things to do near you

Things to do in Wisconsin Dells this fall and Christmas

Okay so this is everything going on around the Dells and Baraboo and Nekoosa this fall and then Christmas, the giant pumpkin drop and the crane festival, then the Tree of Light downtown, all in one place. Tap anything you want to do and I'll put it on your bucket list for you, and if you want the addresses and the dates and all that, "make my plan" builds it and puts it on your calendar.

Last updated September 28, 2026. Dates come from each event's own page and I recheck them all season, but tap the link and double check before you load up the car.

Fall Christmas Any weekend More Wisconsin areas
the big stuff

Fall in Wisconsin Dells1 things

The ones people drive in from other counties for. Most of them run the whole season, so you don't have to pick a weekend yet.

FreeLittle kids
Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin FestNekoosa
October 3 and 4
Pumpkins over 1,000 pounds, a pie eating contest, and they drop a giant pumpkin from a 100 foot crane.
town by town

The little stuff, by town1 things

The city Halloween parties and the trunk or treats and the free stuff. Cities post their 2026 dates late, so anything marked "check the date" gets fixed the second it's announced.

Fall in Baraboo

Little kids
Great Midwest Crane Fest
a weekend in mid November (last year Nov 15 and 16) · check the date
A whole weekend about cranes out at the International Crane Foundation.
and the stuff at home

For the rest of your list

These don't need an address, tap them and they go on your list with everything else.

lights and trains

Christmas in Wisconsin Dells1 things

The Tree of Light already has its 2026 start date and it's free every night.

FreeLittle kids
Tree of LightWisconsin Dells
nightly 4:30 to 11, November 20 into mid January
A 55 foot tree covered in 65,000 lights on the River Walk, and Santa comes by on a lot of Friday and Saturday nights.
town by town

Town Christmas stuff

The town stuff, and I'll add the tree lightings as the cities post them in November.

The cities post these in early November. Check back.

and the stuff at home

For the rest of your Christmas list

This is the at-home stuff, tap them and they go on your list with the lights and the train.

put it on the wall

Turn your Christmas picks into a real bucket list

Tap the lights and the trains and the town stuff you want and pick the Christmas design you like, and I'll hold onto your picks. The Christmas lists are coming soon, and the second they're up your picks drop straight into the slots.

See the Christmas designs (coming soon)
no tickets, no dates

Good any weekend0 things

The stuff that doesn't need a date, for the Saturday when nothing's going on.

people ask me

Wisconsin Dells fall and Christmas questions

When is the Wisconsin Dells Tree of Light in 2026?

It lights up November 20, 2026 and stays lit nightly 4:30 to 11 into mid January. It's free.

When is the Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest in 2026?

October 3 and 4, 2026.

Amy
who's writing this

Hi, I'm Amy.

We roadschool six kids out of a van. I'm just a mom with a Ford Transit and a lot of opinions about corn mazes, so if something on here is wrong, or your town's party is missing, email me at hello@bellebucket.com and I'll fix it.

put it on the wall

Turn your picks into a real bucket list

Tap the ones you want and I'll drop them onto whichever fall design you pick, then you add your own stuff (birthdays, carving pumpkins, whatever your family does). It prints big, like 24x36 big, and it hangs on the wall all season.

See the fall designs

If you run one of these events and want it on here, or something's off, email hello@bellebucket.com. I'd love to have you.

0 on your list