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:
- “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.
- “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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
“Festival of Lights is an incredibly joyous event, and we love seeing family and friends pack the Worcester Common and downtown neighborhood each year to celebrate,” said City Manager Eric D. Batista. “Thank you to our community partners who help us organize and execute Festival of Lights and a winter full of fun, inclusive activities for all.”
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.
The Worcester Public Library, at 3 Salem Sq., will be open for Festival of Lights on Friday, Dec. 6 until 8:30 p.m. The library will have a hot cocoa station, small family crafts, giveaways, a family picture-taking area, and a Friends of the Library pop-up holiday sale.
Parking will be free in Downtown Passport Zones all day on Friday, Dec. 6. In addition, parking at the Pearl-Elm Garage (24 Pearl St.) – located within a five-minute walk from the Common – will be free starting at 2 p.m. Parking at all other municipal lots and garages will maintain standard and event rates.
Area road closures for Franklin Street, Front Street, Church Street, and portions of Main Street in front of City Hall will begin at noon.
The festive programming on the Worcester Common, Dec. 6, 2024, kicks off a weekend-long series of celebrations across the city, which include:
- The Mercantile Center Holiday Market – Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Mercantile Center. This first-time celebration is a fantastic opportunity to showcase and sell your handcrafted goods, jewelry, clothing, and unique holiday decorations at no cost. With winter-themed activities, live entertainment, food trucks, and a vibrant holiday atmosphere, this is a great opportunity to draw locals and visitors eager to embrace the magic of the season.
- Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition – Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 – Sunday, Dec. 8 at 100 Front St. Family-friendly programming and painting classes offered in a state-of-the-art exhibition space dedicated to world renowned artist, Vincent Van Gogh. Interactive exhibit and ticket discounts available.
- Canal District Holiday Stroll and Kelley Square Tree Lighting –Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. The Canal District Holiday Stroll is from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. The Tree Lighting event is from 3 – 5 p.m. with the tree lighting at 5 p.m. The tree lighting will take place in Kelley Sq. with participating businesses around Kelley Square and The Worcester Public Market. Outside, meet local businesses who will be presenting free gifts, food tastings, and beverages.
- stART at the Station – Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Union Station, bringing more than 100 local artists and crafters to the historic train station. Support the local economy by shopping handmade during this gift-giving themed event. There will be free parking all day at Union Station Garage and the municipal surface lots on Green St., Water St., and Millbury St.
To support community events and the local small business economy throughout the holiday season, beginning on Small Business Saturday, parking will be free at all on-street metered spots throughout the city, as well as at the municipal surface lots on Green St., Water St., and Millbury St., on every Saturday from Nov. 30 to Dec. 28. Additionally, Union Station Garage will be free on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Thank you to the generous community partners that make this event possible: Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, ASM Global, Worcester Cultural Coalition, Rockland Trust, Cumulus Radio, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the College of the Holy Cross, the Worcester Railers Hockey Club, Unity Radio, 96.1 WSRS, Cirque de Soleil: OVO, and presenting event organizers Exhibition Hub, stART on the Street, Mercantile Center, and the Canal District Business Alliance.
For more details regarding Festival of Lights, please visit worcesterma.gov/worcester-common-oval/ice-skating.
