Looking for the best holiday lights in Worcester County this holiday season? From Worcester to Shrewsbury and Westborough, we've rounded up the most spectacular light shows for you and your family to enjoy. Be sure to check each location's website for the latest details before you go. Here's where to find the best holiday lights in Worcester County:
Worcester:
1. Worcester Holiday Light Show - Santos Family Lights, 60 Pasadena Parkway - up and running on Thanksgiving evening
This is a drive through display. Tune into 98.1FM. This year, we're excited to kick off a fundraising campaign to support my daughter's senior class trip to Italy, a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience. For the donations visit https://santosfamilylightshow.remotefalcon.com/remote-falcon.
2. Festival of Lights , Worcester Common Oval - 455 Main Street
The City of Worcester’s annual Festival of Lights celebration returns to the Worcester Common Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. The free, family-friendly event hosts numerous lighting features, ice skating, food vendors, community organizations, and performances from 4:30 - 9 p.m. Acclaimed reggae artist Clatta Bumboo will perform following the tree lighting at 6 p.m. Clatta Bumboo is a soulful, rhythmic artist with deep roots in Jamaican music and culture. Festival of Lights is the first night of the municipality’s winter lighting installation, which will be displayed on the Worcester Common from Dec. 6, 2024, through Feb. 28, 2025. A highlight for Festival of Lights visitors is the lighting of the tree, which will take place at 6 p.m. In partnership with the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, temporary event and seasonal lighting activations include:
1. “Pillars of Monumental Truth” – 19-foot multilingual LED obelisks produced by Worcester performance-based artists of Fractaltribe, showcasing positive seasonal messages on the Worcester Common.
2. “Illuminaciones” installment – an interactive light sculpture at the Mercantile Center Plaza and formerly displayed on the Worcester Common in 2023, designed by local artist Zebbler Studios. The installation consists of a spiraling tunnel of LED light, which offers a series of colorful light shows and is a perfect backdrop for photos.
3. Interactive light displays – LED-lit holiday decorations on the Worcester Common that include snow people, a heart, and other fun offerings that can be used for photos.
4. Glow Park – an illuminated playscape for youth and adults on the Common and a 90-foot alpine slide positioned on Franklin Street for the night of the festival.
Tree uplighting – a dramatic and colorful tree uplighting that adds pops of color to the Worcester Common.
5. Denholm Building Displays – “The Heart of Fashion and Art: Celebrating the Spirit of the Denholm through a Contemporary Lens” a showcase curated by artists Melissa Mattson and local creatives on display through October 2025 at 484 Main St.
In addition to the lighting displays, Festival of Lights will feature more than 15 food vendors, a beer tent, community organizations, a visit from Santa, face painting, interactive roving circus performers, fire performances, and carriage rides. Performances from the Worcester Poets Laureate, the Burncoat High School Quadrivium Chorus, Midland Street Elementary School, the Jo Ann Warren Studio, and the Many Voices: Mechanics Hall Youth Singers will take place throughout the evening. Complimentary ice-skating on the Worcester Common Oval during Festival of Lights is made possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Skaters may bring their skates or rent for $6 per pair.
3. Kelley Square Tree Lighting Extravaganza - Canal District Holiday Stroll, 1 Kelley Sq, Worcester, MA 01610
Self-guided stroll of the Canal District Businesses from 10am-10pm with our Tree Lighting at 5PM in Kelley SQ. Tree Lighting at 5:00pm
4. Cornwell Holiday Display, 26 Dawson Rd
Daily from 5-10pm - tentative start date is Saturday 11/30
Come visit our Christmas displays in the West Tatnuck area of Worcester! We've got over 220 inflatables at our house for Christmas. Happy Holidays! The display is (weather dependent). Feel free to drive up the driveway, but do not walk through the display. Donations accepted for: Why Me & Sherry's House Our Venmo is @Alex-Cornwell-8.
5. Steven's Christmas Show, 49 Carpenter Ave
Open daily, most nights until 10pm.
We will be turning the light show on to start the season! Come and see the new additions! Remember to tune your radio to 89.3 but also if weather permits feel free to get out and get a closer look just remember to not block the driveway with your vehicle, we do share it with out neighbor and need to keep it open. Enjoy the show!
Shrewsbury:
Annual Yuletide Market & Light the Common, Shrewsbury Town Common
December 7, 2024 at 4:45pm
Join us for our 5th Annual Yuletide Market and Light the Common on Saturday, December 7, from 4 to 8 p.m. on the Town Common and three lots of adjacent businesses. The Yuletide Market opens at 4 p.m. and at 4:45 p.m., more than 31,000 lights on the Common will be flipped on in a dazzling display accompanied by holiday music. Given its increasing popularity over the years, the footprint of Yuletide Market will expand in its fifth year to accommodate a variety of new and popular food trucks, more artisanal gifts and vendors, more entertainment, and more fun for all ages. HOT 96.9’s Ramiro Torres will host the event and Control Point, a principal sponsor of the event, will switch on the lights at 4:45 p.m. Admission is free, but please note that pets are not allowed by the Board of Health regulations. Free Parking is available at First Congregational Church, Shrewsbury Public Library, and the former Beal School.
Westborough:
1. Westborough's Annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting - Downtown Rotary, 1 W Main St.
December 1st from 5-6:30pm.Click HERE for details
2. Annual Light Hunt Map. (We will update with the 2024 Map when it is available.)
The 2023 Westborough Spirit Committee Light Hunt Map is here! The map starts at Town Hall and loops around town with 21 stops of beautiful holiday light displays. Load up the family, turn on the music, and have a great time!
If you need a map and directions to print, here's the link to the PDF directions: https://tinyurl.com/2023-light-hunt-map (Note, the directions and map are 17 pages so beware!) Happy Holidays from the Westborough Spirit Committee!
Holliston:
Fatima Shrine, 101 Summer Street
Dec 11-27, 2023 from 5-9pm each night *Closes for inclement weather
We are thrilled to announce that the "Festival of the Light of Christ 2024" at Fatima Shrine is just around the corner. It will shine brightly from Wednesday, December 11, until December 27!
Drop by, dress warmly as this is a walkthrough display. Light display is free, there is a snack / gift shop concession inside. Gift Shop Hours are Thursday through Monday, 11 am – 6 pm.
Volunteer to help HERE
(508) 429-8172
Attleboro:
2024-25 LA SALETTE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, 947 Park St.
November 23, 2024 – January 1, 2025, Illuminations 5:00 - 9:00pm Daily, Featuring 400,000 Lights illuminating over 10 acres, FREE ADMISSION (BUT DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED!) We look forward to seeing you at our annual Christmas Celebration! The lights will be on even on Christmas night, when the Shrine is closed, but the lights will still be illuminated.
Capture the magic of the season with "Photo with Santa" at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette! Bring your family and friends to meet Santa and take memorable photos every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This cherished holiday tradition is perfect for creating lasting memories and spreading festive cheer. Join us and make your holiday season even more special! SCHEDULE: EVERY FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY from 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. at the Welcome Center.
CAROUSEL, HAYRIDE, RIDE TO BETHLEHEM are FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: 5:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Boylston:
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, 11 French Drive
Night Lights: Color Cascade, which kicks off November 23 and continues daily through January 5, celebrates the winter season by dazzling Garden visitors with more than a quarter million lights, festive activities, seasonal food and drinks, and creative photo ops for the whole family to enjoy. Colorful, immersive light displays illuminate NEBG’s formal gardens, conservatories, and Visitors Center creating a one-of-a-kind experience. Last year, 66,000 visitors of all ages made Night Lights part of their holidays. With a new theme for the light displays and exciting new features, including and outdoor skating rink, Night Lights: Color Cascade will delight the young and young at heart! Click HERE for tickets! prices range from $15-$27 per person and children age 3 and under are FREE.
Lancaster Light Show:
Fairgrounds, 318 Seven Bridge Road, Route 117, Lancaster, MA 01523
Fee based event
November 29 – December 30, 2024
Weekday Schedule & Pricing:
Mondays: Dec 16, 23 & 30
Tuesdays: Dec 17
Wednesdays: Dec 4, 11, 18
Thursdays: Dec 5, 12, 19 & 26
5pm – 7pm & 7pm – 9pm (last admission at 8:15pm)
$21.99 (online purchase) per car, $30 on-site
$40 per limousine, 12/15 person passenger vans, small bus
Weekend & Holiday Schedule & Pricing:
Fridays: Nov 29, Dec 6, 13, 20 & 27
Saturdays: Nov 30, Dec 7, 14, 21 & 28
Sundays: Dec 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
Holidays: Dec 24 & 25
5pm – 7pm & 7pm – 9pm (last admission at 8:15pm)
$24.99 (online purchase) per car, $30 on-site
$50 per limousine, 12/15 person passenger vans, small bus
NOTE:
Online ticket purchase is recommended. If sold out online, no tickets will be available at the gate. Tickets are per car, not per location. Christmas lights displays may contain flashing.
Do you know of a kid-friendly holiday lights event taking place in Worcester and Beyond that isn't listed here? Please submit your event here and we will add it to our list!
Interested in going for a drive across the state to see the best displays? Check out this article! Call first.
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