AMANA COLONIES. Tannenbaum Forest Festival. This multi-weekend event features over 70 decorated Christmas trees, a 17-foot German-style pyramid centerpiece, Santa visits, a townwide pickle hunt, and special events including live reindeer on Dec. 15. Festhalle Barn, 4707 220th Trail. AmanaColonies.com. Through Dec. 22.
BOONE. Santa Express. Journey from Boone to the North Pole and back, with a Santa visit and a special gift. RSVP. Fri–Sun, Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. (515) 432-4249. or BSVRR.com. Through Dec. 20.
CEDAR RAPIDS. Five Seasons Lights. A wonderland of holiday lights with local music and entertainment. Freewill donation goes to area nonprofits. Dec. 6–26. A Brucemore Christmas & Holidays Nights. Enjoy the Queen Anne mansion decked out Victorian-style for Christmas—by day or by night. RSVP. Through Dec. 29 (closed Dec. 23–25).
DECORAH. Holidays Lights. Drive through, with Santa visits on weekend nights through Dec. 22. Nightly 5–9 p.m., Pulpit Rock Campground. HelpingServices.org/holidaylights/. Through Dec. 25.
DES MOINES & URBANDALE. Jolly Holiday Lights. This drive-through light show donates a portion of admission proceeds to Make-A-Wish Iowa. Sun.-Thurs. 5–9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5–10 p.m., Iowa State Fairgrounds, 3000 E. Grand Ave. Wish.org/iowa/jolly-holiday-lights. Through Jan. 4. Santa’s Rock n Lights. Des Moines’ largest drive-thru light show is synchronized to music. Benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Living History Farms, 11121 Hickman Rd., Urbandale. SantasRocknLights.com. Through Dec. 31. Jingle in the Junction. Lights, entertainment, horse-drawn trolley rides, Santa visits, and extended shopping hours, Thursdays 5–9 p.m., Historic Valley Junction. ValleyJunction.com. Through Dec. 19. Brenton Skating Plaza. Outdoor skating rink with rentals. Nights and weekends through December. 520 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines. (515) 237-1386.
FAIRFIELD. Santa in Central Park. Visit Santa on the sqaure, with photo ops, hot cocoa & cookies, ornament making, candy canes, and kids’ books. Fri. & Sat. 6–8:30 p.m. through Dec. 21. FairfieldIowa.com. Little Superheroes: Jolly Cork Pop-Up Bar. Festive themed events all month at Elks Lodge raise funds for families hit with unexpected medical expenses. Fridays and Saturday through Dec. 21. Details at LittleSuperheroesFairfield.com. JC Huffman’s Ho Ho Ho Holiday. Loads of hands-on family fun with Santa and the Grinch. Fri-Sat 5:30–8 p.m., Lincoln Center, 401 W. Stone. $15. LincolnCenter@JCHuffman.com. Through Dec. 21.
IOWA CITY. Holiday Lights at the Lake. Drive-through or walk-through lights display open nightly through Dec. 31. West Overlook Campground, W. Overlook Rd. NE. HolidayLightsattheLake.com. ’Tis the Season. Includes a Holiday Pop-Up Market with rotating shops in Black Hawk Mini Park through Dec. 24, free tractor wagon rides, photo ops on Santa Saturdays through Dec. 21 at FilmScene, a downtown Hunt for the Elves scavenger hunt, and DIY gift wrapping at the library. DowntownIowaCity.com.
KEOKUK. City of Christmas. A sparkling wonderland open seven nights a week in Rand Park, N. 17th & Park Lane. CityofChristmas.com. 5–10 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1.
MOUNT PLEASANT. Festival of Lights at Old Threshers. Southeast Iowa’s largest drive-through holiday light park includes an animated toy factory. 5:30–9 p.m., Midwest Old Threshers, enter on Walnut Street. OldThreshers.org. Through Dec. 31. North Pole Express is sold out for 2024.
OTTUMWA. Holiday Nights ’n’ Lights. Greater Ottumwa Park’s spectacular lights display. Proceeds go to local nonprofits. Greater Ottumwa Park, 1 Joe Lord Memorial Dr. (641) 682-3465. Facebook.com/ GOPIPOttumwa. Thurs.–Sun., 5:30–9 p.m., through Dec. 27.
OSKALOOSA & PELLA. Painting with Lights. Oskaloosa’s downtown buildings are illuminated with over 200,000 lights—covering all four sides of the town square. Through early January. Carriage Rides, Santa Visits & Hot Cocoa Bar. Carriage rides begin at the Information Windmill on the square, plus Santa photo ops and free hot cocoa on various Fridays and Saturdays. Through Dec. 21. Experience the Pella Historical Museums all dressed up for the holidays in Pella Historical Village through Dec. 28. Members.Pella.org.
QUAD CITIES & CLINTON. Kall Christmas Lights. Tune your radio to 107.1 FM and watch a synchronized lights display every half hour. 1852 Westminster Cir., Davenport. Facebook @KallChristmasLights. Through Dec. 31. Deck the Downtowns. Shop in the Quad Cities and vote for your favorite painted window display to win gift cards and goodies, enjoy sparkling lights, Dec. 14 carriage rides in Davenport, a pickle hunt, and much more. DowntownDavenport.com. Symphony of Lights. Light displays fill a 1.1 mile loop. Nightly through Dec. 30 (except Dec. 24–25.). Eagle Point Park, Clinton. SymphonyofLights.org.
VILLAGES OF VAN BUREN COUNTY. Christmas in the Villages. Ongoing events include Festival of Trees, soup suppers, museum open houses, sing-alongs, crafting, artisan markets, Santa, and more. VillagesofVanBuren.com. Through Dec. 31.