Nothing puts you into the Christmas spirit like Holiday Light Shows! We have tracked down all the best drive-thru, walk-through, and Christmas Festival light shows in Upstate New York. These festive displays are sure to put the holly jolly in your holiday season and make it merry and bright!
This is one of the best drive-through light displays in the State. 2 miles and thousands upon thousands of dazzling lights in fun and whimsical light displays that depict everyone’s favorite parts of the holiday season. Arrive between 3:30 – 4:30 pm every night to walk through the displays.
Open: November 13 – January 12, 2024 – 5 pm – 10 pm
Address: 6790 Onondaga Lake Pkwy, Liverpool
Wander into the enchanting, illuminated, winter wonderland to explore the sights and sounds of Wild Lights, presented by Merrill L. Thomas Inc. Thousands of lights transforms the campus into a twinkling, family-friendly experience that is sure to become a holiday tradition for North Country families. Bask in the glow of thousands of lights as you experience Wild Walk after dark. Then, stroll through Forest Music to surround yourself with immersive music and lights—curated specifically for the looped trail.
Dates: November 24 to February 24, Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 8pm
Address: The Wild Center 45 Museum Drive, Tupper Lake, NY
The Fairground Festival of Lights is back and better than ever, with all your classic favorites and some new surprises!
North Pole Experience featuring Santa – where you are transported to the North Pole, making your way through displays such as the Elf Village, the Toy Shop, and the Arctic, and cominating with a visit with Santa himself.
Drive Thru Light Display – Fairgrounds Festival of Lights offers a new route encompassing 70 variations of light displays, arches and light tunnels.
Reindeer – Visit Santa’s reindeer each night of the festival.
Frosty’s Dance Party – Join Frosty under a canopy of lights on 42nd Street for a dance party!
5:30pm | 6:30pm | 7:30pm | 8:30pm | 9:30pm
Christmas Express Train Ride– Climb aboard the Festival Train, that will take you on a short ride through lights featuring Christmas characters, the north pole and Buffalo favorites.
Night You Saved Christmas Interactive Maze – The Night You Saved Christmas Maze is an interactive maze the whole family can enjoy together that is based on the classic holiday story highlighting a visit from St. Nicholas.
Pixel Show – An all new Illumination Light Show! A Disney inspired light show that features pixel castles, pixel fireworks, pixelized buildings with singing faces, walkways, tunnels and more; all synchronized to music.
Santa’s Magical Midway – Enjoy a carnival style midway featuring all sorts of kiddie rides.
European Style Holiday Market – This is a great opportunity to tackle your holiday shopping list.
Full Experience Dates: November 24-26, December 1-3,
December 8-10, & December 15-23
Drive Thru Only Dates: November 30, December 7,
December 14, & December 26-30
Address: 5820 South Park Avenue, Hamburg
Northern Lights at Evans Mills Raceway Park
Northern Lights is a community supported holiday light display show where patrons can drive their vehicle through the experience. Make this holiday light experience your new family tradition.
Dates: November 23, 2023 – January 1, 2024 – Open Thursdays – Sundays ~ 5 pm- 9 pm
Address: 28412 Steinhilber Rd., Evans Mills, NY
Festival of Lights at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
This beautiful holiday destination puts the reason back in the Season. Visitors can enjoy the sounds of Christmas music while walking the grounds or visit the inside of the Basilica itself. If you are up to the climb, head to the top of the Basilica for a bird’s eye view of the entire festival. This is a wonderful place to visit for the holidays and the best part; it is totally free.
Lights will be on from 5 pm to 9 pm according to the following Schedule:
Nov 18th – Nov 26, 2023:Lights on Daily Mon-Sun
Nov 27th – Dec 17, 2023 & Jan 5-7th :Lights on Friday thru Sunday Only
Dec 18th – Jan 01, 2023:Lights on Daily Mon-Sun
Address: 1023 Swann Rd, Youngstown
Broome County Festival of Lights
The annual Broome County Festival of Lights is even bigger this year, with almost 100 new lighted displays and holiday magic to brighten up the Season. Some nights include fireworks.
Open: November 19th – December 31st
Address: 1 Otsiningo Park, Binghamton, NY
With over 20-holiday light display installations along a mile-and-a-half path through the rolling hills of Victor Hills Golf Club in the northern Finger Lakes region, visiting this drive-thru display is destined to become your family’s new favorite holiday tradition. These trails have been transformed by the magic of scenic lights and displays into a festival of lights designed for your family’s entertainment. Set out on a journey among the dinosaurs, around elegant figure skaters, through a portal to Santa’s workshop, along the sweet treat of Candy Cane Lane, and much more!
Runs from November 24th through December 30th
Address: 1450 Brace Road, Victor, NY
Drive Thru Holiday of Lights – Santa’s Village
Enjoy the 5th Annual Otsego County Fair Drive Thru Holiday of Lights. This holiday light show is full of fun and whimsical light displays the entire family will enjoy.
Open: December 14th-16th and 18th-23rd ~ 6 pm -8 pm
Address: Otsego County Fair Grounds
Come to the Animal Adventure Park for the Holidays to see 1 million festival lights, live reindeer, and penguin displays, not to mention lots of feeding opportunities.
Open: November 9th – December 30th
Thursday – Sundays 4 pm – 9 pm
Also open 11/22, 12/26, 12/27
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas
Fridays & Saturdays:
Santa is here for photos in our heated workshop 5:00 – 8:00 PM
We have continued to add 100s of thousands of lights to the 2023 display… Always Bigger & Always Brighter!
Join us for the largest lights display in the area, hosted on the grounds of Animal Adventure as a walk thru experience!
Drive-Thru Only Experience: (one night only)
December 20th
5 pm – 8 pm – last car entry 7:30 pm
Address: 85 Martin Hill Rd, Harpursville
Visit Twinkle Town at Bradley Farms in Elmira, NY…A magical, musical holiday light show for the whole family!
Drive through Twinkle Town and view over 200 individually lighted scenes from the comfort of your vehicle as you drive through the one-mile, two-lane road while listening to the Holiday Channel on your radio. Rudolph and his friends will be waiting to help get you in the holiday spirit!
Open: November 17, 2023, through December 30, 2023, Daily from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Address: 1543 Maple Avenue, Elmira
Immerse yourself in all that is great about the Christmas season at Christmasland. This destination brings back the nostalgia of an old fashion Christmas. Families will enjoy light displays, cookie decorating, visiting Santa, a Christmas train ride, horse-drawn carriage, and sleigh rides, Ornament decorating, and tons of fun kid’s activities.
Dates: November 25th – December 17th
Address: 3068 Furbeck Rd., Altamont, NY
Just about 497,000 lights make up Peace, Love & Lights this year’s drive-thru holiday light show.
Open: Partial Week: November 24 – 26; November 30 – December 3, December 7 – 10
Daily: December 14 – December 31, 2023
5:00-10:00 PM Last entry at 9:00 PM.
Address: Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – 200 Hurd Road, Bethel
The Wonderland of Lights Rhinebeck
Visitors will enjoy a plethora of festive pageantry as they journey through more than a mile of spectacular lights and holiday wonder. From tunnel displays to towering structures and whimsical designs, The Wonderland of Lights will create a memorable experience for the entire family.
Dates: November 22 – December 30
Times: 5 pm – 9 pm
Closed Mon-Wed Nov 27-29
Closed Mon-Wed Dec 4-6
Closed Mon-Wed Dec 11-13
Open Nightly Dec 14-30
Address: Duchess County Fairground, 6636 US 9, Rhinebeck, NY
Holiday Show at Lamberton Conservatory
Get out of the cold and enjoy some colorful lights and lots of poinsettias. The Lamberton Conservatory has been carefully and lovingly decorated to reflect the joy of the Season.
Open: 7 days a week, 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. During the Holiday Show it is open until 9 pm on Fridays and Sundays.
Address: 180 Reservoir Ave, Rochester
Holiday lights, character meet and greets, and animated musical Christmas light shows. This festival put the happy back into the holidays. This is sure to be a family favorite and might just become your annual Christmas tradition.
Open: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays November 24th – December 23rd
Address: 778 Broadway, Route 9W, Ulster Park
Washington County Holiday Lighted Nights
Holiday Lighted Nights is a new drive-thru Holiday Light Experience debuting at the Washington County Fairgrounds. While you’re there stop and grab some delicious holiday treats at their snack stands.
Open: November 24th-December 30th 4:00 pm -9:00 pm
Address: 392 Old Schuylerville Rd., Greenwich
Frosty Ice Maze – Begin your journey gliding through a winding ice maze full of hidden treasures throughout the cave walls. At the end of your voyage, the royal Ice Princess will be awaiting your arrival to take a whimsical portrait and to greet you at the entrance of the Wintry village.
Post Office – Make a pit stop at our train station and post office where you can mail out your letters to Santa! Santa’s helpers will be sure your letters are delivered to the North Pole and will be opened by Santa before Christmas Day! Be sure to include your address or email so Santa can respond!
Gingerbread House – Stroll through a magical wintry village full of snowy homes, decorative Christmas trees, and even a life-sized Gingerbread house where you can meet the Gingerbread man and many more magical friends!
Santa’s Workshop – Sneak a peek at Santa’s buzzing workshop where you will meet tons of jolly Elves and Mrs. Claus! Feel the magic of Christmas come to life! Have you been naughty or nice this year? You’ll find out here!
Life-Size Ornament – While writing letters to Santa, stop by our life-sized ornament to purchase candy apples, cotton candy, lollipops, refreshments, and baked goods out of this life-sized ornament!
Interactive Whoville – Help us stop YOU KNOW WHO with Cindy Lou Who and friends. You may even get to meet his real-life buddy Max! New this year MULTIPLE rides and other fun additions.
Light Show -Take a stroll down Candy Cane Alley among a fantastic holiday light display! or take a ride on the Christmas train.
Open: November 18th – December 23rd, 2023
Address: 93 W Campbell Rd, Schenectady, NY
Glimmer Nights at the Farmers’ Museum
Glimmer Nights, a six-week holiday light show extravaganza, will take place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from November 24 – December 30. At Glimmer Nights, visitors of all ages will experience the museum as never before on a self-guided walking tour through a wonderland of elaborate, multi-colored light displays. The path winds through the museum’s Country Village and other areas, each creatively illuminated with a unique theme.
Open: November 24th – December 30th 5pm-8pm
Address: 5775 State Highway 80 (Lake Road), Cooperstown
A snow-capped fantasyland awaits on the shimmering shores of Lake George. Nestled in a magical forest, Winter Realms is an open-air experience brought to you by the award-winning creators of Ice Castles. Explore sublime winter attractions:
Ice Skating – Glide along a glittering rink surrounded by glowing light displays. Spectator tables and warming stations are situated around the rink. Skate rental is included with your ice-skating ticket (additional cost).
Santa’s Candy Cane Court – From November 24 – December 23, stop by Candy Cane Court to share a Christmas wish with Santa and take a festive photo.
Polar Pub – Take European Après-ski culture to the next level with a beer or winter cocktail. Hang at the pub to sip your tasty drink or take it with you on a stroll through the realm.
Ice Sculpture Garden -Wander among larger-than life creations that sparkle like jewels in the crisp winter air. From the ice throne to the igloos, these world-class sculptures are not to be missed. Our world-class sculptures explore the rich, ancient history of the Chinese zodiac – along with other seasonal surprises!
Snowman Park -Come frolic in the snow, make some snow angels, and sculpt your own snowman in our interactive snow park – where the joy of winter comes alive. From coal eyes to pointy carrot noses and more, decorations for your frosty friend are provided free of charge.
Mystic Light Walk -Stroll a spellbinding path glowing with otherworldly illumination. This paved experience is approximately 850 feet or .16 miles. It’s perfect for visitors of all ages.
Open: November 24th – March 3rd 4 pm-10 pm
Address: Charles R. Wood Park, 19 W Brook Rd, Lake George, NY
Although there are several light festivals this year, this one is in a category of its own. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through a field full of festive light displays. There are days when visitors can walk the field instead of taking the wagon ride.
Open: Horsedrawn Wagon & Tractor Rides – Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays November 24th – December 31st (5:30 – 8:30 pm)
Walking Wednesdays – 5:30-8:30 pm
Address: 2445 W Walworth Rd, Macedon
The Wild Winter Wonderland of Lights
Enjoy a walk-through holiday light show at the Wild Animal Park. Kids will love meeting Santa and the petting zoo and bounce houses, which will all be open and available during the event.
Open: November 22nd – January 1st, 2024 ~ 5 pm – 9 pm
Address: 7621 Lakeport Rd., Chittenango
Holiday Nights at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Visit the Zoo and see it transformed into a winter wonderland. Sing along with holiday carolers, visit Santa, gather around and warm up by glowing fire pits with family and friends, enjoy festive lighting, ice sculpture carving, animals, and much more!
Open: Fridays & Saturdays December 1st- December 16th – 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Address: 1 Conservation Pl, Syracuse
Tioga Downs Casino Winterfest
Winterfest returns to Tioga Downs this November featuring Horse Drawn Wagon Rides to view the lights, a Craft Fair, and much more. Admission is FREE, and there are plenty of fun holiday activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
Fridays and Saturdays
November 24-December 23
5PM-8:30PM
Holiday Wreath Contest
December 15, 7pm
Valley Chorus
December 15, 6:30pm-7:45pm
Sanphy Christmas Orchestra
December 16, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Crazy Christmas Sweater Contest
December 22, 6pm – 8pm
Do you know another light show that should be added to my list? Send me an email! Wishing everyone a joyful and bright Christmas and Holiday Season!