Things to Do in Chattanooga This December (2026): Holiday Lights, Markets and New Year’s Eve

December around Chattanooga is all about lights, markets and music: Rock City’s mountain of lights, lantern animals at the zoo, hometown Christmas parades across North Georgia, The Nutcracker and plenty to do in the slow week between Christmas and New Year’s. Everything below comes from the organizer’s own page, laid out Monday to Sunday.

Details can change, so check the organizer’s page (linked with each event) before you go. Everything here was checked on Oct. 27, 2026.

Every week

• Main Street Farmers Market (Wednesdays (Dec 2, 9, 16, 23, 30), W. 20th St. & Chestnut St., Chattanooga (Southside)). 4-5:30 p.m.. Cost: Free to browse. Open every Wednesday of the year, rain or shine; Dec. 2 is the monthly guest-vendor market. Weather closures are announced by 1 p.m. that day. Official details
• Enchanted Garden of Lights (Nightly through Thu Dec 31 (closed Dec 24), Rock City Gardens, 1400 Patten Rd, Lookout Mountain, GA). Evenings; timed entry. Cost: Adults $31-$49, kids 3-12 $21-$39; online only. Millions of lights on the mountain. Santa visits nightly through Dec. 23; after that, Carter Cliffs stays open for hot chocolate. It’s closed Christmas Eve and open Christmas night and New Year’s Eve. Official details
• Asian Lantern Festival: Wildlife Wonderland (Select nights through Jan 23, Chattanooga Zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave., Chattanooga). 5:30-9:30 p.m.. Cost: About $14-$23.50. Hundreds of glowing lantern animals; it runs into January, so it’s an option the week after Christmas too. Check the zoo calendar for which nights it’s open. Official details
• Ice on the Landing (Through Jan 31, 2027, First Horizon Pavilion area, Reggie White Blvd, Chattanooga (Southside)). 2026 hours not posted yet. Cost: 2026 prices not posted yet. The outdoor rink is open for the season. Holiday hours for Christmas and New Year’s weren’t posted yet, so check the site before going. Official details
• Winter Skating at Stable 41 (Through Jan 17, Stable 41 (covered pavilion), Fort Oglethorpe, GA). See city calendar. Cost: See city calendar. Covered skating, so it works in any weather. Official details
• Holidays at Ruby Falls (Daily through Thu Dec 24, Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Hwy, Chattanooga (Lookout Mountain)). See site. Cost: Plaza free; cave tours ticketed. A decorated castle and village plaza with the Forest of Wishes; the plaza is free to stroll. Official details
• North Pole Limited (Select dates through Wed Dec 23, Tennessee Valley Railroad, Grand Junction Depot, 4119 Cromwell Rd, Chattanooga). Day and evening trips (~75 min). Cost: $38 day / $45 evening per person (1+). Cocoa, a cookie, a story and Santa at your seat on a heated vintage train. Official details

Week of Nov. 30-Dec. 6: parades and the first markets

• Light Up Fort O (Tue Dec 1-Fri Jan 1, Around Fort Oglethorpe, Fort Oglethorpe, GA). All month. Cost: Free to see. The city’s holiday lights effort across Fort Oglethorpe. Official details
• LaFayette Christmas Parade (Fri Dec 4, Main St. through LaFayette Square, LaFayette, GA). 6-7 p.m.. Cost: Free. More than 90 vehicles and floats, with Santa on the fire truck and free photos with Santa at the Joe Stock Memorial Park gazebo afterward. Official details
• Ringgold Down-Home Christmas Parade (Fri Dec 4, Downtown Ringgold, Ringgold, GA). 6-8 p.m.. Cost: Free. Ringgold’s hometown Christmas parade. Official details
• MAINx24 (with the Main Street parade) (Sat Dec 5, Main Street and the Southside, Chattanooga (Southside)). All day; parade in the morning (2026 time on MAINx24 site). Cost: Most events free. A full day of Southside events: a parade, a chili cook-off, adult Big Wheel races and concerts. Official details
• Christmas at the Choo-Choo (Sat Dec 5, Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St., Chattanooga). 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. Cost: See listing. A holiday market with artisan vendors, live music and seasonal drinks. Official details
• Jolly Holiday Market (Sat Dec 5, Dade County Events Center, Trenton, GA). 9 a.m.-4 p.m.. Cost: See listing. The sixth annual showcase of Dade County artists, crafters and businesses. Official details
• Handel’s Messiah (Chattanooga Symphony & Opera) (Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6, Sat: First Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Sun: Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church, Chattanooga / Collegedale). 3 p.m. both days. Cost: Ticketed. Handel’s classic, Hallelujah Chorus included. The orchestra says these fill up fast. Official details
• Land of Sweets (Chattanooga Ballet) (Sun Dec 6, The Read House, Silver Ballroom, Chattanooga). 2-4 p.m.. Cost: $50 adults / $30 children; advance only. A Nutcracker-themed family party with characters, a story reading and treats. Festive attire. Official details

Week of Dec. 7-13: The Nutcracker

• The Nutcracker (Chattanooga Ballet with the Chattanooga Symphony) (Fri-Sun Dec 11-13, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga). Fri 7:30 p.m.; Sat 2 & 7:30 p.m.; Sun 2 p.m.. Cost: From $27.50 plus fees. More than 200 dancers with live music from the symphony. Official details
• Holiday Market (Chattanooga Market) (Sat-Sun Dec 12-13 and Dec 19-20, Chattanooga Convention Center, 1 Carter St., Chattanooga). Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.. Cost: Free admission. An indoor market of local makers, artists and food vendors, handy for last-minute gifts. Official details
• Dade County Christmas Parade (Sat Dec 12, Courthouse Square, Trenton, GA). 6 p.m. (lineup 5 p.m.). Cost: Free. This year’s theme is “An American Christmas,” marking America’s 250th. Official details

Week of Dec. 14-20

• Home for the Holidays (Chattanooga Symphony & Opera) (Sat Dec 19 and Sun Dec 20, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga). Sat 7:30 p.m.; Sun 3 p.m.. Cost: About $16-$120. The orchestra’s family-friendly holiday concert, with the CSO Chorus and Metropolitan Bells. Official details
• Holiday Market, weekend 2 (Dec. 19-20, Chattanooga Convention Center). Same hours as above. Official details
• Heads-up: Ruby Falls’ $2 Discovery Day tickets for Dec. 30 go on sale Friday, Dec. 18, at 10 a.m. Ruby Falls

Week of Dec. 21-27: Christmas week

• Last chances before Christmas: the North Pole Limited runs through Dec. 23, Santa is at Rock City nightly through Dec. 23, and Holidays at Ruby Falls runs through Dec. 24 (details in Every week).
• Christmas Eve and Day: Rock City’s lights are closed Dec. 24 and open Dec. 25. The Tennessee Aquarium says it is closed on Christmas Day. Rock City · Tennessee Aquarium
• Holiday Christmas Lights Train (Sat Dec 26-Sun Jan 10, Tennessee Valley Railroad, Chattanooga). See TVRM for departures. Cost: Varies by seat; see TVRM. An after-Christmas train ride through the Missionary Ridge tunnel, with holiday lights (see TVRM for details). Official details

Week of Dec. 28-Jan. 3: New Year’s week

• Still running after Christmas: Rock City’s lights (through Dec. 31), the zoo’s lantern festival (select nights through Jan. 23), the Holiday Christmas Lights Train (through Jan. 10), Ice on the Landing and Winter Skating at Stable 41 (details above).
• Ruby Falls Discovery Day (Wed Dec 30, Ruby Falls, Chattanooga (Lookout Mountain)). Select tours. Cost: 98 select Cave Walk tickets at $2 (on sale Dec 18, 10 a.m.). Marks the 98th anniversary of the falls’ discovery. The $2 tickets are limited and nonrefundable; regular tours run too. Official details
• New Year’s Eve Lunch and Dinner Trains (Thu Dec 31, Tennessee Valley Railroad, Chattanooga). Lunch and dinner departures; see TVRM. Cost: See TVRM. A sit-down meal on a vintage train to mark the last day of the year. Official details
• New Year’s Eve on the River (Southern Belle) (Thu Dec 31, Southern Belle Riverboat, Pier 2, 151 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga). Boarding 8:30 p.m.; 9 p.m.-midnight. Cost: $159.95; 21+ only. A three-hour adults-only cruise with a DJ, champagne and a charcuterie board per couple. Official details
• Free city fireworks? Chattanooga held a free New Year’s Eve party with midnight fireworks at Coolidge Park the last few years, but the 2026 event hadn’t been announced when this was checked. Watch the city’s calendar.

FAQ

What’s open the week after Christmas? Rock City’s Enchanted Garden of Lights through Dec. 31, the zoo’s Asian Lantern Festival on select nights through Jan. 23, TVRM’s Holiday Christmas Lights Train Dec. 26-Jan. 10, Ice on the Landing through Jan. 31 and Winter Skating at Stable 41 through Jan. 17. Ruby Falls has Discovery Day on Dec. 30.

What’s closed on Christmas? Rock City’s lights are closed Christmas Eve but open Christmas night. The Tennessee Aquarium says it’s closed Christmas Day. Holidays at Ruby Falls ends Dec. 24. For anything else, check the attraction’s hours page first.

Is there a New Year’s Eve fireworks show? The city’s free Coolidge Park party with midnight fireworks has run in recent years, but the 2026 version wasn’t announced at the time of writing. Confirmed ticketed options include the Southern Belle’s 21+ cruise and TVRM’s New Year’s Eve lunch and dinner trains.

When are the North Georgia Christmas parades? LaFayette and Ringgold both hold theirs on Friday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m., and Trenton’s Dade County Christmas Parade is Saturday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m.

When is The Nutcracker? Chattanooga Ballet performs it Dec. 11-13 at Memorial Auditorium, with the Chattanooga Symphony.

Dates, times and prices were checked Oct. 27, 2026, and can change. Please confirm with the organizer before you go.

Featured photo: rjones0856, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.