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March 19, 2024

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Christmas Lights in Middle Tennessee

Tennesseans sure know how to light up the holidays! Find all kinds of displays — including area neighborhoods — in this festive collection.

Holiday Lights provide a merry tradition for the entire family each year. Here’s the round up you need to fulfill all of your light-filled dreams!

Holiday Lights: DRIVE-THRU

Open nightly Nov. 25 – Dec. 31, 2022
Nashville Fairgrounds 401 Wingrove St., Nashville
Admission: $36 for adults, $30.60 for student/military and $28.80 for ages 3 – 12
Highlights: Drive or walk through interactive installations, fun performances and over 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor adventure. The visit will take around 60 – 90 minutes.

 

The Dancing Lights of Christmas back for its 11th season | WKRN News 2

Dancing Lights of Christmas

Nov. 11, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 | nightly at 5 p.m.
James E Ward Agricultural Center: 945 E Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon
Admission: $30 per vehicle (non commercial)
Highlights: 2.5 million lights set to music on a driving route
Tip: Use the entrance across from Dollar General, expect a longer wait time on Saturdays

 

Amazing Christmas Light Show in Franktown. You Can Drive Through, Walk or Both. - Mile High on the Cheap

FrankTown Festival of Lights

Nov. 18 – Dec. 31, 2022 | nightly at 5 p.m.
Williamson County AG Expo Park: 4215 Long Ln #100, Franklin
Admission: $25 per vehicle (non commercial); Extra fee for 15+ passenger vehicles
Highlights: Thousands of sparking lights coordinated to a radio station to be enjoyed from the comfort of your car
New this year! There are five Walkin’ Wednesdays where guests can park their cars and walk the lighted route. Finish the night by taking photos at the giant tree and making s’mores over the fire pit! This year’s Walkin’ Wednesdays are Nov. 23, 30, and Dec. 7, 14, and 28. Walkers are allowed on the route from 5:00-6:30 pm. The route opens each of these nights at 7:00 pm for cars.

 

Holiday Light Shows

Chad’s Winter Wonderland

Nov. 25 – Dec. 31 | 6 to 10 p.m.
791 E. Old Laguardo Rd. Lebanon
Admission: $20 per car load (Takes Credit and Debit)
Highlights: New expansions this year: 12 acres, 2.8 million lights, live animals, drive through nativity scene
Tip: Don’t forget to bring your letter to Santa. There will be a special mailbox just for him, and he will be there every night!

 

Holiday Wonders at Bowie Park, new attraction in community | Announcements | mainstreetfairview.com

Holiday Wonders at Bowie Park

Nov. 25, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023 | Thursdays – Sundays | 6 to 10 p.m.
7211 Bowie Lake Road, Fairview
Admission: $20 per vehicle
Tip: Be sure to stop by the Nature Center, transformed into Santa’s Village, for a quick visit and photo op with Santa, hot cocoa, cookies and a take-home craft for the kids.

 

Holiday Lights: WALKING TOURS

Open nightly Nov. 25, 2022 – Jan. 2, 2023 | 5 – 9 p.m.
First Horizon Park: 19 Junior Gilliam Way, Nashville
Admission: $34 for adults, $20 for ages 3 – 17
Highlights: An ice-skating trail, live entertainment, interactive games, Santa visits and a holiday marketplace featuring local artisans, along with holiday foods and festive drinks.

 

2.3 million holiday lights flipped on at Gaylord Opryland

Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center

Nov. 11, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 | Starts at dusk
2800 Opryland Dr, Nashville
Admission: Free
Highlights: 3 million lights, towering Christmas trees and thousands of shimmering ornaments adorn the grand hotel.
Tip: The longtime holiday tradition, ICE!, returns with a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer theme.

 

Make plans now to attend the Cheekwood holiday lighting event.

Cheekwood

Open Nov. 19, 2022 – Jan. 8, 2023
1200 Forrest Park Dr., Nashville
Admission: Adults: $26, Kids (3-7): $20, Children under 2 are free
Highlights: 2 million lights, children’s wonderland, live reindeer village, s’mores pits
Tip: If you can wait until 8:30 p.m., tickets for adults drop to $20

 

Upcoming Events

Open nightly Nov. 18 – Jan. 8; Thursday – Sunday, Jan. 12 to Feb. 4 | 5 – 9 p.m.
Nashville Zoo: 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville
Admission: $19 for adults and $15 for ages 2 – 12
Highlights: Over 500 custom-made silk lanterns will be spread across 60 acres, creating elaborate displays with some of your favorite Zoo animals, holiday-themed scenes and even a 200-foot-long dragon.
Tip: Select animal exhibits will be open late, including Sumatran tiger, Andean bear, Carribean flamingos and Unseen New World.

 

Christmas on the Cumberland in Clarksville, TN - Tennessee Vacation

Christmas on the Cumberland

Open nightly Nov. 22, 2022 – January 3, 2023 | 5 to 10 p.m.
McGregor Park: 640 N. Riverside Dr., Clarksville
Admission: Free
Highlights: 2 million lights put on by the City of Clarksville. Frequent visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus
Tip: This year’s free family-friendly activities include free holiday crafts and hot chocolate

 

Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas - Pigeon Forge, TN

Smoky Mountain Christmas at Dollywood

Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023  2 to 9 p.m.
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge
Admission: One-Day passes start at $69
Highlights: Award-winning festival featuring lights, shows and much more
Tip: Every Friday and Saturday during Smoky Mountain Christmas, the “Merry & Bright” fireworks fill the sky to new holiday Christmas tunes

 

Holiday Lights: NEIGHBORHOOD DISPLAYS

Holiday Light Shows

Gill’s Bright Lights

Dec. 1 – 31 | 5 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday & Saturday
288 Lake Terrace Dr., Hendersonville
Admission: Cash donations accepted for charity
Highlights: This year’s theme will bring 60,000 dancing lights moving to music in your car radio. 20 ft snowflake wall, 17-foot mega trees
Tip: All decorations are homemade! Cash donations are accepted for a local charity.

 

Music City Lights - YouTube

Music City Light Show

Nov. 25, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023 | 5 to 9 p.m.
5361 Skip Jack Drive, Antioch
Admission: Free
Highlights: Holiday light show set to music on 90.1 FM
Tip: If you’re in the Lakeside Cove Subdivision off of Hobson Pike, you’re in the right place!

 

Lights on Luna

Open through holiday season
5:30 to 10 p.m. on Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat
176 Luna Lane, Hendersonville
Admission: Free
Highlights: Dancing lights set to music
Tip: Park across the street in the church parking lot & make sure to turn your headlights off when watching the show!

 

Winton’s Light Display

Open through holiday season
5 to 10:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday – Sunday
55 Haskell Winton Road, Manchester
Admission: Free, however guests are invited to bring a donation for a local charity
Highlights: Half a million lights that dance to music on 103.1 FM.
Tip: This display have been featured on national television and is a “must-see”

 

Hoover Lights

Late November – Dec. 31 | 4:30 to 10 p.m.
1390 Neil Rd, Chapel Hill
Admission: Free, but guests are encouraged to donate to Grace Ministries
Highlights: Viewers can tune to the 107.1 FM and watch while the lights dance to music
Tip: Lights on Old Charlotte and Lights on Sparrow Street combined to make this new light display!

 

Sunnyside Lights

Late November – Dec. 31 | 5 to 10 p.m.
1956 Sunnyside Dr, Brentwood
Admission: Free
Highlights: Pass through the sparkling Brentwood cul-de-sac in your car or hop out and walk for a closer look at 135,000 lights
Tip: Every Friday and Saturday during Smoky Mountain Christmas, the “Merry & Bright” fireworks fill the sky to new holiday Christmas tunes

 

Cocoa on Cloverdale

Nov. 30 through holiday season | 5 to 9:30 p.m.
109 Cloverdale Court, Hendersonville
Admission: Free
Highlights: A light show synchronized to music on 97.7 FM

 

Xlights TN

535 Shute Lane, Hendersonville
Dec. 1, 2021 – Jan. 1, 2022 | 4:30 to 10 p.m.
Highlights: 20 ft MegaTree with 4800 pixel lights. Entire display consists of over 10,000 programmed pixel lights.
Tips: Tune to 87.9 FM when you arrive! Please park in the grass if the driveway is full.

 

MORE ARTICLES ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS!

About the Author

Michael Aldrich

Michael Aldrich is Nashville Parent's Managing Editor and a Middle Tennessee arts writer. He and his wife, Alison, are the proud parents of 4-year-old Ezra and baby Norah.