If you’ve lived in Jackson for more than 14 minutes, you already know The Wort Hotel doesn’t do the holidays halfway. Nope. They crank the dial somewhere between Norman Rockwell and a Hallmark movie where someone falls in love with a ranch hand named Buck.
This year, the historic red-brick icon is once again going full “Merry Mountain Magic,” rolling out a full slate of events that will keep locals caffeinated, tourists delighted, kids hopped up on frosting, and the rest of us wondering why we didn’t book a staycation before everything sold out in 0.7 seconds.
Here’s what’s happening at Jackson’s most festive hotel this season:
🎄 Day 1 – Dec. 4: Holiday Street Lighting (5–7 PM)
The Christmas season kicks off with the classic “flip the switch and pray it all works” lighting ceremony. Expect twinkling lights, festive spirits, and at least one local loudly reminiscing about “how it used to be before LEDs ruined everything.”
Day 2 – Dec. 8: Holiday Sip & Shop (5–7:30 PM)
Come for the cocktail, stay because you accidentally bought a $300 scarf after two cocktails. Ah yes… the true meaning of Christmas.
Day 3 – Dec. 12: Ian Munsick at the Cowboy Bar (6:30 PM)
Wyoming’s own Ian Munsick takes the stage at the Cowboy Bar. You’ll hear fiddles. You’ll hear steel guitar. You’ll see at least three people attempt line dances they absolutely do not know. Bless their hearts.
Day 4 – Dec. 15: Holiday Hoot (6–9 PM)
A hoot? A holler? A hootenanny? Hard to say. But it involves music, drinks, and enough Christmas energy to light a small village. Bring your festive sweater, bonus points for ones that jingle.
Day 5 – Dec. 16: Habitat Gingerbread Showcase (All Day)
Local artists craft gingerbread structures better built than half the hotels approved by the Planning Commission. Come admire the icing craftsmanship and fight the primal urge to bite someone else’s roofline.
Day 6 – Dec. 18: Kids Karols (10:30–11:30 AM)
The annual tradition: tiny humans belting Christmas tunes slightly off-key but at maximum volume. Parents beam with pride. Single people recoil. Everyone claps.
Day 7 – Dec. 18: Holiday Cocktails & Music (7:30–11 PM)
A simple formula: Holiday music + fancy drinks + December stress = someone trying to sing Mariah Carey without permission. You’ve been warned.
Day 8 – Dec. 21: Breakfast With Santa (9–11 AM)
Santa flies in early for pancakes and last-minute gift requests. He listens politely to every kid’s list while mentally crossing his fingers that they’re not asking for a Jackson-priced LEGO set.
Day 9 – Dec. 22: Gingerbread House & Cookie Decorating (4–7 PM)
Watch children build structurally compromised gingerbread bungalows while adults swoop in to “help”, which is code for taking over entirely.
Day 10 – Dec. 24: Naughty or Nice Christmas Party (8:30 PM–Close, Cowboy Bar)
It’s Christmas Eve, which means two kinds of people:
• Those who show up dressed like elves
• Those who show up dressed like elves but pretend it wasn’t intentional
Either way, you end up on someone’s Instagram story.
Day 11 – Dec. 25: Christmas Day Buffet (11 AM–4 PM)
Because nothing says holiday cheer like not cooking. Load up on comfort food while pretending you’re absolutely not going back for a third plate of mashed potatoes.
Day 12 – Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Party (All Night)
The grand finale. The last hurrah. The night Jackson collectively celebrates, sparkles, and counts down to the moment we swear we’ll “definitely ski more next year.”
Sure you will. Sure.
Why The Wort Hotel Owns the Holidays
Because nobody blends cowboy charm, vintage elegance, and Wyoming-level holiday chaos like the Wort Hotel. The lobby glows, the food hits, the music’s legit, and the whole place feels like stepping into a Christmas card where someone is always playing a fiddle and nobody knows what “Happy Holidays” means because it’s “Merry Christmas” around here.
If you want to do the holidays right in Jackson, The Wort’s lineup is basically your Advent calendar.
AntlersArch founder and the voice behind Teton Tattle.
