A Guide to all the Holiday Happenings in Auburn-Opelika
Get in the holiday spirit with these annual events
We're making spirits bright here in Auburn-Opelika with a full list of holiday festivities for you and your family to enjoy! From parades to 5Ks to one of the largest gingerbread villages in the Southeast, there's something for every crew. Matching holiday jammies are accepted. Cheers to the holidays and a happy New Year!
Start your holiday shopping by visiting the charming shops and restaurants in downtown Opelika. You will find many unique and special gifts and can mark those picky people off your list! And, if you just can’t decide, a gift card is always appreciated. Enjoy music, free gift wrapping, and great sales on a variety of different gift options to get you in the holiday spirit.
Join the Auburn Arts Association, Auburn Parks & Recreation, and Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center for the annual Holiday Art Sale! The event will take place at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, the Harris Center, and the Frank Brown Recreation Center. Local artists will be selling paintings, pottery, stained glass, photography, cards, jewelry, hats, scarves, and more.
A fun family tradition for many, the annual Moore’s Mill Club Turkey Trot is the perfect way to relieve any guilt over extra desserts. This fun run is open for runners, joggers, and walkers. Participants will pick between a 1-mile and 3-mile route along the back nine holes of the MMC Golf Course. You do not have to be a member of Moore’s Mill Club to participate. Register here!
Small Business Saturday - November 26
You can feel good about supporting small businesses when you shop on Small Business Saturday! Celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving, this is a great chance to explore downtown Auburn and downtown Opelika.
Join the Auburn University Program Council on Samford Lawn for the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony. There will be family holiday activities and performances by local choirs and student performers. The countdown to the lighting of the Christmas Tree and Menorah will take place at 6 p.m., but families are welcome to stay and take pictures, eat some snacks, and have a merry time!
Check everyone off your holiday list! Join the Auburn Downtown Merchants Association for their Holiday Open House on November 28 from 12 - 6 pm. Merchants will open on Sunday for extended shopping hours and offer exclusive discounts and specials.
This year, enjoy all of your favorite Opelika Holiday events in one night! The night will begin at 5 p.m. with Opelika's annual Christmas Parade with the theme "Winter Wonderland." The parade route will end at Courthouse Square where the snowfall will start at 5:45 p.m. and will be accompanied by Christmas music, picture opportunities, food trucks, snowball fights, and a chance to visit Santa Claus. The Opelika High School Band will lead the community to the corner of 9th Street and South Railroad Avenue for the official Christmas Tree Lighting at 7 p.m. The Opelika Chamber is accepting vendors to participate in the event. Business owners and organizations can apply by completing an application here.
Join the Opelika Public Library for an afternoon of fun holiday crafts and a showing of the movie Elf!
The Kreher Preserve & Nature Center and Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center will partner to turn the Preserve into a Winter Wonderland, full of nature-themed crafts, performances, cookies, hot chocolate, and a visit from Mrs. Claus. This event will also include the traditional HoHoHo Hike, a unique and fun “Santa hunt” where you will hike the Preserve looking for the elusive visitor in red, meeting many of nature's creatures along the way.
Santa Claus is comin' to town! Dress your little ones in their holiday best and practice saying, "cheese!" for Santa on the Corner. This fun photo op benefits the United Way. Donations are welcome.
Ready to burn off those holiday calories? The Jingle Jog 5k and Santa Stroll Fun Run is back, so pull out those ugly sweaters again! Join Active Auburn for this annual run in downtown Auburn to ring in the holiday season in style!
Make plans to visit Auburn this weekend for a shopping experience filled with Christmas lights, music, and of course, Santa. The Loveliest Village Holiday Fair is a celebration that will include past holiday favorites with new traditions and will offer everything from fine art to antiques, treats, and more!
Join the Downtown Merchants Association for the annual Downtown Auburn Christmas Parade! The parade will feature local favorites, festive floats, and an appearance by Santa.
Come experience the largest Gingerbread Village in East Alabama in the conference center of The Hotel at Auburn University! Over 10 Gingerbread Buildings will be displayed in the pre-function foyer for guests to admire. The Auburn Gingerbread Village was named one of the STS Top 20 Events in the Southeast. The annual kick-off to the holiday season features prominent Auburn University buildings crafted out of gingerbread, candy, and icing. More than 2,000 people visited The Hotel at Auburn University in 2017 to enjoy the magical display.
Whether you’re a young child or simply a child at heart, there will be activities for everyone at this great night out in historic downtown Opelika. Enjoy festivities including a children's train, pony rides, live animal petting zoo, wagon rides, trolley rides photo booth, hot chocolate, face painting, gingerbread house contest, make-your-own Reindeer Food, and more! Guests can also be transported back in time with a wagon ride through the Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour. Enclosed trolley rides will also be available at the Museum of East Alabama.
Collinwood Luminaries is a neighborhood event with live characters and animals showing the path to Christ. All are welcome to drive the path and experience the live event lit by candles. Admission is free.
Children will love riding the Rocky Brook Rocket around Municipal Park! This adorable miniature train has been a staple in Opelika since 1955, but during the Christmas season, the Rocket transforms into one of Santa’s Helpers and becomes the Rocky Brook Rocket Reindeer Express! Don’t miss this fun two-night event featuring food, hot chocolate, pictures with Santa, and a Christmas Market!
Be a special guest for the annual brunch with Santa event at The Marriott Resort & Spa! There will be a delicious brunch, children's activities, train rides through the resort, pictures with Santa, and a holiday-themed movie.
AORTA is hosting 1 Mile, 5K, and 10K to benefit Toys for Tots. The Auburn Toy Drive 10k, 5k, and 1-mile fun run is a great way to start the holiday season with giving! All are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy to be distributed to children in need in Lee County.
Opelika is celebrating Christmas like it's 1899! From December 9 - 13, 2022, historic homes in Opelika's northside historic district are transformed into a colorful, nostalgic reminder of Christmas from a simpler era. The event is a self-driving tour except for Saturday night when the streets are closed for visitors to stroll through the neighborhood.
Children and families of all ages are welcome to the Opelika Sportsplex to watch Dr. Seuss's The Grinch and eat cookies in the basketball gym.
A celebration of music and traditions representative of our whole community! Join the Kreher Preserve & Nature Center on a beautiful walk in the winter woods with lights, decorations, and family-friendly performances that highlight the diverse traditions and culture of our community. Walks have special surprises and songs for the kids; as well as woodsy holiday art activities at the end.
Fa La La Fest - December 17, 10 a.m. - Noon
Join the Opelika Public Library and explore the magic of Christmas at this fun, one-day festival. There will be activities and crafts for all ages. This indoor event is drop-in and at your own pace
Grab your friends, family, cozy blankets, and bean bags, and settle in for a movie...or 6 with the Opelika Public Library's Christmas Movie Marathon! The first movie will begin at 10 a.m. and a new movie will begin every 2 hours.
Get in the holiday spirit with a walk through Opelika's Very Merry Stroll, a holiday showcase made of 25 locally decorated live Christmas trees. The lighting of the trees will be on December 1 at 6:30.
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