Discover the Magic of Light Shows Across Illinois
From the top to bottom, Illinois blazes with festive lights throughout the holiday season. Magically transformed into fantastic showplaces of winter beauty, parks, gardens, museums, and historic districts are special at this most wonderful time of the year. Whether it is the bright lights of Chicago or the cozier charm of small towns downstate, Illinois has something special in store for one this time of the year.
Chicago Light Shows
Lightscape
Experience the magic of the season at Lightscape as the Garden is transformed by dazzling lights, music, and art. This year's reimagined trail features breathtaking installations debuting in the U.S. that will surely create lifelong holiday memories. For an adults-only experience, join in on November 21 and December 5 for Cocktails Under the Lights to sip on handcrafted drinks while making your way through the enchanting display. Open Nov. 15th - Jan. 5th
Chriskindlmarket Chicago
Celebrate the holidays Chicago-style at this outdoor market! Savor roasted nuts, pretzels, bratwurst, spiced wine, and cocoa, with festive music and sparkling ornaments—all set against stunning downtown views. Open Nov. 22nd - Dec. 24th
Chriskindlmarket
Illumination at Morton Arboretum
Designed with your safety in mind, this year’s all-new driving experience (30–40 minutes long) features an unparalleled spectacle of color, light, and music you won’t experience anywhere else. Open Nov. 16th - Jan. 4th
Illumination-
Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier
Briefly escape the cold at Navy Pier’s Light Up the Lake event, featuring over 600,000 lights, an Alpine ice rink, beer garden, train rides for the kiddos, Santa, a gift market, and so much more!
Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier -
Lincoln Park ZooLights
ZooLights will feature hundreds of luminous displays and incredible seasonal activities, all under the glow of millions of illuminated lights, plus reduced capacity admission to keep your family safe.
Lincoln Park ZooLights -
Brookfield ZooLights
Now in their 39th year, get ready to visit Chicagoland’s largest and longest-running lights festival featuring over a million twinkling LED lights!
Brookfield ZooLights -
Christmas Around the World
The Museum of Science and Industry hosts this beloved annual celebration, which features a four-story, floor-to-dome Grand Tree, surrounded by a forest of more than 50 trees and displays decorated by volunteers to represent the holiday traditions from cultures around the globe.
Christmas Around the World
Chriskindlmarket Aurora
The German-style outdoor market has become so popular that it expanded to several locations in Illinois including Aurora. The unique shopping experience, cheerful live entertainment, and original food and beverages like the imported mulled wine from Germany, called Glühwein, make the Christkindlmarket a preferred and popular destination. Open Nov. 22nd - Dec. 24th
Christmas Trolley Tour of Light at Starved Rock Lodge
In the days leading up to Christmas, sit back, relax and let Starved Rock Lodge’s staff drive as holiday lights enthrall you and your loved ones. Starved Rock Christmas Trolly Tours runs mid-December until a couple days before Christmas
Festival of Lights, Christmas Around the World
Imagine traveling across the globe as you see over 30 exhibits depicting Christmas decorations and holiday traditions from a myriad of countries at the Lansing Historical Museum. Open Nov. 16 - Jan. 6th
Drive-Through Holiday Lights, Aurora
From Phillips Park Festival of Lights to Mooseheart Holiday Lights Display, enjoy miles of dazzling light displays from the warmth and comfort of your car.
Light Shows in Northern Illinois
Illuminated: A Lighted Garden Experience
Illuminated is the Anderson Gardens' winter lights experience in Rockford. Walking through the gardens you'll see trees lit up, a canopy of lights to walk through. Fireside dining, hotel chocolates, woodfire pizzas, and rotating food trucks are just the beginning.
Nicholas Conservatory All Aglow
Positioned near the banks of the Rock River in Rockford, Nicholas Conservatory’s vibrant holiday lights display will mesmerize you and your loved ones with light-wrapped trees and shrubs, glowing stars, gumbo candy canes and various surprises to discover. Open Nov. 30th - Jan. 6th
Santa Rock N Lights
With over 700 feet of dancing light tunnels, Santa Rock N Lights in Grayslake lets you encounter towering polar bears, dinosaurs and more within a glimmering wonderworld. Open Nov. 22nd - Dec. 31st
Vintage Holidays in Long Grove
Sleigh rides, seasonal lights, and Santa create a full nostalgic holiday experience at Vintage Holidays in Long Grove. Dates coming soon
Holiday Lights in Western Illinois
East Peoria Festival of Lights Winter Wonderland
Highlights of East Peoria's annual Festival of Lights Parade are the 40 floats mostly lighted by LED lights, featuring a 70-foot Clydesdale team, a 95-foot Chinese dragon, a 160-foot steam engine, and the USS East Peoria out of Star Trek. Spectators can stroll or drive along the two-mile route along East Washington and Taylor Streets.
Wonderlights Christmas at World Wide Technology Raceway
For a night of holiday fun the whole family can enjoy, head over to the Wonderlights Christmas show for holiday lights accompanied by classic and modern Christmas songs.
Wonderlights Christmas
Quincy Festival of Lights
Featuring nearly two miles of exuberant holiday light installations, Quincy’s Festival of Lights will surely buoy your spirits and maybe even become a family tradition.
Festival of Lights
Christmas Wonderland
Over four million dazzling lights cover Rock Spring Park in Alton, giving you the perfect way to kick off your holiday celebrations.
Christmas Wonderland
Belleville Christkindlmarkt
Experience the charm of the holidays at the Belleville Christkindlmarkt. Along with traditional European food and beverages, you can browse for unique, hand-crafted gifts from around the world—perfect for everyone on your “nice list.” Enjoy live entertainment from local dance and musical groups on select dates, animals from the Rainbow Ranch Petting Zoo, and even meet real reindeer from HLF Reindeer. Open from Nov. 29th to Dec. 22nd.
Way of Lights Christmas Lights
Located in Belleville, visitors will rejoice over this spectacular 1.5-mile Way of Lights display that shares the story of Christmas. Beyond the lights, enjoy a petting zoo, Christmas tree room, wreath displays, and camel rides. Open Nov. 22nd - Dec. 31st
Central Illinois Light Shows
Effingham Wonderland of Lights
Get into the holiday spirit at Wonderland in Lights. Along with the free display, every Saturday Santa visits to bring presents to the children in attendance. You can always continue the fun in downtown Effingham and see the larger-than-life ornaments on the Effingham County Courthouse Museum lawn, including a 34-foot, dazzling Christmas Tree.
Old Capitol Holiday Walks
Spread holiday cheer by basking in the unique shops Downtown Springfield has to offer, which are ripe this time of year for shopping and dining.
Holiday Walks
Candlestick Lane
For over half a century, the Urbana neighborhood comes together and celebrates family, friends and their city. Lamplighters go from house to house on opening ceremony to start Candlestick Lane.
Candlestick LaneShelbyville Festival of Lights
Drive through a seasonally decorated Forest Park in Shelbyville for twinkling lights displays, which are painted and taped to match the light’s colors for an out-of-this-world holiday light extravaganza.
Chatham Light Up the Park
Marvel at nearly a mile of bright lights and holiday displays from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.
Holiday Zoo Lights
Take a bundled family walk through the annual Winterland Holiday Zoo Lights in Springfield, where you can take in luminous displays and revel alongside the animals — plus enjoy treats, from hot cocoa with marshmallows to s’mores.
Downs Dooley Park
Enjoy a dazzling lights display in Downs Dooley Park from November to January.
Mattoon Lightworks
Celebrate the holidays at Peterson Park with a dazzling display of holiday lights to welcome the season. Drive through or walk to get a picture up close.
Olney Christmas Lights Display
Hear the sounds of Christmas accompanied by glimmering holiday lights, a simple way to celebrate the holiday season.
Christmas Lights Wonderland
Check out Christmas Lights Wonderland in Greenville for an extensive Christmas lightbox collection and special events on the weekends.
Southern Illinois Holiday Lights
WonderLight's Christmas
WonderLight's Christmas returns for the 2024 season! Conveniently located in the St. Louis area, drive through an incredible display of over 1 million LED lights choreographed to both classic and modern Christmas music, all played through your car stereo. Load up the car with friends and family to enjoy this festive show and make it a new holiday tradition!
Christmas Wonderland Drive Thru
Begin your holiday celebration when you experience the enchantment of Christmas at the "Christmas Wonderland" holiday light display. Visitors can drive through the park to view more than 4 million lights decorating the park!
Christmas Wonderland
Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair
Witness the magic of millions of twinkling lights by driving through the transformed Du Quoin’s State Fairgrounds for its 23rd annual holiday lights festival.
Holiday Lights Fair
Christmas Village Walking Path
Celebrate Christmas with a stroll through the Arboretum in Bethalto, with lighted trees, glass cottages, wire art, nativity, and much more.
Christmas VillageLighted Christmas Parade
Stroll down to Christmas in Carterville — where the downtown streets are closed — for an ideal night of holiday activities like parade floats, Christmas lights, carriage rides, letters to Santa, ornament making, CandyLand trails, and carolers. Dec 5th
Christmas Lights in Carlyle Park
The holidays have officially arrived, and there’s no better way to welcome the good tidings than driving through this display of Christmas splendor in Carlyle’s City Park. Open Nov 29th - Jan 5th
Downtown Country Christmas Bright Nights
Explore the windows of Downtown Country Christmas Bright Nights and see the lights shining bright for family fun from the comfort of your car.