Santa Claus is hitting the road around Birmingham next week, riding shotgun with Coca-Cola's Holiday Caravan as it pulls into local Walmarts, grocery stores and markets for free photo sessions, holiday activities and Coke product samples. The tour kicks off next Wednesday, Nov. 18, with stops already locked in through Friday, Nov. 20.
Confirmed Stops and Times
According to the schedule posted at coca-cola.com, the caravan opens next Wednesday with a stop at the Walmart on Parkway East in Birmingham from noon to 2:30 p.m., followed that evening by a visit to Mi Pueblo on Green Springs Highway in Homewood from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The tour continues Thursday with a midday stop at the Walmart on Hackworth Road in Adamsville, also from noon to 2:30 p.m.
That Thursday evening brings a stop at Marinos Market on Bessemer Road, though the city listed for that location differs depending on the source. Coca-Cola's own schedule places the Bessemer Road address in Birmingham, while Bham Now identifies the same stop as being in Bessemer. Either way, the evening visit runs from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Friday's Walmart and Piggly Wiggly Visits
Friday, Nov. 20, rounds out the confirmed schedule with a noon-to-2:30 p.m. stop at the Walmart on Odum Road in Gardendale, followed by an evening appearance at Russell's Piggly Wiggly on Caldwell Drive in Warrior from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Coca-Cola notes on its site that locations and times may change and advises checking back for the most up-to-date schedule.
Bham Now's report describes the Holiday Caravan as free to attend, with free photos with Santa among the draws, and says the tour makes stops at seven locations around Birmingham and Cullman from Nov. 18-22, 2026. The caravan itself includes a holiday truck, a Santa visit, holiday activities, postcard mailing and Coke product samples, per the same outlet. Alec Taylor, field marketing execution manager at Coca-Cola United, said the Holiday Caravan brings magic to communities, seasonal products and shared holiday joy, according to Bham Now's reporting.
A Longer Run Last Year
The Birmingham-area tour has grown in past seasons. A year earlier, WBRC reported that the 2025 version of the caravan had nine stops planned in the Birmingham area, running from Nov. 19 through Nov. 23 and wrapping up with a stop at the Birmingham Zoo. That nine-stop count applied specifically to last year's tour, not necessarily this year's itinerary.
For families looking for another free holiday outing nearby, the Cullman Christkindlmarkt opens next Thursday at Depot Park in downtown Cullman and runs through Dec. 23, with admission and parking always free, according to the Cullman Christkindlmarkt.
