One of the festively themed displays at the Holiday Stroll at Kelsay Farms, which features activities and photos opportunities for local residents throughout December. The event is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings until Dec. 23, while opening on weeknights the week of Dec. 18-22.
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A fun old-fashioned farm Christmas is waiting in rural Johnson County.
People can pose for photos around lighted tractors and farm buildings, among the many festive displays. Real cows, sheep, goats and other animals make up a living Nativity scene. Kids can take part in a Grinchy scavenger hunt inside a newly expanded Whoville, or ride on the one-of-a-kind country carousel.
A new lighted pathway winds through dozens of illuminated trees and festive holiday decor.
Kelsay Farms, one of the county’s most popular agritourism sites, has put on its Christmas finery for the third annual Holiday Stroll. Throughout the month of December, people can come out to the Whiteland farm to enjoy decorated Christmas trees, lighted displays, new attractions and a host of photo opportunities for families.
The Kelsay family has made this year’s event bigger than ever, adding thousands of lights and new areas for your family to enjoy. Though the Holiday Stroll is hard work, the Kelsays are happy to open up their farm to celebrate the season with the community.
“The Holiday Stroll is an event that we enjoy offering to the community. Our goal is to create an atmosphere where families can spend time together away from the hustle and bustle of the season,” said Amy Kelsay, whose family owns Kelsay Farms. “Whether it is relaxing by a campfire, enjoying the lights or decorating a Christmas cookie, we want our guests to relax and to make memories.”
Kelsay Farms is a key part of the county’s agricultural history. Six generations of the Kelsay family have farmed the land, growing row crops and vegetables, having a working dairy and raising swine.
More recently, the family has opened up the farm to the community in the fall to celebrate the end of the growing season and teach people a little more about modern agriculture. People have responded with gusto, as autumn weekends are routinely packed with families picking out pumpkins, taking hay rides, wandering through the corn maze and enjoying attractions such as the Moo Choo Express, a kids train that circles the farm fields.
Thousands of students across Johnson County come out for field trips, where they learn where the food their parents buy at the grocery store actually comes from.
With the popularity of the fall experience, the Kelsay family wondered if they could offer a holiday-centric opportunity to see the farm. In 2021, they opened up their walking tour on the farm grounds, setting up lights and displays, giving people plenty of Instagram-worthy sets to show off their holiday spirit.
The Holiday Stroll was a success, and has been growing ever since. Not that it’s always easy switching from harvest time to the holidays, Kelsay said.
“It is a hectic time for our team and our family to transition from our fall experience to holiday. We have had three weeks to string thousands of lights and fluff hundreds of trees,” she said.
This year’s Holiday Stroll brings back some favorites from the past two years, while expanding and emphasizing new features for families to enjoy. The Kelsays have set up 50 “Instagram-able” sets around the farm, where people can pose to capture that perfect photo for their social media post. The variety of holiday-themed displays, utilizing antique sleds, colored ornaments and trees of all shapes, colors and sizes are available for people to get photos together.
Sip on hot chocolate and decorate Christmas cookies, or warm yourselves around the campfire sites. Live carolers will set the mood as kids scramble onto the Moo Choo Express — decorated with holiday lights — to tour the farm.
To wind down, the live Nativity featuring farm animals is a perfect place to sit and contemplate.
“The holiday season is a time to reflect on all the things we are grateful for and for our family — we are so thankful for our visitors during our fall season. This is a privilege to share our farm with others during the Holiday Stroll,” Kelsay said.
At the same time, the Kelsays wanted to improve on the experience for their visitors. More than 30,000 lights have been added to the outdoor displays alone.
Whoville — a cheery village straight out of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — has sprouted up on the farm grounds. Kids can test their skills against the Grinch during a special scavenger hunt before moving on to have a “snowball” fight in the newly created “Frozen”-themed section.
The country carousel will provide a picture-perfect activity for children to enjoy, Kelsay said. Santa Claus will make an appearance every Saturday and Sunday night from 7 to 8 p.m. for visits and photos.
The Holiday Stroll opened Friday and runs from 6 to 9 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 23. The experience will also be open during the week of Dec. 18-22. Admission is $8 per person.
Tickets are available online, and people are encouraged to buy their admission in advance, Kelsay said.
If YOU GO
Holiday Stroll
What: A holiday experience featuring walkable light displays, bonfires, carolers and other festive activities
Where: Kelsay Farms, 6848 N. CR 250E, Whiteland
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 23; also open weekdays Dec. 18-22. Santa Claus will be available nightly around 7 to 8 p.m.
Cost: $8
Tickets: People are strongly encouraged to buy tickets in advance at kelsayfarms.com/holiday.
