This holiday season, Milwaukee’s stages come alive with festive family-friendly shows that promise to fill your heart with joy and magic! From dazzling acrobatic performances to timeless holiday classics, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s your ultimate guide to the best holiday shows in Milwaukee for 2024.
Looking for more family-friendly holiday events? Don’t miss our 2024 Holiday Guide for a complete list of festive fun around Milwaukee this season!
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by First Stage
📅 Dates: November 29 – December 29, 2024
📍 Venue: First Stage
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with a magical stage adaptation by First Stage. Join Rudolph and his friends in a story about embracing differences, filled with holiday cheer that’s perfect for kids and families alike.
2. Elf the Musical at Uihlein Hall
📅 Dates: November 26 – December 1, 2024
📍 Venue: Marcus Performing Arts Center
Start the season with laughs at Elf the Musical, where Buddy the Elf reminds us all to keep our inner child alive. Filled with humor, catchy songs, and feel-good holiday spirit, this family-friendly musical is sure to brighten your holiday season.
3. Festival Carols & Bells Holiday Pajama Jamboree (Free!)
📅 Date: December 4, 2024
📍 Venue: Bradley Pavilion, Marcus Performing Arts Center
Wrap up the little ones in their comfiest pajamas and bring a teddy bear or blanket to the free Holiday Pajama Jamboree! Hosted by the Festival City Symphony, this one-hour pops concert features lively music, holiday favorites, and even a sing-along finale with A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson.
Pajama Jamborees are designed for kids in K4 through fifth grade but are fun for everyone. With floor seating for the little ones, traditional seating in the back, and sometimes even a chance to conduct the orchestra, this event is a delightful family tradition.
4. ‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil
📅 Dates: November 27 – December 1, 2024
📍 Venue: Miller High Life Theatre
Experience a thrilling twist on the beloved holiday story ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas with Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic spin! Watch a young girl rediscover the holiday spirit through breathtaking stunts, reimagined festive music, and vibrant characters. This show is packed with heartwarming moments and spectacle, perfect for the whole family.
5. Home Alone: A Nostalgic Screening with Macaulay Culkin
📅 Date: December 7, 2024
📍 Venue: Miller High Life Theatre
Relive the iconic holiday film Home Alone on the big screen, followed by a live Q&A with Macaulay Culkin himself! This special event offers fans a rare chance to hear behind-the-scenes stories and ask questions. For die-hard fans, VIP tickets offer an exclusive photo op with the star!
6. An Evening with Peter Billingsley & A Christmas Story
📅 Date: December 28, 2024
📍 Venue: The Pabst Theater
Travel back in time with A Christmas Story, as Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) hosts a screening and a Q&A, sharing stories from the set. This event also supports Toys for Tots, with raffle prizes like the iconic leg lamp—making it a nostalgic, feel-good evening for families.
7. Candlelight Concerts
This season, Milwaukee’s Candlelight Concerts are adding a warm, magical glow to the city’s live music scene. Held in stunning venues like St. James 1868, these concerts feature a variety of beloved themes—from Christmas carols to timeless tributes to artists like Coldplay and Adele.
Each show brings favorite songs to life in an intimate, candlelit setting, creating a multi-sensory experience that’s as beautiful as it is memorable.
Be sure to check out our full guide to Candlelight Concerts in Milwaukee for all the details on these unforgettable events.
8. The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium by Milwaukee Ballet
📅 Dates: Select dates from December 7 – December 24, 2024
📍 Venue: Marcus Performing Arts Center
Immerse yourself in The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium, Milwaukee Ballet’s enchanting take on the holiday classic. With Tchaikovsky’s music performed live, this ballet is a feast for the senses. Don’t miss the sensory-friendly performance on December 11, designed for audiences of all abilities.
9. A Christmas Carol at The Pabst Theater
📅 Dates: November 26 – December 24, 2024
📍 Venue: The Pabst Theater
Milwaukee Rep’s annual production of A Christmas Carol returns, bringing Scrooge’s journey of redemption to life with beautiful music, captivating effects, and inspiring storytelling. A heartwarming tradition, perfect for a holiday family outing.
10. Oliver! at Skylight Music Theatre
📅 Dates: November 15 – December 29, 2024
📍 Venue: Skylight Music Theatre
Skylight Music Theatre brings Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist to life in a family-friendly musical adaptation. This production features a talented youth cast, memorable songs, and timeless themes of family and resilience—a holiday must-see!
11. The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
- 📅 Dates: November 29 – December 1, 2024
- 📍 Venue: Bradley Symphony Center
Experience Charles Dickens’s classic tale as only the Muppets can tell it! The Muppet Christmas Carol brings Kermit and the gang together with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s live score, perfectly complementing the film as it plays on the big screen. Featuring iconic songs by Paul Williams, this family-friendly event is a magical mix of movie and live music.
12. The Hip Hop Nutcracker
Experience the classic Nutcracker like never before with The Hip Hop Nutcracker! Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, this thrilling mash-up combines Tchaikovsky’s timeless music with high-energy hip hop dance, creating a unique and heartwarming holiday show. Follow Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they journey through a modern-day adventure, set against innovative digital graffiti and visuals that transform the classic story from 19th-century Germany to the vibrant streets of contemporary New York City.
With a cast of all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and the legendary MC Kurtis Blow kicking off the show, it’s an unforgettable holiday event for the whole family.
- Date: The Hip Hop Nutcracker (November 22, 2024 @ 7:30 p.m.)
- Venue: Uihlein Hall, 929 N Water St, Milwaukee, WI
- Student Tickets Available
13. Holiday Pops with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Bring the whole family to the Bradley Symphony Center for Milwaukee’s cherished holiday tradition! Enjoy a musical celebration featuring classic holiday tunes, carols, and festive sing-alongs performed by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
Performance Times:
- Saturday, December 14 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, December 15 at 2:30 p.m.
- Friday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, December 21 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, December 22 at 2:30 p.m.
Celebrate the season in style with this family-friendly concert that’s sure to delight audiences of all ages.
For even more seasonal fun, check out our complete 2024 Holiday Guide and stay updated with our Events Calendar for all the latest family-friendly happenings around Milwaukee!
In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.
