Holiday Fun in Oakland County

Weekend or one-night Events:

Royal Oak Holidays - November 21-December 21

• Royal Oak Holidays- The 2025 Royal Oak Holidays will offer 5 consecutive weekends of free holiday fun in downtown Royal Oak from Friday, November 21 through Sunday, December 21! With its merger with Winter Blast, favorite activities like the zip line ride, carnival attractions and ice sculptures will be featured at Royal Oak Holidays, completely free! Oak from Nov. 21 through Dec. 21, 2025. PLUS, Royal Oak Holiday favorites will return including the Shopping at the expanded Holiday Markets, the Cookie Crawl, Toy Drive, Visits with Santa (and one from Grinch!), Ice-skating at The Rink, The Great Royal Oak Elf Hunt, Horse & Wagon Rides and more!

Holiday Extravaganza - December 6

• Downtown Pontiac - Sponsored by Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Waterford, and White Lake, the festivities kick off with the Winter Fun Festival that includes ice carving, s’mores, and a petting zoo.

Berkley Holiday Lights Parade - December 6

• Downtown Berkley - The Berkley Holiday Lights parade runs along 12 Mile Road from Bacon (the street, not the food) to Coolidge and includes floats, high school bands, local displays, and ends with Santa arriving at City Hall where kids can visit him. Restaurants and stores in Berkley’s downtown will be open for shopping before and after the parade. If you live in town, be sure to catch Santa as he drives every street in Berkley to wave to the kids.

Clarkston Holiday Lights Parade - December 13

• Downtown Clarkston - The Clarkston Holiday Lights parade runs through Downtown Clarkston from Waldon Road and Main Street to Miller Road. It begins at 6 pm and you can enjoy the small-town feel of Clarkston in this community-volunteer organized parade.

Ongoing Seasonal Events:

Holiday Stroll at Canterbury Village - Fridays through Sundays in December.

• Canterbury Village, Lake Orion - Canterbury Village transforms into a “winter wonderland” in this family-friendly, outdoor event. There is a choreographed light show, professional carolers, and holiday favorite characters around to entertain guests. While kids will certainly make memories, adults can also enjoy a variety of beers, hard citers and wine near fire pits.

Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo - November 22 - January 4

• Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak; huge animal and habitat displays line the front half of the Detroit Zoo every night as holiday music plays and families explore the always-growing event. If you’ve not been since its first couple years, it is 100% worth checking out again. Rumor has it, you may even get to see the elusive Detroit Zoo beavers, who as crepuscular animals, will be aware and active in the evening!

Rochester Big, Bright Light Show - November 25 - January 18, nightly at sundown.

• Downtown Rochester - Experience Downtown Rochester dining and shopping as the Big Bright Light Show covers the fronts of all buildings with over 1.5 million points of light! The show begins every night at 5 pm and lasts all season long. I enjoy going up here to check out Rochester Mills brewery for dinner and a drink, before getting some holiday shopping done.

Pine Knob’s Magic of Lights - November 21 - January 3, every night at 5:30.

• Pine Knob, Independence Township - This drive-thru display of Christmas lights takes place at Pine Knob as their parking lot transforms into an enormous, animated LED display of everything from traditional holiday scenes to pop-culture characters, including a 32-foot tall Barbie. Tickets can be purchased in advance, and can be found online for.

Outdoor Sports of Oakland County - Any time, any park.

• Metro Detroit has an impressive network of trails. It may lack mountains, but most of us realize downhill skiing is overrated once we break that first limb. Cross-country skiing can be just as fun, and the winter wildlife here is great. If skiing isn’t your thing, try snowshoeing or even hiking! Whether you’re at Independence Oaks, Addison Oaks, or want to stay a bit closer at Heritage Park in Farmington or Stage Nature Center in Troy. If you’re not a fan of winter or cold, this probably sounds crazy, but give it a try, and afterward head to a local coffee shop for hot cocoa or a latte.

Oakland County certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to holiday lights, parades, and events. It’s easy to be grumpy about the snow and cold, but I find it’s a lot more satisfying to embrace the winter. It’s going to be here whether you like it or not, so why not enjoy it? Look around locally and make a new holiday season tradition or two!