Holiday Light Shows for 2020
Feliz Navidad! Each Christmas season, in addition to individual tree lighting events, there are big holiday light shows in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. The year 2020, unusual as it has been with the ongoing pandemic, is no exception. In fact, these light shows may prove more popular than ever as they present a perfect opportunity to enjoy the season while still maintaining physical distance safely outside. The holiday light shows vary, but these incredible displays all involve thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights over a large area. Most of these events incur a cost, but a few are free. Some you walk through, and some you drive through, but all will instill a sense of wonder, especially for kids. See our big list below! As always, check the official websites for details and any special safety requirements.
ONGOING EVENTS
Northern Virginia Neighborhood Light Displays
Ongoing, dates vary
Home illuminations at multiple locations
Want to find the best or most extravagant holiday light displays in your neighborhood? The Holly’s Tacky Christmas Lights lets you find them easily in Northern Virginia and Maryland!
Loudoun Christmas Lights
Ongoing, dates vary
Home illuminations at multiple locations
While the Holly’s Tacky Christmas Lights site above is a great resource, it had few listings for Loudoun County, In 2019, a local long-term Loudoun resident began to hunt these down and created Loudoun Lights. This public Facebook page helps you to find the best home light displays in Loudoun County!
Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights
Nightly November 11, 2020, to January 6, 2021
Park lights display in Vienna, VA
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) property, turns all aglow during the holiday season with the Winter Walk of Lights. This beautiful production has more than 500,000 lights illuminating the trees and displays of flowers, animals, fountains, a stream, and much more, including lights set to music by the fountain and entertainment and kids’ activities on special nights. It’s a walk-through event so you can go at your own pace. Ticket prices are $11.25 to $20.00 depending on day and time. Kids ages 2 and younger are free. Please note that ALL tickets must be purchased in advance. The number of tickets available for purchase online has been reduced to meet the new limitations for botanical gardens and state guidelines for events. There are other rules about admission, arrival and departure, and more, so please read the website carefully before making a purchase.
Bull Run Festival of Lights
Nightly November 6, 2020, to January 10, 2021
Park lights display in Centreville, VA
A popular drive-through light show depicting holiday and winter themes. The festival (also from NVRPA) includes a carnival on select dates; a Holiday Village with bonfires, treats, and photos with Santa; Santa’s Enchanted Lights (40,000 twinkling lights set to music), and free family activities and camel rides (extra fees) on select dates. Admission prices are per carload: most Mondays-Thursdays $25-30; most Fridays-Sundays, holidays and other peak times $30-35 (see coupons on the website). The festival is extended by three more weeks this year and has increased online ticketing to provide minimal contact.
Ice and Lights Winter Village
Select nights from November 20, 2020, to January 3, 2021
Holiday lights and ice skating in Alexandria, VA
The newest addition by NVRPA is Ice and Lights. Launched in 2019, this winter wonderland experience happens at Cameron Run Park in Alexandria. From mid-November through the holiday season, the water park comes briefly out of hibernation with an ice rink and beautifully lit photo opportunities on the ground. Tickets are general admission only, or with ice skating added; ticket prices range from $9.35 to $24. Because of COVID-19 restrictions this year, all ticket sales are in advance only, for specific time slots, and with other limits (such as greatly reduced capacity to provide adequate social distancing on the ice). Please read through all the rules and guidelines before purchasing your tickets.
Festival of Lights
Dates TBD
Free light show Kensington, MD; this year only as a drive-by
The Festival of Lights is one of the D.C. area’s great community traditions. For 42 years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS, Mormon church) has invited the community to visit its temple in Maryland to enjoy beautiful lights as the grounds are decorated with more than 400,000 bulbs. Typically guests can take free walking tours, see the life-sized outdoor nativity, and then go into the Visitor Center to continue the joy with performances and exhibits of Christmas trees and of crèches from around the world. The LDS website is not yet updated but a local report says this year the lights will be visible only for drive-by looks, not walking tours of the grounds.
Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon
December 18 to December 19, 2020
Special event at George Washington’s Home in Mount Vernon, VA
Mount Vernon’s Christmas Illuminations will include fireworks choreographed to holiday music, local choirs, re-enactors in winter encampment, 18th-century dancing, and more. Admission is $30 for adults and $20 for children basic admission. (Update: this now is sold out, but also see the new Winter Glow event on this list)
Winter Glow at Mount Vernon
December 18 to December 19, 2020 November 27-29, December 11-13, and December 26-28, 2020
Special event at George Washington’s Home in Mount Vernon, VA
See the Mount Vernon Estate illuminated with soft lights and holiday patterns as you listen to Christmas carolers and visit an 18th-century winter encampment. This is a new event as of 2020, on select nights from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Tickets are $45 per adult and $30 per youth (non-member price).
National Christmas Tree (and state trees)
December 1, 2020, to January 1, 2021
Nightly display in Washington, DC
The National Christmas Tree lights will turn on around sunset each evening and turn off promptly at 10 pm Sundays through Thursdays and until 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The Pathway of Peace site, the walkway surrounding the National Christmas Tree featuring 56 decorated state and territory trees, is free to visit and open to the public from 10 am until closing times.
