Southern Thanksgiving Weekend Festivals: November 27-30, 2025

Thanksgiving Weekend is here, bringing many more Holiday Light Festivals, Lighting Festivals, Christmas Markets and so much more!

Welcome back, Festival Fans.

It’s Thanksgiving weekend so I’m going to post this a little early because there’s a lot going on.

Whether you’re remaining in your home state this weekend or traveling to another, I should have you covered with this weekend’s events. This post has all the states in your region and you can find events in other regions like…
Northern Region (from Minnesota to New York, Missouri to Maryland)
Western Region (Western Coast states and then Southwestern states over to Texas and up to Kansas)
Ohio

Overall this weekend, you are seeing a lot more Holiday Light Festivals starting up, but you have Tree/Downtown Lighting Festivals taking place (I list those with vendors and music), Christmas Markets and more.

Here are some interesting weekend festivals that I’ve noticed…

Thanksgiving Pow Wow in Alabama
Benton Small Town Christmas in Arkansas
Whimsy’s Holiday Market in Florida
Atlanta Christkindl Market in Georgia
Lights Under Louisville in Kentucky
Kenner’s Magical Christmas Village in Louisiana
Christmas at Landrum’s Homestead in Mississippi
NC Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina
Sweet Potato Festival and BBQ Competition in North Carolina
American Indian Heritage Celebration in North Carolina
Bierkeller Weihnachtsmarkt in South Carolina
Gatlinburg Festival of Trees in Tennessee
Mount Jackson’s Merry on Main in Virginia

And so much more!

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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-113025/

And here are the other two sections again…
Northern Section: https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/north-festival-weekend-113025
Western Section (Washington just added): https://festivalguidesandreviews.com/west-festival-weekend-113025

Until next week…

Love, Peace and Festival Grease!

Upcoming Festival Weekend: November 27-30, 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.

ALABAMA

11/24-11/30- Lights of Noel II – Birmingham
11/24-11/30 – Magic of Lights: Alabama Adventure II – Birmingham
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration II – Birmingham
11/24-11/30 – Christmas at the Falls II – Gadsden
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Galaxy of Lights III – Huntsville
11/24-11/30 – Rocket City Christmas Light Show II – Madison
11/24-11/30 – Christmas Nights in Lights II – Mobile
11/24-11/30 – Oxford Festival of Lights II – Oxford
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/26, 11/27) – Magic Christmas in Lights II – Theodore
11/27-11/28 – Thanksgiving Pow Wow – Atmore
11/27-11/30 – Cullman Christkindlmarkt II – Cullman
11/27-11/30 – Holiday Light Spectacular I – Dothan
11/27-11/30 – Christmas in Ansley II – Troy
11/28-11/29 – Santa Land I – Rogersville
11/28-11/30 – Christmas in the Park I – Arab
11/29 – Outdoor Holiday Market – Mobile
11/29 – Hunter Appreciation Day – Pine Apple

ARKANSAS

11/24-11/30 – Lights of the Delta I – Blytheville
11/24-11/30 – Coulter Celebration of Lights II – Mountain Home
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Holiday Lights at Garvan Gardens II – Hot Springs
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – GloWild Lantern Festival IV – Little Rock
11/25-11/30 – Enchanted Land of Lights and Legends I – Pine Bluff
11/26-11/30 – White River Wonderland I – Batesville
11/26-11/30 – Jonesboro Christmas at the Park I – Jonesboro
11/27-11/30 – Drive-Thru Lights at The Great Passion Play I – Eureka Springs
11/28-11/30 – Sherwood’s Enchanted Forest Trail of Lights I – Sherwood
11/29 – Chick-Fil-A Illuminate – Conway
11/29 – Christmas on the Square – Mount Ida
11/29 – Christmas on the Creek – Springdale
11/29-11/30 – Corning Christmas in the Park I – Corning
11/30 – Benton Small Town Christmas – Benton

FLORIDA

11/24-11/30 – Holiday Fantasy of Lights II – Coconut Creek
11/24-11/30 – Magic of Lights at Daytona International Speedway II – Daytona Beach
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Asian Lantern Festival III – Sanford
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Night Garden IV – Coral Gables
11/27-11/29 – Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival – Brooksville
11/27-11/30 – Tampa Bay’s Festival of Lights and Santa’s Village I – Dover
11/28 – Light-Up Eustis – Eustis
11/28-11/30 – Edison and Ford Holiday Nights Celebration I – Fort Myers
11/28-11/30 – Christmas Made in the South – Jacksonville
11/28-11/30 – Glowing Gardens at Jacksonville Arboretum and Botanical Gardens I – Jacksonville
11/28-11/30 – Holiday Lights in the Gardens I – Largo
Weekend continues below…

11/28-11/30 – Suwannee Lights I – Live Oak
11/28-11/30 – An Old Fashioned Country Christmas at Raprager Family Farm I – Odessa
11/28-11/30 – Dazzling Nights Orlando I – Orlando
11/28-11/30 – Christmas in the Wild I – Tampa
11/28-11/30 – Drive Thru Light Show II – West Palm Beach
11/29 – Ozello Arts, Crafts and Blue Crab Festival – Crystal River
11/29 – Inverness Olde Fashioned Christmas – Inverness
11/29 – Old Florida Holiday and Winter Market – Santa Rosa Beach
11/29 – Whimsy’s Holiday Market – Umatilla
11/29 – Brownwood Tree Lighting Festival – The Villages
11/29-11/30 – Sarasota Medieval Fair IV – Myakka City
11/29-11/30 – Fusionfest – Orlando
11/29-11/30 – Fantasy Lights Festival I – Palm Coast
11/29-11/30 – Shopapalooza Festival – St. Petersburg

GEORGIA

11/24-11/30 – Garden Lights, Holiday Nights III – Atlanta
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/26, 11/27) – Georgia Festival of Trees II – Atlanta
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – IllumiNights at the Zoo: A Lantern Festival II – Atlanta
11/24-11/30 – Magical Nights of Lights III – Buford
11/24-11/30 – Holiday Lights at Veteran’s Park II – Canton
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Lights of the South II – Grovetown
11/24-11/30 – Glow Light Show III – Lawrenceville
11/24-11/30 – Enchanted Garden of Lights III – Lookout Mountain
11/24-11/30 – Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort and Gardens III – Pine Mountain
11/24-11/30 – Savannah Christmas Market (Christmas on the River) II – Savannah
11/25-11/30 – World of Illumination: Candy Rush III – Marietta
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Winter Wonderlights II – Athens
11/27 – Christmas in Possum Snout – Tallapoosa
11/27-11/29 – Mountain Country Christmas in Lights I – Hiawassee
Weekend continues below…

11/27-11/30 – A Country Christmas at Pettit Creek Farms I – Cartersville
11/27-11/30 – Lights of Life I – Marietta
11/28-11/29 – Light Up Blue Ridge – Blue Ridge
11/28-11/29 – Christmas at the Mill – Canton
11/28-11/29 – Rabun Festival of Trees and Holiday Extravaganza – Clayton
11/28-11/29 – December Nights and Holiday Lights I – Savannah
11/28-11/30 – Atlanta Christkindl Market I – Lawrenceville
11/28-11/30 – Christmas Lights at A.H. Stephens State Park I – Crawfordville
11/28-11/30 – Stone Mountain Christmas IV – Stone Mountain
11/28-11/30 – Holiday Lights of Hope I – Woodstock
11/29 – Swine Time Festival – Climax
11/29 – Holly Jolly Market – Columbus
11/29 – Main Street Gray Hometown Christmas Market – Gray
11/29 – Country Christmas Festival – Greenville
11/29 – Christmas in the Grove – Locust Grove
11/29 – McDonough Mistletoe Market – McDonough
11/29 – Savannah Lighted Boat Parade and Holiday Kickoff – Savannah
11/29-11/30 – Helen’s Christmas Market I – Helen

KENTUCKY

11/24-11/30 – Festival of Trees and Trains II – Ashland
11/24-11/30 – Winter Wonderland of Lights II – Ashland
11/24-11/30 – Light Up The Fair III – Burlington
11/24-11/30 – Christmas Island II – Burnside
11/24-11/30* – Deck the Y’alls Lightfest II – Florence – DISCONTINUED
11/24-11/30 – Patti’s Festival of Lights IV – Grand Rivers
11/24-11/30 – Lights Under Louisville III – Louisville – My Review
11/26-11/30 – Elizabethtown’s Christmas in the Park I – Elizabethtown
11/26-11/30 – Christmas in the Park I – Paducah
11/28-11/29 – Festival of the Mountain Masters – Harlan
11/28-11/29 – ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter I – Williamstown
11/28-11/30 – Christmas in the Park Light Show I – Benton
11/28-11/30 – Christmas at Mustard Seed Hill I – Millersburg
11/28-11/30 – Christmas at Panther Creek I – Owensboro
11/29-11/30 – Southern Lights Holiday Festival I – Lexington
11/29-11/30 – Festival of Lights I – Mayfield

LOUISIANA

11/24-11/30 – Holiday Lights at Baton Rouge General II – Baton Rouge
11/24-11/30 – Candy Cane Lane IV – Calhoun
11/26-11/30 – Reindeer Trails II – Greenwood
11/28-11/29 – Holiday Light Safari I – Alexandria
11/28-11/29 – Dark Woods Christmas I – Natchitoches
11/28-11/29 – Holiday Kids Fest II – Natchitoches
11/28-11/30 – Louisiana Lights at Burden Museum and Gardens I – Baton Rouge
11/28-11/30 – Zoo Lights at Baton Rouge Zoo I – Baton Rouge
11/28-11/30 – Spirit of Christmas I – Destrehan
11/28-11/30 – Fall Harvest Festival at Grant Farms I – Grant
Weekend continues below…

11/28-11/30 – Louisiana Renaissance Festival V – Hammond
11/28-11/30 – Celebration in the Oaks I – New Orleans
11/28-11/30 – Christmas in Roseland I – Shreveport
11/28-11/30 – Christmas at Kiroli I – West Monroe
11/29 – Christmas Wonderland in the Pines – Jonesboro
11/29 – Light Up the Lake Christmas Festival – Lake Charles
11/29 – The Spirit of Morgan City Christmas Festival – Morgan City
11/29 – Rockets Over the Red – Shreveport/Bossier City
11/29 – Springhill Christmas in the Park – Springhill
11/29-11/30 – Olde Towne Christmas Market – Slidell
11/30 – Kenner’s Magical Christmas Village I – Kenner

MISSISSIPPI

11/24-11/30 – Brandon Magic of Lights II – Brandon
11/24-11/30 – 50 Nights of Lights IV – Cleveland
11/25-11/30 – The Southern Lights II – Pearl
11/28-11/30 – Canton Christmas Festival I – Canton
11/28-11/30 – Askew’s Landing RV Campground ‘Christkindlmarkt’ Christmas Market – Edwards
11/28-11/30 – Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival I – Gulfport
11/28-11/30 – Light Garden I – Olive Branch
11/29 – Lighting of the Tree (Christmas in Natchez) – Natchez
11/29-11/30 – Christmas at Landrum’s Homestead – Laurel

NORTH CAROLINA

11/24-11/30 – The North Carolina Arboretum’s Winter Lights III – Asheville
11/24-11/30 – NC Chinese Lantern Festival III – Cary
11/24-11/30 – Speedway Christmas II – Charlotte
11/24-11/30 – Tanglewood Park Festival of Lights III – Clemmons
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Kannapolis Celebration of Lights III – Kannapolis
11/24-11/30 – Costner’s Christmas Light Extravaganza II – Kings Mountain
11/24-11/30 – Winterfest at Tryon International III – Mill Spring
11/24-11/30 – Christmas Wonderland of Lights at Zootastic Park II – Troutman
11/26-11/29 (Closed 11/27) – Elizabethan Gardens WinterLights II – Manteo
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Smoky Mountain Christmas Light Spectacular IV – Bryson City
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Light the Knights Festival I – Charlotte
Weekend continues below…

11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Winter Wonderlights at the Greensboro Science Center II – Greensboro
11/26-11/30 – Lake Myra Christmas Lights I – Wendell
11/27-11/30 – Lake Linda’s Christmas Lights I – Hampstead
11/27-11/30 – Hill Ridge Farms Festival of Lights I – Youngsville
11/28 – Christmas in the Park – Blowing Rock
11/28 – Holiday Flotilla – Swansboro
11/28-11/29 – Cashiers Festival of Trees – Cashiers
11/28-11/29 – Lights on the Neuse at Boyette Family Farms I – Clayton
11/28-11/29 – “Hard Candy Christmas” Arts and Crafts Show – Cullowhee
11/28-11/29 – Festival of Lights at Sweet Valley Ranch I – Fayetteville
11/28-11/29 – North Carolina Hmong Music Festival – Hickory
11/28-11/30 – Kersey Valley Christmas I – Archdale
Weekend continues below…

11/28-11/30 – Holidays at the Garden I – Belmont
11/28-11/30 – Tweetsie Christmas I – Blowing Rock
11/28-11/30 – Carolina Holiday Light Spectacular I – Charlotte
11/28-11/30 – Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt) I – Charlotte
11/28-11/30 – Winterfest at Carowinds III – Charlotte
11/28-11/30 – Country Christmas Train at Denton FarmPark I – Denton
11/28-11/30 – Lu Mil Vineyard Festival of Lights I – Elizabethtown
11/28-11/30 – Christmas Lights on the Farm I – Middlesex
11/28-11/30 – Christmas Lights at Contentnea Fire Department I – Wilson
11/29 – A Very Murray Christmas Festival – Catawba
11/29 – Christmas in Cornelius – Cornelius
11/29 – Lost Worlds Christmas Market – Cornelius
11/29 – NC Holiday Flotilla at Wrightsville Beach – Wrightsville Beach

SOUTH CAROLINA

11/24-11/30 – Holiday Festival of Lights III – Charleston
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Fireflies Holiday Lights II – Columbia
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – The Great Christmas Light Show I – North Myrtle Beach
11/24-11/30 – Children’s Garden Christmas and Kid’s Walk II – Orangeburg
11/24-11/30 – Magic of Lights: Hollywild II – Wellford
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Holiday Lights on the River I – Columbia
11/26-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Riverbanks Zoo Wild Lights II – Columbia
11/27-11/30 – Anderson Christmas Lights I – Anderson
11/27-11/30 – Upstate Holiday Light Show I – Easley
11/28-11/29 – Pendleton Christmas Market I – Pendleton
11/28-11/30 – Yuletide Unicorn and Night-Light Twinkling Light Show II – Fountain Inn
11/28-11/30 – Celebrate the Season Holiday Lights I – Moncks Corner
11/28-11/30 – MarshWalk Wonderland of Lights I – Murrells Inlet
11/28-11/30 – Nights of a Thousand Candles I – Murrells Inlet
11/28-11/30 – Winter Wonderland at the Beach I – Myrtle Beach
11/28-11/30 – Santa’s Southern Lights at Sara’s II – Trenton
11/29* – Salley Chitlin’ Strut – Salley – CANCELLED
11/29-11/30 – Bierkeller Weihnachtsmarkt I – Columbia

TENNESSEE

11/24-11/29 – Wonders of Light Christmas Village IV – Pigeon Forge
11/24-11/30 – Food City Speedway in Lights II – Bristol
11/24-11/30 – Asian Lantern Festival at the Chattanooga Zoo II – Chattanooga
11/24-11/30 – Franktown’s Festival of Lights II – Franklin
11/24-11/30 – Lights Over Gatlinburg IV – Gatlinburg
11/24-11/30 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland II – Johnson City
11/24-11/30 – The Dancing Lights of Christmas IV – Lebanon
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Memphis Zoo Lantern Festival III – Memphis
11/24-11/30 – Christmas at Gaylord Opryland IV – Nashville
11/24-11/30 – Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens II – Nashville
Weekend continues below…

11/24-11/30 – Zoolumination: Chinese Festival of Lights III – Nashville
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas V – Pigeon Forge
11/24-11/30 – Skyland Ranch Festival of Lights IV – Sevierville
11/24-11/30 – Shadrack’s Snowy Mountain Village III – Sevierville
11/25-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees III – Memphis
11/26-11/30 – Gatlinburg Festival of Trees – Gatlinburg
11/26-11/30 – Fantasy of Trees – Knoxville
11/27-11/30 – Chad’s Winter Wonderland I – Lebanon
11/28-11/29 – Starry Nights at Shelby Farms Park I – Memphis
11/28-11/30 – Christkindlesmarkt I – Knoxville
11/29 – Shop Black Fest: Nashville – Nashville

VIRGINIA

11/24-11/30 – Bull Run Festival of Lights III – Centreville
11/24-11/30 – Illuminate Light Show and Santa’s Village II – Doswell
11/24-11/30 – Bright Nights on the Bluffwalk II – Lynchburg
11/24-11/30 – Garden of Lights IV – Norfolk
11/24-11/30 (Closed 11/27) – GardenFest of Lights II – Richmond
11/24-11/30 – Meadowlark Gardens Winter Walk of Lights IV – Vienna
11/24-11/30 – Busch Gardens Christmas Town III – Williamsburg
11/27-11/30 – Winter Lantern Festival II – Tysons
11/28-11/30 – Winter Wander III – Charlottesville
11/28-11/30 – Suffolk Festival of Lights I – Suffolk
11/28-11/30 – Virginia Beach Christmas Market – Virginia Beach
11/28-11/30 – Williamsburg Christmas Market I – Williamsburg
11/29 – Mount Jackson’s Merry on Main – Mount Jackson
11/30 – Grand Illumination – Virginia Beach

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