Christmas Markets, Holiday Light Festivals, Donut Fests and so much more this weekend!
Events are picking up, festival fans, especially in terms of Holiday Light Festivals.
These are those drive-thru, or walk thru, illuminated holiday displays, sometimes accompanied with music and sometimes with special extras, like markets, visits with Santa and more. They last over a series of weekends from November and through December and many more are starting up this weekend throughout most of the states.
For some of you, you may want to keep tabs on how many there are around you. If there are more than 2 or 3 within an hour’s drive of you, you may want to check out one now and do more later in the year.
Spread the holiday cheer a little.
Along this theme are all the Holiday and Christmas Festivals going on this weekend in just about all of the states listed. Some are in the forms Tree or Downtown Lighting Events, others are Christmas Markets, and the rest are just Christmas Festivals.
It should be easy to get some Gingerbread Cookies this weekend (or a candy cane at least).
And there are still other types of festivals going on along the states, including:
- Renaissance Fairs/Festivals in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina
- Book Festival in Florida
- Donut Fests in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
- Seafood Fests in Florida, Georgia
- Wine Festivals in Georgia, Michigan, Virginia
- Deer Festival in Illinois
- Pow Wow in Maryland
- Gumbo Fest in Mississippi
- Wizard Fests in North Carolina
- Blues Festival in Wisconsin
Here’s a small taste of some interesting festivals in each state:
Alabama
Jubilee Renaissance Faire (Robertsdale), Semmes Christmas Market and Tree Lighting
Delaware
Schellville I (Rehoboth Beach)
Florida
Haven Holiday Market (Winter Haven), Pompano Beach Autumn Festival
Georgia
Kingsland Catfish Festival, Celebrate the Holidays in Braselton
Illinois
Pope County Deer Festival (Golconda)
Indiana
Carmel Christkindlmarkt German Holiday Market
Kentucky
Once Upon a Christmas Show (Shelbyville)
Maryland
Christmas Village in Baltimore
Michigan
Dutch WinterFest KerstMarkt I (Holland)
Mississippi
Gumbo Fest (Gulfport)
New York
Woodhull Winterfest
North Carolina
Christmas at Twilight (Wallace), Christmas on Main (Laurinburg)
Pennsylvania
Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem I, Highmark Light Up Night (Pittsburgh)
South Carolina
Rockabillaque Charleston, Holly Jolly Holiday Fair (Anderson)
Tennessee
Chriskindlmarkt at Mountain Arts Community Center (Signal Mountain), Christmas on the Cumberland (Clarksville)
Virginia
Yorktown Harvest Festival, Donut Fest Virginia Beach
Washington, DC
Downtown Holiday Market I
West Virginia
Market in the Park (Fairmont)
Wisconsin
Country Christmas I (Pewaukee)
****
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone.
Don’t forget to use the map to see what’s around you (cities can have more than one festival).
And, if you are near or plan to travel to Ohio, you may want to check out this week’s post from my sister site Ohio Festivals – https://ohiofestivals.net/ohio-weekend-111923
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
Until next week…
Love, Peace and Festival Grease!
Upcoming Festival Weekend: November 16-19, 2023
********************
MAP of festival and fair food cities this weekend.
If you can’t see the map on your smartphone, click HERE.
********************
My Experiences of this Weekend’s Festivals
No festival reviews this week.
********************
ALABAMA
11/17-11/18 – Santa Land I – Rogersville
11/17-11/19 – Lights of Noel I – Birmingham
11/17-11/19 – Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration I – Birmingham
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights: Alabama Adventure I – Birmingham
11/17-11/19 – Oxford Festival of Lights I – Oxford
11/17-11/19 – Galaxy of Lights I – Huntsville
11/17-11/19 – Rocket City Christmas Light Show I – Madison
11/18 – Christmas on the Farm – Montevallo
11/18 – Hometown Marketplace: Holiday Edition – Boaz
11/18 – Semmes Christmas Market and Tree Lighting – Semmes
11/18-11/19 – Jubilee Renaissance Faire – Robertsdale
DELAWARE
11/17-11/19 – New Castle County Festival of Trees – Wilmington
11/18-11/19 – Schellville I – Rehoboth Beach
FLORIDA
11/13 – Taste of the Island – Wilton Manors
11/13-11/19 – Santa’s Enchanted Forest II – Hialeah
11/13-11/19 – Orlando Museum of Art’s Festival of Trees II – Orlando
11/13-11/19 – Miami Book Fair II – Miami
11/16-11/19 – Zen Awakening Festival – Lakeland
11/16-11/19 – St. Pete Beach BikeFest – St. Pete Beach
11/16-11/19 – Novemberfest – Brandon
11/17 – British Invasion Car Show and Festival – The Villages
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights at Daytona International Speedway I – Daytona Beach
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights at Collier Fairgrounds I – Naples
11/17-11/19 – The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Asian Lantern Festival I – Sanford
11/18 – Haven Holiday Market – Winter Haven
11/18 – Crestview Christmas Market – Crestview
11/18 – Pensacola Fall Food Truck Fest – Pensacola
11/18 – “Let it Grow” Garden Festival and Plant Sale – Sebring
11/18 – Dunedin Celtic Music – Dunedin
Weekend continues below…
11/18 – Grilled Cheese Festival at CoolToday Park – Venice
11/18 – Riverside WineFest – Jacksonville
11/18 – Light Up Ocala – Ocala
11/18 – North Miami BrewFest – North Miami
11/18 – Miami Wine Festival: Fall – Miami
11/18 – Newberry Main Street Fall Festival – Newberry
11/18 – Bradley’s Country Store Old Fashioned Fun Day – Tallahassee
11/18-11/19 – Yankeetown Art, Craft and Seafood Festival – Yankeetown
11/18-11/19 – Raprager Family Farm’s Fall Pumpkin Festival IX – Odessa
11/18-11/19 – Tinez Farms Fall Festival XI – Miami
Weekend continues below…
11/18-11/19 – Florida CraftArt Festival – St. Petersburg
11/18-11/19 – Florida Tiny House Festival – Gainesville
11/18-11/19 – DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts – DeLand
11/18-11/19 – Garden Festival – Fort Myers
11/18-11/19 – The Downtown Festival and Art Show – Gainesville
11/18-11/19 – The Art, Craft and Wine Festival – Altamonte Springs
11/18-11/19 – Longwood Arts and Crafts Festival – Longwood
11/18-11/19 – Sarasota Open Air Fine Art Show: Fall – Sarasota
Weekend continues below…
11/18-11/19 – Camelot Days Medieval Festival III – Hollywood
11/18-11/19 – Sarasota Medieval Fair III – Myakka City
11/18-11/19 – Creek Festival – Milton
11/18-11/19 – Suncoast Renaissance Festival I – Sarasota
11/18-11/19 – Riverfest Seafood Festival – Ormond Beach
11/18-11/19 – Pompano Beach Autumn Festival – Pompano Beach
11/19 – Florida Jerk and Music Festival – Orlando
11/19 – Riverside Fall Festival – Jacksonville
11/19 – Winterfest Family Fun Day – Fort Lauderdale
11/19 – Donut Fest Jacksonville – Jacksonville
GEORGIA
11/13-11/19 – Festival of Trees at Town Center at Cobb II – Kennesaw
11/15-11/19 – World of Illumination: Reindeer Road I – Marietta
11/17-11/19 – Christmas Made in the South – Savannah
11/17-11/19 – Art-Tiques Holiday Market – Buford
11/17-11/19 – Glow Light Show I – Lawrenceville
11/17-11/19 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland: Marietta I – Marietta
11/17-11/19 – Atlanta Christkindl Market Pre-Weekend – Atlanta
11/17-11/19 – Enchanted Garden of Lights I – Lookout Mountain
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort and Gardens I – Pine Mountain
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights: Dixie Speedway I – Woodstock
11/17-11/19 – Winter Lantern Festival II – Lawrenceville
11/18 – Old Clarkesville Market Holiday Show – Clarkesville
11/18 – Kingsland Catfish Festival – Kingsland
11/18 – Sugar Cane Festival – Twin City
11/18 – Atlanta BBQ Store Classic – Cumming
11/18 – Christmas Wishes Holiday Festival – Flowery Branch
11/18 – Rutledge Christmas in the Country and Chili Cook Off – Rutledge
11/18 – Celebrate the Holidays in Braselton – Braselton
Weekend continues below…
11/18 – Cumming City Center Winter Market – Cumming
11/18 – Atlanta Bourbon Festival – Atlanta
11/18 – Atlanta Fall Wine Festival – Atlanta
11/18-11/19 – Georgia Festival of Trees I – Atlanta
11/18-11/19 – Christmas in the Country – Aragon
11/18-11/19 – Garden Lights, Holiday Nights I – Atlanta
11/18-11/19 – Stone Mountain Christmas II – Stone Mountain
11/18-11/19 – Holiday Lights at Veteran’s Park I – Canton
11/19 – Thomasville Holiday Open House – Thomasville
ILLINOIS
11/13-11/19 – Lightscape at the Chicago Botanical Garden II – Glencoe
11/16-11/18 – The Baby Fold’s Festival of Trees – Bloomington
11/17 – Holidays on the Town – Palatine
11/17-11/19 – Mattoon Lightworks I – Mattoon
11/17-11/19 – Shelbyville Festival of Lights I – Shelbyville
11/17-11/19 – Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville I – Chicago
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Christkindlmarket Aurora I – Aurora
11/17-11/19 – ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo I – Chicago
11/17-11/19 – Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza I – Chicago
11/18 – The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival – Chicago
11/18 – Pope County Deer Festival – Golconda
11/18 – IRG Holiday Market/Festival of Trees – Champaign
11/18-11/19 – Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum I – Lisle
INDIANA
11/13-11/19 – Festival of Trees II – Indianapolis
11/13-11/19 – Christmas Nights of Lights II – Indianapolis
11/18 – Frankton Christmas Festival – Frankton
11/18-11/19 – Christmas at the Zoo I – Indianapolis
11/18-11/19 – Winter Lights at Sunset Hill Farm I – Valparaiso
11/18-11/19 – Carmel Christkindlmarkt German Holiday Market I – Carmel
11/18-11/19 – Ferdinand Christkindlmarkt – Ferdinand
11/19 – Winterlights I – Indianapolis
KENTUCKY
11/13-11/19 – Patti’s Festival of Lights III – Grand Rivers
11/13-11/19 – Winter Wonderland of Lights I – Ashland
11/13-11/19 – Lights Under Louisville II – Louisville
11/17-11/19 – Festival of Trees and Trains I – Ashland
11/18 – Once Upon a Christmas Show – Shelbyville
MARYLAND/WASHINGTON, DC
11/16-11/19 – Winterfest of Lights I – Ocean City
11/17-11/19 – Downtown Holiday Market I – Washington, DC
11/17-11/19 – Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens I – Wheaton
11/18 – BAIC Pow-Wow – Timonium
11/18 – Winter City Lights Holiday Festival I – Olney
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Village in Baltimore I – Baltimore
11/19 – Christmas at Gaylord National I – National Harbor
11/19 – Lights on the Bay at Sandy Point State Park I – Annapolis
MICHIGAN
11/16-11/18 – International Wine, Beer and Food Festival – Grand Rapids
11/16-11/19 – Wayne County Lightfest I – Westland
11/17 – Silver Bells in the City – Lansing
11/17 – Detroit Tree Lighting – Detroit
11/17 – Thanks-Giv-Mas Gobble Wobble Festival – Somerset
11/17-11/19 – Nite Lights I – Brooklyn
11/17-11/19 – Lansing Holiday Light Show I – Lansing
11/17-11/19 – Wayne Open-Air Christmas Market and Festival – Wayne
11/17-11/19 – Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo I – Lansing
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights I – Clarkston
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Glenlore Trails Aurora I – Commerce Township
11/17-11/19 – Christmas Through Lowell – Lowell
11/17-11/19 – The Downtown Rochester Festival of Trees – Rochester
11/18 – Brighton’s Holiday Glow – Brighton
11/18 – Spirit of Christmas Festival – Sebewaing
11/18 – Dutch WinterFest KerstMarkt I – Holland
11/18-11/19 – Blake’s Holiday Extravaganza I – Armada
11/18-11/19 – Arts and Greens – White Lake Township
11/19 – Festival of Trees I – Dearborn
MISSISSIPPI
11/14-11/19 – 50 Nights of Lights I – Cleveland
11/17-11/19 – Brandon Magic of Lights I – Brandon
11/18 – Gumbo Fest – Gulfport
NEW YORK
11/13-11/19 – Wegman’s Lights on the Lake I – Liverpool
11/18 – Woodhull Winterfest – Woodhull
11/18 – Holiday Market at Genesee Country Village and Museum – Mumford
NORTH CAROLINA
11/13-11/19 – Southern Christmas Show II – Charlotte
11/15-11/18 – Sandhills Children’s Center Festival of Trees – Pinehurst
11/15-11/19 – Cucalorus Festival – Wilmington
11/16-11/19 – Shadrack Christmas Wonderland I – Tryon
11/16-11/19 – Singers and Songbirds Songwriters Festival – Statesville
11/17 – Cary Night Market VI – Cary
11/17 – Stargazer Music Festival – Charlotte
11/17 – Light Up Downtown – North Wilkesboro
11/17-11/19 – Elizabethan Gardens WinterLights I – Manteo
11/17-11/19 – NC Chinese Lantern Festival I – Cary
11/17-11/19 – WNC Festival of Trees – Hayesville
11/17-11/19 – Speedway Christmas I – Charlotte
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – The North Carolina Arboretum’s Winter Lights I – Asheville
11/17-11/19 – Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights I – Clemmons
11/18 – American Indian Heritage Celebration – Raleigh
11/18 – Mebane Hometown Holiday Celebration – Mebane
11/18 – Christmas at Twilight – Wallace
11/18 – Christkindlmarkt: A German Christmas Festival – Wilmington
11/18 – Surf City Tree Lighting – Surf City
11/18 – Wizard Fest Raleigh – Raleigh
11/18 – Wizard Festival Winston-Salem – Winston-Salem
Weekend continues below…
11/18 – Christmas in the Village – Mint Hill
11/18 – Christmas in the Market – Hudson
11/18-11/19 – Seagrove Pottery Festival – Seagrove
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Wonderland of Lights at Zootastic Park I – Troutman
11/18-11/19 – Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace VIII – Huntersville
11/18-11/19 – Kannapolis Celebration of Lights I – Kannapolis
11/18-11/19 – Durham ArtWalk Holiday Market – Durham
11/19 – Christmas on Main – Laurinburg
11/19 – Donut Fest Raleigh – Raleigh
11/19 – Raleigh Night Market XII – Raleigh
OHIO
Ohio Festivals can be found at ohiofestivals.net/ohio-festivals/
PENNSYLVANIA
11/16-11/19 – Overly’s Country Christmas I – Greensburg
11/16-11/19 – Reading Blues Fest – Reading
11/17 – One World Festival – Lancaster
11/17-11/18 – It’s a Wonderful Life Holiday Parade and Festival – Indiana
11/17-11/19 – A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens I – Kennett Square
11/17-11/19 – Wild Lights at Elmood Park Zoo I – Norristown
11/17-11/19 – LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo I – Philadelphia
11/17-11/19 – Koziar’s Christmas Village III – Bernville
11/17-11/19 – Holiday Lights on the Lake I – Altoona
11/17-11/19 – Pittsburgh Arts and Crafts Holiday Spectacular – Monroeville
11/17-11/19 – Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem I – Bethlehem
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular I – Philadelphia
11/17-11/19 – Peoples Gas Holiday Market I – Pittsburgh
11/18 – Jolly Jamboree – Elysburg
11/18 – Scenery Hill Christmas Art Market and Light Up Night – Scenery Hill
11/18 – Highmark Light Up Night – Pittsburgh
11/18 – Christmas in the Villlage – Wellsboro
11/18 – Brewsgiving Beer Festival – Pottsville
11/18-11/19 – Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm I – Yardley
11/18-11/19 – A Very Furry Christmas I – Langhorne
11/18-11/19 – Holiday Lights at Kennywood I – West Mifflin
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Light-Up I – Clinton
11/19 – Harvest Wine Festival at Bear Creek Mountain Resort – Macungie
SOUTH CAROLINA
11/13-11/19 – Holiday Festival of Lights II – Charleston
11/17-11/18 – Native American Celebration at Hagood Mill – Pickens
11/17-11/19 – Magic of Lights: Hollywild I – Inman
11/17-11/19 – Yuletide Unicorn and Night-Light Twinkling Light Show I – Fountain Inn
11/17-11/19 – Holly Jolly Holiday Fair – Anderson
11/17-11/19 – Jingle Bell Market – Florence
11/18 – Donut Fest Charleston – Charleston
11/18 – Rockabillaque Charleston – Charleston
11/18 – Yap Ye Iswa Festival – Rock Hill
11/18 – Lowcountry Pride Festival – Port Royal
11/18 – Pawleys Christmas Festival at the Island Shops – Pawleys Island
11/18-11/19 – Mythical and Medieval Fest I – Myrtle Beach
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Tree Festival at Boone Hall Farms – Mount Pleasant
11/18-11/19 – Riverbanks Zoo Wild Lights I – Columbia
TENNESSEE
11/13-11/19 – Lights Over Gatlinburg I – Gatlinburg
11/13-11/19 – Skyland Ranch Festival of Lights III – Sevierville
11/13-11/19 – The Dancing Lights of Christmas II – Lebanon
11/13-11/19 – A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland II – Nashville
11/14-11/19 – Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas III – Pigeon Forge
11/14-11/19 – NoogaLights at Chester Frost Park I – Chattanooga
11/16-11/19 – Asian Lantern Festival at the Chattanooga Zoo I – Chattanooga
11/17-11/18 – Holiday Market at the Mansion – Nashville
11/17-11/18 – MADE SOUTH Holiday Market – Franklin
Weekend continues below…
11/17-11/19 – Zoolumination: Chinese Festival of Lights I – Nashville
11/17-11/19 – Pinnacle Speedway in Lights I – Bristol
11/17-11/19 – Franktown’s Festival of Lights I – Franklin
11/17-11/19 – Wonders of Light Christmas Village II – Pigeon Forge
11/18 – Iron Fest Music and Arts Festival – Lebanon
11/18 – Festival of Trees and Holiday Craft Fair – Shelbyville
Weekend continues below…
11/18-11/19 – Christmas on the Cumberland I – Clarksville
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Village Holiday Market – Chattanooga
11/18-11/19 – Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens I – Nashville
11/18-11/19 – Chriskindlmarkt at Mountain Arts Community Center – Signal Mountain
11/18-11/19 – Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees I – Memphis
11/19 – Donut Fest Memphis – Memphis
VIRGINIA
11/13-11/19 – Garden of Lights II – Norfolk
11/13-11/19 – Meadowlark Gardens Winter Walk of Lights II – Vienna
11/16-11/19 – Busch Gardens Christmas Town II – Williamsburg
11/17 – Fall Greek Fest – Charlottesville
11/17-11/19 – Winter Wander I – Charlottesville
11/17-11/19 – Bull Run Festival of Lights II – Centreville
11/17-11/19 – Kings Dominion WinterFest I – Doswell
11/17-11/19 – Illuminate Light Show and Santa’s Village I – Doswell
11/18 – Hopewell Wine-Tasting Festival – Hopewell
11/18 – Yorktown Harvest Festival – Yorktown
11/19 – Donut Fest Richmond – Richmond
11/19 – Donut Fest Virginia Beach – Virginia Beach
11/19 – Bright Nights Festival – Lynchburg
WEST VIRGINIA
11/15-11/19 – Oglebay’s Winter Festival of Lights II – Wheeling
11/18 – Market in the Park – Fairmont
11/18 – The Magic of Christmas in Lewisburg I – Lewisburg
WISCONSIN
11/16-11/19 – Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival I – Milwaukee
11/17 – Wisconsin Annual Blues Harmonica Festival – Muskego
11/17-11/19 – Ponyville Ciderfest – Milwaukee
11/17-11/19 – Christmas by the Bay – Sturgeon Bay
11/17-11/19 – Country Christmas I – Pewaukee
11/17-11/19 – Holiday Folk Fair International – West Allis
11/18-11/19 – The North Pole Christmas Village I – Chilton
11/18-11/19 – Christmas Carnival of Lights I – Caledonia
Miami | Tallahassee/Florida Panhandle | Tampa
Akron/Canton | Cincinnati | Cleveland | Columbus | Dayton | Toledo
****************