Winter Wonderland Holiday Experience
Our Winter Wonderland Holiday Experience, presented by DeNooyer Automotive Family, is an event unlike any other holiday attraction and light show you can imagine! We enter our third year with an expanded amount of holiday lights and displays across the spacious 90-acre Gilmore Car Museum campus.
During the holiday season, the automobile becomes more than just a mode of transportation for families. It becomes a conduit for shared experiences, cherished traditions, and the creation of lasting memories. Enjoy a mile long drive through the grounds, surrounded by festive music and decorations. In addition to the drive through light show, visit the inside of the museum for more holiday fun.
Interactive exhibits engage your senses and creativity. Decorate your own holiday ornament or enjoy s'mores around the fire. A large Christmas village offers the perfect search and find activity for the entire family and the Great Elf Hunt will test your wit as well as your eyes.
It's an experience that captures the essence of the holiday season, blending the magic of outdoor light displays with the warmth and nostalgia of indoor museum exhibits. It's a journey that leaves you with cherished memories of winter and the holiday season
In addition to the twinkling lights and delightful decorations, Winter Wonderland boasts a variety of memorable experiences for Gilmore guests to enjoy this winter.
Christmas Through the Decades Exhibit
This exhibit takes you on a journey throughout the museum, where cozy living room scenes depict the spirit of the holiday across different eras. The journey begins in a recreation of the early 1900s, where the holiday season is marked by simplicity and traditionalism and culminates in the 1990s where technology and pop culture ruled the day.
Festival of Trees Exhibit
This is an enchanting holiday exhibit as well as a charitable event. It combines the festive spirit of the holiday season with a commitment to giving back to the community through the Barry County United Way. Businesses decorate trees located throughout the entire museum. Bring in non-perishable food items to vote for your favorite trees by placing items underneath them.
Great Elf Hunt
A whimsical and immersive experience that invites participants of all ages to embark on a quest to find Santa's most elusive and mischievous helpers, the elves. With map and clues in hand, you set off into the museum, taking in all the different sights and sounds. The clues will challenge your wit and creativity and hint to the locations of each elf encounter.
Live Holiday Music - Friday & Saturday Nights
The symphony of instruments fill the main gallery with rich, resonant sounds. From traditional carols like "Deck the Halls" and "Silent Night" to lively renditions of holiday classics like "Jingle Bells" and "Winter Wonderland," each note carries the spirit of the season.
Holiday Village Search & Find
Our holiday village search and find activity is a festive game that revolves around the challenge of locating specific items, characters, or hidden objects within the bustling holiday village of Garlandtown, USA.
Rudolph's Reindeer Forest & Flight Academy
The light-up reindeer forest is a captivating and enchanting display that brings the magic of the holiday season to life in a dazzling spectacle of light and imagination. Amongst the tall trees, glittering reindeer sculptures emerge from the darkness.
The North Pole Post
The North Pole Post is a delightful setup designed to inspire children and adults alike to pen heartfelt letters to Santa Claus. Whimsical stationery, colorful markers and crayons wait patiently for eager hands to start writing.
Holiday Themed Photo Opportunities
Capture the spirit of the season through a single image in a fun and memorable way. The holidays are a time to share laughs and create shared experiences making them a cherished part of your family's history.
Ornament Making Station
A delightful and creative space where visitors of all ages can craft their own personalized holiday ornaments. Huddle around tables, laugh and share ideas, while the room resonates with the sound of creativity as you create a cherished keepsake to take home.
Free Santa Visits
Visiting Santa Claus is a cherished and magical experience that captures the spirit of joy and wonder. Share your wishes, hopes, and holiday stories with the man who embodies the magic of Christmas. Capture the moment with a photo, forever preserving the memory of this special encounter.
Holiday Sweet Treats
Tantalize the taste buds but also evoke a sense of nostalgia, tradition, and the joy of sharing with loved ones. Sweet treats are a delightful part of the holiday season, symbolizing the warmth and togetherness that make this time of year so special.
Kris Kringle's Courtyard
Entering Kris Kringle's Courtyard of inflatable figures is like stepping into a world of whimsy. The scene before you is a delightful fusion of classic holiday charm and imaginative fantasy.
Dashing Through The Snow Vintage Rides
Let us do the driving for you! Take in hundreds of thousands of lights from the inside of a vehicle right out of the Museum's collection. Prepare to be amazed as the lights start to dance in time to the music coming in through the radio.
Dashing Through the Snow family rides through the lights in Ford Model T’s, a Checker Taxi Cab, a ‘63 Cadillac convertible, and several other vintage cars from our collection.
Santa's Garage
Santa's garage is a magical workshop where Santa Claus and his team of elves prepare for their annual journey to deliver gifts to children all around the world. The air is filled with a symphony of sounds - the rhythmic tapping of hammers and wrenching of hardware.
Giant Christmas Cards
Delight in winter scenes from vintage advertisements and classic automotive artwork. Winter-themed artwork often evokes a sense of nostalgia, wonder, and appreciation for the unique beauty and emotions associated with the winter season. Whether it's a frosty landscape, a cozy interior, or a festive holiday scene, these artworks invite viewers to embrace the magic of winter.
Ticket Pricing
Online:
- Adult (18+) - $17.50
- Youth (age 5 - 17) - $9.50
- Child (age 4 and under) - FREE
At Door:
- Adult (18+) - $20
- Youth (age 5 - 17) - $12
- Child (age 4 and under) - FREE
Dates & Hours
- 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- November Days Open: 11/24, 11/25, 11/26, 11/30
- December Days Open: 12/1, 12/2, 12/3, 12/7, 12/8, 12/9, 12/10, 12/12, 12/14 – 12/23, 12/28-12/30
FAQs
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Yes. Winter Wonderland will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
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Tickets are NOT date specific. You may use your ticket on any day between Friday, November 25th and Friday, December 30th. The Winter Wonderland event is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays except for select dates.
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Winter Wonderland hours are 5p to 9p each night of operation.
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No. Parking at the Gilmore Car Museum is always FREE.
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During Winter Wonderland not all outer buildings will be open.
- Open: Heritage Center, Franklin, Lincoln, Ford Model A, Cadillac, Steam Barn, Carriage House, Shell Station, Diner, Cafe
- Closed: CCCA Museum, Pierce-Arrow, Train Depot, Campania Barn, Pedal Car Bar, Motorcycle Gallery
- Open: Heritage Center, Franklin, Lincoln, Ford Model A, Cadillac, Steam Barn, Carriage House, Shell Station, Diner, Cafe
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No, we encourage guests to take advantage of all Winter Wonderland has to offer until the event ends.
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Handicap accessible restrooms are available in the Main Gallery.
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Yes. The Heritage Cafe, George and Sally's Blue Moon Diner and Gilmore Bar will all be open.
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Yes. Regular alcoholic drinks - beer, wine and spirits - will be available as well as traditional holiday drinks.
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The museum gift shop and glow cart will be open during the event.
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Yes, a limited number of wheelchairs (free) and mobility scooters (a $25 daily rental fee) are available for those who may need assistance. Both are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please ask one of our Museum Store attendants upon your arrival for assistance.
Guests are welcome to bring their own wheelchairs and scooters. -
The Gilmore Car Museum does not provide refunds or exchanges on tickets once purchased. All Winter Wonderland programming will occur in all-weather conditions. The Gilmore Car Museum would cancel programming only in the case of extreme weather. Please check for updates on our social media pages or website.
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Warm clothing and appropriate footwear are recommended, as part of the Winter Wonderland experience consists of outdoor walking areas.
Please be aware that Winter Wonderland includes the following:
- Dark environments with areas of uneven terrain. Please bring a flashlight if you feel it will assist you in navigating the event.
- Crowds
- Wood smoke and open flame
- A possibility of ice and/or snow on walkways. We do regularly salt and shovel, but slippery conditions may still exist.
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Strollers and wagons will not be available to rent for this event. However, you are welcome to bring your own wagons and strollers. Keep in mind that strollers/wagons which are particularly wide may not fit through some of the more narrow passageways.
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Sorry, but no. Winter Wonderland is for humans only.
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Photography and video recording for personal use are permitted. No tripods, monopods, or drones are allowed on the site and NO storage is available for these items. You will not be allowed to enter with these items so you must leave them in your car or at home.
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The drive-through light show is 1.0 mile long. We recommend driving slowly to take in every detail.
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The Gilmore Car Museum does not provide refunds or exchanges on tickets once purchased. Tickets are not refundable, but are transferable between persons, not events. You can gift your tickets to someone you know if you can't make it.
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Your membership card does not grant you access to special events.
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Your vehicle MUST be able to clear a 9 ft overhead obstruction.
The tunnel of lights is 12 ft tall and 22 ft wide, but slopes on the sides as it's an arch. Standard size vehicles will fit, no problem, but lifted vehicles and small buses may have to be measured at home first.