EAA Aviation Museum events bring festive air to 2026 holiday season
EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 3, 2026) — The EAA Aviation Museum brings excitement and joy to the holiday season in northeast Wisconsin with several events scheduled between Thanksgiving and the new year. The museum will welcome everyone on December 5 for its traditional Christmas in the Air open house. The annual event features performances from local music, choral, and dance groups. Santa Claus will arrive by helicopter (weather permitting) at noon followed by a tree lighting ceremony and photos. Children can also write letters to Santa that he will take with him on his flight back to the North Pole. Christmas in the Air is presented by Festival Foods. EAA’s annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet on December 11 honors the spirit and achievements of Wilbur and Orville Wright. This year’s banquet will feature Rob Collings of the Collings Foundation as the keynote speaker. Collings will speak on the history of the American Heritage Museum’s Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, which is currently on display in the EAA Aviation Museum’s Eagle Hangar. More information on the banquet, which will take place next to the Catalina, and how to purchase tickets is available at EAA.org/WrightBrothers. Beginning on November 27, EAA hosts the Oshkosh Celebration of Lights for the fourth consecutive year on the EAA grounds. Visitors can take in the holiday spirit as they drive through the displays that feature more than one million lights. The event will be open daily from 5:30 to 9 p.m. through December 31. Santa will be available for visits from November 27 to December 23 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. More information about the Oshkosh Celebration of Lights can be found at Oshkoshcol.org. The Oshkosh Celebration of Lights’ free community nights will also include free admission to the EAA Aviation Museum, allowing visitors to enjoy both attractions in one day. The free community nights are scheduled for November 29, December 6, 13, 20, and 27. The Oshkosh Celebration of Lights path will also be part of the route for the 24th Race for the Light 5K Run/Walk benefiting Oshkosh Area United Way, on December 6 at 4:30 p.m. The route begins at the EAA Education Center and takes runners through the Celebration of Lights display. Online registration is $35 and includes a T-shirt and a set of jingle bells.
