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Christmas in Franklin and Brentwood: Seasonal Splendor & Festive Activities to Enjoy

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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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TurkeyTrot Franklin TN_GraceWorks

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 Downtown Franklin, Tennessee - Violin Players Entertaining the Festival Streets.

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 Event Franklin TN

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.  

The Franklin Theatre on Main Street in downtown Franklin, Tennessee.

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 Trolley Tours Franklin and Brentwood, TN

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 Downtown Franklin_1799 Kitchen & Cocktails Restaurant

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 Downtown Franklin_Candy Cane Forrest, McGavock’s Coffee & Provisions - World’s Best Cup of Coffee Bar.

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!

Christmas Tree Lighting event in Downtown Franklin, TN, Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square, City of Franklin.

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 in Brentwood, TN at the John P. Holt Brentwood Library, Santa Claus holds a gift in mittens on a Christmas tree, festive mood.

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 in downtown Franklin, Tenn., presented by the Downtown Franklin Rotary Club

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 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!

Brentwood Christmas Tree Lighting Event_Brighten Brentwood

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! 

Candy canes, Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt in Franklin, TN, is a fun event for kids!

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 Presents- It’s A Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play Franklin TN Turner Theater

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 in Downtown Franklin.

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!

2023 Leiper's Fork Christmas Parade.

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 event, enjoy meeting Santa Clause, The Lighting of the Great Tree, Live Music, Nativity with Live Animals, Trackless Train, Bounce Houses, Christmas Arts and Crafts, Food Trucks and Coffee Bar, and so much more! 

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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