Christmas in the Village
Join us for Christmas in the Village at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, in support of the Every Student Initiative
We are excited to present the fifthth annual Christmas in the Village in Peoria, IL! This special event continues to grow each year, featuring an exciting line up of local food trucks and vendors, hot chocolate and holiday cocktails, horse-drawn carriage rides, a holiday laser light show, carolers, live animals, the Peoria Ballet Nutcracker ballerinas, holidays movies in the Giant Screen Theater, museum exhibitions, some special exciting surprises, and Peoria’s LARGEST live Christmas tree! New this year, enjoy free admission to the Caterpillar Visitors Center!
A one stop shop for all your holiday decor and gift giving for the special people in your life! We can’t wait to once again enjoy the magic of the Christmas season with our community! All proceeds from the Village will go towards the Museum's Every Student Initiative.
- Peoria's largest LIVE Christmas tree!
- Local food and goods vendors
- Food trucks
- Free photo with Santa
- Hot Chocolate
- Holiday cocktails
- Carriage rides
- Carolers
- Live animals
- Peoria Ballet Nutcracker Ballerinas
- Free admission to all Peoria Riverfront Museum exhibitions
- Free admission to the Caterpillar Visitors Center
- Santa's Workshop
- Mrs. Claus' Reading Corner
- Holiday Laser Light Show in the Dome Planetarium
- Christmas Movies in the Giant Screen Theater
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And so much more!
Christmas in the Village
Our Purpose
Christmas in the Village was born in 2022 from Peoria native, Alison Unkovich. Her vision was to create a magical Christmas event that would provide an opportunity to bring the community together during the holiday season. This top notch, family-friendly event embodies all the holiday feels of a storybook Christmas experience and is sure to be a family tradition in Peoria for years to come. Alison is grateful for the amazing community and sponsors whose support helps raise up this Village and bring this wonderful event to life on the Peoria Riverfront.
Alison worked as an educator in Chicago for a decade, and was passionate about creating an opportunity to give back to the students of our region by raising resources for the museum’s Every Student Initiative. This initiative was established with the goal of engaging students from every public, private and homeschool organization in Central Illinois with a curriculum-connected visit to the Peoria Riverfront Museum every year.
FAQ
Yes! All tickets cover both days of Christmas in the Village: Friday, December 4, 2026 and Saturday, December 5, 2026.
General public tickets for 2026 are $25 for an individual and $60 for a family of 6. Museum members get a discounted rate of $20 for an individual and $50 for a family.
A family ticket for Christmas in the Village covers admission for 2 adults and up to 4 children within the same immediate family! Children under the age 2 can tag along for free and don’t need their own individual ticket.
We know not all families look the same, so here are a few quick examples to help you choose the right ticket:
- One parent and their kids = 1 Family Ticket
- Grandparent bringing the kids instead of the parent = 1 Family Ticket
- Two adults + 5 or 6 children (larger immediate family) = 1 Family Ticket + 1 Individual Ticket
- Parent bringing their kids plus an extra adult (friend, sibling, partner who isn’t a parent) = 1 Family Ticket + 1 Individual Ticket
- Parents + grandparents + kids all attending together = 1 Family Ticket + 2 Individual Tickets
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Adult bringing nieces, nephews, cousins, or children from multiple households = Individual Tickets
If you’re ever unsure, here’s the golden rule: A family ticket works for two adult caregivers and their kids. Any extra adults should plan to purchase individual tickets.
Parking for this event is any location in Downtown Peoria, including metered parking. We recommend parking at the River Station or the lot across from Running Central.
Supporters List
Christmas Angel Presenting Sponsor
- Doug and Diane Oberhelman
Christmas Village Sponsor
- The Chambers Family
- Matt and Alison Unkovich
- Wilson Services
Snow Globe Sponsor
- Mike and Margee Cullinan
- Andrew Muir
- Caterpillar
- City of Peoria
- Heritage Restoration & Design, Inc.
- Prairie Home Alliance
Snowman Sponsor
- Polly Barton
- Sally Snyder
- Laurie and Dave Williams
- Artemis
- Rammos Plastic Surgery and medSpa
- RLI
Candy Cane Sponsor
- Andy and Amanda Chambers
- Rachel and Nathan Kress
- Jordan and Miranda Meiss
- Sid Ruckriegel and Andrew Rand
- CBI Bank and Trust
- Oberlander Electric
Neighborhood Sponsor
- Kevin and Jackie Colgan
- Grandview Capital Group