Glow Wild at the Birmingham Zoo
Get carried away and experience Glow Wild, Birmingham’s top holiday attraction! Watch the Zoo come alive with larger-than-life wild animal creations lighting up the night! This extraordinary event will be held on select nights from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. during the months of November, December, and January.
Larger-than-life animal lanterns around every corner
Acrobatic shows nightly at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
New Virtual Reality movie experiences
Red Diamond Express train
A wide selection of food + drink options (try the adult hot chocolate!)
Magical Lights at Vulcan Park and Museum
A dazzling sight awaits amid thousands of twinkling lights during Vulcan’s Magical Nights!
Nightly from 4 PM to 8 PM as Vulcan Park & Museum will transform into a glowing wonderland of lights! Experience the magic all month long through December 31. Don’t miss the Magic City’s most radiant celebration of the season!
Magic of Model Trains at McWane Science Center
All aboard once again for McWane Science Center’s 19th season of the Magic of Model Trains exhibit! Open November 23, 2024 to January 5, 2025, The Magic of Model Trains is a holiday tradition; Discover trains of every shape and size inside this awe-inspiring exhibit of locomotive displays. No detail is too small for their miniature landscapes.
Be your own conductor, play “I Spy” throughout the exhibit, take a ride on the McWane Train, and fly through the air on the McWane Zipline. You will find the Magic of Model Trains exhibit on the 3rd floor of our Adventure Halls.
Magic of Lights at Alabama Splash Adventure
This holiday season will be even brighter, merrier and more colorful as Magic of Lights transforms Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure into a vibrant drive-through holiday-themed light display. The festive event runs now and runs through December 31st.
Some illuminated displays include the 32-foot-tall animated Mattel’s Waving Christmas Barbie®, Prehistoric Christmas featuring life-sized dinosaurs celebrating the season, and the legendary BIGFOOT® Monster Truck. Created with over two million sparkling lights, Magic of Lights is a nostalgic and festive event everyone will enjoy!
Festival of Trees at City Walk
Join us for the month of December at City Walk Social for the Festival of Trees! This installation showcases various Holiday Trees creatively decorated by our partners. A portion of your purchase goes to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) and the A. G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club ($50 – $25 to each organization).
Hot chocolate and regular service will be available at City Walk SOCIAL Bar.
Gaming and music will be activated during decorating days.
Lights of Noel at Birmingham Race Course
Drive through light show, synchronized to Christmas music for all ages. A Magical Experience!
Open nightly 5pm – Midnight, Now through Jan 1st
All is Bright at Vestavia City Center
Thursday, December 5, from 6-8 PM for our annual holiday celebration, All Is Bright!
Enjoy a festive evening featuring a screening of the holiday classic, The Grinch, with complimentary hot chocolate and popcorn. The movie starts at 6:30 PM!
Santa and The Grinch will be on-site for fun photo ops, and there will be a photo booth, free activities for kids including balloon twisting, a bounce house, and more! Don’t miss out on exciting giveaways from our retailers at the Vestavia City Center tent!
Free Grinch Pictures at Steele Hall Brewing
Come meet the Grinch and get FREE photos with him on December 8th, 2024 at 1pm – 4pm at Steele Hall Brewing.
Includes a tacky Christmas contest, food, drinks, activities and more!
Homewood Christmas Parade
The parade will feature the lighting of the Homewood Star on 18th Street as the parade enters Downtown Homewood. After the star is lit, the parade continues and then culminates with the lighting of the Christmas tree at city hall plaza.
The parade will begin on December 10th, 2024 at 6:30pm from Homewood Public Library and travel east on Oxmoor Road. Then it will turn left onto 18th Street South, travel under the Christmas Star and then turn right onto 29th Avenue. It will then turn left onto 19th Street, travel past city hall and turn left onto 28th Avenue.
The City of Birmingham’s Holiday Block Party
Kick off the season by joining us for the Tree Lighting and Holiday Block Party on Sunday, Dec. 8 in front of City Hall on Short 20th Street North. There will be food trucks, music and the lighting of the Christmas tree.
The event is FREE and will be from 4 to 7 p.m.; the tree lighting will be at 5:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the evening.
Woodlawn Wonderland
Walking in a Woodlawn Wonderland! Join us on December 8th from 12pm – 5pm for holiday shopping, hot cocoa and a visit from Santa, followed by the Woodlawn tree lighting ceremony. Enjoy a special day with family and friends — and knock out some yuletide gift hunting!
Trussville Christmas Parade
Join us for the 2024 Christmas Parade as it passes through historic Trussville. This is a free event for the citizens of Trussville to enjoy.
On December 14th, 2024 at 2pm-4pm, the parade will begin on Parkway Drive. It will turn right onto Gadsden Highway and right again onto Chalkville Mountain Road. The parade will end at the mall.
Thank you to our sponsor, the Birmingham Zoo. For more information about Glow Wild, or any class, camps or daily activities happening at the Zoo make sure to visit their website.
