Mark your calendar to join us for Herd Holiday
Thursday, December 3, 2026
Details are still being finalized for our 2026 event. Check back after Nov. 1 for a final schedule.
Tree Lighting
Join Marshall Royalty for a fun and festive lighting of the Memorial Student Center Plaza. The tree lighting will take place at 5:30 p.m. on the MSC Plaza.
The program will include performances by:
- Marshall University Early Education STEAM Center
- True Impact Dance and Performing Arts
Indoor Activities
After the tree lighting, festivities move inside the student center. Guests can enjoy refreshments by the fireplace, shop the bookstore, decorate ornaments, have a picture made with Santa-Marco and more from 6 – 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 8!
First Floor
- Enjoy cookies, s’mores, hot chocolate and punch by the fireplace
- Holiday cookie decorating with Marshall University Alumni Association
- Listen to holiday story time at 6:30 p.m. in the bookstore
- Build-a-Bison ($20 – all proceeds benefit the Campus Activities Board)
- Shop the Marshall Bookstore
Second Floor
- Have fun with our Holiday Photo Booth
- Create an ornament with Marshall University Student Affairs
- Don’t miss the opportunity for a holiday photo with Santa-Marco!
- Students will be on-hand to help children write a mail letters to Santa
- Children can color a Marshall picture while waiting for their photo
- Stuff a stocking with items from Marshall Health and the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
- Make reindeer bait with Marshall’s School of Pharmacy
- Enjoy a holiday experience with Marshall’s Early Education STEAM Center
- Learn more about our June Harless Center and the Imagination Library
- Watch our student organizations compete in a Gingerbread House Building Contest
- Esports Gaming Room
- Enjoy holiday music by Marshall’s WMUL
Photos from the 2025 event
Additional images from the 2025 event are available online. Be sure to tag @MarshallU and #HerdHoliday when sharing your photos on social media.
Marco’s Favorite Things
Marco is celebrating the holiday season by sharing a few of his favorite things! Follow @MarshallU on Facebook and Instagram Dec. 1- 12 to find out how you can win a basket of some of #MarcosFavoriteThings this year!