Looking for something to do in December in Crown Point, the rest of Northwest Indiana, or the nearby Chicago south suburbs? This is the December 2026 archive from our local events hub, not a national listings dump. We pull dates from official city, park, chamber, festival, and venue pages so locals can plan a Saturday, and so people relocating from Illinois can see what life actually looks like here.
If you are comparing towns, start with our guides to Crown Point, Schererville, and Valparaiso, or the Illinois to Indiana relocation page. When you are ready to look at homes, talk to a local broker at Realest in downtown Crown Point.
Dates on this page are for December 2026 and were checked against official sources on Monday, November 9, 2026. Towns are still posting holiday dates, so we will add more as they go up. Always click through before you go. Weather, tickets, and hours change. We skip anything we cannot verify.
Talk to a local broker
Realest is at 112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307. Call Sash at (219) 808-1520, use the Realest.com contact form, or browse listings on Realest.com. Licensed in Indiana and Illinois.
December 2026 events
Breakfast with Santa (St. John)
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 9 a.m. to noon, St. John
St. John Community Center, 10216 Cline Ave. First annual breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus. $20 per person, or $160 for a table of 8. Every attendee needs a ticket. Space is limited.
Details from Town of St. John: park events.
Holly Days
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 3 to 6 p.m., Valparaiso
Downtown Valparaiso. Ice sculptures, carolers, Santa, Candy Cane Lane, the Holiday Express Train, retail open houses, and a live nativity. Free.
Details from Valparaiso Events: Holly Days.
Michigan City Festival of Lights
Saturday, December 5, 2026 through Sunday, January 10, 2027, parade Saturday, December 5 at 5 p.m., Michigan City
The Festival of Lights parade steps off at 5 p.m. on Franklin Street. Lights stay up at Washington Park through January 10, 2027. Free.
Details from City of Michigan City: Festival of Lights Celebration 2026.
Photos with Santa (Crown Point)
Saturday and Sunday, December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and 20, plus Tuesday, December 22, 2026, Noon to 4 p.m., Crown Point
Lower level of the historic Lake County Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square. Free photos with Santa. Bring your own camera.
Details from City of Crown Point: Photos with Santa.
Porter County Card Show
Sunday, December 6, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Valparaiso
Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Rd. A Sunday card show for collectors.
Details from Porter County Expo Center: Card Show.
Hunt and Gather Market
Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12, 2026, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Crown Point
Lake County Fairgrounds, 889 S. Court St. A quarterly pop-up market with vintage and antique vendors, handmade goods, fine art, a full bar, live music, and food. Confirm admission on the organizer site before you go.
Details from Hunt and Gather Market.
Tour of Lights (Crown Point)
Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12, 2026, 5 to 8 p.m., and Monday through Thursday, December 14 to 17, 2026, 5 to 7 p.m., Crown Point
Starts with story time at Crown Point Community Library, 122 N. Main St., then a heated trolley ride. Registration required when the city posts the 2026 ticket release (limit 10 per party). Confirm whether tickets are free on the city page before you go.
Details from City of Crown Point: Tour of Lights.
Shipshewana On The Road
Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Valparaiso
Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Rd. Amish marketplace shopping. Admission is $5 one-day or $8 two-day.
Details from Porter County Expo Center: Shipshewana On The Road.
Fireside Frostival
Saturday, December 12, 2026, 5 to 9 p.m., Highland
Lincoln Center. Highland Parks’ winter celebration with fire pits, a holiday lights display, s’mores, food and drinks, face painting, photo ops, and games. Local groups host the activity tables.
Details from Highland Parks seasonal guide (PDF): Fireside Frostival.
Winter Solstice Sunset Hike
Sunday, December 20, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m., Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, Hammond
6201 Parrish Ave. A short sunset hike for the solstice. $2 per person. Pre-registration required at 219-844-3188.
Details from Lake County Parks: Winter Solstice Sunset Hike.
Sunset and Almost Full Moon Stroll
Wednesday, December 23, 2026, 4 to 5 p.m., Gibson Woods Nature Preserve, Hammond
6201 Parrish Ave. An evening stroll under the almost-full moon. $2 per person. Registration required at 219-844-3188.
Details from Lake County Parks: Sunset and Almost Full Moon Stroll.
Cookie Burner Hike
Tuesday, December 29, 2026, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Crown Point
Lemon Lake County Park, 6322 W. 133rd Ave. Burn off holiday calories on the trails. Ages 8 and up. Registration required at 219-844-3188.
Details from Lake County Parks: Cookie Burner Hike.
Kids New Year’s Eve Party
Thursday, December 31, 2026, Noon to 3 p.m., Crown Point
First United Methodist Church, 352 S. Main St. Ages 12 and under. $15 per person, free for ages 2 and under. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 30. Not a drop-off event.
Details from City of Crown Point: Kids New Year’s Eve Party.
NYE Ball Drop
Thursday, December 31, 2026, 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Crown Point
Clark and Main streets. Countdown, DJ, fireworks, and a beer garden to ring in 2027. Free.
Details from City of Crown Point: NYE Ball Drop.
More Northwest Indiana events
This is one month from the local hub. See the Northwest Indiana events month index, then August 2026, September 2026, October 2026, November 2026, or December 2026.
December 2026 frequently asked questions
What Northwest Indiana events are listed for December 2026?
This archive covers the December 2026 dates we could verify as of November 9, 2026: Breakfast with Santa in St. John and Holly Days in downtown Valparaiso (December 5), the Michigan City Festival of Lights (December 5, 2026 through January 10, 2027, with the parade December 5), Crown Point Photos with Santa (December 5), the Porter County Card Show (December 6), Hunt and Gather Market at the Lake County Fairgrounds and Crown Point’s Tour of Lights (December 11 to 12, with more Tour of Lights nights December 14 to 17), Shipshewana On The Road at the Porter County Expo Center and Highland’s Fireside Frostival (December 12 to 13 for Shipshewana, December 12 for the Frostival), more Crown Point Photos with Santa weekends through December 22, the Winter Solstice Sunset Hike at Gibson Woods (December 20), the Sunset and Almost Full Moon Stroll (December 23), the Cookie Burner Hike at Lemon Lake (December 29), and Crown Point’s Kids New Year’s Eve Party plus the NYE Ball Drop (December 31). We add dates as towns post them, and we do not invent events.
Which December 2026 events are free?
Holly Days, the Michigan City Festival of Lights, Crown Point Photos with Santa, and the NYE Ball Drop are free. Confirm Tour of Lights ticket cost on the city page when registration opens. Breakfast with Santa in St. John is $20 per person ($160 for a table of 8). Shipshewana On The Road is $5 one-day or $8 two-day. The Winter Solstice Sunset Hike and the Sunset and Almost Full Moon Stroll are $2 each. The Kids New Year’s Eve Party is $15 per person (ages 12 and under), free for ages 2 and under. Confirm Hunt and Gather Market and Fireside Frostival admission on their organizer pages. Check the Porter County Card Show listing for admission.
Where do these December dates come from?
Each listing ends with a link to its official source, such as a city or town page, Valparaiso Events, the Porter County Expo Center, Lake County Parks, Highland Parks, Hunt and Gather Market, the Town of St. John, or the event organizer. Those organizers set hours, tickets, and cancellations. Email Sash@realest.com with an official URL if we missed a real date.
Submit an event
Know a real Crown Point, Lake County, Porter County, or south-suburb event we missed? Email Sash@realest.com or use the Real Estate USA contact form. Include the official source link. We will not post dates we cannot verify.
Thinking about a move to Northwest Indiana?
Festivals are a good way to walk a downtown before you buy. If you are relocating from the Chicago suburbs, start with Illinois to Indiana relocation, then talk to Realest.
Realest
112 S. Main St., Suite B, Crown Point, IN 46307
Call Sash at (219) 808-1520, Sash@realest.com
Browse listings on Realest.com, Contact Realest.com
Photo by T. Tolbert of the Old Lake County Courthouse in Crown Point, Indiana, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped, text added.
