It’s a beautiful time of year to spend an evening on Monument Circle in Indianapolis with the kids. From tons of kids’ activities to Christmas lights, downtown Indianapolis has so much to do and see! Start with a meal at a restaurant nearby, stroll around the Circle to see the lights and projection shows, drop into the candy shop, deliver a letter to Santa, and sip on some hot cocoa to warm up! Introduce your kids to the magic of Monument Circle during the holidays and see their eyes light up alongside the magical lights and shows you’ll see on the Circle.

10 Fun Things to Do at Monument Circle

Kids Activities & Christmas Lights Downtown Indianapolis

See the Circle of Lights Christmas Tree

The Circle of Lights is a sight to see during the holidays in Indianapolis. It’s THE place to see Christmas lights downtown, Indianapolis. It boasts nearly 5,000 lights standing over 240 feet tall, draped top to bottom with seasonal greenery. Stroll around Monument Circle during the Circle of Lights to see the Soldiers and Sailors Monument transformed into a giant Christmas tree.

Watch a Projection Light Show

Every night at 6:30 pm, 8 pm, and 10 pm, enjoy a free projection light show called Shining A Light. This five-minute program will showcase the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument in beautiful lights synchronized to an original score by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Video and light projections will unfold across the surrounding building facades as well. Another way to see Christmas lights downtown in Indianapolis, this special holiday presentation is not to be missed.

Watch a Performance on the Circle

This year, there will be a host of performers and shows on Monument Circle as part of SPARK: Holidays on the Circle! Check out this awesome lineup:
• Saturday, Nov. 29: Mina Keohane
• Sunday, Nov. 30: Keith Beatty
• Saturday, Dec. 6: Outside the Box Choir
• Sunday, Dec. 7: Indianapolis Children’s Choir
• Saturday, Dec. 13: AlejCat
• Sunday, Dec. 14: AlejCat
• Saturday, Dec. 20: Freetown Village Singers
• Sunday, Dec. 21: The Idle Hands

Sip on Hot Cocoa

Cold winter nights call for a warm, steamy cup of hot cocoa. Right there on the circle, the South Bend Chocolate Company has the perfect spot for you to grab a chocolaty treat and take it along with you as you cruise the circle and take in the sights of the season. You can also purchase chocolates, popcorn, and gifts for Christmas! Plus, SPARK has hot cocoa in their “container cafe.”

See all of the best spots for hot cocoa in Indy with kids.

Shop for Candy & Collectibles at Rocket Fizz

Our favorite candy store is on Monument Circle. Visiting Rocket Fizz to select a piece of candy is a tradition for our family when we spend the evening on Monument Circle. They have EVERYTHING! Pick out toys, special drinks, candy, posters, collectibles, geodes, music, and great gift items! It’s such a unique candy store, and kids love spending time looking at all of the cool items.

Mail a Letter to Santa

The Santa mailbox is a super fun tradition for many local girls and boys, and the post box on the Circle is probably the most famous. Drop a letter in for Santa, and he’ll write back. Be sure to include your return address on your envelope so Santa knows where to send you a reply! Find the festive mailbox on the east side of the Circle facing East Market Street.

See all Santa Mailboxes in Indy and deadlines here.

Watch Yuletide

The famous Yuletide Celebration at the Hilbert Circle Theater welcomes Broadway star Ashley Brown and multi-genre talent Curtis Bannister. Maestro Jack Everly leads the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in 26 performances of Yuletide Celebration, a holiday performance full of singing and dancing that’s unparalleled.

Take a Carriage Ride

Those horse-drawn carriages that prance through the city streets are so magical. I always imagined that winter would be the best time, bundled up with my family under blankets, the clop, clop of the horse’s feet as we looked up and around at the beautiful holiday decorations. With tours ranging from 25 minutes ($70) to one hour ($130), there’s an option for kids of any age and attention span.

There is even a Royal Cinderella Carriage ride that resembles Cinderella’s carriage! Fees are based on two to four passengers, and children under 3 are free. Carriages will fit six medium-sized adults, but that’s a pretty snug ride. Carriage rides start at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Monument Circle and go past several places to see Christmas lights downtown Indianapolis. Visit www.indycarriage.com or www.yrcarriages.com for more information.

Beautiful Trees on the Circle

There’s more than one beautiful tree on the Circle. Check out the side windows of the AES building – you’ll see a giant tree created with colorfully illuminated windows. Check out the front window, and you’ll find our absolute favorite tree in the whole city. AES Indiana’s 10-story building has 267 individually controlled windows, each equipped with 36 high-efficiency bulbs that can generate 16 million different color combinations.

Can you spot all of the other Christmas trees on the Circle? What are your favorite Christmas lights downtown in Indianapolis?

Visit with an Array of Characters

Expect the unexpected. You never know who or what you’ll run into on the Circle. We’ve pet reindeer outside of the Hilbert Theatre and posed for a photo with a motorcycle-riding Santa. We’ve kissed puppies with Santa hats and listened to carolers. Downtown Indy is so beautiful, and at Christmastime, it sparkles!

Here’s the Santa schedule that’s part of SPARK!

Santa Schedule (4–8 PM):
• Saturday, Nov. 29: Indy Santa – Ty Stover
• Sunday, Nov. 30: Indy Santa – Ty Stover
• Saturday, Dec. 6: Indiana Black Santa – Josiah McCrustion
• Sunday, Dec. 7: Indy Santa – Ty Stover
• Saturday, Dec. 13: Indiana Black Santa – Josiah McCrustion
• Sunday, Dec. 14: Indy Santa – Ty Stover
• Saturday, Dec. 20: Indy Santa – Ty Stover
• Sunday, Dec. 21: Indy Santa – Ty Stover

To see more Christmas lights downtown in Indianapolis, and beyond, see our Christmas Lights List. For other holiday events and activities, check out our Indy holiday guide. And our list of 100 things to do this holiday break. For an activity at home, start the You’ve Been Jingled tradition in your neighborhood and teach generosity to your children.

Magical Holiday Experiences Throughout the Midwest

Have you been to Monument Circle during the holidays? Do you love the Christmas lights in downtown Indianapolis? Share your comments and pictures with us below or tag us on social media using #PLAYindy. Follow Indy with Kids on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest for all of the best ideas and things to do with kids in Indy!