December? Where has this year gone?!
2023 may be coming to a close but there’s still a lot to celebrate in Cincinnati for the month of December! From historic tours to sing along movies to outdoor markets, this curated list of things to do should keep you busy this month!
The list below is date specific for Cincinnati in December, 2023.
You might also want to check out these seasonal guides:
50+ Christmas and Holiday Things to Do
Drive Through Christmas Light Shows (plus walk thru too!)
Christmas Craft Shows
Where to Find a Live Nativity Scene
Breakfast with Santa
December 1-2: The Heritage Village Museum hosts 19th Century Holiday Guided Tours (advanced ticket purchase required). Celebrate the season with a holiday guided tour of the Village! Visit Kemper House, Fetter General Store, Schram Print Shop, Vorhes House, Chester Park Train Station, Elk Lick House, and Hayner House and learn how Christmas celebrations changed and evolved over the course of the 19th century in Southwestern Ohio. See glimpses of the earliest Christmases of Cincinnati, the impact of the Civil War on celebrations, and the new traditions introduced by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert an ocean away. Discover popular 19th century gifts and how they would have been purchased, the early history of Christmas cards, and how the holidays impacted transportation during the 1800s. Guests will be treated to the beauty and simplicity of historic decorations and see some G-scale model trains in their historic train station.
December 1-2: The annual Dark Charge Winter Block Party is happening in and around Braxton Brewing in Covington, Ky. Celebrate community, rich history, and the 2023 Dark Charge release.
You might also like: Ultimate Christmas and Holiday Fun Guide
December 1-3: Head to Waynesville for Christmas in the Village. Stroll in and out of retail and dining storefronts, while listening to carolers, choirs, and musicians. Santa arrives daily, they’re having a gingerbread house making contest, and much more.
December 2-3: Winter Market at Washington Park returns with regional artisans and crafters in cozily designed huts! You’re sure to find something special for everyone on your list. Vendors will vary from weekend to weekend so visit often!
December 2-3: Findlay Market’s annual Holiday Market is happening too! They will have dozens of farmers and outdoor vendors plus over 50 full-time merchants selling holiday gifts, food and decor.
December 2-3: It’s time for the annual Newport’s historic East Row Victorian Christmas Tours and Tea. Tour homes decorated for Christmas, explore the outside light displays and stained glass windows, enjoy a Christmas Victorian Tea, and visit the local establishments for a drink or a meal.
December 2: Lebanon’s 34th Annual Horse Drawn Carriage Parade and Christmas Festival returns. There will be two horse-drawn carriage parades this year: a daylight parade at 1 pm and their traditional candlelight parade at 7 pm. Enjoy a Christmas Festival (starting at 10am), visits with Santa, shopping, food, lights, and more.
December 2: Liberty Center will host a Sensory Santa event from 9am to 11am.
December 2: Dust off your favorite ugly sweater and enjoy this weekend’s warmer weather with the Cincinnati Riverfront Volksmarch on Saturday. Registration is from 10am to noon and you can start your walk after registering.
December 3: It’s “Dad Day” at Rhinegeist! Their hoppy holiday ale returns and they’re celebrating all things Dad! In addition to the classic plaid photo backdrop for the annual photo op, this year’s Dad Day features a diverse shopping & art experience curated by Nigel Agboh (Small World Market)! Holiday-themed cocktails, FIND THE PICKLE (if you know, you know), and more Dad Day fun for the whole famdamily!
December 3: The Comboni Mission Center invites you to Breakfast in Bethlehem, 8:30am-11am. Visitors will get an early viewing of the animated Nativity before it’s open for the its 75th season. For $5 per person ($20 per family) guests will also enjoy: a pancake breakfast, games, crafts, facepainting, shopping in the Christmas Boutique, and museum tours. RSVP required (see link above).
December 2: Head to Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village for a Candlelight Walk. Go back to a time when Christmas time was celebrated in the most basic of ways. All of their buildings will be open for the public to go through and once it gets dark the whole village will be lit up by candle light along the paths between the buildings and within the buildings themselves. $6 per person.
December 6-8: The Heritage Village Museum hosts 19th Century Holiday Guided Tours (advanced ticket purchase required). Celebrate the season with a holiday guided tour of the Village! Visit Kemper House, Fetter General Store, Schram Print Shop, Vorhes House, Chester Park Train Station, Elk Lick House, and Hayner House and learn how Christmas celebrations changed and evolved over the course of the 19th century in Southwestern Ohio. See glimpses of the earliest Christmases of Cincinnati, the impact of the Civil War on celebrations, and the new traditions introduced by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert an ocean away. Discover popular 19th century gifts and how they would have been purchased, the early history of Christmas cards, and how the holidays impacted transportation during the 1800s. Guests will be treated to the beauty and simplicity of historic decorations and see some G-scale model trains in their historic train station.
December 7: Light Up College Hill is coming on December 8th, 6-9pm! This will be an avenue-wide event with the annual tree lighting in Patrick’s Park, a train ride for kids, Santa, live reindeer and more! As part of Light Up College Hill festivities, several businesses throughout the district will be hosting special (free!) activities for families and then offering some adult options as well.
December 8-9: If 2023 hasn’t been scary enough for you, take a look at The Dent Schoolhouse’s “A Christmas Nightmare”, a Christmas haunted attraction. They’ll be bringing some of their Halloween haunted house characters in for a grizzly twist on the holiday. This 1 weekend special event, 6:00pm – 10:00pm.
December 8: Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer returns at Music Hall for a 7pm show. Celebrate the joys of the season with their annual “Happy Holidays with the Mighty Wurlitzer” concert in Music Hall’s beautiful and historic Ballroom. This holiday program will be hosted by Local 12 News Anchor, Kyle Inskeep, and will feature renowned theater organist Jelani Eddington as he fills the Wurlitzer organ with spirit of the season! Vocal performances by The Cincinnati Boychoir will ring in the season and dancers from Revolution Dance present excerpts from Hot Chocolate, the region’s first African American Nutcracker. Tickets required.
December 9-10: Winter Market at Washington Park returns with regional artisans and crafters in cozily designed huts! You’re sure to find something special for everyone on your list. Vendors will vary from weekend to weekend so visit often!
December 9: The Reindog Parade will be brightening up the streets of Mt. Adams starting at 2pm. Santa will lead the parade of dogs in their holiday best accompanied by their two legged friends.
December 9: The jolliest bunch of Santas will be singing some tunes as SantaCon takes on Downtown Cincinnati, OTR, the Banks, PLUS Covington, and Mt. Adams. The Cure Starts Now is their official charity and they will be supporting them again.
December 9: Head to Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village for a Candlelight Walk. Go back to a time when Christmas time was celebrated in the most basic of ways. All of their buildings will be open for the public to go through and once it gets dark the whole village will be lit up by candle light along the paths between the buildings and within the buildings themselves. $6 per person
December 9: Head to Hocking Hills for Christmas in Ash Cave, 5-7pm. This holiday program begins with an unguided lantern walk along the paved trail to Ash Cave. Once in the cave, families can visit with Santa, sit around the campfire, listen to carolers or music, sip hot chocolate, and munch on cookies.
December 10: Art on Vine – The Holiday Gift Sale at Rhinegeist. 12-6pm
December 9-10: Grab some great gifts at The City Flea‘s Holiday Market, held at Washington Park.
December 14: Signs and Songs, Holiday Edition will be at the American Sign Museum, 7-9pm. Enjoy the festive glow of the signs and seasonal tunes provided by the Matt Tolentino Band.
December 16-17: Winter Market at Washington Park returns with regional artisans and crafters in cozily designed huts! You’re sure to find something special for everyone on your list. Vendors will vary from weekend to weekend so visit often!
You might also like: Drive Through Christmas Light Shows in Cincinnati
December 16: Be swept back in time while visiting Old Historic Loveland during Christmas in Loveland. Everything from Jolly Ole’ St. Nick and Mrs. Claus at the North Pole, to a live Nativity scene, to a Winter Wonderland! 4-8pm.
December 16: Join the Young Professionals Choral Collective and the Cincinnati Boychoir for Fa’s and La’s, a family friendly holiday concert at the historic St. Francis Seraph Church in Over-the-Rhine. The concert features carols old and new from different holiday traditions, along with crafts, activities, and photos with Santa. Doors open at 3pm and Kids’ Corner activities begin; performance starts at 4pm. Tickets required.
December 17: Art on Vine – The Holiday Gift Sale at Rhinegeist. 12-6pm
December 16 is National Wreaths Across America Day. Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 3,400 locations across the United States, at sea, and abroad. The wreaths are placed on the headstones of fallen soldiers. You can volunteer to lay wreaths at Spring Grove Cemetery that day.
Check out our long list of Things to Do for Christmas Break for lots of great ideas (coming soon!)
All events were accurate at the time of this posting but things do happen and events do occasionally get canceled or postponed. You should always double check with the event source before you head out the door. Links for each event are provided so that you can be sure the date is still accurate before you head out.