Lucky you. You just found INDYtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Indy each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, and text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Holiday cheer
Holiday Crafting + Decorating Party | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 5-7 p.m. | The Whispering Shelf | Free | Make crafts, find community, and help decorate the store for winter.
Broad Ripple Lights Up Festival + Parade | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 3-6 p.m. | Broad Ripple | Free | Tour the Wonderland Village, visit with Santa, and watch the Twilight Parade.
OH SH!T Sunday Shopping | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Tinker House Events | Free entry | Did you procrastinate on your holiday shopping? This all-local artisan market has your back.
Hogwarts-inspired Winter Solstice | Sunday, Dec. 21 | 6-8 p.m. | Oak & Amethyst, Greenwood | $35 | Sip on hot chocolate and iced butterbeer, enjoy a dinner of stew, bread, and dessert, and craft a yule ball ornament and a wish pinecone at this magical meetup.
Sports
Indiana Pacers vs. Denver Nuggets | Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 7 p.m. | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | $14+ | Cheer on the Blue and Gold as they ramp back up for a successful season.
Big Ten Fan Fest | Saturday, Dec. 6-Sunday, Dec. 7 | Times vary | Indiana Convention Center | $16 | Drop in to the convention center for interactive games, entertainment, mascots, spirit squads, Big Ten merchandise, giveaways, complimentary youth flag football clinics hosted by USA Football, food + beverages, and much more.
Indianapolis Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers | Monday, Dec. 22 | 8:15 p.m. | Lucas Oil Stadium | $180+ | Here’s hoping Christmas comes early in the form of a Colts victory.
The after finishing the Glühwein Gallop participants get a complimentary serving of beer, Glühwein, or hot chocolate.
Photo by @carmelchristkindlmarkt
Active
Full Moon Hike at Pecar Nature Park | Thursday, Dec. 4 | 5 p.m. | Pecar Nature Park, Avon | Free | Experience the quiet beauty of winter on this guided evening hike under December’s full moon.
Krazy Krampus 5K | Friday, Dec. 5 | 5-6 p.m. | Pike Red Devil Cross Country Course | $25 | Celebrate the holidays by outrunning the mischievous Krampus who seeks to drag you to the underworld.
6th Annual Lilly Lake Lantern Walk | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 5-7 p.m. | LEagle Creek Park | Park admission | Bring a lantern from home to light your way around the lake on a 0.5-mile trail.
Gluhwein Gallop 5k | Saturday, Dec. 20 | 9-11 a.m. | Carmel Christkindlmarkt | $36+ | Put on your favorite holiday costume to run to and from the beloved holiday market and earn your complimentary glühwein.
Concerts
“Christmas Together Tour” | Thursday, Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Fishers Event Center | $76+ | Join Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and CeCe Winans for a magical evening filled with holiday classics.
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Yuletide Celebration | Friday, Dec. 5-Tuesday, Dec. 23 | Times vary | Hilbert Circle Theatre | $36+ | Broadway star Ashley Brown and multi-genre talent Curtis Bannister serve as co-hosts of the 39th annual celebration.
Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac | Friday, Dec. 5 | 8:45-10 p.m. | Indiana Landmarks | $26+ | This concert is sure to ring like a bell through the night.
Holiday on the Ave.: A Holiday Soul Revue | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 7 p.m. | Walker Theatre | $22+ | Enjoy the smooth stylings of Rodney Stepp, IU Soul Revue, Men In The Fire, and other artists.
Festival of Carols | Friday, Dec. 19-Monday, Dec. 22 | Times vary | The Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel | $37+ | The holiday concert tradition returns with familiar favorites and exciting new works to capture the joy of the season — including an appearance by Santa, the Hallelujah Chorus, and a few holiday surprises.
Hank Ruff’s Holiday Hoedown | Friday, Dec. 26 | 8-11:30 p.m. | HI-FI | $12+ | Boot scoot to neo-traditional country tunes from this recent Indiana University grad.
Hyryder Grateful New Year | Dates vary | 7 p.m.-2 a.m. | The Mousetrap | $29+ | Ring in 2026 with two nights of music from one of the most popular Grateful Dead tribute bands.
For the fam
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 7 p.m. | Schrott Center for the Arts | Free | Introduce your young ones to the holiday classic starring Jim Carrey.
Breakfast with Buddy the Elf | Saturday, Dec. 6 | Times vary | St. Paul’s Episcopal Church | $10 | Enjoy a spaghetti... umm, pancake and egg breakfast with Santa’s favorite Elf.
Birthday Bash | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis | Museum admission | Celebrate the museum’s 100th birthday with party games, magicians, dance parties, animal meet and greets, and much more.
Sankt Nikolaus Festival | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 1-4 p.m. | Athenaeum Indy | Free entry | Add your child’s name to St. Nikolaus’ book for free to score them a visit with + small gift from the Christmas icon.
Pokepalooza December featuring Beard Dad Cardz (Phill Faust) | Sunday, Dec. 14 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Indiana State Fairgrounds | $13+ | Browse 250+ dealer tables, participate in a cosplay contest, get your face painted like a Pokemon, and more at the largest 100% All Pokemon TCG event in the Midwest.
Jingle Rails Kids Clay Train Workshop | Saturday, Dec. 20 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Eiteljorg Museum | $28+ | Create your own keepsake train out of polymer clay, inspired by the Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure exhibit.
Noon Year’s Eve | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Kids Empire Plainfield | $20 | Give your kids the chance to dance, party, and celebrate the New Year — without staying up past bedtime.
Theater
“Annie the Musical” | Thursday, Dec. 4-Sunday, Dec. 7 | Times vary | Theater at the Fort | $10+ | It’s the hard knock life for a group of feisty orphans in this beloved stage show.
“The Magic of Christmas” | Friday, Dec. 5-Saturday, Dec. 20 | 5:45-9:30 p.m. | Downtown Dinner Theater | $66 | Experience the enchantment of the holiday season with this dazzling dinner and musical experience featuring talented local artists.
Butler Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker” | Friday, Dec. 5-Saturday, Dec. 6 | 8 p.m. | Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University | $36+ | Rediscover the beloved holiday ballet presented by talented students.
Classes
Interior Design Workshop: Holiday Home Decor | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | HER Home Design Boutique | $29 | Join a fun and informative workshop on decorating your home for the holidays with a touch of interior design flair.
Marshmallow Wreath Class | Wednesday, Dec. 10 | 7-8 p.m. | The Philippines Cultural Community Center | $20 | Sip on bottomless hot chocolate as you learn to make a marshmallow wreath.
Paint ‘Til You Faint | Friday, Dec. 19 | 6 p.m.-12 a.m. | Locations vary | $10+ | Finish up your last-minute gifts at a late night pajama party.
Get social
BINGO Night for Parks | Tuesday, Dec. 2 | 5:30-8 p.m. | Guggman Haus Brewing Co. | $35 | Play to raise awareness for Indy’s parks and public green spaces and provide financial support to The Parks Alliance of Indianapolis at this family-friendly event.
Christmas Movie Trivia | Tuesday, Dec. 16 | 5:45-8:30 p.m. | Metazoa Brewing Company | $7 | Try to win a major award at this festive trivia night.
DateIndy Singles Social | Thursday, Dec. 18 | 7-9 p.m. | West Fork Social House | $20 | Ditch the dating apps for the night and join a cocktail bar full of single people looking to make connections.
Kountry Kitchen Boots & Gown Gala | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30-11:30 p.m. | 910 North Event Center @ Kountry Kitchen | $150+ | Wear your best cowboy couture for live music, incredible food, and a champagne-filled countdown to the New Year.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.