On Oct. 8, former McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department staff stood with town staff and the building's designers to cut a ribbon on their old station. That building at 7580 N. Form St. is now the McCordsville Community Center, and The Daily Reporter noted that its design includes elements that honor the building's past as a firehouse.
This is the building's first holiday season, and it changes how the town's December is laid out. McCord Square keeps one big night, the tree lighting. Almost everything else the Parks Department scheduled for the season happens in the old firehouse.
What The Firehouse Became
The town planned the conversion in 2025. As The Daily Reporter described it then, the old station in Old Town would get two meeting rooms, a catering kitchen, Parks Department offices and storage, outdoor seating and a courtyard, with a design that kept the building's historic character.
The finished building follows that plan closely. The town's Parks registration site lists two rooms you can rent, the Large Community Room and the Conference Room. Those rooms are where the season's classes and Santa's visit take place.
The project ran long. In April 2026, The Daily Reporter reported that Town Council approved a $155,603 change order, which raised the guaranteed maximum price to $2,446,091. At that point the town was aiming for a summer opening. The ribbon-cutting came in October instead, which put the building's opening only weeks before the holidays. The Parks Department filled its December calendar with events there.
The Square Keeps One Night
The tree lighting is still at McCord Square. McCordsville's annual Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Celebration is Friday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m. at 5811 Main St. Santa lights the 30-foot tree. The event is free, and IU Health and NineStar are the sponsors.
After that Friday, the Parks Department's holiday events move to Form Street. The table below lists everything on the town's calendar from publish day through the craft sessions on Dec. 19.
| Date | Event | Where | Cost and sign-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Nov. 19, 2:30–4 p.m. | Creative Aging Workshop | Community Center | Through Parks registration |
| Mon., Nov. 30 | Holiday With Heroes applications due | McCordsville Police Department | Limited spots |
| Fri., Dec. 4, 5:30 p.m. | Tree Lighting Celebration | McCord Square, 5811 Main St. | Free |
| Sat., Dec. 5, 8 a.m. | Holiday With Heroes | Set by the police department | Selected children only |
| Sat., Dec. 12, 8–11 a.m. | Pictures with Santa | Community Center | Free, drop in |
| Sat., Dec. 19, 10 a.m.–noon | Candle making | Community Center, Large Community Room | $25, ages 8 and up |
| Sat., Dec. 19, 1–3 p.m. | Pine wreath making | Community Center, Large Community Room | Through Parks registration |
Two dates are tied to deadlines. Applications for the McCordsville Police Department's Holiday With Heroes close Nov. 30, which is 11 days after this post goes up. The department says spots are limited and that children who are selected need to attend on Dec. 5. The two Dec. 19 sessions are registered classes in the Large Community Room, so you'll need to sign up through McCordsville Parks & Recreation instead of just showing up. The candle-making class costs $25 for residents and nonresidents alike.
Santa's Visit Is The Easiest Event To Plan For
Pictures with Santa is Saturday, Dec. 12, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the new community center. It's free, you come and go any time during the three hours, and you don't need an appointment. The Parks Department's one request is that families bring their own camera.
With no ticket and no set arrival time, the only real planning is the hour you choose.
The Two Big Events Land In Different Meal Windows
The tree lighting starts at 5:30 on a Friday evening, when most of the town's restaurants are open. Santa's visit ends at 11 on a Saturday morning, before most of them open.
Friday, Dec. 4, around the tree lighting
- Libby's Frozen Treats at 5985 Main St. stays open through winter. Its November-through-March hours are noon to 9 p.m., so it's open for the whole evening.
- Trax BBQ at 7724 Depot St. serves smoked barbecue, including pulled pork, chicken, brisket and ribs, and is open Friday evenings.
- Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub at 6853 W. Broadway serves pizza, salads, pasta and baked sandwiches until 10:30 p.m. on Fridays.
- The Grill at 6621 W. Broadway, Suite 100, serves sandwiches, ribs, pizzas and salads until 10 p.m. on Fridays.
- Culver's at 6036 W. Broadway is open for dine-in and drive-through until 11 p.m. every day and posts a flavor of the day.
Two McCord Square places are out for that evening. Rita's at 5817 Main St. is closed for the season. Maple closes at 2 p.m. on weekdays.
Saturday, Dec. 12, around Santa's visit
On Saturday morning, Maple is the clear choice. The breakfast and brunch restaurant at 5871 Main St. opens at 8 a.m. on weekends, the same time Santa's hours start, and stays open until 3 p.m. Culver's opens at 10 a.m., during the last hour of the visit. Noble Roman's and The Grill open at 11, when Santa's hours end. Trax opens at noon, and so does Libby's.
So if you want to stop at Libby's after Santa, it works better as an afternoon trip than right after the visit.
A Kolache Shop Under A New Operator
Leo's Market & Eatery has been at McCord Square since its ribbon-cutting in August 2025. On Oct. 5, The Daily Reporter reported that Family Express, also an Indiana-owned company, would take over operating Leo's locations in suburban Indianapolis and Lafayette later this fall, subject to customary closing conditions. Leo's will keep running its Central Commissary, which will supply its kolaches to the transitioning stores and to Family Express' other 90 stores across Indiana. Leo's said the change lets it focus on its food program, catering, and building Leo's Eatery as a standalone concept.
The Next Room On The Square Opens In Winter 2027
The tree lighting will be the square's biggest night this December, and at least one more draw for families is still being built there. The Vernon Township Public Library's McCordsville branch, called VTPL McCordsville, will fill 3,000 square feet on the second floor of NineStar Connect's building at McCord Square. In October 2025, The Daily Reporter reported a target of late spring 2026. The library's Oct. 30, 2026 update now expects the branch to open in winter 2027.
The library's plans include a children's area, two public study rooms, an Innovation Lab and a Story Walk in McCord Square Park. The library says it's paying for the buildout from its current budget, with no tax increase.
Until that branch opens, the town's indoor December programs run out of the old firehouse at 7580 N. Form St., starting with the Creative Aging Workshop on Nov. 19 and running through the wreath session on Dec. 19.
If you're thinking about how close you want to live to McCordsville's new town spaces, from the firehouse on Form Street to the library coming to McCord Square, Lee Skiles at MakeIndyHome is happy to walk those streets with you. If you already own here and wonder how this year's changes affect your home's value, start with a free home valuation.
