Christmas in Franklin and Brentwood: Seasonal Splendor & Festive Activities to Enjoy
Dickens of a Christmas
Franklin and Brentwood, Tennessee love the holiday season, with plenty of annual festivals and events! The months of November and December are filled with fun, family-friendly festivities for you to enjoy. These local holiday experiences include Christmas tree lightings, parades, light displays, annual festivals, holiday shopping events, opportunities to see Santa, and more! Keep reading to discover more about how you can get into the holiday spirit, surrounded by holiday scenery and community!
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Turkey Trot
The Annual Turkey Trot in Franklin will take place Thanksgiving morning, with registration opening at 6:15am. Over 3,000 participants show up and show out every year to run/walk through Cool Springs with the options of a $50 10k, a $45 5k, or a $15 Kids Turkey Chase 1k. This Thanksgiving tradition supports GraceWorks and their mission to ensure that local families have food, shelter, and support.
Dickens of a Christmas
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s 38th Annual Dickens of a Christmas will take place in downtown Franklin on December 9-10th. This festive tradition is the largest outdoor Christmas festival in Middle Tennessee, with over 200 Dickens characters, dancers, musicians, and local vendors filling the streets of Franklin’s historic downtown. Interact with the past at Dickens of a Christmas!
FrankTown Festival of Lights
The FrankTown Festival of Lights will be returning to the Williamson County Ag Expo Center on November 17th- December 31st from 5- 9pm. This 1.5-mile drive-thru light show will feature over 200 displays that are synchronized to a Christmas radio station! Make sure to check out their Walkin’ Wednesdays from 5-6:30pm to walk the lighted trail, take photos at the Christmas tree, and make s’mores! Proceeds support FrankTown Open Hearts’ mission to enhance the lives of at-risk youth through hands-on programming.
Holiday Shows and Movies at The Franklin Theatre
Located in the heart of downtown Franklin, The Franklin Theatre will be showing plenty of holiday movies this Christmas season! With more than 80 years of history and adoration, this local treasure has been winning the hearts of those near and far for nearly a century. They will be hosting holiday shows all season long, featuring the 6th Annual Christmas with the King: A Holiday Tribute to Elvis, The Isaacs Christmas, The Gatlins: Country and Christmas, and more! You can also visit this beloved theater to watch classic movies like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, The Polar Express, The Elf, Jingle All The Way, and much more!
Franklin Holiday Lights Tour
This holiday season, you are invited to experience the historic town of Franklin in a new light with Hello Trolley’s Franklin Trolley Tours! Their Holiday Lights Tour offers 1.5 hours of Christmas music and festive, dazzling lights. Sit back and enjoy traveling through the scenic town of Franklin on a classic red trolley to become immersed in the holiday lights!
Santa Brunch at The Harpeth Hotel
The Harpeth Hotel in downtown Franklin will be hosting an exclusive North Pole brunch from 10:30am- 2pm every Saturday and Sunday from November 25- December 24th. Santa will make an appearance at each of these brunches to take note of your Christmas wishes and take photos! During this time, the elves from The Harpeth Hotel’s 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails will also be serving spirited drinks!
Christmas Pop-Up Bar
The World’s Best Cup of Coffee, Franklin’s first and only holiday pop-up bar, will be at McGavock’s Coffee & Provisions in The Harpeth Hotel on November 22nd and 24th. Celebrate holiday memories with classic Christmas movie-themed cocktails at this immersive experience!
Franklin Christmas Tree Lighting
The City of Franklin’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting on The Square will occur on December 1st at 6pm. This tradition consists of live performances from local performers, as well as the lighting of Franklin’s Christmas tree. Matthew West will be headlining this year’s event and Franklin local Quintavious Johnson will be opening, along with the Franklin Intermediate School Choir! Williamson Health will provide free photos with Santa, Mars Petcare will offer a pet-friendly photoshoot, and The Franklin Noon Rotary will be handing out free refreshments!
Morning with Santa
The John P. Holt Brentwood Library will be hosting a Morning with Santa on December 2nd from 9-11am. You are invited to meet Santa Claus and give him your Christmas wish list at this holiday event! Passes will be available at the Children’s Service Desk starting November 13th, so grab your pass soon for the opportunity to see Santa this season!
The Franklin Christmas Parade
The Annual Franklin Christmas Parade will take place in downtown Franklin on December 2nd at 2pm. Now hosted by the Downtown Franklin Rotary, this festive parade invites the community to come together and celebrate the season! The Franklin Christmas Parade is a local tradition of over 30 years that invites you to watch as local performers and floats march through the streets of the historic downtown Franklin!
Thompson’s Station Christmas Tree Lighting
Thompson’s Station’s 2nd Annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony will happen in Sarah Benson Park on December 3rd from 3-5pm. This festive community celebration is presented by Thompson’s Station Community Association and will feature photo opportunities with Santa, live entertainment, hot chocolate, local food trucks, and more! Watch the town light up at Thompson’s Station’s Tree Lighting!
Brighten Brentwood
Brighten Brentwood is an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony and holiday celebration that will take place at the John P. Holt Brentwood Library on Monday, December 4th at 5:30pm. This event will include holiday songs from a local school choir, readings of The Polar Express, free hot chocolate from Friends of the Brentwood Library, and the lighting of Brentwood’s Christmas tree! Start the holiday season off right with the John P. Holt Brentwood Library, the Brentwood City Commission, and the community of Brentwood at this free, family-friendly event for an evening of wonder!
Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt
Eastern Flank Battlefield Park in Franklin will once again be sprinkled with candy canes on December 7-8th for the Annual Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt! Bring a flashlight, decorate your treat bag, and get ready to search for some holiday candy from 5-7pm – hot chocolate and cookies will be provided! Register now for this limited-capacity holiday event.
Studio Tenn: It’s a Wonderful Life
Studio Tenn Theatre Company will be continuing their holiday tradition of performing It’s a Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play from December 7-24th at Turner Theater in The Factory at Franklin. Let Studio Tenn Theatre Company’s rendition of this Christmas classic whisk you away to Bedford Falls this holiday season!
Holiday Spirits Cocktail Festival
Stop by The Factory at Franklin on December 8th from 6:30-9:30pm to celebrate the season with their Holiday Spirits: A Christmas Cocktail Festival! One ticket provides you with 12 sample-sized signature cocktails to sip as you enjoy shopping, Christmas music, visits with Santa, and more! This holiday event supports TennGreen Land Conservancy, so check out this fun evening filled with holiday spirit!
Leipers Fork Christmas Parade
The Leiper’s Fork “Almost World Famous” Christmas Parade will be held on December 9th at 2pm. The 2023 Grand Marshals are Wynonna Judd and Cactus Moser – entries to be a part of the parade will be open until December 2nd. The main road through the village will be closed down for this free holiday event, so arrive early and bring a lawnchair!
Christmas in Brentwood
Brentwood Academy’s 3rd Annual Christmas in Brentwood will be held on December 3rd from 3- 7pm. This holiday celebration is completely free, featuring live music, bounce houses, a nativity with live animals, a trackless train, crafts, food trucks, a coffee bar, appearances from Santa Claus, and the lighting of the Great Brentwood Academy Christmas Tree!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Shopping for antiques or curious about a restaurant? Wanting to volunteer your time with a non-profit, or just stopping by downtown Franklin, TN for the day? Access it all on FranklinIs.com. We encourage you to browse through the Living, News, Entertainment, Family & Kids, Real Estate, Visit, Resources and Events Calendar sections. There is something for everyone!
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