The holiday season is officially here. Soon, your family and friends will be knocking on your door and you’ll have to entertain them. Luckily for you, Oshkosh is here to help with a generous helping of events, attractions and entertainment for the entire Thanksgiving Weekend.
Family Friendly Holiday Events
Nutcracker in the Castle | Paine Art Center and Gardens, Nov. 17 to Jan. 8
A dazzling display of sights, sounds and surprises await you as the story of the Nutcracker fairy tale unfolds within each room of the historic estate. 70 elaborately decorated Christmas trees, the magical Land of Sweet and the enchanting Sugar Plum Fairy await your visit with either a self-guided tour, candlelight tour or guided tour.
Festival Foods Turkey Trot | Oshkosh Seniors Center, Nov. 23 at 8AM
The Festival Foods Turkey Trot benefits the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club in our Community! Participants can partake in either the timed 5-mile run, untimed 2-mile fun run, or an untimed 2-mile walk and is open to everyone of all ages and abilities. Don’t forget to bring your favorite cuddly companion for the 2-mile Dog Jog.
Christmas Village & Craft Fair | Brighton Acres, Nov. 24 & 25 plus Dec. 1 & 2
* Christmas Craft Fair - shop around to find the perfect gift from your local artisans
* Elf Academy- Drop your child off to make a craft and graduate to an elf with our certified elf staff (children under the age of 5 years must be accompanied by a parent)
* Tractor and Horse drawn carriage rides out to Christmas Village which includes, visit with Santa and warm cookies and hot cocoa to warm you up
* Voting on our Christmas Decorating contests.
* Delicious treats/food
* Featured holiday drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from our full-service bar
Celebration of Lights | EAA Grounds, Nov. 25 to Dec. 31 (Open daily 5:30-9PM)
See more than one million twinkling lights as you drive throughout the beautiful EAA Grounds Holiday sights, sounds and activities include more than one-hundred twenty trees filled with lights, sculptured scenes, animated light displays, visits with Santa, special event nights, wagon rides and much more.
Small Business Saturday in Downtown Oshkosh Nov. 25
Shop local and get rewards! Join us in supporting our local downtown businesses Saturday November 25th! If you spend more than $50 at downtown businesses located within the Downtown BID, you can bring your receipt into the Downtown/Discover Oshkosh offices from 11am-2pm and receive a free shop local tote!
UW-Oshkosh Men's Basketball vs North Park | Kolf Sports Center 4PM
This past season, the Titans won 24 games and were the WIAC Regular Season Champions for the second straight year. You do not want to miss out on seeing the next season get started! Head to Kolf Sports Center for the UW-Oshkosh Men's Basketball vs North Park!
Artisan Marketplace | Vines & Rushes Winery, Nov. 25 at 10AM - 4PM
Your next shopping opportunity is here and just in time for the Holiday season! Stop in and check out their large great room which will be filled with vendors selling a variety of handcrafted items. Wood fired pizza, Vines & Rushes Wine and Knuth's Craft Beer is available for purchase from 11AM to 8PM.
Holiday Market & Bazaar | Oshkosh Arena, Nov. 25 at 9AM - 12:30PM
The Winter Market highlights locally-grown fresh and organic produce, including: late season fruits & vegetables, hydroponic and green house raised greens, eggs, locally roasted coffees, honey, syrups, cheeses, farm raised meats, including: beef, chicken, pork, and bison, jams & jellies, canned goods, bakery, craft items, take home meals and so much more. Enjoy local and live entertainment!
Holiday Open House | uBloom, Nov. 25 9AM - 2PM
Get in the holiday spirit with the best selection of unique gifts, custom creations, clothing, fresh & silk arrangements, and so much more! It’s a winter wonderland at uBloom!
Rushford Meadery & Winery Craft Palooza, Nov. 25 1-5PM
Join Tammy at Dragonfly Designs to make your choice of five different craft projects that include ornaments, festive decorations, and an advent calendar that you can use for gifts, or for your holiday decor. They are fun, simple, and inexpensive, only $15 or less per project! Bring the kids for some family fun. We’ll have hot chocolate, and light snacks. No reservation needed!
Check out our special holiday section to find more festive fun!
Family Friendly Attractions
Escape Oshkosh | Race against the clock where the rooms are full of puzzles, clues and heart-pounding fun. You and your team will enter one of the four escape rooms where you will have 60 minutes to figure out how to escape.
Glow in the Park Indoor Mini Golf | Take the family out for a day at the park... indoor mini golf edition! This 18 hole mini golf attraction features glow in the dark vibes with fun surprises around every corner!
608 Axe Throwing | You don’t have to be a lumberjack to enjoy hatchet throwing. Don’t let the hatchets intimidate you… we guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy and fun this is!
Fire Escape | The DIY art studio is perfect for an afternoon of family expression and creativity. Paint pottery, board art signs, canvas paintings and much more. The staff here is super friendly and ready to help you create your very own masterpiece.
EAA Museum | The Museum is one of the most extensive aviation attractions in the world, a year-round destination for the entire family. Come and explore their world-class displays and galleries. Marvel at aviation innovations in their collection of more than 200 historic airplanes. Spend time in one of their four movie theaters. Take a ride in a vintage airplane at Pioneer Airport—a real working aerodrome right out of the “golden age” of aviation. Explore Outer Space in EAA's Willan Space Gallery. Witness a piece of history in the Eagle Hangar, their tribute to World War II aviation and get “hands on” in the KidVenture Gallery, their exciting interactive gallery for kids of all ages!
Mineshaft Game Room | The Mineshaft Game Room offers plenty of fun for the entire family! Not only is there the option to test your gaming skills at a variety of new and unique games, the massive game room also provides many traditional arcade games like Skee-ball and basketball, as well as a giant crane machine. No matter your skill set, there’s a game for you.
And don’t forget to check out our amazing Outlet Shoppes where you’ll find more than 40 brand name stores.
Beer and Chocolate
Oshkosh has three great breweries that are ready to pour you the perfect pint. Bare Bones Brewery, Fifth Ward Brewing Co., and the Fox River Brewing Co. all offer a variety of hand-crafted beer from a traditional pilsner to a complex stout. Take a break from the holiday mayhem and have a beer. Looking for a fun distillery or cidery to spend the day at? Sturgeon Spirits Distillery produces a range of premium spirits, including whiskey, vodka, and gin, using locally-sourced ingredients. Be sure to stop by the first cidery in Oshkosh - Sunken Paddle Ciderworks! This nano urban cidery offers hard cider samples and bottled flavors for purchase to enjoy at home! Sourcing apples and other ingredients from local orchards and vendors - this hard cider is as fresh and local as it gets.
Learn more about Oshkosh’s breweries, wineries, and distilleries here.
Get your fill of sweets and other treats at two of Oshkosh’s most popular chocolate shops, Hughes Home Maid Chocolate Shop and Oaks Candy. Delicious toffee, meltaways, nut clusters, and cream-filled goodness can be found at each location. Stop by or order your favorite flavors today. Find more sweet treat ideas here.
& so much more!
Don’t be a scrooge this holiday season! If you don’t like any of these ideas, check out our event calendar to learn more!
Stay the night in Oshkosh—click here for overnight options!