5 Of The Most Spectacular Holiday Light Displays
It’s official! At the time of this blog post there will only be 45 days until Christmas. This means that the holidays truly are right around the corner. The month of November is one of the most active in regards to holiday lighting. As the last few leaves fall from the trees and the air gets colder, people and businesses begin to make preparations to set up Christmas light displays. This occurs all across the country from New York City to Austin, Texas.
Hundreds of thousands of people decorate their homes and business for Christmas, but many of the larger light displays are put on by cities and other organizations looking to spread some joy throughout the season. In this blog, we will focus on on our top five list of the most spectacular holiday light displays across the U.S. (*Note: Christmas tree and other lighting ceremonies are also considered in this list)
Austin Trail of Lights – Austin, Texas
The Austin Trail of Lights in Austin, Texas
The Austin Trail of Lights is self-proclaimed as “Austin’s largest holiday tradition”, as well as the 2nd largest event of its kind in the city. Since 2012, the event has been sponsored by the Trail of Lights Foundation and is meant to celebrate Austin’s unique culture and people. The trail itself attracts more than 400,000 people annually.
Aside from the amazing lights, the trail showcases everything about Austin from food, to music, and even art. The support from the Trail of Lights Foundation allows the event to be free for at least ½ the nights that it is open to the public. This year, the Austin Trail of Lights will run from December 9 – 23 from 7:00PM – 10:00PM. The Austin Trail of Lights is truly one of the best light displays in the U.S to celebrate holiday traditions.
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival – Chicago, Ill.
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in Chicago, Ill.
Chicago may be well known for things like deep dish pizza, the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), and jazz music, but in November of every year the city becomes known for something else; The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival! For more than 50 years the trees along Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago have been lit to symbolize the start of the holiday season. Although many events take place throughout the weekend of the festival, the tree-lighting parade is perhaps the most well known.
The parade travels from North Michigan Avenue down to Wacker Drive as popular Disney characters like Micky and Minnie Mouse act as the parade’s Grand Marshals. More than one million lights are lit throughout the parade as floats, helium-filled balloons, marching bands, and musical acts travel down Michigan Avenue. The parade then concludes with fireworks that take place over the Chicago River. This is truly a holiday lighting event to behold! The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival will take place November 17th – November 18th, 2017.
The River of Lights – Albuquerque, New Mexico
One of the many unique sculptures from The River of Lights festival.
Every year The Botanic Garden in Albuquerque is home to hundreds of thousands of holiday lights that stun visitors each year. In 1997, the event was organized as a fundraiser for The New Mexico BioPark Society and has been growing ever since! The event itself features more than 400 unique light displays, and more than 90,000 pairs of eyes witness the magic each year. Millions of lights are even timed to music as visitors take a stroll through the gardens. The River of Lights will be open to the public from November 25th – December 30th, 2017.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – New York City
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in New York City.
Every year in November one of the world’s most recognizable Christmas trees is lit up in New York City. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a world-wide symbol of the holidays that calls Rockefeller Plaza home for one month leading up to Christmas. The Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony attracts thousands of visitors who can view live musical performances and watch the tree be lit up live as it is aired on television across the globe. 2017 will mark the 85th anniversary of the tree lighting ceremony. Once the tree is lit, more than half a million people will walk by the tree daily making it the epicenter of holiday celebrations in New York City. This year, the tree lighting ceremony will take place on November 29th from 7:00PM – 9:00PM and will be aired live on NBC.
Oshkosh Celebration of Lights – Oshkosh, Wis.
The Oshkosh Celebration of Lights in Oshkosh, WI
In our home state of Wisconsin there is no other holiday light festival quite like the Oshkosh Celebration of Lights. For 16 years, this holiday event in Oshkosh boasts more than half a million lights and a 100 foot tall tree. Each year more than 13,500 cars driver through Menominee Park in Oshkosh to witness animated light displays, sculptured scenes, and even Santa’s Workshop. Aside from providing some much needed holiday cheer, the event is responsible for collecting tons of non-perishable food items for local food pantries. The Celebration of Lights will be open daily beginning on November 24th and will run through December 31st.
