Sorted by hour, Henderson's 2026 holiday listings fall into two groups. Most City of Henderson events start early and finish by early afternoon. Santa photos at Black Mountain Recreation Center begin at 9 a.m., the Reindeer Dash starts at 10, and the elf hunt at the Bird Viewing Preserve closes at 1:30 p.m. In the evenings the season moves to three private venues: Ethel M's Holiday Cactus Garden, The District at Green Valley Ranch and Green Valley Ranch Resort.
For anyone in Roma Hills, between MacDonald Highlands and Ascaya, both schedules are close to home. The useful December days combine a City morning with a venue evening, and the dates below show where they line up.
The City's calendar fills the daylight hours
The City's Holiday Happenings calendar is weighted toward the morning. Here are the daytime events, in date order:
- The Great Migratory Elf Hunt, Nov. 29 through Dec. 23, 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 350 E. Galleria Dr. It is self-paced, and the City requires registration.
- Pictures with Santa, Dec. 5, 9 to 11 a.m., then Puppy Pictures with Santa from 11 a.m. to noon, both at Black Mountain Recreation Center, 599 Greenway Rd.
- Reindeer Dash 5K and One-Mile Walk, Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, at Cornerstone Park, 1600 Wigwam Pkwy.
- Merry Grinchmas, Dec. 19, 10 a.m. to noon, at Heritage Bark Park, 350 S. Racetrack Rd., with a Grinch visit, pet photos and agility activities.
- Winter Solstice at the Bird Viewing Preserve, Dec. 20, 2 to 4 p.m., with crafts and refreshments.
Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Rd., keeps the same daytime hours. Its events page lists a "12 Days of Gifting" giveaway from Dec. 1 to 12, with a different retailer each day and entry through Instagram. Breakfast with Santa is Dec. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. in the restaurant space across from Red Robin. On Dec. 31, the mall holds a free Noon Year's Eve celebration with a balloon drop at noon.
Taken together, these events mark the daytime edge of the season. Most of them end around lunch or the early afternoon, and the evening schedule starts later.
After dark, three private venues cover the evenings
Once the afternoon events end, the evening options come mostly from three places on or near the Sunset Road and Paseo Verde corridors. Their schedules side by side:
| Venue | Dates | Evening hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden, 2 Cactus Garden Dr. | Nov. 5 to Jan. 3 | 5 to 10 p.m. most nights | $3, no reservation |
| The Oak Room's Holly Jolly Holiday Bar, The District at Green Valley Ranch | Nov. 12 to Dec. 27 | Wednesday through Sunday | Ticketed |
| Winter at the Terrace, Green Valley Ranch Resort | Nov. 27 to Dec. 27 | 4 to 9 p.m. Sun.–Thu., 4 to 11 p.m. Fri.–Sat. | Fire pits from $100, igloos from $150, 21+ |
Ethel M opened its 33rd Holiday Cactus Garden on Nov. 5. The garden is lit with a million lights, hot chocolate is on hand, and it runs nightly through Jan. 3. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. except Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, when it closes at 8. It is closed on Christmas Day. Admission is $3, and children under 2 and seniors 65 and older get in free. Part of the proceeds goes to Help of Southern Nevada and Three Square Food Bank. Santa is there nightly through Dec. 23 from 5 p.m. until an hour before closing, and the line closes at 9 p.m. sharp. A $40 Santa Express Pass reserves a time for up to six people, and children under 2 and guests over 65 do not count toward that limit. Cashman Photography's framed prints cost $35 for one and $50 for two.
The District at Green Valley Ranch holds its annual tree lighting on Nov. 21, on Main Street from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening includes snowfall, live holiday music, Market in The Alley for local artisans, and Santa lighting the tree. The Oak Room's Holly Jolly Holiday Bar opens earlier, on Nov. 12, and serves Christmas-inspired cocktails in a decorated pop-up Wednesday through Sunday until Dec. 27. On Dec. 10, The District hosts a Toys for Tots truck-filling event with live music, Santa, the UNLV Rebel Hockey Team and the Marines.
Green Valley Ranch Resort brings back Winter at the Terrace at The Backyard Terrace on Nov. 27. A standard fire pit for one to five guests costs $100, and a large one for six to 10 costs $175. Igloos cost $150 and $250 for the same group sizes. Every booking includes a chef's holiday mezze board, and drinks are ordered à la carte. Reservations come in two-hour blocks at 702.617.7744. The lounge is 21+, so plan family evenings elsewhere.
The nights the City stays out late
There are a few exceptions to the City's daytime pattern, and the biggest is WinterFest on Water Street. The free tree lighting and drone show runs Thursday, Dec. 3, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The free Electric Light Parade follows on Friday, Dec. 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on a route between Basic Road and Victory Road. The City notes that the schedule can change.
The second exception is Friday, Dec. 18, when the parks department has two evening programs. Parents Night Out S'More Santa Fun runs 5 to 7 p.m. at Whitney Mesa Recreation Area, 1990 Patrick Ln., with hiking, s'mores and campfire stories. Cosmic Swim Winter Wonderland follows from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Henderson Multigenerational Indoor Pool, 250 S. Green Valley Pkwy.
The City's 50+ program also has evening outings, and it takes participants to the private venues. Its Dec. 10 day trip goes to Enchant from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and on Dec. 15 it goes to the Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
Lee's Family Forum provides the hockey evenings. The Henderson Silver Knights play at home on Dec. 1 against San Diego at 7 p.m. and Dec. 9 against Bakersfield at 7 p.m. They host Ontario on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. with a holiday-ornament giveaway, then again on Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. for Kids Day. Ethel M ties into hockey season too. On Nov. 20 at 6 p.m., anyone wearing Silver Knights or Vegas Golden Knights gear gets into the cactus garden free and can meet Lucky.
December 12 has events on both schedules
No other Saturday packs in as many events at different hours. Here is how the day lines up:
- 9 to 11 a.m.: Breakfast with Santa at Galleria at Sunset.
- 10 a.m. to noon: Reindeer Dash 5K and one-mile walk at Cornerstone Park.
- 6 p.m.: Holiday-themed trivia night at Ethel M, $5 plus tax per person, with reservations required.
- 7 p.m.: The Henderson Symphony Orchestra's Holiday Spectacular at Coronado High School, listed on the orchestra's concert calendar.
Breakfast and the Reindeer Dash overlap, so a family can do one and still have time to get to the garden or the symphony in the evening. Ethel M also has a trivia night on Friday, Dec. 4, the evening of the WinterFest parade, so that night offers a similar choice.
The deadlines that come before the dates
Some decisions have deadlines well before the events themselves. Reindeer Dash 5K registration costs $35 through Nov. 12, then $40 from Nov. 13 to Dec. 11, and $45 on race day. The one-mile walk costs $30 through Nov. 12, $35 from Nov. 13 to Dec. 13, and $40 on event day. Santa leaves Ethel M after Dec. 23. Each night has a limited number of Express Passes, which are sold in advance through FareHarbor. Ethel M's Winter Wonderland night on Dec. 29 also needs a reservation. It costs $5 plus tax, snow starts at 5:30 p.m., and Frozen screens at 6. The Elf Hunt requires registration before you go, even though you can walk it at your own pace any morning through Dec. 23.
Some of the calendar is walk-up. The cactus garden takes no reservations for its $3 admission, and both WinterFest nights are free, so another thing to schedule ahead is a GVR igloo or fire pit for a Friday or Saturday night.
If December brings family in from Southern California or friends from out of town and you want help planning a stay in Henderson's hillside communities, MS Luxury Homes knows these neighborhoods well. Connect with Michele.
