There’s so much to do in Alabaster for the holidays!
Tour of Lights
Holiday lights will brighten the nights in Alabaster as part of the 2025 Alabaster Tour of Lights, sponsored by the Beautification Board. The 10th anniversary tour will feature Alabaster homes with elaborate decoration displays for the holidays. Residents who wish to participate can sign up between October 1 and November 23. Displays and lights must be installed by December 1, remain up through the end of December, and be on from 5:30-9 p.m. nightly. All participating homes will be included on a map so that people can enjoy the displays with their families and vote on their favorites Voting runs from December 2-20 with winners announced in early January.
Festival of Trees
Alabaster will celebrate the season with Festival of Trees—a fun holiday tradition where individuals, local organizations, and businesses can sponsor trees that will be on display on the City Hall grounds from December 3-January 5. Decorating creativity is encouraged, and each tree will have a printed sign with sponsor name, and sponsors will be promoted on social media and in other media outlets. Awards will be given for Most Creative Tree, Support a Cause Tree, Cindy Lou Who Children’s Tree, Best Business Showcase Tree, and Jolly Christmas Tree. Tree sponsorships are $250, with a portion of the proceeds from each tree going to Shelby Emergency Assistance.
Water Tower Lighting
Alabaster will light up the historic water tower to celebrate the holidays on Friday, December 5, at 6 p.m. Local Alabaster school choirs will perform, and there will be arts-and-craft vendors, food trucks, bouncy houses, and other activities for the kids. Santa Claus will be on hand to take pictures with all.
Christmas Parade
This year’s Alabaster Christmas Parade will be Saturday, December 6, at 10 a.m. Registration is available online through November 10. The parade will kick off from Long Lewis Ford, proceed south to the Alabaster Police Station where the judges’ platform is located, crosses train tracks, and stops in front of Southbrook Village on 1st Street Southwest. Spectators are asked to remain south of the Milo’s Hamburgers across from the 1022 Tower in order to see all the parade entries. There will plenty of candy and fun for all, and Santa will be riding in the parade on an Alabaster fire truck. Santa trophies will be awarded for the float that displays Best Use of Theme, Most Creative, Most Entertaining, Best Holiday Spirit, and Best Walking Entry.