Santa tours begin Sunday in Carmel

Carmel residents can check the Santa Tracker to view the routes and find out when he’s close by your home or neighborhood. (Photo provided by City of Carmel)

Two years after making his inaugural tour of Carmel in a fire truck – visiting families sheltered at home during the COVID-19 pandemic – Santa will be making a return visit this holiday season with more tours and more opportunities to see the Jolly Old Elf and his friends from the Carmel Fire, Police and Street departments.

The tours will begin Sunday, Nov. 27, and include 10 dates with 10 different routes through Sunday, Dec. 18. Each tour time will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

“Even though Santa Tours started as a way to celebrate the season safely in 2020, we discovered that many residents appreciated this type of holiday festivity,” said Nancy Heck, Director of Community Relations and Economic Development. “Bringing Santa to our neighborhoods has become a popular way to bring holiday cheer to families, especially those that have members challenged by large crowds or with transportation. That is one of the reasons, we are continuing to offer this event.”

Santa Tours will also incorporate senior living facilities, schools, and parks for those who don’t live along one of the neighborhood routes.

Keep an eye out for Santa and his friends from the Fire, Police and Street departments as they will arrive with flashing red lights – similar to Rudolph’s nose – leading the way down the streets of the city. There will be no sirens.

You can check the Santa Tracker to view the routes and find out when he’s close by your home or neighborhood. Also look for appearances from Mayor Jim Brainard, various City Council members and other special guests.

This year, the routes have been tweaked, so make sure you check ahead of time to see where you can watch the tour drive through your area. Click here to see the new routes for 2022.

For the latest updates on all of this year’s holiday activities and attractions, follow along on Facebook, or visit HolidaysInCarmel.com.