Brownsburg’s Christmas Under the Stars brings joy and excitement to the community each year, but the holiday magic doesn’t appear overnight. For the past 20 years, Brownsburg businesses, employees, and volunteers have worked to create an unforgettable holiday celebration.

For the Parks Department, preparation for Christmas Under the Stars begins eight months in advance. That early start allows staff to finalize the budget, secure vendors, and map out the schedule.

There’s a lot to do in the week leading up to the event. Most lights and the Christmas tree are installed weeks earlier, but now crews double check run final checks on every element of the event. Tents for the Winter Market are set up, the Town Hall Lobby is staged for photos with Santa, and barricades are placed along the parade route.

A major highlight of Christmas Under the Stars is the parade. Recreation Coordinator Jack McFarren manages it from start to finish by handling applications, coordinating the Jr. Grand Marshal selection, and communicating with participants through emails and safety meetings. With over 30 businesses and organizations participating, careful planning is essential. Each group must attend a safety meeting, follow rules like “headlights off, hazards on,” and ensure all entries are illuminated. This leads to creative displays like light-up gloves, glowing hats, and vehicles wrapped in twinkling lights.

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On parade day, groups stage at Brown Elementary, review safety rules one last time, and are released one by one to set the pace. From there, the streets come alive with dancing, decorated vehicles, local businesses, and, of course, Santa Claus. “It’d be so easy for some of these groups to just hand out flyers,” said McFarren. “But people decorate their cars, line them with lights, dress in themes… you can tell they really care about creating a fun experience for everyone.”

Pulling off such a large event requires teamwork. Many of the Town of Brownsburg’s Departments and dozens of community volunteers help bring the event to life.

“We have a lot of town administrative employees that help out from development services, economic development, town leadership… everybody is involved,” said Parks Director Amber Lane, “the culture is very ‘teamwork makes the dream work.’”

The Street Department, Brownsburg Police Department, and Brownsburg Fire Territory coordinate road closures and crowd safety, while other staff members help prepare the Town Hall Green for activities.

Over the years, Christmas Under the Stars has grown from a simple parade into a full holiday celebration. The addition of the Winter Market, visits with Santa, and a tree lighting ceremony have expanded the magic and created new opportunities for families to make memories. As Parks Director, Lane is always looking for ways to keep the tradition fresh and meaningful.

“Working in parks is about creating places and opportunities for memories to be made,” said Lane, “Christmas under the Stars is just another extension of that, where people can get together with their families to create a warm holiday memory.”

The planning and intentionality that goes into Christmas Under the Stars prep takes months, but the result is worth it to watch Christmas come to life in the community. Join us for Christmas Under the Stars on Saturday, December 6 form 4-8 PM on the Town Hall Green, 61 N. Green St., and enjoy this year’s lineup of festive activities:

• Winter Market, presented by Centier Bank, at 4 p.m., Town Hall Green
• Santa’s Workshop, hosted by the Brownsburg Public Library at 4 pm, Eaton Hall
• Photos with Santa, presented by Brownsburg Kiwanis, inside Town Hall Lobby at 7:15 p.m. (enter through Eaton Hall)
• Parade begins at 6 p.m.
• Tree Lighting Ceremony at 7:15 p.m. , Town Hall Green

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