Christmas Fests continue with Dickens, German Christmas Markets and Holiday Light Shows
Christmas is getting closer, Festivals Fans, and the selection of festivals this weekend is nothing but evidence of that.
This weekend is filled with German Styled Christmas Markets, all sorts of Holiday Light Shows and plenty of Christmas Festivals with “Dickens” in the name.
In fact, there are “Dickens” Festivals in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and Tennessee (which has two Dickens Festivals).
And let’s not forget all the Holiday Light Shows to be enjoyed either in your car or on foot (depending on location and sometimes the date).
If you aren’t in the mood for anything with holiday cheer, there’s a Cider Festival in Alabama, an Oyster Festival in Florida, and a Wine Fest in Illinois – but I can’t promise that these events won’t have an elf or St. Nick nearby.
Next week, Hanukkah will be kicking off, so there will be yet another type of holiday celebration to look forward to (I love latkes).
Until then, I wish you a wonderful weekend and hope that you find many great events to enjoy with your friends and/or family!
Love, Peace and Festival Grease!
Holiday Festival Weekend: December 8-11, 2022
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MAP of festival and fair food cities this weekend.
If you can’t see the map on your smartphone, click HERE.
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My Experiences of this Weekend’s Festivals
12/11 – The Vintage Market presents: Pancakes and Pajamas – Monroe, Michigan – My Review
12/9-12/11 – Vintage Market Days of Asheville Metro: Christmas Celebration – Fletcher, North Carolina – My Review
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ALABAMA
12/5-12/11- Lights of Noel IV – Birmingham
12/5-12/11 – Rocket City Christmas Light Show IV – Madison
12/5-12/11 – Christmas in the Park III – Arab
12/5-12/11 – Winter Park at The Orion III – Huntsville
12/5-12/11 – Oxford Festival of Lights IV – Oxford
12/5-12/11 – Christmas Lights Festival at the Montgomery Zoo II – Montgomery
12/5-12/11 – Galaxy of Lights V – Huntsville
12/5-12/11 – Magic Christmas in Lights III – Theodore
12/5-12/11 – Christmas at the Falls III – Gadsden
12/8-12/11 – Santa Land IV – Rogersville
12/7-12/11 – Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration IV – Birmingham
12/10 – Daleville Christmas Festival – Daleville
12/10 – Choctafaula’s Christmas Festival – Auburn
12/10 – It’s a Dickens Christmas Y’All – Tuscumbia
12/10 – Christmas on Main Street – Oxford
12/10 – Christmas Parade and Holly Jolly Festival – Altoona
12/10 – Dothan Downtown’s Christmas Festival – Dothan
12/10 – Christmas on the Coosa – Wetumpka
12/10 – Athens Sippin Cider Festival – Athens
12/11 – Weihnachtsmarkt German Christmas Market – Tuscaloosa
FLORIDA
12/5-12/11 – Holiday in Paradise II – West Palm Beach
12/5-12/11 – Santa’s Enchanted Forest V – Hialeah
12/5-12/11 – Space Coast Light Festival III – Palm Bay
12/5-12/11 – Night of a Million Lights V – Kissimmee
12/5-12/11 – Tampa Bay’s Festival of Lights and Santa’s Village III – Dover
12/5-12/11 – Magic of Lights at Daytona International Speedway IV – Daytona Beach
12/5-12/11 – Magic of Lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway IV – Homestead
12/5-12/11 – Dazzling Nights Jacksonville III – Jacksonville
12/5-12/11 – Dazzling Nights Orlando III – Orlando
12/5-12/11 – The Wonderland of Lights and America’s Christmas Village III – Auburndale
12/6 – Taste of Jensen – Jensen Beach
12/8-12/11 – Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival – Palm Beach
12/8-12/11 – Dickens on Centre – Fernandina Beach
12/8-12/11 – Christmas Lane III – Plant City
12/8-12/11 – ZOOLights I – Jacksonville
12/8-12/11 – The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Asian Lantern Festival IV – Sanford
Weekend continues below…
12/9 – Wellington Winterfest – Wellington
12/9-12/10 – Christmas in the Wild III – Tampa
12/9-12/11 – Lotus Gathering – New Port Richey
12/9-12/11 – Fort Myers Blues and BBQ Festival – Fort Myers
12/9-12/11 – North Beach Music Festival – Miami Beach
12/9-12/11 – Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park Festival of Lights I – White Springs
12/9-12/11 – Raprager Family Farm’s Winter Festival and Christmas Extravaganza III – Odessa
12/10 – Santa Drop at the Flora-Bama – Pensacola
12/10 – Okeechobee Main Street Christmas Festival – Okeechobee
12/10 – Christmas and Winter Festival – Chiefland
12/10 – Cracker Christmas and Festival – Umatilla
12/10 – Mistletoe Market – Bartow
12/10-12/11 – Mayhem Ranch Winter Festival II – Morriston
12/10-12/11 – Hunsader Farms Country Christmas I – Bradenton
12/10-12/11 – Vibra Urbana Music Fest – Miami
12/10-12/11 – Suncoast Renaissance Festival IV – Sarasota
12/10-12/11 – Christkindlmarkt Holiday Craft Market – Cape Coral
12/10-12/11 – Holiday Shopping Fair at Riverside Park – Vero Beach
12/10-12/11 – American German Club Christkindlmarkt – Lake Worth
12/11 – Tampa Oyster Fest – Tampa
12/11 – Pop Up in the Park: Holiday Market – Jacksonville
12/11 – Pinecrest Gardens Night of Lights I – Pinecrest
GEORGIA
12/5-12/11 – Lights of Life III – Marietta
12/5-12/11 – Garden Lights, Holiday Nights V – Atlanta
12/5-12/11 – Atlanta Christkindl Market III – Atlanta
12/5-12/11 – Atlanta Holiday Lights III – Atlanta
12/5-12/11 – Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular IV – Buford
12/5-12/11 – Festival of Trees at Town Center at Cobb V – Kennesaw
12/5-12/11 – World of Illumination: Reindeer Road IV – Marietta
12/5-12/11 – Enchanted Garden of Lights IV – Lookout Mountain
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights at Veteran’s Park IV – Canton
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights of Hope II – Woodstock
12/5-12/11 – Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort and Gardens IV – Pine Mountain
Weekend continues below…
12/5-12/11 – IllumiNights at the Zoo: A Chinese Lantern Festival III – Atlanta
12/6-12/11 – A Country Christmas at Pettit Creek Farms III – Cartersville
12/7-12/11 – Winter Wonderlights III – Athens
12/7-12/11 – Holiday Road Atlanta III – Fairburn
12/8-12/9 – Victorian Christmas – Thomasville
12/8-12/9 – Athens Holiday Market – Athens
12/8-12/10 – Mountain Country Christmas in Lights III – Hiawassee
12/9 – Warrenton Hometown Christmas – Warrenton
12/9 – Summerville Christmas in the Park – Summerville
12/9-12/10 – Festival of Lights at Chehaw Park and Zoo II – Albany
12/9-12/10 – December Nights and Holiday Lights III – Savannah
12/9-12/11 – Christmas on the River – Savannah
12/9-12/11 – Stone Mountain Christmas V – Stone Mountain
12/9-12/11 – Christmas Lights at A.H. Stephens State Park III – Crawfordville
12/10 – Christmas in Cornelia – Cornelia
12/10-12/11 – Holiday Hooray – Athens
ILLINOIS
12/5-12/11 – East Peoria Festival of Lights III – East Peoria
12/5-12/11 – Lightscape at the Chicago Botanical Garden V – Glencoe
12/5-12/11 – Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville IV – Chicago
12/5-12/11 – Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza IV – Chicago
12/5-12/11 – Wonderland in Lights III – Effingham
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights in Lilacia Park II – Lombard
12/5-12/11 – Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum III – Lisle
12/5-12/11 – Mattoon Lightworks IV – Mattoon
12/5-12/11 – Shelbyville Festivals of Lights IV – Shelbyville
12/5-12/11 – Cosley Zoo Festival of Lights III – Wheaton
12/5-12/11 – ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo IV – Chicago
12/7-12/11 – Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic III – Brookfield
12/8-12/11 – Chatham Light Up the Park III – Chatham
12/8-12/11 – Christkindlmarket Aurora III – Aurora
12/9-12/11 – Ottawa Chris Kringle Market III – Ottawa
12/10 – Holiday Cheers Market III – Alton
12/10 – Cedar Creek Hall Holiday Market – Galesburg
12/10 – Chicago Wine Fest: Winter Edition – Chicago
12/10-12/11 – DESTIHL Brewery Christkindl Market – Normal
12/10-12/11 – Christmas in the Commons II – New Lenox
INDIANA
12/5-12/11 – Festival of Trees V – Indianapolis
12/5-12/11 – Winterlights IV – Indianapolis
12/5-12/11 – Christmas at the Zoo IV – Indianapolis
12/5-12/11 – Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights III – Evansville
12/5-12/11 – Lanthier Winery Festival of Trees II – Madison
12/5-12/11 – Winter Lights at Sunset Hill Farm IV – Valparaiso
12/5-12/11 – Christmas Nights of Lights V – Indianapolis
12/7-12/11 – Carmel Christkindlmarkt German Holiday Market IV – Carmel
12/8-12/11 – Christmas Tyme Lights III – Lowell
12/8-12/11 – Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt III – Indianapolis
12/9-12/11 – A Merry Prairie Holiday III – Fishers
12/9-12/11 – Waterman’s Winter Wonderland Christmas Festival III – Indianapolis
12/9-12/11 – Gift of Lights at the Potawatomi Zoo III – South Bend
12/9-12/11 – Wild Zoo Wonderland II – Fort Wayne
12/10 – Gosport Holiday Festival – Gosport
12/10 – Christmas on the Square – Orleans
12/10 – Edinburgh Holiday of Lights – Edinburgh
12/10-12/11 – Christmas Lake Village Festival of Lights – Santa Claus
KENTUCKY
12/5-12/11 – Christmas in the Park Light Show III – Benton
12/5-12/11 – Patti’s Festival of Lights VI – Grand Rivers
12/5-12/11 – Lights Under Louisville V – Louisville
12/5-12/11 – Christmas at Mustard Seed Hill III – Millersburg
12/5-12/11 – Winter Woods Spectacular III – Louisville
12/5-12/11 – Christmas at Panther Creek III – Owensboro
12/5-12/11 – Winter Wonderland of Lights IV – Ashland
12/5-12/11 – Christmas in the Park III – Paducah
12/5-12/11 – Elizabethtown’s Christmas in the Park III – Elizabethtown
12/5-12/11 – Southern Lights Holiday Festival III – Lexington
12/7-12/11 – ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter III – Williamstown
12/9-12/11 – Festival of Lights III – Mayfield
12/10 – St. “Nich” Christmas Fest – Nicholasville
12/10 – Fleur de Flea Christmas Vintage Holiday Show – Louisville
12/10-12/11 – A Dickens Christmas Festival at the KY Renaissance Fair II – Eminence
MICHIGAN
12/5-12/11 – Magic of Lights IV – Clarkston
12/5-12/11 – Nite Lights III – Brooklyn
12/5-12/11 – The Colors of Christmas Wonderland III – Newaygo
12/5-12/11 – Sparkle in the Park III – Bear Lake
12/6 – Holiday Taste Fest – Westland
12/7-12/11 – Wayne County Lightfest IV – Westland
12/7-12/11 – Walk Through the Lights at Gull Meadow Farms III – Richland
12/8-12/11 – Winter Wonder Lights at Meadow Brook III – Rochester
12/8-12/11 – Lansing Holiday Light Show IV – Lansing
12/8-12/11 – Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo IV – Lansing
12/8-12/11 – Glenlore Trails Aurora IV – Commerce Township
12/9-12/10 – Dutch WinterFest KerstMarkt V – Holland
12/9-12/11 – Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo IV – Royal Oak
12/9-12/11 – Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village II – Dearborn
12/9-12/11 – Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic III – Flint
12/9-12/11 – Canterbury Village Holiday Stroll III – Lake Orion
12/9-12/11 – Frankenmuth ChristKindlMarkt III – Frankenmuth
12/10 – Delton Hometown Christmas – Delton
12/10-12/11 – Holly Dickens Festival III – Holly
12/11 – Holiday Market at Blossom Heath Park – St. Clair Shores
12/11 – The Vintage Market presents: Pancakes and Pajamas – Monroe – My Review
NEW YORK
12/9-12/11 – The Fairgrounds Festival of Lights III – Hamburg
12/5-12/11 – Wegman’s Lights on the Lake IV – Liverpool
12/6-12/11 – Buffalo Holiday Market III – Buffalo
12/8-12/11 – Roc Holiday Village II – Rochester
12/8-12/11 – Buffalo/Niagara Holiday Light Show IV – Lockport
12/9 – Village Christmas – Watkins Glen
12/9-12/10 – Christmas in Nunda – Nunda
12/9-12/10 – Winter Lights Festival II – Ithaca
12/9-12/11 – Zoo Lights at the Buffalo Zoo III – Buffalo
12/9-12/11 – “It’s a Wonderful Life” Festival – Seneca Falls
12/9-12/11 – Christkindlmarkt II – Buffalo
12/10 – Hometown Holiday – Albion
12/10 – Jingle Falls USA III – Niagara Falls
12/10-12/11 – Dickens Christmas Festival III – Skaneateles
NORTH CAROLINA
12/5-12/11 – Christmas Wonderland of Lights at Zootastic Park IV – Troutman
12/5-12/11 – Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights V – Clemmons
12/5-12/11 – Hill Ridge Farms Festival of Lights III – Youngsville
12/5-12/11 – Kannapolis Celebration of Lights IV – Kannapolis
12/5-12/11 – Lake Julian Festival of Lights II – Arden
12/5-12/11 – Lake Myra Christmas Lights III – Wendell
12/5-12/11 – The North Carolina Arboretum’s Winter Lights IV – Asheville
12/5-12/11 – NC Chinese Lantern Festival IV – Cary
12/5-12/11 – Charlotte Christmas Village III – Charlotte
12/5-12/11 – Speedway Christmas IV – Charlotte
12/5-12/11 – Shadrack Christmas Wonderland III – Tryon
12/6-12/11 – Elizabethan Gardens WinterLights III – Manteo
12/7-12/11 – Holidays at the Garden III – Belmont
12/7-12/11 – Tweetsie Christmas III – Blowing Rock
12/8 – Durham Night Market VIII – Durham
Weekend continues below…
12/8-12/11 – McLaurin Farms Christmas Festival III – Greensboro
12/8-12/11 – Lu Mil Vineyard Festival of Lights III – Elizabethtown
12/8-12/11 – Light the Knights Charlotte Christmas Village III – Charlotte
12/8-12/11 – Country Christmas Train at Denton FarmPark III – Denton
12/8-12/11 – WRAL Nights of Lights III – Raleigh
12/9 – Cary Night Market VII – Cary
12/9-12/10 – Christmas in the Ferry – Sneads Ferry
12/9-12/10 – Christmas in Kings Mountain II – Kings Mountain
12/9-12/10 – Winterfest: A German Christmas Marketplace II – Spencer
12/9-12/11 – Vintage Market Days of Asheville Metro: Christmas Celebration – Fletcher – My Review
12/9-12/11 – Winterfest at Carowinds III – Charlotte
12/9-12/11 – Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt) III – Charlotte
12/10 – Christmas in the Barn – King
12/10 – Cowboy Christmas Festival – Concord
12/10 – A Night Before Christmas – Waynesville
12/10 – Holiday Magic – Burlington
OHIO
Ohio Festivals can be found at ohiofestivals.net/ohio-festivals/
PENNSYLVANIA
12/5-12/11 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland IV – Butler
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights on the Lake IV – Altoona
12/5-12/11 – Christmas Light-Up IV – Clinton
12/5-12/11 – Zoo Lights Drive Thru III – Pittsburgh
12/5-12/11 – Peoples Gas Holiday Market IV – Pittsburgh
12/5-12/11 – Christmas in the Park III – Grove City
12/8-12/11 – Presque Isle Lights II – Erie
12/9-12/10 – Lemont Village German Christmas Market – Lemont
12/9-12/10 – Bellefonte Victorian Christmas – Bellefonte
12/9-12/11 – Holiday Nights of Lights III – Bedford
12/9-12/11 – Beaver County Christmas Extravaganza III – Beaver Falls
12/9-12/11 – Overly’s Country Christmas IV – Greensburg
SOUTH CAROLINA
12/5-12/11 – Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights II – Sumter
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Festival of Lights V – Charleston
12/5-12/11 – Upstate Holiday Light Show III – Easley
12/5-12/11 – The Great Christmas Light Show III – Little River
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights on the River III – Columbia
12/5-12/11 – Winter Wonderland at the Beach IV – Myrtle Beach
12/5-12/11 – Celebrate the Season Holiday Lights III – Moncks Corner
12/5-12/11 – Anderson Christmas Lights III – Anderson
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights Safari at Hollywild IV – Inman
12/7-12/11 – Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s Lights Before Christmas IV – Columbia
12/9-12/10 – Pendleton Christmas Market III – Pendleton
12/9-12/10 – Celebrate the Season Holiday Festival II – Moncks Corner
12/9-12/11 – Christmas “Inn” Our Town Festival I – Fountain Inn
12/9-12/11 – StarLight Unicorn Night-Lights with Santa III – Fountain Inn
12/10 – Carolina Bay Holiday Festival – Charleston
12/10 – Harborside Lights Festival and Holiday Crafters Market – Columbia
12/10-12/11 – Christmas in Hopelands I – Aiken
TENNESSEE
12/5-12/11 – NoogaLights at Chester Frost Park IV – Middle Valley
12/5-12/11 – Zoolumination: Chinese Festival of Lights IV – Nashville
12/5-12/11 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland VI – Kodak
12/5-12/11 – Shadrack’s Christmas Adventure III – Sevierville
12/5-12/11 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland III – Johnson City
12/5-12/11 – Lights Over Gatlinburg IV – Gatlinburg
12/5-12/11 – Christmas on the Cumberland III – Clarksville
12/5-12/11 – Pinnacle Speedway in Lights IV – Bristol
12/5-12/11 – Chad’s Winter Wonderland III – Lebanon
12/5-12/11 – The Dancing Lights of Christmas V – Lebanon
12/5-12/11 – Franktown’s Festival of Lights IV – Franklin
12/5-12/11 – A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland V – Nashville
12/5-12/11 – Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens IV – Nashville
12/6-12/11 – Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees IV – Memphis
12/7-12/11 – Starry Nights at Shelby Farms Park III – Memphis
12/7-12/11 – Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas VI – Pigeon Forge
12/7-12/11 – Asian Lantern Festival at the Chattanooga Zoo V – Chattanooga
12/7-12/11 – Zoo Lights III – Knoxville
12/9 – Christmas in the Park – Loudon
12/9-12/10 – A Candlelight Christmas – Clinton
12/9-12/11 – Zoo Lights at Memphis Zoo IV – Memphis
12/10 – Granville Country Christmas – Granville
12/10 – Paris Christmas Festival – Paris
12/10 – Bell Buckle Old Fashioned Christmas II – Bell Buckle
12/10-12/11 – Dickens Christmas – Covington
12/10-12/11 – Christkindlesmarkt III – Knoxville
12/10-12/11 – Mistletoe Market Holiday Craft Show – Ooltewah
12/10-12/11 – Chattanooga Holiday Market II – Chattanooga
12/10-12/11 – Dickens of a Christmas – Franklin
WEST VIRGINIA
12/5-12/11 – Oglebay’s Winter Festival of Lights V – Wheeling
12/5-12/11 – Bluefield Holiday of Lights III – Bluefield
12/7-12/11 – Celebration of Lights III – Fairmont
12/7-12/11 – St. Albans Festival of Lights III – St. Albans
12/9-12/10 – Feast of the Seven Fishes – Fairmont
12/10 – Christkindlmarkt – Rowlesburg
12/10 – Christmas in Romney Christkindl Market – Romney
12/10-12/11 – Lewisburg Holiday Festival IV – Lewisburg
12/10-12/11 – Olde Tyme Christmas II – Bolivar/Harpers Ferry
WISCONSIN
12/5-12/11 – Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival IV – Milwaukee
12/5-12/11 – East Troy Lights II – East Troy
12/5-12/11 – Winter Wonders at Boerner Botanical Gardens IV – Franklin
12/5-12/11 – Chippewa Falls Christmas Village III – Chippewa Falls
12/5-12/11 – Celebration of Lights III – Oshkosh
12/5-12/11 – Rotary Winter Wonderland III – Marshfield
12/5-12/11 – Enchantment in the Park III – West Bend
12/5-12/11 – Sam’s Christmas Village and Light Tour III – Somerset
12/5-12/11 – The North Pole Christmas Village III – Chilton
12/5-12/11 – Christmas Carnival of Lights IV – Caledonia
12/5-12/11 – Rotary Lights III – La Crosse
12/5-12/11 – Country Christmas IV – Pewaukee
12/5-12/11 – Old World Christmas Market II – Elkhart Lake
Weekend continues below…
12/8 – Cheers! Wild Lights – Milwaukee
12/8-12/10 – Lights in Lincoln Park III – Manitowoc
12/8-12/11 – Garden of Lights at Green Bay Botanical Gardens III – Green Bay
12/8-12/11 – Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show III – Janesville
12/9 – Platteville Hometown Christmas Friday Night II – Platteville
12/9-12/11 – Fox Cities Festival of Lights III – Harrison
12/9-12/11 – Door County Christkindlmarkt III – Sister Bay
12/9-12/11 – Henry Vilas Zoo Lights III – Madison
12/9-12/11 – Twinkle Light Village Christmas Market III – Viroqua
12/9-12/11 – Delightfully Calumet Holiday Light Show II – Chilton
12/10 – Winter Market at Thirsty Pagan Brewing III – Superior
12/10 – Christmas in the Falls Christkindl Market – Menomonee Falls
12/10-12/11 – Burlington Ice Festival – Burlington
12/10-12/11 – Home for the Holidays at Old World Wisconsin II – Eagle
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Festival Schedule Pages
Miami | Tallahassee/Florida Panhandle | Tampa
Akron/Canton | Cincinnati | Cleveland | Columbus | Dayton | Toledo
Knoxville | Memphis | Nashville
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