Christmas is coming starting Nov. 23

Grafton is getting ready to welcome the holiday season in style.

The village will host a community tree lighting at the Lumberyard Plaza in downtown at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23.

In addition to lighting the village Christmas tree, Kelly Rieck and the Grafton School Board, who were named the Outstanding Citizen and Outstanding Community Group for 2025, respectively, by the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce, will be recognized.

Free hot cocoa and treats will be provided during the event.

Just six days later, on Saturday, Nov. 29, the village’s holiday events get kicked up a notch with the annual breakfast with Santa and the Christmas parade.

Breakfast with Santa will be held at Grafton High School from 7:30 to 10 a.m.    

The buffet breakfast will include all-you-can-eat pancakes with toppings, sausage links, applesauce, doughnut holes, juice, milk, water and coffee prepared by The Stillery.

Children can also pose for pictures with Santa and his costumed crew, decorate cookies, get their faces painted like festive elves, write letters to Santa and strike a pose at the holiday photo station. 

Reservations are required and may be made at www.grafton-wi.org by Monday, Nov. 24. 

The cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children.

The breakfast is a prelude to the 45th annual Grafton Christmas parade, which the Chamber of Commerce notes is the largest in southeastern Wisconsin.

The mile-long parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Nov. 29 at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Washington Street, heads east to Wisconsin Avenue, then south to Seventh Avenue.

The parade is a centerpiece for the village, attracting hundreds of people from the region.

This year’s parade theme is “Shaking Up the Holidays in Grafton.”

There’s also a holiday house decorating contest that kicks off on Dec. 14.

People living in the town and village of Grafton can register to participate in the contest.

Their houses must be lit up from 6 to 9 p.m. daily from Dec. 14 to Jan. 1, giving people a chance to drive around and see the festive homes, then vote for their favorites on Facebook.

A map of locations will be available through the Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the holiday events. 

Port Washington State Bank sponsors the Christmas parade, while Horicon Bank  sponsors breakfast with Santa and Bank Five Nine sponsors the decorating contest.