December can only mean one thing: The holiday season has officially arrived. Getting into the the swing of winter is easy in The Bend, where there are dozens of ways to celebrate the holidays and skate right into the new season. Put these things to do in South Bend and Mishawaka on your wish list!
Downtown for the Holidays
Come see Santa make his grand entrance to South Bend! Downtown South Bend’s First Friday kicks off Dec. 6 at 5 p.m. with live music and performances, giveaways, fireworks and more. Don't miss DTSB's Light Parade Dec. 13 from 7-8 p.m., taking place along E. Jefferson Boulevard. There are many downtown celebrations taking place across St. Joe County! Check our guide for how to spend the holiday season in The Bend for everything you need to see and do.
The Gift of Lights at Potawatomi Zoo
Visit Potawatomi Zoo on Friday, Saturday or Sunday until Dec. 22 for The Gift of Lights. More than a million lights are wrapped around trees and free-standing displays throughout the zoo. The train is a magical ride this time of year.
Christmas at Copshaholm
The elegant Oliver Mansion on The History Museum's campus is decorated beautifully for the holidays, and self-guided tours during Christmas at Copshaholm are a wonderful way to enjoy the home’s Yuletide splendor. Live piano music can be heard throughout the mansion, and kids can have fun with an “Elf-on-the-Copsha-Shelf," along with a number of other activities. You'll need tickets for the event, but if you can't make it there are still plenty of chances to see the beautifully decorated mansion through the end of December!
Dipping temperatures usher in one of the Midwest's best cold-weather activities: skating on the Howard Park ice trail in downtown South Bend, which includes a bridge and loops around a state-of-the-art playground. Visitors will want to reserve ice time in advance all season. With the addition of Ironworks Ice Rink in downtown Mishawaka, skaters have more opportunities to catch some ice! Located adjacent to Beutter Park and Ironworks Plaza, the skating ribbon also includes an area for ice bumper cars and other fun activities. Skating at Ironworks is by reservation only, so make sure to book your time in advance.
Notre Dame Hoops at Home
The highly ranked Notre Dame women's basketball team boasts a tough home schedule this month, hosting Texas on Dec. 5 and UConn Dec. 12, both ranked in the top 5. The women also match up with Eatern Michigan Dec. 15, Loyola MD Dec. 22, and Virginia Dec. 29 to round out December. The Notre Dame men host Syracuse Dec. 7, Dartmouth Dec. 11, and Le Moyne Dec. 22. There is plenty of Irish basketball to go around! Get your full hoops and hockey schedules here.
Jena is the Communications Manager for Visit South Bend Mishawaka. Prior to VSBM she was the Social Media Manager as well as a photojournalist for ABC57 News. Jena graduated from the school of Communications, Information and Media at Ball State University, and was born and raised in South Bend.
