One year after making his inaugural tour of Carmel in a fire truck – visiting families and kids who were 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 Department. The tours will begin Sunday, November 28 and include 10 dates with 10 different routes through Sunday, December 19.

“We know that many of our residents are getting more comfortable getting out of the house and joining in our many festivals and holiday events, however, there are still some who are cautious about interacting with crowds as the pandemic continues,” said Nancy Heck, Director of Community Relations and Economic Development. “We discovered that this popular event brought holiday cheer to families who have difficulties getting certain members transported around town. That is one of the reasons, we are continuing to offer this event. We are also adding senior living facilities to our routes this year.”

Santa, a few of his CFD friends and perhaps a surprise passenger will arrive by way of a Carmel Fire Truck with red lights – similar to Rudolph’s nose – leading the way down the streets of the City. You can check the Santa Tracker to view the routes and find out when he’s close by your home or neighborhood. Look for appearances from Mayor Jim Brainard, various City Council members and other special guests.

This year, we have changed from four large routes repeated twice to 10 shorter routes driven only one time each during the season. Please check the routes ahead of time to see where you can watch the tour drive through your area.

Each tour time will be from 5-8 p.m. on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Check the map below for the new routes for 2021. For the latest updates on this year’s holiday activities and attractions, follow us on Facebook, or visit HolidaysInCarmel.com.