20 things to do this holiday season in Downtown Wabash, Indiana

There’s a little bit of holiday magic for everyone to discover in Downtown Wabash! To help you experience the most you can, we’ve compiled a top-twenty list of must-dos this season. Explore Christmas lights, excursions & events, holiday shopping and more.

P.S.: We suggest turning on some Christmas music while you read!

1. Kick off the holiday season at Jingle Jubilee

Kick off the hometown holiday season with the whole family and all your friends! Jingle Jubilee returns to Downtown Wabash in 2024 as the district’s decades-old tradition of officially kicking off the holiday season on November 15 from 4-8 p.m.

Jingle Jubilee is FREE and open to the public complete with the competitive Jingle Jubilee Stamping Map, the traditional lighting of the Wabash County Courthouse, a live nativity scene on Miami Street provided by Bachelor Creek Church, lots of hot cocoa, holiday shopping specials, Santa, twinkling lights galore and so much more!

2. Meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Wabash Friends Church

Join 95.9 KISS FM – WKUZ Radio with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Wabash Friends Church, on December 7 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. There will be a bounce house, crafts and giveaways!

3. Stroll through a winter wonderland at ‘Lights at Paradise’ 

There’s nothing better than gazing at Christmas lights! Starting on November 14, explore more than 24 light displays at Paradise Spring Park. Lighted photo-ops are available throughout the park. 

4. Shop for Christmas gifts locally

Check off every item on your holiday shopping list with more than 100 small businesses in Downtown! We encourage you to #ShopSmall every day, but especially during this season. You won’t want to miss out on spreading holiday cheer by supporting local business owners and taking advantage of great holiday deals. 

Black Friday: November 29, 2024 
Small Business Saturday: Our favorite holiday: the Saturday after Thanksgiving, meant for supporting small, local businesses for holiday shopping and more on November 30, 2024!
Cyber Monday: December 2, 2024

5. Give back to your community 

Spread joy through giving back and supporting your community this holiday season! Consider donating to local charities and nonprofit organizations or volunteering your time. Participate in Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving on December 3, 2024.

6. Take a s(elf)ie with Santa 

Grab your crew and head to Veterans Plaza to take a photo with the Holiday Greetings Santa Mural!

7. Make a homemade gift at Make It Your Own Art Studio

Paint a pottery piece, create a canvas painting and more to add a personal touch to someone on your list’s gift this year. Let your creativity flow at Make it Your Own! 

Pro Tip: If painting a pottery piece, make sure to visit Make it Your Own early in the holiday season to have your masterpiece back before Christmas. The pieces have to be fired in the kiln! 

8. Create your own holiday scent at JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. 

Embrace the holidays through every sense, including smell! Visit JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. and make a holiday-scented candle, reed diffuser, car freshener, wax cubes, etc. to freshen up every space you own with the season’s tidings. 

9. Schedule your Christmas card portraits 

Book a seasonal session with Nicole A. Howard Photography or Kaleigh M Photography to get an updated photo of the fam to send as your Christmas card this year! Be sure to bring your jolliest smile, and leave the resting grinch face at home. 

Contact: Nicole A. Howard Photography 

Contact: Kaleigh M. Photography

10. Spend a night in ‘Wabash Winterland’ with Holiday Shopping & a Cookie Walk on December’s First Friday 

Returning for the fourth year in a row, the Downtown Wabash Cookie Walk will feature delicious holiday treats to sample from various businesses while you cross off your holiday shopping to-do list. Hop from business to business in Downtown Wabash for a tasty holiday treat and a chance to win a holiday gift basket with local goodies!

11. Aboard Trolley No. 85 for a Holiday Trolley Tour around Wabash County

Explore holiday activities and festivities in Downtown Wabash and Beyond on Visit Wabash County’s Jolly Trolley Tour on Saturday, December 14. Festivities include a hot cocoa bar, a Holiday Puppet Show, Storytime and Christmas Caroling with Mrs. Claus, Christmas crafts and photos with Santa! Purchase tickets for the family for this fan-favorite holiday excursion. 

12. Find a good book to read at Reading Room Books 

Winter is the perfect time to cozy up by the fireplace with a good book. Make a trip to Reading Room Books to explore hundreds of titles. Your options are endless (it’s the largest bookstore in Indiana!)

13. Drink hot cocoa with friends at Modoc’s Market

Need we say more? Sip and savor quality time over a warm cup of coffee, hot cocoa, eggnog or your favorite holiday drink with your dearest friends and family. 

14. Check out the holiday window displays & lights 

Craving more Christmas light attractions after a night at Lights at Paradise? The rest of downtown is sparkling with holiday displays, too! Stroll through the district and admire storefront decorations, lights in the alley walkway, trees at the Honeywell Center & the skyline of lights hanging above Market Street! 

15. Celebrate the holidays with your favorite throwback movies. 

Spend an evening at Eagles Theatre watching your favorite holiday classics! There’s a movie title for everyone, with selections of movies from the nice list (rated G & PG) and the naughty list (rated PG-13 & R). Check out the full holiday movie schedule and buy your tickets in advance here.

16. Enjoy a winter weekend with the family at the Wabash County Museum  

The Wabash County Museum is filled with family activities during the holiday season! Check out what’s happening at the Museum on Facebook. Aside from extra holiday activities, the museum is a perfect place to explore while on Christmas break! 

17. Catch a live holiday show at The Honeywell Center

Gift an experience this year with live shows at the Honeywell Center! From A Magical Cirque Christmas to the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Holiday Pops, there’s a show for everyone. See a full list of live shows here.

18. Cozy up by the fire with a holiday cocktail at 4 Partners in Crime 

Experience homemade tapas, sweet treats and festive cocktails & mocktails in the warmth of the vibrant, charming space that is 4 Partners in Crime. Call for reservations or simply walk-in during business hours, Friday and Saturday from 5-10 p.m.

19. Dress up for a holiday dinner date at more than 7 restaurants 

Dress your best for a night on the town! Explore dining options in the downtown district and plan a date night with your special someone or a group of friends! 

20. Have a snowball fight at Paradise Spring Park 

Kids from one to ninety-two are encouraged to have fun and enjoy all holiday traditions. Have a (friendly) snowball fight, make a snow angel or build a snowman when fresh powder hits the ground at Paradise Spring Park.

December First Friday: Annual Downtown Cookie Walk

Returning for the fourth year in a row, the Downtown Wabash Cookie Walk will feature delicious holiday treats to sample from various businesses while you cross off your holiday shopping to-do-list.

Wabash First Fridays in 2024 are presented by MetalX and Bowen Health Clinic. Additional support for Wabash First Fridays come from Event Partners: Indiana Plain Dealer, Pettit Printing, Wabash Furniture and Flooring, 95.9 KISS FM, Wabash Domino’s and Dynamic Designs by Dyson.

Wabash First Fridays are events made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza

Bring the family to Downtown Wabash, Indiana for the ‘greatest spectacle in candy’ on Miami Street, presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc., Wabash Trucking and Metal Source.

Returning for its 6th year, Wabash Trucking will bring one of its roll-off trucks to dump the candy for costumed trick-or-treaters. Candy will cascade to Miami St. promptly at 5 p.m. and trick-or-treaters can collect their candy until 7 p.m. Come out in costume and join the costume contest in the parking lot of Oswalt-Thomas located at 160 W. Canal Street. There will be 10 categories to enter to win spooktacular prizes! A bounce house and other ghostly vendors can be found at the Lighthouse Mission parking lot across the street.

In the case of rain or inclement weather, Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza will be held on Sunday, Oct. 27 from 2-4 p.m. in Downtown Wabash, Indiana.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc., Wabash Trucking and Metal Source. Additional support comes from Beacon Credit Union and event partner Bachelor Creek Church.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

Jingle Jubilee

Kick off the hometown holiday season with the whole family and all your friends! Jingle Jubilee returns to Downtown Wabash in 2024 as the district’s decades-old tradition of officially kicking off the holiday season.

Jingle Jubilee is FREE and open to the public complete with the competitive Jingle Jubilee Stamping Map, the traditional lighting of the Wabash County Courthouse, winter-themed festivities on Miami Street provided by Bachelor Creek Church, lots of hot cocoa, holiday shopping specials, live reindeer, Santa, twinkling lights galore and so much more!

Stay tuned for more details to come!

Jingle Jubilee is made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

20 things to do this holiday season in Downtown Wabash, Indiana

There’s a little bit of holiday magic for everyone to discover in Downtown Wabash! To help you experience the most you can, we’ve compiled a top-twenty list of must-dos this season. Explore Christmas lights, excursions & events, holiday shopping and more.

P.S.: We suggest turning on some Christmas music while you read!

1. Kick off the holiday season at Jingle Jubilee

Kick off the hometown holiday season with the whole family and all your friends! Jingle Jubilee returns to Downtown Wabash in 2023 as the district’s decades-old tradition of officially kicking off the holiday season on November 17 from 4-9 p.m.

Jingle Jubilee is FREE and open to the public complete with the competitive Jingle Jubilee Stamping Map, the traditional lighting of the Wabash County Courthouse, a holiday kid zone on Miami Street provided by Bachelor Creek Church, lots of hot cocoa, holiday shopping specials, live reindeer, Santa, The Grinch, twinkling lights galore and so much more!

2. Compete in ‘Shop local to Win’

Shopping locally pays off in Downtown Wabash. For every purchase you make at a participating business, scan the ‘Shop Local to Win’ QR code at each register to enter for a chance to win sweet prizes during the holiday season.

3. Stroll through a winter wonderland at ‘Lights at Paradise’ 

There’s nothing better than gazing at Christmas lights! Starting on November 17, explore more than 24 light displays at Paradise Spring Park. Lighted photo-ops are available throughout the park. 

4. Shop for Christmas gifts locally

Check off every item on your holiday shopping list with more than 100 small businesses in Downtown! We encourage you to #ShopSmall every day, but especially during this season. You won’t want to miss out on spreading holiday cheer by supporting local business owners and taking advantage of great holiday deals. 

Black Friday: November 24, 2023 
Small Business Saturday: Our favorite holiday: the Saturday after Thanksgiving, meant for supporting small, local businesses for holiday shopping and more on November 25, 2023!
Artist Sunday: November 26, 2023 
Cyber Monday: November 27, 2023 

5. Give back to your community 

Spread joy through giving back and supporting your community this holiday season! Consider donating to local charities and nonprofit organizations or volunteering your time. Participate in Giving Tuesday, the global day of giving on November 28.

6. Take a s(elf)ie with Santa 

Grab your crew and head to Veterans Plaza to take a photo with the Holiday Greetings Santa Mural!

7. Make a homemade gift at Make It Your Own Art Studio

Paint a pottery piece, create a canvas painting and more to add a personal touch to someone on your list’s gift this year. Let your creativity flow at Make it Your Own! 

Pro Tip: If painting a pottery piece, make sure to visit Make it Your Own early in the holiday season to have your masterpiece back before Christmas. The pieces have to be fired in the kiln! 

8. Create your own holiday scent at JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. 

Embrace the holidays through every sense, including smell! Visit JoJo’s Olfactory & Co. and make a holiday-scented candle, reed diffuser, car freshener, wax cubes, etc. to freshen up every space you own with the season’s tidings. 

9. Schedule your Christmas card portraits 

Book a seasonal session with Nicole A. Howard Photography or Kaleigh M Photography to get an updated photo of the fam to send as your Christmas card this year! Be sure to bring your jolliest smile, and leave the resting grinch face at home. 

Contact: Nicole A. Howard Photography 

Contact: Kaleigh M. Photography

10. Spend a night in ‘Wabash Winterland’ with Holiday Shopping & a Cookie Walk on December’s First Friday 

Returning for the third year in a row, the Downtown Wabash Cookie Walk will feature delicious holiday treats to sample from various businesses while you cross off your holiday shopping to-do list. Hop from business to business in Downtown Wabash for a tasty holiday treat and a chance to win a holiday gift basket with local goodies!

11. Aboard Trolley No. 85 for a Holiday Trolley Tour around Wabash County

Explore holiday activities and festivities in Downtown Wabash and Beyond on Visit Wabash County’s Jolly Trolley Tour on Saturday, December 9. Festivities include a hot cocoa bar, Holiday Puppet Show, Storytime and Christmas Caroling with Mrs. Claus, Christmas crafts and photos with santa! Purchase tickets for the family for this fan-favorite holiday excursion. 

12. Find a good book to read at Reading Room Books 

Winter is the perfect time to cozy up by the fireplace with a good book. Make a trip to Reading Room Books to explore hundreds of titles. Your options are endless (it’s the largest book store in Indiana!)

13. Drink hot cocoa with friends at Modoc’s Market

Need we say more? Sip and savor quality time over a warm cup of coffee, hot cocoa, eggnog or your favorite holiday drink with your dearest friends and family. 

14. Check out the holiday window displays & lights 

Craving more Christmas light attractions after a night at Lights at Paradise? The rest of downtown is sparkling with holiday displays, too! Stroll through the district and admire storefront decorations, lights in the alley walkway, trees at the Honeywell Center & the skyline of lights hanging above Market Street! 

15. Celebrate the holidays with your favorite throwback movies. 

Spend an evening at Eagles Theatre watching your favorite holiday classics! There’s a movie title for everyone, with selections of movies from the nice list (rated G & PG) and the naughty list (rated PG-13 & R). Check out the full holiday movie schedule and buy your tickets in advance here.

16. Enjoy a winter weekend with the family at the Wabash County Museum  

The Wabash County Museum is filled with family activities during the holiday season! Check out what’s happening at the Museum on Facebook. Aside from extra holiday activities, the museum is a perfect place to explore while on Christmas break! 

17. Catch a live holiday show at The Honeywell Center

Gift an experience this year with live shows at the Honeywell Center! From Cirque Dreams Holidaze to A Bing Crosby Christmas with Jared Bradshaw, there’s a show for everyone. See a full list of live shows here.

18. Cozy up by the fire with a holiday cocktail at 4 Partners in Crime 

Experience homemade tapas, sweet treats and festive cocktails & mocktails in the warmth of the vibrant, charming space that is 4 Partners in Crime. Call for reservations or simply walk-in during business hours, Wednesdays-Saturdays from 5-10 p.m. and Sunday brunch from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

19. Dress up for a holiday dinner date at more than 7 restaurants 

Dress your best for a night on the town! Explore dining options in the downtown district and plan a date night with your special someone or a group of friends! 

20. Have a snowball fight at Paradise Spring Park 

Kids from one to ninety-two are encouraged to have fun and enjoy all holiday traditions. Have a (friendly) snowball fight, make a snow angel or build a snowman when fresh powder hits the ground at Paradise Spring Park.

The Greatest Spectacle in Candy Returns to Downtown Wabash

The Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is Happening on October 28 from 5-7 p.m.

Have you ever embarked on a Halloween quest where candy rained down from the sky, courtesy of a colossal dump truck? Probably not, unless you’ve experienced the spellbinding Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza. This bewitching event turns Downtown Wabash into a candy wonderland. It’s a tradition that leaves a sweet impression on its hometown, year after year.

Downtown Wabash Inc. collaborates closely with Wabash Trucking to create an unparalleled family experience in our beloved community. An avalanche of candy, literally A TON of it, will be cascading to the street as trick-or-treaters dressed up in their costumes, eagerly await to collect their sugary treasures. Will you snag one of the FIVE Gebhart Golden Tickets? That’s right, there are five chances at winning some “spooktacular” prizes.

Now, let’s get acquainted with the driving force behind this enchanting event: Wabash Trucking. They are a licensed and bonded full truckload logistics company based right here in Wabash, Indiana. Their mission is simple: to provide safe and reliable logistics services while upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism to protect customers, vendors and employees.

But how does a logistics company fit into the fabric of Downtown Wabash, let alone this candy-filled extravaganza? The answer is as straightforward as their “Go big or go home” motto. Wabash Trucking sought to give back to the community in a monumental way—think a whopping 2,000 pounds of candy cascading from the heavens, all while showcasing their innovative “Feed Me” roll-off dumpster design. Unbeknownst to them, no neighboring community had ever conjured such an elaborate spectacle, delivering a fresh, exhilarating experience to the masses. Now, in their fifth year, they’re poised to carry on the tradition of the 2,000-pound candy dump, much to the delight of Wabash residents.

How does this fit into the grand mission of Downtown Wabash Inc.? It’s a perfect match. Our vision for Downtown Wabash is a thriving hub of activity, day and night, and our mission is to be the driving force behind community and economic revitalization at the heart of Downtown Wabash. When an event like this brings nearly 4,000 people bustling into our vibrant downtown, we’re casting a radiant spotlight on local businesses and attractions, all conveniently within a strollable 2.5-mile radius. The majority of these event-goers are children, making it the perfect opportunity to introduce them to the enchanting wonders of their hometown through the grandest candy spectacle imaginable. 

A colossal effort by an army of devoted community leaders makes this sweet spectacle possible. It’s Downtown Wabash, Inc. partnering with Wabash Trucking for the extravagant candy dump, Bachelor Creek hosting an epic costume contest across all age groups, Downtown Wabash businesses generously distributing candy outside their storefronts, local food trucks, talented photographers capturing the magic, dedicated community vendors, and our local first responders—all these incredible individuals come together to make this event free for the public. Their contributions, in the form of candy, volunteer hours, and resources, are priceless, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of them.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is a beloved annual tradition taking place on October 28, from 5-7 p.m. (Rain Date: Sunday, October 29, from 2-4 p.m.) Gather your candy from the Wabash Trucking candy dump until supplies run out, then explore more businesses for additional sweet treats. Free parking and shuttle rides on Trolley No. 85 are available at Wabash County YMCA. Find more details on the Facebook event page.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc. and Wabash Trucking. Downtown Wabash, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night. Additional sponsorship comes from Top Level Sponsor Bachelor Creek.

Jingle Jubilee

Kick off the hometown holiday season with the whole family and all your friends! Jingle Jubilee returns to Downtown Wabash in 2023 as the district’s decades-old tradition of officially kicking off the holiday season.

Jingle Jubilee is FREE and open to the public complete with the competitive Jingle Jubilee Stamping Map, the traditional lighting of the Wabash County Courthouse, a holiday kid zone on Miami Street provided by Bachelor Creek Church, lots of hot cocoa, holiday shopping specials, live reindeer, Santa, twinkling lights galore and so much more!

Scan the ‘Shop Local to Win’ QR code at each register to enter for a chance to win sweet prizes during the holiday season!

Jingle Jubilee is made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc. & Wabash Trucking

Bring the family to Downtown Wabash, Indiana for the ‘greatest spectacle in candy’ on Miami Street, presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc. & Wabash Trucking.

Returning for its 5th year, Wabash Trucking will bring one of its roll-off trucks to dump the candy for costumed trick-or-treaters. Candy will cascade to Miami St. promptly at 5 p.m. and trick-or-treaters can collect their candy until 7 p.m.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT for one of FIVE Gebhart Golden Tickets inside candy bars included in the truckload of candy with “spooktacularly sweet” prize packages!

Parking at the Wabash County YMCA or the Wabash County Museum is recommended. Free shuttle services will be provided by Trolley No. 85.

In the case of rain or inclement weather, Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza will be held on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 2-4 p.m. in Downtown Wabash, Indiana.

The City of Wabash’s trick-or-treat hours are to be determined.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is presented by Downtown Wabash, Inc. and Wabash Trucking. Additional sponsorship comes from Top Level Sponsor Bachelor Creek.

The Downtown Wabash Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza is made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

December First Friday: Wabash Winterland & Downtown Cookie Walk

Returning for the third year in a row, the Downtown Wabash Cookie Walk will feature delicious holiday treats to sample from various businesses while you cross off your holiday shopping to-do-list!

Hop from business to business in Downtown Wabash for a tasty holiday treat and a chance to win a holiday gift basket with local goodies!

While you’re out and about, participate in our award-winning shopping campaign: Shop Local to Win!

Wabash First Fridays in 2023 are presented by MetalX. Additional support for Wabash First Fridays come from Top Level Sponsors: Pettit Printing and Crossroads Bank; and Mid Level Sponsor: 95.9 KISS FM.

Wabash First Fridays are events made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

November First Friday: Downtown Gallery Walk

This November, we’re bringing back AN ORIGINAL! Join us for the Downtown Gallery Walk, a throwback to the Charley Creek ArtsFest Gallery Walk in Downtown Wabash, Indiana!

Take a passport around to every downtown gallery and art space for an arts-infused evening with nostalgic charm. Participating locations include the Honeywell Center Clark Gallery, Make It Your Own Art Studio, Borders & Beyond Gallery, 4 Partners in Crime, Wabash County Museum and Nicole A. Howard Photography.

Wabash First Fridays in 2023 are presented by MetalX. Additional support for Wabash First Fridays come from Top Level Sponsors: Pettit Printing and Crossroads Bank; and Mid Level Sponsor: 95.9 KISS FM. November’s First Friday is generously sponsored by Borders & Beyond Gallery.

Wabash First Fridays are events made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.