Holiday World welcomes Santa back for in-person hugs

Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari has announced the 2022 season return of in-person meet and greets and story time with Santa Claus.

The combination theme park and water park in Santa Claus, Indiana will once again allow Santa, Holidog, and their friends to welcome guests with a big, in-person hug.

“Santa has been so busy the last two years,” said Lauren Crosby, director of entertainment and fourth-generation owner of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. “We were so grateful he was able to visit with children virtually last summer, but we’re even more grateful he’ll be back in person. After all, my great-grandfather, Louis J. Koch, created Santa Claus Land 76 years ago so that children who visited Santa Claus, Indiana could sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. We’re ecstatic that we’ll finally be able to return to that.”

Youngsters and kids-at-heart can head to St. Nick’s Gift Shop at the front of the park for their visits with Santa, and to hear “Storytime with Santa” at Santa’s Storytime Theater in the Christmas section of the park.

In addition, “Holidays in the Sky” fireworks and drone show will make its debut at the park, and will run each evening from June 18-July 31, 2022.

More entertainment will be announced as the season goes on.

“2022 is going to be a magical year for entertainment,” Crosby stated. “This is a summer guests won’t want to miss.”

Holiday World will be open on weekends, starting May 14.

The park is currently hiring seasonal team members ages 14 and up. To find out more, visit HolidayWorldJobs.com.