ST. LOUIS, Oct. 13, 2026—Free holiday programming for all ages returns to the Saint Louis Art Museum this winter, featuring musical performances, art-making activities and seasonal gallery talks.
The Festive Fridays event series runs every Friday from Nov. 27 to Dec. 18. Also this season, Winter Celebrations returns Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13, and SLAM’s annual Kwanzaa event is Sunday, Dec. 27.
For more information and detailed schedules on all of SLAM’s holiday happenings, visit slam.org/winter. Free tickets are required for some programs.
Festive Fridays, Nov. 27-Dec. 18
The Festive Fridays series will feature free concerts every Friday in the museum’s Farrell Auditorium, a dedicated acoustic lounge in the Education Center and chorale performances in Grigg Gallery 216. Collaborations with local nonprofit performing groups include the Bach Society of Saint Louis, Chamber Music St. Louis, Continuum Vocal Ensemble, Early Music Missouri, Town and Country Symphony Orchestra, and Vox Una Youth Chorale.
Each week, Festive Fridays will also include paper doll and decorative votive art-making opportunities and a cash bar with seasonal drinks in Sculpture Hall as well as Seasonal Spotlight talks in the galleries, where SLAM curators will discuss different winter-themed artworks.
Friday programs are made possible through the Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Winter Celebrations, Dec. 12-13
Winter Celebrations welcomes families and visitors of all ages to celebrate the season through art. Each day features a story time activity and community youth performances, including puppetry, music and dance. Performances include collaborations with Hispanic Festival, Inc., Gateway Music Outreach Community Youth Orchestra, St. Louis Irish Arts and Variety St. Louis Children’s Chorus, among others.
Highlights of this year’s festival include special snow-themed activities and interactive experiences. Throughout each day, visitors can also make their own mixed-media snowscapes or relax in the Winter Wonderland Family Lounge.
No tickets or reservations are required to attend Winter Celebrations, which runs from 10 am-4 pm each day.
Kwanzaa Celebration, Dec. 27
Now in its 26th year, the museum’s annual Kwanzaa Celebration is one of the region’s largest. This year’s theme is “Ukwakhelana: Rooted in What We Share.” Ukwakhelana is an Nguni word, found in languages such as isiZulu and isiXhosa, that translates to “being neighborly” or “building together.”
The celebration, from 10 am-3 pm, will include a libation ceremony and story time, a West African dance and drum performance, and hands-on activities including bracelet beading, chess lessons, a scavenger hunt in the galleries, and a baby-wearing dance party for caregivers and infants. A Kwanzaa Lounge offers a space for conversations about community gardening, recipe tastings and temporary tattoos designed by a local artist.
SLAM’s Kwanzaa Celebration is presented in partnership with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Saint Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter.
CONTACT: Molly Morris, 314.655.5250, [email protected]
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