Awake! – Ames Chamber Artists

Awake! – Ames Chamber Artists

Collegiate Presbyterian Church 159 Sheldon Ave., Ames, United States

Presented by the Ames Chamber Artists, Awake! is a classical Christmas concert with the beautiful sounds of voices and strings, featuring Bach's Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and a quod libet mass of a cappella works.

$12 – $20
The RG Express – Reiman Gardens

The RG Express Extended Hours – Reiman Gardens

Reiman Gardens 1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA, United States

A Reiman Gardens holiday tradition is back! Visitors of all ages will be enchanted by the RG Express Train from Sat., Nov. 8, 2025, through Sun., Jan. 18, 2026. This detailed garden scale display was created by Applied Imagination, an internationally recognized company whose train displays merge botanical design and architecture.

$6 – $12
Winter Wonderscape – Reiman Gardens

Winter Wonderscape – Reiman Gardens

Reiman Gardens 1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA, United States

Featuring more than 200,000 dazzling lights throughout 17 acres of outdoor gardens, this walk-through light show includes popular favorites, as well as fun new surprises. Experience captivating tunnels that surround you with color, massive laser-lit disco balls, dynamic light strands dancing across a frozen lake, a whimsical re-creation of the game time favorite Candy Land, and so much more. Don’t miss the lights, colors, music and magic of Winter Wonderscape. 

Free – $16

The 44th Annual Nutcracker Ballet at Stephens

Stephens Auditorium 1900 Center Dr, Ames, IA, United States

Stephens Auditorium’s Nutcracker Ballet production dates back decades as one of the historic performing arts venue’s proudest and best-known traditions. The production puts area youth and adults on stage alongside world-class performers resulting in a spectacular holiday celebration that features stunning production values.

$25 – $30
The RG Express – Reiman Gardens

The RG Express – Reiman Gardens

Reiman Gardens 1407 University Blvd, Ames, IA, United States

A Reiman Gardens holiday tradition is back! Visitors of all ages will be enchanted by the RG Express Train from Sat., Nov. 8, 2025, through Sun., Jan. 18, 2026. This detailed garden scale display was created by Applied Imagination, an internationally recognized company whose train displays merge botanical design and architecture.

$6 – $12

The 44th Annual Nutcracker Ballet at Stephens

Stephens Auditorium 1900 Center Dr, Ames, IA, United States

Stephens Auditorium’s Nutcracker Ballet production dates back decades as one of the historic performing arts venue’s proudest and best-known traditions. The production puts area youth and adults on stage alongside world-class performers resulting in a spectacular holiday celebration that features stunning production values.

$25 – $30
Pokémon Club – Ames Public Library

Pokémon Club – Ames Public Library

Ames Public Library 515 Douglas Ave, Ames, IA, United States

Calling all school-aged Poké-Kids! Come learn how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game and use a Library-supplied deck to battle other players. You can bring your decks to talk and strategize with other players, but card trading will not be allowed.

2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups – Ames Writers Collective

Ames Public Library 515 Douglas Ave, Ames, IA, United States

Join the Ames Writers Collective on Sun., Dec 14 for the 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Group held from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Ames Public Library. We are scheduled to meet in the P.E.O. room, but check monitors incase the location changes. We supply notebooks, pens and other materials to prompt and inspire stories. This Sunday, Adela Solano Osmundson, a graduate of this program, will lead the Swift Youth Writers group. She looks forward to writing with those of you who can join her.

Free