This Saturday, Nov. 21, the Town of Merrillville lights its holiday tree at the Merrillville Municipal Complex, 7820 Broadway. The ceremony runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Santa will be there, and the Merrillville High School Choir will sing holiday songs.
Three Saturdays later, on Dec. 12, the town's Parks & Recreation Department holds its second holiday event a short way down the same road, at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center, 6600 Broadway. The town's Parks & Recreation events page lists just these two holiday events. Both are free, both are on Broadway, and one needs a reservation.
The weeks in between are filled by the Lake County Public Library's Merrillville branch, a symphony concert just over the line in Gary, and the local chamber's year-end party. Because the town calendar is so short, these dates add up to the whole season and are easy to plan around.
Saturday Night at the Municipal Complex
The tree lighting opens Merrillville's holiday season. The town's event listing gives the basics:
- When: Saturday, Nov. 21, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Merrillville Municipal Complex, 7820 Broadway, Merrillville, IN 46410
- What's scheduled: a visit with Santa and holiday songs from the Merrillville High School Choir
- Questions: the town lists 219-980-5911
It's a two-hour evening at the Municipal Complex built around Santa and the high school choir. Because it starts at 5:30, families can come straight from errands or an early dinner. Two hours is also enough time to arrive late and still catch the choir and see Santa.
Highland and Schererville run longer holiday programs with more parts. Merrillville keeps its opening night simple, and then the town's next holiday event is three weeks away. Most of what happens in between is at the library.
The Middle Weeks at 1919 W. 81st St.
The Lake County Public Library's Merrillville branch, 1919 W. 81st St., has two holiday events in the first week of December, both aimed at families with young kids.
Thursday, Dec. 3, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.: Holiday Art: Ages 6–11 is an after-school craft hour for elementary-age kids at the Merrillville branch.
Saturday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to noon: A Claus for Celebration is a holiday storytime with Mrs. Claus as the special guest. It's free, and the library's listing asks attendees to register.
The Dec. 5 storytime fits neatly into the town's calendar. Santa appears at the Municipal Complex on Nov. 21, Mrs. Claus reads at the library two weeks later, and on Dec. 12 the town collects kids' letters to Santa at the community center. Families with young children can do one Claus-themed outing each week for most of the season, and all three are free.
Lunch on 81st Avenue
House of Garlic, at 431 81st Ave., is having its first holiday season at its first brick-and-mortar location. The Times of Northwest Indiana describes it as a quick-serve Mediterranean street-food restaurant. The menu includes chicken, shawarma, kebabs and falafel, plus Lebanese dishes such as steak shawarma and garlic fries. The Crossroads Chamber held its ribbon-cutting and open house on May 11, 2026. It's a quick-serve option for a December Saturday of errands and library events.
Dec. 3 Has Two Events
The Merrillville branch's Holiday Art hour ends at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3. An hour later, the Northwest Indiana Symphony starts its Holiday Pops concert at Hard Rock Live. All Hard Rock Live events are 21 and over, and you'll need a valid photo ID to get in. The venue is at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, 5400 W. 29th Ave. in Gary, so this one is nearby rather than in Merrillville.
| Dec. 3 event | Time | Location | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday Art: Ages 6–11 | 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. | LCPL Merrillville branch, 1919 W. 81st St. | Kids ages 6 to 11 |
| Holiday Pops, Northwest Indiana Symphony | 6:30 p.m. | Hard Rock Live, 5400 W. 29th Ave., Gary | Adults 21 and over |
The two events don't overlap, and they're for different audiences. Some households will have a kid at the craft table in the afternoon and adults at the symphony that evening. The library event is free with a published schedule. The concert is ticketed through the venue, so check the Holiday Pops event page for seating and prices.
Dec. 11: The Chamber's Year-End Night
The night before the movie night, the Crossroads Chamber holds its Holiday Installation & Awards on Friday, Dec. 11. This year it's billed as the "Crossroads Year Wear-up," a year-end celebration with a cash bar, award presentations, and a look back at the chamber's year.
This one is for the business community. It's where local businesses close out the year, including the newer ones the chamber welcomed with ribbon-cuttings, like House of Garlic in May. The chamber's event page has the venue and registration details.
Saturday, Dec. 12, at 6600 Broadway
The town's second holiday event is the bigger time commitment of the two. The Family Holiday Movie Night listing says doors at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center open at 3 p.m., "The Christmas Chronicles" starts at 5 p.m., and the event runs until 9 p.m.
The town lists these details:
- Admission is free.
- Families are welcome to come in pajamas and bring a cozy blanket or chair.
- There will be hot cocoa.
- Kids can write letters to Santa during the event.
- Central Midwest Carpenters Local 2950 is sponsoring the night.
Doors open two hours before the movie, so there's time for cocoa and letter-writing first. Families with younger kids who arrive at 3 can do the letters before the film starts. Families who come closer to 5 can head straight to the screening. Seating is up to you, since the town invites people to bring their own chairs and blankets.
The free tickets have to be reserved ahead of time on the town's Zeffy ticketing page. For questions, the town lists 219-980-5911.
The Season on One Page
| Date | Event | Location | Cost and booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. | Merrillville Municipal Complex, 7820 Broadway | Town event, no booking listed |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Holiday Art: Ages 6–11, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. | LCPL Merrillville branch, 1919 W. 81st St. | See library listing |
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Holiday Pops, 6:30 p.m. | Hard Rock Live, 5400 W. 29th Ave., Gary | Ticketed through venue |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | A Claus for Celebration, 10 a.m. to noon | LCPL Merrillville branch, 1919 W. 81st St. | Free, register with library |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Crossroads Chamber Holiday Installation & Awards | See chamber listing | See chamber listing |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Family Holiday Movie Night, doors 3 p.m., movie 5 p.m. | Dean and Barbara White Community Center, 6600 Broadway | Free, reserve tickets on Zeffy |
Two Reservations to Make This Week
Both registrations are for free family events in early December:
- A Claus for Celebration, Dec. 5. Register through the Lake County Public Library's event page for the Mrs. Claus storytime at the Merrillville branch.
- Family Holiday Movie Night, Dec. 12. Reserve free tickets on the town's Zeffy page for the screening at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center.
You don't need to book anything for Saturday's tree lighting. Just get to 7820 Broadway by 5:30 p.m. to see Santa and hear the Merrillville High School Choir.
At Favela Real Estate, we're headquartered in Merrillville, and these Broadway events are part of our own December calendar too. If you're starting to think about what your home is worth before the new year, ask us for a free home valuation in English or Spanish.
