Northern Holiday Weekend Festivals: December 18-21, 2025

Holiday Light Festivals with some Winter Festivals and Hanukkah Celebrations.

Welcome back, Festival Fans, and Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish readers.

Now that we are entering the second half of December, most of the festivals are going to be Holiday Light Festivals through the rest of the year. But there are some other festivals as well.

Here are some interesting festivals going on this weekend:

Renegade Craft Fair: Winter in Illinois
Ottumwa WinterFest in Iowa
Moorestown Community Chanukah Celebration in New Jersey
Haddonfield Chanukah Celebration in New Jersey
Holiday Magic in the Village in New York

And more!

Just a quick note about the Festival Guides: I have been able to go through most of the first half of 2026 to update what festivals I could. I’ll start working on the second half once we enter 2026.

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

If you happen to be in Ohio this weekend, check this weekend’s post at OhioFestivals.net to see what’s going on. You can find this week’s post at https://ohiofestivals.net/ohio-weekend-122125/

And here are the other two sections again…
Southern Section: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/south-festival-weekend-122125
Western Section: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/west-festival-weekend-122125

Until next week…

Love, Peace and Festival Grease!

Upcoming Festival Weekend: December 18-21, 2025

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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.

DELAWARE

12/15-12/21 – Gift of Lights Dover Motor Speedway IV – Dover
12/15-12/21 – Schellville VI – Rehoboth Beach
12/19-12/20 – Zoo Lights and Christmas Nights IV – Townsend

ILLINOIS

12/15-12/21 – Christmas Wonderland IV – Alton
12/15-12/21 – Christkindlmarket Aurora V – Aurora
12/15-12/21 – Aurora Festival of Lights IV – Aurora
12/15-12/21 – Way of Lights V – Belleville
12/15-12/21 – Christmas in Carlyle Lights in the Park IV – Carlyle
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Lights of Hope IV – Carmi
12/15-12/21 – Christmas in Fairview Park V – Casey
12/15-12/21 – Christkindlmarket Chicago at Daley Plaza V – Chicago
12/15-12/21 – Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville VI – Chicago
12/15-12/21 – Winter WonderFest III – Chicago
12/15-12/21 – ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo V – Chicago
12/15-12/21 – Coulterville Holiday Lights Display III – Coulterville
12/15-12/21 – Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair IV – Du Quoin
12/15-12/21 – Folepi’s Winter Wonderland IV – East Peoria
12/15-12/21 – Wonderland in Lights IV – Effingham
12/15-12/21 – Wonderlight’s Christmas in St. Louis VI – Fairmont City
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Lightscape at the Chicago Botanical Garden VI – Glencoe
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Lights Wonderland at American Farm Heritage Museum IV – Greenville
12/15-12/21 – Hutsonville Trees on the River IV – Hutsonville
12/15-12/21 – Bright Nights: A Celebration of Lights IV – Jerseyville
12/15-12/21 – Lebanon’s Winter Wonderland V – Lebanon
12/15-12/21 – Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum V – Lisle
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Lights in Lilacia Park III – Lombard
12/15-12/21 – Mattoon Lightworks V – Mattoon
12/15-12/21 – Olney Christmas Lights IV – Olney
12/15-12/21 – A December to Remember IV – Pana
12/15-12/21 – Quincy Festival of Lights IV – Quincy
12/15-12/21 – All Aglow Holiday Display IV – Rockford
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Shelbyville Festival of Lights V – Shelbyville
12/15-12/21 – Taylorville Christmas in the Park III – Taylorville
12/15-12/21 – Old Tyme Christmas Presents: A Festival of Lights VI – Vandalia
12/15-12/21 – Cosley Zoo Festival of Lights IV – Wheaton
12/16-12/21 – Santa’s Rock N Lights V – Geneva
12/18-12/21 – Belleville Christkindlmarkt V – Belleville
12/18-12/21- Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic V – Brookfield
12/18-12/21 – Chatham Light Up the Park IV – Chatham
12/18-12/21 – Glow Holiday Festival V – Joliet
12/18-12/21 – Zoo Lights at the Henson Robinson Zoo IV – Springfield
12/19-12/20 – Beardstown Christkindlmarkt IV – Beardstown
12/19-12/21 – Ottawa Chris Kringle Market IV – Ottawa
12/20 – Holiday Cheers Market IV – Alton
12/20-12/21 – Bethalto Christmas Village IV – Bethalto
12/20-12/21 – Renegade Craft Fair: Winter – Chicago
12/20-12/21 – Christmas in the Commons III – New Lenox

INDIANA

12/15-12/21 – Carmel Christkindlmarkt German Holiday Market V – Carmel
12/15-12/21 – Danville Winterland Light Show V – Danville
12/15-12/21 – Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights IV – Evansville
12/15-12/21 – Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights V – Fort Wayne
12/15-12/21 – Fort Wayne Zoo Wild Lights IV – Fort Wayne
12/15-12/21 – Christmas at the Zoo V – Indianapolis
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Nights of Lights VII – Indianapolis
12/15-12/21 – Festival of Trees VI – Indianapolis
12/15-12/21 – Winterlights V – Indianapolis
12/15-12/21 – Lanthier Winery Festival of Trees IV – Madison
12/15-12/21 – Walkway of Lights V – Marion
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Michigan City Festival of Lights III – Michigan City
12/15-12/21 – Santa Claus Land of Lights V – Santa Claus
12/15-12/21 – Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy VI – Shipshewana
12/15-12/21 – Winter Lights at Sunset Hill Farm V – Valparaiso
12/18-12/21 – Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights at Wellfield Botanic Gardens IV – Elkhart
12/19-12/21 – A Merry Prairie Holiday IV – Fishers
12/19-12/21 – Athenaeum Christkindlmarkt IV – Indianapolis
12/19-12/21 – Christmas Tyme Lights IV – Lowell
12/19-12/21 – Gift of Lights at the Potawatomi Zoo IV – South Bend
12/20 – Christmas Lake Village Festival of Lights II – Santa Claus

IOWA

12/15-12/21 – Uptown Wonderlights VI – Ankeny
12/15-12/21 – Festival of Lights IV – Carroll
12/15-12/21 – Five Seasons Lights III – Cedar Rapids
12/15-12/21 – Symphony of Lights IV – Clinton
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Lights IV – Decorah
12/15-12/21 – Jolly Holiday Lights V – Des Moines
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Lights at the Lake IV – Iowa City
12/15-12/21 – City of Christmas Display of Lights IV – Keokuk
12/15-12/21 – Mt. Pleasant Festival of Lights IV – Mt. Pleasant
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Maytag Park Holiday Lights IV – Newton
12/15-12/21* – Holiday Nights ‘N Lights V – Ottumwa – DISCONTINUED
12/15-12/21 – Dome for the Holidays VI – Des Moines
12/16-12/21 – Santa’s Rock N Lights IV – Urbandale
12/18-12/21 – Winter Wonderscape III – Ames
12/19-12/20 – Jingle Bright Holiday Lights III – Manchester
12/19-12/21 – Winter Wonderland at Center Grove Orchard IV – Cambridge
12/19-12/21 – Holiday Hullabaloo III – Clive
12/19-12/21 – Lights at Kennedy III – Fort Dodge
12/19-12/21 – Iowa Falls Festival of Lights IV – Iowa Falls
12/19-12/21 – Merry-N County Christmas V – Knoxville
12/20-12/21 – Ottumwa WinterFest – Ottumwa

MARYLAND/WASHINGTON, DC

12/15-12/20 – North Pole Lights Walk IV – Severn
12/15-12/21 – Lights on the Bay at Sandy Point State Park V – Annapolis
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Village in Baltimore V – Baltimore
12/15-12/21- LuminoCity Festival at Montgomery County Fairgrounds VI – Gaithersburg
12/15-12/21 – Winter Lights Festival at Seneca Creek State Park IV – Gaithersburg
12/15-12/21 – Annmarie Garden in Lights IV – Solomons
12/15-12/21 – Maryland Holiday Light Spectacular III – Timonium
12/15-12/21 – Winter Festival of Lights IV – Upper Marlboro
12/15-12/21 – DC Holiday Market VI – Washington, DC
12/15-12/21 – Washington DC Temple Festival of Lights III – Washington, DC
12/15-12/21 – Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens V – Wheaton
12/17-12/21 – Winterfest of Lights V – Ocean City
12/18-12/21 – Annapolis Holiday Market II – Annapolis
12/18-12/21 – Winter City Lights Holiday Festival IV – Olney
12/19-12/21 – Upperco Yuletide Village Light Trail and Train Garden IV – Upperco
12/20-12/21 – National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show IV – Oxon Hill
12/20-12/21 – Savage Mill Yuletide Festival IV – Savage

MICHIGAN

12/15-12/21 – Sparkle in the Park IV – Bear Lake
12/15-12/21 – Nite Lights V – Brooklyn
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Lite Show IV – Comstock Park
12/15-12/21 – Magic of Lights V – Detroit
12/15-12/21 – The Colors of Christmas Wonderland IV – Newaygo
12/15-12/21 – The Big, Bright Light Show IV – Rochester
12/15-12/21 – Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo V – Royal Oak
12/15-12/21 – St. Clair Shores Tunnel of Lights III – St. Clair Shores
12/16-12/21 – Holiday Nights in Greenfield Village III – Dearborn
12/16-12/21 – LIGHTS at Fernwood IV – Niles
12/17-12/21 – Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic IV – Flint
12/17-12/21 – Grand Rapids Christkindl Markt V – Grand Rapids
12/17-12/21 – Walk Through the Lights at Gull Meadow Farms IV – Richland
12/17-12/21 – Wayne County Lightfest V – Westland
12/18-12/21 – Glenlore Trails Aurora V – Commerce Township
12/18-12/21 – Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo V – Lansing
12/19-12/20 – Dutch WinterFest KerstMarkt V – Holland
12/19-12/21 – Canterbury Village Holiday Stroll IV – Lake Orion

MINNESOTA

12/15-12/21 – Bentleyville Tour of Lights V – Duluth
12/15-12/21 – Kiwanis Holiday Lights IV – Mankato
12/15-12/21 – Magic of Lights at Viking Lakes V – Minneapolis
12/15-12/21 – Country Lights Festival IV – Sartell
12/15-12/21 – Sever’s Holiday Light Show IV – Shakopee
12/18-12/21 – Glow Holiday Festival V – Saint Paul
12/18-12/21 – The Spirit of Winter: Festival of Lights V – Waconia
12/19-12/21 – Winter Lights at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum V – Chaska
12/19-12/21 – European Christmas Market IV – Saint Paul

MISSOURI

12/15-12/21 – Stone Park’s Christmas in Lights IV – Bonne Terre
12/15-12/21 – Let there Be Lights VIII – Branson
12/15-12/21 – Lights of Joy VIII – Branson
12/15-12/21 (Closed 12/16) – An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City VIII – Branson
12/15-12/21 – The Trail of Lights VIII – Branson
12/15-12/21 – Chillicothe Festival of Lights V – Chillicothe
12/15-12/21 – Light It Up Christmas III – Dexter
12/15-12/21 – Santa’s Magical Kingdom VI – Eureka
12/15-12/21- Lane of Lights V – Excelsior Springs
12/15-12/21 – Light Up the Lake IV – Hermitage
12/15-12/21 – Winter Magic VIII – Kansas City
12/15-12/21 – Enchanted Village of Lights V – Laurie
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – St. Patrick’s Festival of Lights IV – Laurie
12/15-12/21 – Christmas in the Park IV – Lee’s Summit
12/15-12/21 – Moberly Christmas Lights in the Park IV – Moberly
12/15-12/21 – Celebration of Lights IV – O’Fallon
12/15-12/21* – Holiday Light Park IV – Osage Beach – CANCELLED
12/15-12/21 – Light Up Liberty IV – Sedalia
12/15-12/21 – Light Up Sikeston IV – Sikeston
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Park and South Pole IV – St. Joseph
12/15-12/21 – Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden VI – St. Louis
12/15-12/21 – U.S. Bank Wild Lights IV – St. Louis
12/15-12/21 – Winter Wonderland IV – St. Louis
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Festival of Lights Auto Tour at Wappapello Lake IV – Wappapello
12/15-12/21 – Wentzville Holiday Night Lights IV – Wentzville
12/16-12/21 – Capital City Festival of Lights III – Jefferson City
12/17-12/21 – GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium XVI – Kansas City
12/17-12/21 – Gardens Aglow at Friends of the Garden IV – Springfield
12/18-12/21 – Holiday Lights at Grant’s Farm V – St. Louis
12/19-12/20 – Rolla Christmas at the Orchard IV – Rolla
12/19-12/21 – North Pole Adventure VI – Branson
12/19-12/21 – Evergy Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens V – Kingsville
12/19-12/21 – St. Charles Christmas Traditions IV – St. Charles
12/19-12/21 – Grove of Lights III – St. Clair
12/19-12/21 – Gateway Arch Park Winterfest V – St. Louis
12/20-12/21 – Glasgow Holiday in the Park IV – Glasgow
12/20-12/21 – Merry Market V – Kansas City
12/20-12/21 – Strawberry Swing Indie Craft Fair Holiday Swing II – Kansas City

NEW JERSEY

12/15-12/20 – Creamy Acres Night of Lights IV – Mullica Hill
12/15-12/21 – Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show and Village V – Augusta
12/15-12/21 – The Winter Wonderlights Spectacular Drive-Thru V – East Brunswick
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Fantasy with Lights VI – Egg Harbor Township
12/15-12/21 – DiDonato’s Magical Holiday Express VI – Hammonton
12/15-12/21 – Orchard of Lights V – Hillsdale
12/15-12/21 – Magic of Lights at PNC Bank Arts Center V – Holmdel
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Light Show at Johnson’s Corner Farm VI – Medford
12/15-12/21 – Historic Smithville Holiday Light Show IV – Smithville
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Light Show at Diggerland VI – West Berlin
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Holiday Lights Spectacular at Turtle Back Zoo V – West Orange
12/17 – Moorestown Community Chanukah Celebration – Moorestown
12/18 – Collingswood Chanukah Celebration – Collingswood
12/19-12/21 – Holiday Lights Hayride at Norz Hill Farm IV – Hillsborough Township
12/18-12/21 – Let It Glow: A Holiday Lantern Spectacular VII – Paramus
12/19-12/21 – Old Fashioned Christmas on the Farm IV – Wall Township
12/20 – Kwanzaa Family Festival and Marketplace – Newark
12/20-12/21 – Flounder’s Kringle Market II – Hillsborough
12/20-12/21 – Holiday in the Park at Six Flags V – Jackson
12/20-12/21 – Happy Holiday Market II – Jersey City
12/21 – Haddonfield Chanukah Celebration – Haddonfield
12/21 – Hoboken Holiday Market III – Hoboken

NEW YORK

12/15-12/18 (Closed 12/16, 12/17) – East Islip Holiday Lights Drive-Thru III – East Islip
12/15-12/21 – Peace, Love and Lights IV – Bethel
12/15-12/21 – Broome County Festival of Lights V – Binghamton
12/15-12/21 – LuminoCity Festival VII – East Meadow
12/15-12/21 – Northern Lights Holiday Light Show IV – Evans Mills
12/15-12/21 – The Fairgrounds Festival of Lights IV – Hamburg
12/15-12/21 – Oneonta Festival of Lights II – Oneonta
12/15-12/21 – Wegman’s Lights on the Lake V – Liverpool
12/15-12/21 – Lumina: Magical Lights at Harvest Moon V – North Salem
12/15-12/21 – Westchester’s Winter Wonderland V – Valhalla
12/15-12/21 – Magic of Lights: Long Island V – Wantagh
Weekend continues below…

12/17-12/21 – Roc Holiday Village III – Rochester
12/18-12/21 – Riverhead Holiday Light Show V – Calverton
12/18-12/21 – Glimmer Nights at Fenimore Farm and Country Village IV – Cooperstown
12/18-12/21 – Holiday Light Nights IV – Greenwich
12/18-12/21 – Jungle Bells: Holiday Lights at Animal Adventure Park VII – Harpursville
12/18-12/21 – The Wonderland of Lights IV – Rhinebeck
12/19-12/20 – Poinsettias After Dark IV – Buffalo
12/19-12/20 – Holiday Lights on the Farm III – Katonah
12/19-12/20 – Wild Center Wild Lights IV – Tupper Lake
12/19-12/21 – Buffalo Holiday Market IV – Buffalo
12/19-12/21 – Frosty Fest III – Ulster Park
12/19-12/21 – Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival IV – Wappingers Falls
12/20 – Holiday Magic in the Village – East Aurora
12/20-12/21 – Dickens Christmas Festival IV – Skaneateles

OHIO

Ohio Festivals can be found at ohiofestivals.net/ohio-festivals/

PENNSYLVANIA

12/15-12/21 – Holiday Lights on the Lake VI – Altoona
12/15-12/21 – Koziar’s Christmas Village VIII – Bernville
12/15-12/21 – Trail of Lights IV – Chambersburg
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Light Up Celebration V – Clinton
12/15-12/21 – Overly’s Country Christmas V – Greensburg
12/15-12/21 – Christmas in the Park IV – Grove City
12/15-12/21 – Hersheypark Christmas Candylane VI – Hershey
12/15-12/21 – A Longwood Christmas at Longwood Gardens V – Kennett Square
12/15-12/21 – Shining Light Through the Darkness III – Lewistown
12/15-12/21 – Wild Lights at Elmood Park Zoo V – Norristown
12/15-12/21 – LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo V – Philadelphia
Weekend continues below…

12/15-12/21 – Peoples Gas Holiday Market V – Pittsburgh
12/15-12/21 – Wild Illuminations: A Holiday Lantern Experience V – Pittsburgh
12/15-12/21 – Winter Lights Spectacular VI – Schnecksville
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Light Spectacular at Nay Aug Park IV – Scranton
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Light Experience at Refreshing Mountain Retreat V – Stevens
12/15-12/21 – Stone Hedge Festival of Lights V – Tunkhannock
12/15-12/21 – Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm V – Yardley
12/15-12/21 – Christmas Magic: A Festival of Lights IV – York
12/17-12/21 – Enchanted Lights IV – Freedom
12/17-12/21 – Dazzling Nights IV – Oakdale
12/17-12/21 – Holiday Lights at Gring’s Mill III – Reading
Weekend continues below…

12/17-12/21 – Country Christmas at Port Farms IV – Waterford
12/18-12/21 – Holiday Nights of Lights IV – Bedford
12/18-12/21 – Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem VI – Bethlehem
12/18-12/21 – Winter Wonderland at Asbury Woods III – Erie
12/18-12/21 – Holiday Light Extravaganza V – Jones Mills
12/18-12/21 – Bright Nights V – York
12/19-12/21 – Easton Winter Village IV – Easton
12/19-12/21 – Presque Isle Lights III – Erie
12/19-12/21 – A Very Furry Christmas VI – Langhorne
12/19-12/21 – Holiday Lights at Kennywood VI – West Mifflin
12/21 – Christmas Village at CAN DO Community Park III – Hazleton
12/20 – It’s a Wonderful Life Holiday Festival V – Indiana
12/20-12/21 – Jim Thorpe Olde Time Christmas III – Jim Thorpe

WEST VIRGINIA

12/15-12/21 – Light the Night V – Charleston
12/15-12/21 – Krodel Festival of Lights V – Point Pleasant
12/15-12/21 – St. Albans Festival of Lights IV – St. Albans
12/15-12/21 – Oglebay’s Winter Festival of Lights VII – Wheeling
12/17-12/21 (Closed 12/16) – Celebration of Lights IV – Fairmont
12/19-12/21 – Mistletoe Market and Holiday of Lights IV – Bluefield
12/20-12/21 – Merry Makers Market at the Roundhouse III – Martinsburg

WISCONSIN

12/15-12/21 – Christmas Carnival of Lights V – Caledonia
12/15-12/21 – The North Pole Christmas Village IV – Chilton
12/15-12/21 – Irvine Park Christmas Village IV – Chippewa Falls
12/15-12/21 – East Troy Lights III – East Troy
12/15-12/21 – Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show IV – Janesville
12/15-12/21 – Rotary Lights IV – La Crosse
12/15-12/21 – Henry Vilas Zoo Lights V – Madison
12/15-12/21 – Lights in Lincoln Park IV – Manitowoc
12/15-12/21 – Rotary Winter Wonderland IV – Marshfield
12/15-12/21 – Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival V – Milwaukee
12/15-12/21 – Celebration of Lights IV – Oshkosh
12/15-12/21 – Country Christmas VI – Pewaukee
12/15-12/21 – Sam’s Christmas Village and Light Tour IV – Somerset
12/15-12/21 – Miracle at Big Rock IV – St. Croix Falls
12/15-12/21 – Enchantment in the Park IV – West Bend
12/17-12/21 – Wild Lights at Milwaukee County Zoo V – Milwaukee
12/18-12/21 – Delightfully Calumet Holiday Light Show III – Chilton
12/18-12/21 – Garden of Lights at Green Bay Botanical Gardens IV – Green Bay
12/19-12/21 – Fox Cities Festival of Lights IV – Harrison

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