Christmas in Franklin, TN 2026: Dickens of a Christmas, the Parade, the Tree Lighting and Holiday Shows

Last updated: October 29, 2026. I add dates here as the organizers post them.

Franklin packs most of its Christmas into the first two weekends of December, and the dates are spread across five different websites. Here they are in one place, with the time and the place for each, so you can plan around them.

I live in Canterbury, in Thompson's Station, and my office is at 231 Public Square in Franklin, right on the square where the city lights the tree. I've been selling real estate since 2013.

When are the Franklin Christmas events in 2026?

The big 2026 Christmas events in Franklin are the tree lighting on December 4, the parade on December 5 and Dickens of a Christmas on December 12 and 13, per the City of Franklin and the Heritage Foundation as of October 28, 2026.

The Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt is free, and the city requires pre-registration, which opens November 9. Space is limited, per the city.

When is Dickens of a Christmas 2026?

The 41st Dickens of a Christmas is Saturday, December 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, December 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Main Street in downtown Franklin, per the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County as of October 28, 2026. It runs rain or shine, and the Foundation says it will close if high winds or storms make it unsafe.

The Foundation sets up a Victorian village on Main Street, with carolers, dancers and musicians in the street and characters from Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, including Fagin, Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Cratchits. There's a Main Stage, an Acoustic Stage and StoryTimes, plus arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, a whiskey lounge and a beer garden. The downtown shops stay open with their own specials.

Dickens is the one my wife, my kids and I never miss. We walk the booths and catch the performances, and the whole street feels like it's straight out of a movie. It can't get any better than downtown Franklin at Christmas, for anyone.

The Foundation says there's no street parking inside the festival area and downtown parking is limited, so it runs Franklin Transit shuttles from The Park at Harlinsdale Farm both days, and from Franklin High School on Sunday only. Rides are $1 a person each way, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, and the last shuttle leaves 15 minutes before the festival closes. The Foundation's number is 615-591-8500.

When is the Franklin Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

The City of Franklin's Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square is Friday, December 4, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the Public Square downtown, per the city's events calendar as of October 28, 2026. The city lists it for the first Friday in December every year, with musicians, performers and Santa Claus.

The city hasn't posted the 2026 performers or the time the tree lights yet. Its tree lighting page at franklintn.gov/treelighting still shows last year's program, so check it the week of the event.

When is the Franklin Christmas parade in 2026?

The Franklin Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m. in historic downtown Franklin, per the City of Franklin's events calendar as of October 28, 2026. The Downtown Franklin Rotary Club presents it, and the city says the parade route's streets close at noon.

The city holds the parade on the first Saturday in December, the day after the tree lighting, and it winds through the downtown streets. Both the city's calendar listing and the Rotary Club's parade page link a route map. The Rotary Club takes parade questions at [email protected].

Where can you see Christmas lights in Franklin, TN?

FrankTown Festival of Lights is Franklin's drive-through light show, open every night from November 20 to December 31, 2026, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center, 4215 Long Lane, per the festival as of October 28, 2026. The route is a mile and a half, with more than 200 synchronized lights and holiday music on your car radio.

• Walk it instead. On Walkin' Wednesdays, November 25 and December 2, 9 and 16, the route is open to walkers from 5 to 6:30 p.m., and cars come back on at 7. A passenger vehicle ticket covers up to 8 walkers and a large vehicle ticket covers 9 to 15, and leashed dogs are welcome on those nights.
• Stop at the tree. There's a Christmas tree for photos, fire pits for s'mores and a food truck. The festival's site lists free photos with Santa on select Wednesdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m., while its ticket page says he's there every night.
• Buy ahead. Tickets are sold per vehicle on Eventbrite, from $40.61 as of October 28, 2026. They work any night of the run, the show goes on rain or shine, and tickets are nonrefundable. All proceeds go to FrankTown Open Hearts, a nonprofit in Franklin.

What holiday shows are at the Franklin Theatre in 2026?

The Franklin Theatre at 419 Main Street has holiday concerts on its calendar from November 21 to December 21 and a run of Christmas films that starts November 1, per the theatre as of October 28, 2026. Tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable, and the box office number is 615-538-2076.

The film side starts on November 1 with Elf at 10 a.m., The Polar Express at 1:30 p.m., Home Alone at 5 p.m. and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation at 8:30 p.m. After that, How the Grinch Stole Christmas plays November 7, White Christmas November 15, The Santa Clause and Almost Christmas November 28, and The Muppet Christmas Carol November 29. In December the theatre shows It's a Wonderful Life on December 9 and again on December 12, Love Actually on December 11 at 11 p.m., Miracle on 34th Street on December 14 and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey on December 23.

Are Carnton and the Carter House open at Christmas?

Carnton and the Carter House stay open through the holiday season except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, per the Battle of Franklin Trust as of October 28, 2026. The Trust hasn't posted any 2026 Christmas or candlelight tours. Its regular hours are Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last guided tour at 4 p.m.

The one season event the Trust has posted is the battle anniversary. It runs 60-minute night tours of the Carter House, at 125 West Fowlkes Street, and Carnton, at 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, on November 30, 2026, at 7 and 8 p.m., for $30 a person per tour. Groups top out at 20, and you have to buy online ahead of time. The Trust says not to book both houses the same night, because there isn't time to get from one to the other. Its $28 combination ticket for daytime tours is sold online through December 31.

Where do you park for Christmas events in downtown Franklin?

Park in one of the City of Franklin's two downtown garages, on 2nd Avenue South and 4th Avenue South. Both are free, with about 300 spaces each and no time limit, per the city as of October 28, 2026. The city requires head-in parking in the garages and won't let a car sit in a city garage or lot for more than 24 hours.

• Street parking. On-street spaces downtown have a two-hour limit, and the city enforces it Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It doesn't enforce the limit on weekends or city holidays, including Christmas Day. So the limit is off by the 6 p.m. start of the tree lighting, and it doesn't apply on parade or Dickens weekends.
• Paid lots. Private companies run paid lots downtown too, and the city posts a map of the free and paid parking and live garage availability on its parking page.
• Parade day. The city closes the parade streets at noon on December 5, an hour before the 1 p.m. start.
• Dickens weekend. The city posts a street closure map on its Dickens of a Christmas calendar listing. For accessible parking, the Heritage Foundation points to the 2nd and 4th Avenue garages.

What hasn't been announced yet?

As of October 28, 2026, three things are still unposted: the tree lighting's 2026 performers and the time the tree lights, the parade's 2026 grand marshal, and any Carnton or Carter House Christmas tours. I'll add each one here when the organizer posts it.

What's it like to live this close to all of it?

The tree lighting, the parade and Dickens all happen downtown, around Main Street and the Public Square, and my office at 231 Public Square sits right on the square. If you're weighing a move, spend a December weekend downtown. You'll see how the town handles a crowd, from where people park to which streets close.

When I help someone shop Franklin, I start with the places they'd use every week and work out from there. My Franklin, TN guide covers the neighborhoods and homes for sale, my downtown Franklin guide covers the historic homes within walking distance of Main Street, and things to do in Franklin covers the rest of the year. If you want help with a short list, text or call me at 615-392-1186.

Frequently asked questions about Christmas in Franklin, TN

When is Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin, TN in 2026?

The 41st Dickens of a Christmas is Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, December 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Main Street in downtown Franklin. The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County runs it, rain or shine, with $1 Franklin Transit shuttles from The Park at Harlinsdale Farm.

When is the Franklin Christmas parade in 2026?

The Franklin Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 1 to 3 p.m. in historic downtown Franklin. The Downtown Franklin Rotary Club presents it, and the City of Franklin closes the parade streets at noon.

When is the Franklin Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

The City of Franklin's Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square is Friday, December 4, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the Public Square downtown. The city hasn't posted the 2026 performers or the time the tree lights yet.

Where can you see Christmas lights in Franklin, TN?

FrankTown Festival of Lights is a mile-and-a-half drive-through light show at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center, 4215 Long Lane, open nightly from November 20 to December 31, 2026, from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are sold per vehicle on Eventbrite, from $40.61 as of October 28, 2026, and are nonrefundable.

Where do you park for Christmas events in downtown Franklin?

Use the City of Franklin's two free downtown garages on 2nd Avenue South and 4th Avenue South, with about 300 spaces each and no time limit. The two-hour street parking limit is enforced only Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., not on weekends or city holidays.

Are Carnton and the Carter House open at Christmas?

Carnton and the Carter House close on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, and the Battle of Franklin Trust hasn't posted any 2026 Christmas tours. On November 30, 2026, the Trust runs $30 anniversary night tours of both houses at 7 and 8 p.m., bought online ahead of time.

What holiday shows are at the Franklin Theatre in 2026?

The Franklin Theatre at 419 Main Street has holiday concerts from November 21 to December 21, including Christmas with the Celts on November 30 and The Gatlin Brothers Christmas on December 21, and a run of Christmas films that starts November 1 with Elf.

Let's find your spot close to downtown

Tell me which of these you'd go to every year, and I'll show you the Franklin homes that put you close. DM me, text or call 615-392-1186.