homes near a town square this winter? Call Sash at (219) 808-1520.
It’s a cold Wednesday night in Highland. A couple who closed on a brick ranch in October carries a ladder out of the garage.
He holds the ladder. She clips a string of white lights to the gutter, one hook at a time. Their first winter in the house, and they want it lit before Thanksgiving.
Then she comes down and asks the real question. Where do we go to see the big tree?
Here’s the list we’d give them, town by town, with the dates and times we checked this week.
Munster goes first: Saturday, November 21
The Town of Munster lists Light the Night on Saturday, November 21, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Rd.
The Choice Community Council of Munster hosts it with a grant from the Munster Civic Foundation. The town says it will include the lighting of the trees, visits with Santa, kids activities, and the second annual Tree Walk Decorating Contest.
It’s the one lighting that isn’t on Thanksgiving weekend. If you have family coming in for the holiday, this is the one you can do before they arrive.
The Friday after Thanksgiving: November 27
Three Lake County towns light up the same night. You can see one of them, maybe two if you leave early.
Crown Point
The City of Crown Point November calendar lists the Tank and Tree Lighting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The tank lighting is at Goldsborough and Main streets. The tree lighting is on the east side steps of the historic Lake County Courthouse.
The city’s ice rink at Bulldog Park, 183 S. West St., opens for the season that same day, from noon to 9 p.m. The city rink listing says all hours depend on the weather and can change. Skate in the afternoon, eat downtown, and walk over to the courthouse for the lights.
The next morning, Saturday, November 28, the city lists the Santa Parade from 10 to 11 a.m. at Pointe Plaza, 1900 N. Main St. Photos with Santa run that weekend from noon to 4 p.m. in the historic courthouse.
Schererville
This is a first. The Town of Schererville and Schererville Parks are starting a Tree Lighting Parade this year. It steps off at 6:30 p.m. and travels along Joliet Street to Schererville Town Hall, where the annual tree lighting takes place. The town’s parade page names both Homan Elementary and the Schererville Community Center as the starting spot, so check it before you head out.
Want to walk in it? The town says entries are free, and applications are due November 20.
St. John
St. John’s Christmas in the Park is in its 22nd year at Prairie West Park along 93rd Avenue. The Town of St. John says opening night is Friday, November 27, with the tree lighting at 7 p.m.
The Tree Walk is the part people come back for. The town has 100 trees, each about six feet tall with white lights. Local businesses, churches, schools, clubs, and families sponsor and decorate them. The trees stay up through January 1, 2027.
The St. John 2026 community calendar lists Santa again on December 5, 12, and 19.
2026 tree lighting calendar, Lake and Porter County
| Date | Town | Event | Time | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Munster | Light the Night | 6 to 8:30 p.m. | Munster Town Hall, 1005 Ridge Rd. |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Crown Point | Tank and Tree Lighting | 6 to 7:30 p.m. | Goldsborough and Main, then the old courthouse east steps |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | Schererville | Tree Lighting Parade | Parade 6:30 p.m. | Joliet Street to Town Hall |
| Fri., Nov. 27 | St. John | Christmas in the Park opening | Tree lighting 7 p.m. | Prairie West Park on 93rd Avenue |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Highland | Santa’s March and Tree Lighting | March 4:45 p.m., lighting 5 p.m. | 1st and Highway to Main Square Park |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Hobart | Christmas Tree Lighting | 5 p.m. | Check the city events page |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Valparaiso | Winter Fest and Tree Lighting | 5 to 7 p.m., free | Central Park Plaza |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Chesterton | Twilight Parade | 5:15 p.m. | Downtown Chesterton |
From the town, parks, and chamber pages listed under Sources. Checked November 4, 2026. Times can change with the weather.
Saturday, November 28: three lightings at 5 p.m.
Saturday is Small Business Saturday, and three towns light their trees at about the same hour. Pick one.
Highland
The Town of Highland November calendar puts the tree lighting on Saturday, November 28. Highland Parks says Santa’s March lines up at 4 p.m. and starts at 4:45 p.m., going from 1st and Highway to Main Square. The tree lighting and a meet and greet with Santa follow at 5 p.m., when Santa and a few helpers light Main Square Park.
That’s where our Highland couple ends up. It’s a short walk from their street, and they’d rather walk than fight for parking.
Hobart
The City of Hobart events list has the Christmas Tree Lighting on November 28 at 5 p.m. The same list has the Merry Mini Makers Market that day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The city page doesn’t give a location for either one, so check it closer to the date.
Valparaiso
Valparaiso Parks lists Winter Fest and Tree Lighting from 5 to 7 p.m. at Central Park Plaza downtown. It’s free. There’s music, free photos with Santa, the Good Neighbor Award, and the lighting of the big tree.
One tip from Valparaiso Parks: bring a receipt from a downtown restaurant and the ice rink gives you a discount on admission that night.
Chesterton
Chesterton’s big night is a parade. The Duneland Chamber says a holiday edition of the European Market opens at 8 a.m. The Twilight Parade steps off at 5:15 p.m., and Santa visits in the park right after.
Lights you can see any night
Missed the lighting? These run for weeks.
Porter County Parks runs Winter Lights at Sunset Hill Farm County Park, 775 Meridian Rd., Valparaiso. It’s free and open every night from the end of November into January 2027. The lights come on around 4:30 p.m. and stay on until about 10 p.m. Enter at the main park entrance, keep right, and follow the paved loop past the sponsor trees.
Winter WonderLights is a paid drive-through at 7595 E. Lincoln Hwy. in Merrillville, on U.S. 30 about four miles east of Interstate 65. It’s open on select nights and opens at 5:30 p.m. Tickets start at $31.95 per vehicle online, and you stay in your car the whole way.
Lights you can go back to all season
| Display | Where | How you see it | Dates and hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Lights | Sunset Hill Farm County Park, Valparaiso | Drive through | End of November into January 2027, about 4:30 to 10 p.m. | Free |
| Christmas in the Park Tree Walk | Prairie West Park, St. John | Walk | November 27 to January 1 | No fee listed |
| Winter WonderLights | 7595 E. Lincoln Hwy., Merrillville | Drive through, stay in the car | Select nights, opens 5:30 p.m. | From $31.95 per vehicle online |
From Porter County Parks, the Town of St. John, and Winter WonderLights. Checked November 4, 2026.
What a tree lighting tells you about a town
If you’re shopping for a home, go to a lighting in the town you’re looking at. You’ll learn things a listing can’t tell you.
- Who walks there. Count the strollers and the kids on shoulders. Those families live close by.
- How the parking works. If the side streets fill up by 5 p.m., the houses on them see that a few nights a year.
- How far you’d walk. Highland’s Main Square, the Crown Point square, and Central Park Plaza in Valparaiso all sit in the middle of town, with homes a few blocks away.
- What the downtown is like after dark. Are the shops open? Is there somewhere to get a hot chocolate?
Buying this season? Our guide to buying a house in winter covers what to check when there’s snow on the roof. Selling? Read selling a house in winter. And before the first hard freeze, our winterizing guide covers the outdoor spigots and the furnace.
Back in Highland
The lights on the ranch house work on the second try. One strand was in upside down.
They won’t wait for Thanksgiving to see Main Square, though. This Saturday, November 7, the town calendar has Highland’s Pumpkin Smash there from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. They’re bringing the two jack-o’-lanterns still on the porch.
More dates are on our November events page and the Northwest Indiana events hub.
Looking in Highland? See the Highland page on Realest, our Highland homes guide, and moving to Highland. Also worth a look: Crown Point homes, St. John homes, and Valparaiso homes.
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Call Sash at (219) 808-1520.
Sash Joveski and Pamela “Pam” Joveski are founding members of Realest. Realest is licensed in Indiana and Illinois and is at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point.
Photo by Ammodramus of the Kearney County Courthouse in Minden, Nebraska, with Christmas lights, December 2011, public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped, sky extended, text added. Shown for illustration only. It is not in Northwest Indiana.
Event dates, times, and fees come from the organizers and can change, especially with weather. Check the source page before you go. The Highland couple is an example, not real clients.
Sources
- Light the Night, November 21, 2026, Town of Munster
- November 2026 calendar, City of Crown Point
- Ice Rink Opening Day, November 27, 2026, City of Crown Point
- Photos with Santa, City of Crown Point
- 2026 Tree Lighting Parade, Town of Schererville and Schererville Parks
- Christmas in the Park, Town of St. John
- St. John 2026 community calendar, TownPlanner
- November 2026 calendar, Town of Highland
- Santa Parade and Tree Lighting, Highland Parks and Recreation
- 2026 Events, City of Hobart
- Winter Fest and Tree Lighting, Valparaiso Parks and Recreation
- Hometown Holiday Celebration and Twilight Parade, Duneland Chamber of Commerce
- Winter Lights, Porter County Parks and Recreation
- Winter WonderLights, Merrillville
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FAQ
When are the 2026 tree lightings in Northwest Indiana?
Munster goes first on Saturday, November 21. Crown Point, Schererville, and St. John light up on Friday, November 27, the night after Thanksgiving. Highland, Hobart, and Valparaiso follow on Saturday, November 28, all at about 5 p.m.
Which holiday lights in Northwest Indiana are free?
Valparaiso Parks lists Winter Fest and Tree Lighting as free. Porter County Parks says the Winter Lights drive-through at Sunset Hill Farm County Park is free and open every night. The other town pages we checked don’t list a fee, so look at the town page before you go.
Is there a drive-through Christmas light show in Lake County or Porter County?
Yes. Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso has a free drive-through from the end of November into January 2027. Winter WonderLights at 7595 E. Lincoln Hwy. in Merrillville is a paid drive-through on select nights, with tickets from $31.95 per vehicle online.
Can I see more than one tree lighting on Thanksgiving weekend?
Yes, if you split them across two nights. On Friday, November 27, Crown Point starts at 6 p.m., Schererville at 6:30 p.m., and St. John at 7 p.m. On Saturday, November 28, Highland, Hobart, and Valparaiso all start at about 5 p.m. Pick one town each night and you won’t spend the evening in the car.
How do I talk to Realest about homes near these downtowns?
Call Sash at (219) 808-1520 or send us a note through our contact page. We can pull homes for sale within a short walk of a town square or park and show you the street at night.