Santa is making his grand entrance at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, as Santa's Wonderland returns to participating Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's locations across the United States and Canada. The free outdoor kickoff celebration will include seasonal treats, holiday festivities and a free mini reindeer plush giveaway while supplies last, and it marks the start of a holiday season packed with free photos, crafts and family events running into December.
According to local3news.com, starting Sunday, Nov. 8, families can visit Santa's Wonderland for a free studio-quality 4-by-6-inch photo with Santa along with a free shareable video, running through Christmas Eve, as FOX13 Memphis reports. The event has operated since 2008 and has provided millions of free holiday photos over the years, per about.basspro.com, which calls it a cherished holiday tradition for families throughout North America. This year's run marks the 18th season of Santa's Wonderland, according to FOX13 Memphis.
Crafts, Letters to Santa and Weekday Activities
Kids can also participate in holiday crafts, enjoy interactive activities and drop letters into Santa's mailbox, the station's report notes. Children who include an email address with their letters will get a reply from Santa, per FOX13 Memphis. Free weekday crafts will roll out on select dates in November and December while supplies last, including Santa ornament crafts from Nov. 9 through Nov. 27 and a Bass sticker-by-number sheet from Nov. 30 through Dec. 18, the outlet reports.
Additional photo packages beyond the free 4-by-6 print are available for purchase, with CLUB members receiving 20% off, according to Bass Pro Shops. Families can also make free reservations online up to seven days in advance at basspro.com/santa or cabelas.com/santa, per FOX13 Memphis, though walk-ins are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Christmas Tales and a Merry Morning Breakfast
Families can also attend Christmas Tales with Santa and Mrs. Claus on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. from Nov. 10 through Dec. 22, per the same account. Santa and Mrs. Claus will read Christmas classics each week, and Santa takes photos with families participating in the storytime, FOX13 Memphis reports. A free 4-by-6-inch photo with Santa is included following Christmas Tales and no separate photo reservation is needed, according to downtownmemphis.com, though the storytime sessions themselves require separate reservations opening seven days in advance.
A Merry Morning Breakfast with Santa is set for Dec. 5 at 9 a.m., with reservations opening Nov. 28, according to FOX13 Memphis. Reservations for the breakfast are free and limited to a maximum of four people per family, and families attending will take home a free Santa hat cup along with a 4-by-6-inch photo, the outlet reports. Reservations can be made up to seven days in advance, with walk-ins accepted on a first-come, first-served basis after reservation slots fill, per local3news.com.
Last year's holiday season offered a similar lineup, with the 2025 Santa's Wonderland running from Nov. 2 through Dec. 24 and featuring its own Christmas Tales schedule and a Yuletide Breakfast on Nov. 22 that also capped attendance at four family members per reservation, according to Bass Pro Shops' newsroom. The 2025 event, covered separately by memphisparent.com, also centered on a free 4-by-6-inch studio-quality photo alongside holiday crafts, games and activities for all ages, underscoring how closely this year's offerings mirror the format families have come to expect.
