MerryMapThe Best Christmas Lights in Philadelphia
Philadelphia keeps most of its holiday lights downtown and free. The Electrical Spectacle at Franklin Square, the Comcast Holiday Spectacular, Christmas Village at LOVE Park, and the Wanamaker Light Show all cost nothing and sit within a walk of each other. Out past the city line the tradition turns residential: the Griswold-style houses of West Chester, the row-home blocks that go all-in together, and the South Jersey synchronized displays across the bridge. Below is the season across Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania suburbs, and South Jersey.
55 displays mapped · 2026 season · updated September 26, 2026
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Downtown light shows, markets & public displays
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The Electrical Spectacle Light Show at Franklin Square
Old City · 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
A free nightly show at historic Franklin Square lights hundreds of thousands of bulbs in patterns choreographed to seasonal music, inspired by Ben Franklin's electricity experiments.
Park / publicFreeNightly, half-hourly; Nov 20-Jan 4View on the map -
Wintergarden at Winter at Dilworth Park
Center City · 1 S. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
A free open-air garden on Dilworth Park's Greenfield Lawn fills with twinkling and colored lights, seasonal foliage and overhead sculptures alongside the park's ice rink and holiday market.
Park / publicFreeThrough Mar 15, eveningsView on the map -
Christmas Village in Philadelphia
LOVE Park / City Hall · 1500 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
A free Bavarian-style holiday market spanning LOVE Park and City Hall lights its wooden vendor stalls, a new 30-foot illuminated German Christmas pyramid, and a glowing Ferris wheel.
Park / publicFreeNov 22-Dec 24, dailyView on the map -
Comcast Holiday Spectacular
Center City · 1701 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19103
A free 15-minute, super-hi-res projection show fills the Comcast Center's seven-story lobby with an animated holiday sleigh ride and a performance by the Philadelphia Ballet.
Park / publicFreeNov 27-Jan 2, hourly 10am-8pmView on the map -
Wanamaker Light Show
Center City · 100 E. Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19107
A Philly tradition since 1956, dancing snowflake, candy cane and snowman lights fill the Wanamaker Building's Grand Court to the sound of the historic pipe organ.
Park / publicFreeNov 28-Dec 24, hourly on the half-hourView on the map -
Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
Penn's Landing · 101 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106
A free waterfront holiday festival on the Delaware River wraps its signature tree in thousands of string lights alongside an ice rink, boardwalk games and fire pits.
Park / publicFreeNov 28-winter 2026View on the map -
American Heritage Credit Union Grand Illumination
Northeast Philadelphia · 2060 Red Lion Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115
The credit union's Northeast Philadelphia headquarters campus is decked with two 40-foot Christmas trees and more than 400,000 lights, free to stroll each evening.
Park / publicFreeDusk nightly, Dec 1-Jan 1View on the map -
Philly Holiday Tree at City Hall
Center City · 1401 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102
A 50-foot Concolor Fir trimmed with thousands of colorful lights stands on City Hall's north apron, lit for the season following a December tree-lighting celebration.
Park / publicFreeDec 4-Jan 1View on the map -
Friends of Rittenhouse Holiday Tree
Rittenhouse Square · 1800 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Rittenhouse Square park's evergreens and a large holiday tree are lit for the season, free to visit after a December lighting ceremony with music and family activities.
Park / publicFreeDec 5-JanView on the map -
Holiday Lights on Boathouse Row
Fairmount / Kelly Drive · 1 Boathouse Row, Philadelphia, PA 19130
The 19th-century rowing clubhouses along the Schuylkill's east bank glow with 6,400 LED lights, switching to different color patterns for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's.
Park / publicFreeSunset-sunrise, Dec 5-Jan 1View on the map -
LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo
West Philadelphia · 3400 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
A ticketed after-hours walk through the zoo lights the grounds with about a million bulbs, including a 40-foot illuminated penguin and a new observation wheel.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect nights, Nov 20-Jan 3View on the map -
Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum
Chestnut Hill · 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118
One of the country's largest outdoor model-train displays gets a holiday makeover, with G-scale locomotives winding beneath thousands of lights; evening entry needs a timed ticket.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect nights, Nov 22-Dec 30View on the map -
The Gardens After Dark at Magic Gardens
South Street · 1020 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Hundreds of lights illuminate Isaiah Zagar's mosaic-covered outdoor and indoor art environment for a ticketed evening walk through the folk-art landmark's glass-tile passageways.
Ticketed showTicketedDec 5-Jan 2View on the map -
Magic of the Willow at Otherworld Philadelphia
Mayfair area · 2500 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114
This interactive art playground adds 600 strands of dazzling LED lights and an hourly show at its Willow Tree exhibit, included with general admission.
Ticketed showTicketedDec 17-Jan 4View on the map -
Holiday Illumination at Peddler's Village
Peddler's Village · 2400 Street Road, New Hope, PA 18938
This Bucks County shopping-and-dining village strings roughly a million twinkling lights across nearly every building, path and tree, free to visit after sunset.
Park / publicFreeNightly from 4:30pm, through Jan 18View on the map -
Rose Tree Festival of Lights
Rose Tree County Park · 1671 N. Providence Road, Media, PA 19063
One of the region's largest community light displays fills this 120-acre Delaware County park with illuminated trees and light structures, marking its 50th anniversary season.
Park / publicTicketedDec 4-Jan 3View on the map -
Holiday Light Show at Yeager's Farm
A 200-year-old family farm lights 60 acres of Christmas tree fields with tens of thousands of bulbs, driven or biked along a mile-plus route synced to holiday songs.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 12-Dec 30View on the map -
A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place
The Bucks County theme park turns into a holiday wonderland with millions of lights, themed rides, a Christmas parade and a nightly tree light-and-music show.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 15-Jan 4View on the map -
Wild Lights at the Elmwood Park Zoo
1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, PA 19401
Millions of LED lights cover this 16-acre Montgomery County zoo for a ticketed evening walk-through with live entertainment, animal meet-and-greets and photos with Santa.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect nights, Nov 21-Dec 30View on the map -
A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348
Longwood's conservatories and grounds are illuminated with hundreds of thousands of jewel-toned lights and dancing fountain shows, a ticketed display repeatedly ranked among the country's best.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 21-Jan 11View on the map -
Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm
931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, PA 19067
Millions of lights cover this rolling Bucks County farm, viewable by car or open-air wagon, with a Santa's Village and firepits for warming up afterward.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 23-Jan 5View on the map -
Carnival of Lights in Pottstown
144 W. Schuylkill Road, Pottstown, PA 19465
Over half a million lights cover the Norco Fire Company's fields for a ticketed walk-through synced to holiday music, with amusement rides and Santa visits included.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect nights, Nov 28-Jan 1View on the map -
Astra Lumina
Abington Art Center · 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046
A ticketed illuminated nightwalk winds through Abington Art Center's wooded grounds with large-scale light installations and projections along a self-guided outdoor trail.
Ticketed showTicketedFrom Nov 13, eveningsView on the map -
Frostland Village
A former Great Christmas Light Fight winner, this Gloucester County home rebuilds its synchronized show with a new theme each year.
Ticketed showFree5-9:30pmView on the map -
Glow! to Bed: A Journey Through Time
A mile-long drive-through show synchronizes more than eight million animated lights to music, following a child's Christmas Eve journey from a car radio soundtrack.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 28-Dec 31View on the map -
Holidig Drive-Thru Light Show at Diggerland
100 Pinedge Drive, West Berlin, NJ 08091
America's only construction-themed amusement park strings lights across its excavators and rides for a ticketed drive-through holiday experience.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 15-Jan 15, eveningsView on the map -
Winter Wonderland Walking Trail at Indian Acres Tree Farm
111 Tuckerton Road, Medford, NJ 08055
A walkable, wheelchair- and stroller-accessible trail through this Burlington County tree farm passes large light displays, bonfires with s'mores and Santa visits.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect dates through Dec 30View on the map -
Christmas Light Show Hayride at Johnson's Corner Farm
133 Church Road, Medford, NJ 08055
A tractor-drawn hayride carries visitors past a music-synced light show across this Medford farm, with animal visits and cookie decorating included.
Ticketed showTicketedNov 21-Dec 23View on the map -
Creamy Acres Nights of Lights
448 Lincoln Mill Road, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
A roughly 1.5-mile drive-through and hayride light show winds across this Gloucester County farm, with a musical dancing tree and its own private radio station.
Ticketed showTicketedSelect nights, Nov 28-Dec 24View on the map
Synchronized homes & decorated blocks
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Manayunk Gets Lit
Manayunk (Main Street)
More than 50 storefronts along Manayunk's Main Street corridor are strung with over 80,000 holiday lights, with a free trolley running the length of the street on select nights.
Neighborhood streetFreeNightly through Dec 31; tree lighting Nov 20View on the map -
Miracle on South 13th Street
East Passyunk · 1600 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Neighbors on the 1600 block of South 13th Street have collaborated on elaborate, themed home displays for over three decades, making this one of South Philly's best-known light blocks.
Neighborhood streetFree5-10pm nightly, Nov 29-early JanView on the map -
Smedley Street Christmas Light Spectacular
South Philadelphia
A half-century-old block-long display fills a park-like central promenade with blow-up decorations, sparkling trees and string lights outside the block's rowhomes.
Neighborhood streetFree5pm nightly, Nov 29-early JanView on the map -
South Colorado Street
South Philadelphia (Colorado Terrace)
Residents of the 2700 block of South Colorado Street between 17th and 18th have put up elaborate coordinated light displays for decades along this South Philly block.
Neighborhood streetFreeThrough around Jan 1, eveningsView on the map -
Greeby Street Christmas
Northeast Philadelphia · 4200 Greeby Street, Philadelphia, PA 19135
Homes along Greeby Street in Northeast Philadelphia decorate together each winter, joining the region's list of block-long neighborhood light traditions.
Neighborhood streetFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map -
Mayfair Annual Residential Decoration Competition
Mayfair
More than 100 Mayfair homeowners compete in a friendly decorating contest centered on the 3500 block of Oakmont Street, filling front yards with lights and giant inflatables.
Neighborhood streetFreeDecember, eveningsView on the map -
Elfreth's Alley Holiday Lights
Old City · 124-126 Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia, PA 19106
The nation's oldest residential street trades flashy displays for understated candlelit charm, with a ticketed Deck the Alley home-and-museum tour held in early December.
Neighborhood streetFreeThrough the season; Deck the Alley event Dec 6View on the map -
Illuminaire Nights in Skippack
Skippack Village · 4034 Skippack Pike, Skippack, PA 19474
Paper-bag luminaires line the sidewalks of this historic Montgomery County shopping village on Friday evenings, with shops staying open late for holiday shoppers.
Neighborhood streetFreeFridays 5-8pm, Nov 28-Dec 19View on the map -
Lights Up! Holiday Weekends in West Chester
Downtown West Chester
About 75 restaurants and 65 boutiques string lights across downtown West Chester, centered on a 28-foot tree wrapped in 16,000 white LED lights.
Neighborhood streetFreeNov 28-Jan 4View on the map -
West Chester Griswolds
304 Dutton Mill Road, West Chester, PA 19380
This computer-controlled home display of about 140,000 mostly LED lights syncs to FM radio and invites visitors to drop letters to Santa in a driveway mailbox.
Famous houseFree4:45-9:45pm Mon-Thu, 4:45-10:15pm Fri-Sun, Thanksgiving-Jan 1View on the map -
The Corrado Family Lights Display
East Bradford Township · 1102 Nobb Hill Drive, West Chester, PA 19380
The Corrado family spends months decorating their Chester County home each year and hosts Santa handing out candy canes while collecting donations for local charities.
Famous houseFreeWeekends through Jan 8View on the map -
Colonial Drive Lights
155 Colonial Drive, Langhorne, PA 19047
A Bucks County home projects full-house holiday character mapping alongside synchronized lights tuned to 91.1 FM, featuring the Grinch and other seasonal favorites.
Famous houseFreeDusk-10pm, Nov 28-Jan 1View on the map -
Faucher Family Christmas Light Display (Santa Claus Lane)
1054 Red Lion Road, New Castle, DE 19720
Nicknamed Santa Claus Lane, this nearly 30-year-old family tradition covers the property in roughly a million lights and draws visitors from across the region.
Famous houseFree6-9pm nightly through Dec 23View on the map -
Smith Family Christmas Display (Top of the Hill)
Brothers Tom and Jim Smith wire roughly 700,000 bulbs across their property every year, a months-long project that starts on Labor Day and includes nightly Santa visits.
Famous houseFreeSanta visits 6-9pm through Dec 23View on the map -
Pearl Croft Road Light Show
A 20-minute synchronized home light show in Cherry Hill runs on a loop each evening, tuned to 92.9 FM for passing cars.
Famous houseFree5-8:45pm Sun-Thu, 5-9:30pm Fri-SatView on the map -
Evergreen Avenue Walk-Through Village
309 Evergreen Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
A homeowner builds a walk-through village of tiny illuminated houses with interactive features in the front yard, plus an early-December Santa visit event.
Famous houseFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map -
Dudley Avenue Light Show
800 Dudley Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
A synchronized home light show on Dudley Avenue runs nightly for South Jersey holiday drivers making the rounds of Cherry Hill's residential displays.
Famous houseFree5-10:30pm nightlyView on the map -
Peregrine Drive Walk-Through Display
35 Peregrine Drive, Voorhees Township, NJ 08043
This Voorhees home built two walk-through display areas featuring a mega tree, a Santa sleigh scene and photo spots for visiting families.
Famous houseFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map -
Magic on Merrymount
Gloucester Township
A high-energy synchronized display tuned to 97.7 FM lets visitors vote on songs, with donations collected for a local homelessness charity.
Famous houseFree5-10pm Sun-Thu, 5-11pm Fri-SatView on the map -
Ricciardelli Christmas Lights
410 Elm Avenue, Pitman, NJ 08071
A walk-through home display offers sleigh photo ops and collects donations for Toys for Tots alongside its holiday lighting.
Famous houseFree5-9pm Sun-Thu, 5-10pm Fri-SatView on the map -
Winooska Trail Holiday Lights
178 Winooska Trail, Medford, NJ 08055
A Medford home display of more than 40,000 lights mixes inflatables, holiday movie references and homemade decorations across the yard.
Famous houseFreeNov 27-Jan 7View on the map -
Sands Family Christmas Display
208 Gibbons Court, Atco, NJ 08004
A walkable Camden County home property syncs its lights to music and adds photo props, candy canes and fire pits on weekend nights.
Famous houseFree5-10pm Fri-SatView on the map -
Yale Road Lights
This Atco home's synchronized light display accepts donations in memory of a family dog throughout its holiday run.
Famous houseFree5-10:30pm, Nov 22-Jan 10View on the map -
Melrose Avenue Light Show
304 Melrose Avenue, Maple Shade, NJ 08052
A Maple Shade home runs a synchronized holiday light show tuned to 95.1 FM for cars driving the residential street.
Famous houseFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map -
Froggie Almand Holiday Lights
853 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108
A well-known Collingswood resident elaborately decorates his Haddon Avenue home each year as a way of giving back to his community.
Famous houseFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map -
Lights on Hiawatha's Winter Wonderland
36 Hiawatha Road, Hi-Nella, NJ 08083
A small Camden County borough home fills its walk-through yard with more than 1,000 lighted blow-mold decorations and a holiday scavenger hunt.
Famous houseFreeEvenings through the seasonView on the map
Philadelphia Christmas lights: FAQ
- When do Christmas lights turn on in Philadelphia?
- The downtown displays switch on in mid-to-late November and run nightly through the first week of January, usually from dusk until about 10pm. Franklin Square and the Wanamaker Light Show run on a repeating schedule through the evening rather than staying lit continuously.
- Which Philadelphia Christmas lights are free?
- Nearly all of the headline ones. Franklin Square, the Comcast Holiday Spectacular, the Wanamaker Light Show, Christmas Village, Dilworth Park, the City Hall tree, and Boathouse Row are all free. RiverRink charges for skating, and a few suburban venues are ticketed.
- What are the synchronized “dancing lights” homes?
- Homes in the Pennsylvania suburbs and across South Jersey program their lights to music broadcast on a low-power FM channel. Park out front, tune your car radio to the station posted at the display, and watch from the car. Many collect charity donations.
- How should I visit a private home display?
- The rowhome blocks are narrow and residents still need to get down them, so park a street over and walk in. Keep music low, stay off stoops and driveways, and carry your trash back out. These owners decorate for their neighbors, not for a crowd.