Holiday festivals in Utah offer family fun, Christmas cheer

Christmas is in the air. The lights go on at Temple Square and the Gallivan Plaza tonight, the "Messiah" sing-in takes place at Abravanel Hall this weekend, and people everywhere are gearing up for the holidays.

If you want to get in the spirit, there are plenty of activities that can help put you there. You can wander among a forest of Christmas trees, visit Christmas Past, share traditions from other cultures, ride a train to the "North Pole," drive among the lights and more. Here's a look at some of the upcoming fests and festivals:

Candlelight christmas

Christmas that's like a Norman Rockwell painting come-to-life, complete with carolers in the street, a live Nativity with animals, a visit with Father Christmas and live reindeer — that's what you'll find at Candlelight Christmas at This Is the Place Heritage Park.

Running from tonight through Dec. 23, every night except Sunday, and starting at 6 p.m., the event also includes hands-on arts and crafts for kids, dancing around a holiday tree, unique gifts and confectioneries, homemade food, and new this year, an elf village. It's all the sights, sounds and smells of yesteryear.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for children 3-11 and for seniors. For more information, call 801-582-1847 or visit www.thisistheplace.org. The park is located at 2601 Sunnyside Ave., Salt Lake City.

Christmas in Midway

Crafts, crèches and cottages are in the spotlight at the Midway Christmas Celebration, Dec. 4-6.

The Interfaith Crèche exhibit, 165 N. Center, will feature more than 800 Nativity scenes from 75 countries, as well as tapestries, art, a children's activity room with a life-size interactive crèche, marionette performances, and live vocal and instrumental music. It goes from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Swiss Christmas holiday market will have about 30 vendors and artisans selling food, crafts and gift items. It will be held at the Town Hall, 130 W. Main, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Father and Mother Christmas will be on hand Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.

Cottages for the Children, benefiting the Wasatch/Summit County Children's Justice Center, will feature approximately 200 donated gingerbread houses. They will all be sold via silent auction. It is held at the Midway Community Center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Admission is free to all Midway Christmas Celebration events.

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