Celebrate the holiday season in Oshkosh with light displays, live reindeer and more festive events
OSHKOSH – Thanksgiving is over, and the holiday season is in full force.
Here's how Oshkosh is celebrating the season, from light shows to live music to Santa arriving in a helicopter at Experimental Aircraft Association's Aviation Museum.
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Wind your way through the Celebration of Lights
The 21st Annual Oshkosh Celebration of Lights in Menominee Park welcomed visitors Friday and will continue from 5:30 to 9 p.m. every night through Dec. 31.
Visitors can tune into 101.9 FM or 90.3 FM, depending on the night, for holiday music as they tour the park's decorated trees, scenes and lights, ending with two musical animated pixel light displays.
Admission is $20 per carload, but visitors can get $5 off with donation of a personal product, such as shampoo, deodorant or soap. The organizers are asking for no food donations, according to the listing on visitoshkosh.com.
Visitors can also enter free during eight "Community Nights" throughout the season. Those are Dec. 2, 6, 13, 16, 20, 25 and 28. Learn more at oshkoshcol.org.
Kick off the holiday parade with jazz, tree lighting
The Downtown Oshkosh Holiday Parade kicks off at 6:15 p.m. Thursday on Main Street, traveling north from Ceape Avenue to Irving Avenue. The theme this year is “Welcome to the North Pole.”
The parade will be preceded by music from Erin Boehme and Oshkosh Jazz beginning at 5 p.m. in Opera House Square, 315 N. Main St., followed by the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.
Experience 'The Nutcracker' in Oshkosh's 'castle'
"Nutcracker in the Castle" returned Nov. 18 to the Paine Art Center and Gardens, 1410 Algoma Blvd., and will continue through Jan. 9.
The Paine presents the fairy tale of the Nutcracker, unfolding throughout each room of the estate, from the opening party scene with a giant Christmas tree to the Land of Sweets and the enchanting Sugar Plum Fairy.
Guests can take self-guided tours, candlelight tours and guided tours, with each style of tour offered at separate times and prices. In addition to the tours, guests are invited to visit the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cupcake Café for a sweet treat.
Reservations are available by calling 920-235-6903 or on The Paine's website, but as of Thursday, guided tours are sold out online for the season.
Get in the holiday spirit with various shows at The Grand
The Grand Oshkosh, 100 High Ave., will hold a variety of holiday-themed shows leading up to Christmas Day.
Check out Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter John Berry's 26th Annual Christmas Tour at 8 p.m. Friday.
Berry's performance will include traditional Christmas songs, including “O Holy Night,” many of his most requested hit songs and a few of his childhood stories.
Tickets are $50 for general admission and $75 for the VIP package.
Ted Vigil, a John Denver Tribute artist, will present his take on "A Rocky Mountain Christmas" at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at The Grand.
The performance will include Denver classics, such as “Christmas for Cowboys” and “Christmas Like a Lullaby,” as well as holiday favorites like “Jingle Bells” and more.
Tickets are $29 for general admission and $35 for suite seats.
Sundae + Mr. Goessl will host their second annual variety show, “The Night Before The Night Before,” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 23 at The Grand.
The show will feature guest acts, including Erin Krebs and Jeff Johnston Duo, Stuck on Blue and multi-instrumentalist Julio Reyes.
Tickets are $29 for general admission and $35 for suite seats.
Tickets for all shows can be purchased at thegrandoshkosh.org or by calling the box office at 920-424-2350.
Experience Christmas in the Air at EAA
EAA's Aviation Museum will hold its free annual Christmas in the Air from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 3000 Poberezny Road.
The museum will be festively decorated as attendees visit exhibits, write letters to Santa and grab some cupcakes, cookies and milk from the Sweet Shoppe.
Santa Claus will arrive at noon in a helicopter and be available for photo opportunities.
While admission is free, donations are appreciated in the form of unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots and nonperishable food items for Father Carr’s Place 2 Be.
Complete your shopping list during Holidazzle Nights
Several downtown stores will stay open late for holiday shopping on Thursdays, starting Dec. 8, for Holidazzle Nights.
Free gift wrapping will be provided those nights at Venue 404, 404 N. Main St., which will also have hot festive drinks and live entertainment, featuring Oshkosh West Madrigals and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh choir students Dec. 8, Lourdes and Oshkosh North Madrigals Dec. 15 and Santa and Mrs. Claus Dec. 22.
Dance into the holidays at Venue 404
Venue 404 will host a free admission holiday dance party with music, games and a photo booth from 6 p.m. to midnight Dec. 9 at 404 N. Main St.
Happy hour with DJ JD, drink specials and appetizers will start off the night, followed by music by Michelle Jerabek of Copper Box at 7 p.m. The dance party will start in full swing with Kate Voss and The Hot Sauce starting at 8 p.m.
See live reindeer with the Wisconsin Herd
Live reindeer will be in the Opera House Square from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 10, accompanied by live music and reindeer games with members of the Wisconsin Herd basketball team.
Sing along with the Oshkosh Youth Choir
The Oshkosh Youth Choir will perform holiday music from around the world at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 10 under the Dome of the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Ave.
All ages and audience participation will be welcome.
Check out a holiday craft show
Eclectic Candle Company will host a free holiday craft show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Oshkosh Convention Center, 2 N. Main St.
The show will feature a variety of small businesses offering their handcrafted goods and services.
Go ice skating with Santa at the YMCA
Experience ice skating with Santa from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Oshkosh YMCA, 3303 W. 20th Ave., as part of the YMCA's monthly family night.
This and other family nights are free for members and $8 per family for non-members. Available activities also include swimming and basketball.
Enjoy a big band Christmas
Close out the holiday season with Water City Jazz Orchestra's "Big Band Christmas (A Day Late)." WCJO will present holiday classics one last time for the season at 8 p.m. Dec. 26 at Fletch's Local Tap House, 566 N. Main St.
Contact Daphne Lemke at dlemke@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @daphlemke.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh holiday events include parade, concerts and downtown events
