Discover the Magic of Light Shows Across Illinois
From the top to bottom, Illinois blazes with festive lights throughout the holiday season. Magically transformed into fantastic showplaces of winter beauty, parks, gardens, museums, and historic districts are special at this most wonderful time of the year. Whether it is the bright lights of Chicago or the cozier charm of small towns downstate, Illinois has something special in store for one this time of the year.
Chicago Light Shows
Lightscape
Experience the magic of the season at Lightscape as the Garden is transformed by dazzling lights, music, and art. This year's reimagined trail features breathtaking installations debuting in the U.S. that will surely create lifelong holiday memories. For an adults-only experience, join in on November 19th, December 4th and January 2nd for Cocktails Under the Lights to sip on handcrafted drinks while making your way through the enchanting display. Open Nov. 14th - Jan. 4th
Illumination at The Morton Arboretum
New this year - Illumination features four colorful animal sculptures from The Morton Arboretum's newest exhibition, Vivid Creatures. See them lit up for the holidays and transformed for this experience! Open Nov. 15th - Jan. 3rd
Illumination Illumination
Christkindlmarket Chicago
Celebrate the holidays Chicago-style at this outdoor market! Savor roasted nuts, pretzels, bratwurst, spiced wine, and cocoa, with festive music and sparkling ornaments—all set against stunning downtown views. Open Fri, Nov 21 - Wed, Dec 24, 2025
Christkindlmarket Chicago Christkindlmarket Chicago-
The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
Join in on the mile-long holiday extravaganza. The spectacular parade down North Michigan Avenue features fabulous floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, popular celebrities, musical performances, fireworks, and one million lights illuminating The Magnificent Mile's 200+ trees.
The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival -
Lincoln Park ZooLights
The Lincoln Park ZooLights, running from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026, will feature hundreds of luminous displays and incredible seasonal activities, all under the glow of millions of illuminated lights.
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Brookfield ZooLights
Get ready to visit Chicagoland’s largest and longest-running lights festival featuring over a million twinkling LED lights! Brookfield Zoo hosts its annual “Holiday Magic” event, which runs on select nights from Nov 21-23, 28-30, Dec 4-7, 11-14, 18-21 & 26-31, 2025; and Jan 1-4, 2026.
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Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light
Children can experience the festive magic at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago’s beloved annual celebration, Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light, which runs from Nov 8, 2025 through Jan 5, 2026.
Christmas Around the World & Holidays of Light
Light Shows in Northern Illinois
Illuminated: A Lighted Garden Experience
The holiday lights experience Illuminated at Anderson Gardens at Anderson Japanese Gardens runs December 4–14, 2025 (Thursday–Sunday, 5:00–8:30 PM), and then opens nightly from December 18, 2025 through January 4, 2026 (5:00–8:30 PM). The event features trees lit up, a canopy of lights to walk through, fireside dining, wood-fire pizzas, rotating food trucks, and hotel chocolates.
Nicholas Conservatory All Aglow
Positioned near the banks of the Rock River in Rockford, Nicholas Conservatory’s vibrant holiday lights display will mesmerize you and your loved ones with light-wrapped trees and shrubs, glowing stars, gumbo candy canes and various surprises to discover. Open Nov. 29th - Jan. 11th
Santa Rock N Lights
With over 700 feet of dancing light tunnels, Santa Rock N Lights in Grayslake lets you encounter towering polar bears, dinosaurs and more within a glimmering wonderworld. 2025 dates coming soon.
Vintage Holidays in Long Grove
Sleigh rides, seasonal lights, and Santa create a full nostalgic holiday experience at Vintage Holidays in Long Grove. Various holiday experiences will take place on select dates from Nov. 21st - Dec. 24th.
Holiday Lights in Western Illinois
East Peoria Festival of Lights Winter Wonderland
Highlights of East Peoria's annual Festival of Lights Parade are the 40 floats mostly lighted by LED lights, featuring a 70-foot Clydesdale team, a 95-foot Chinese dragon, a 160-foot steam engine, and the USS East Peoria out of Star Trek. Spectators can stroll or drive along the two-mile route along East Washington and Taylor Streets.
Christmas Wonderland
Over four million dazzling lights cover Rock Spring Park in Alton, giving you the perfect way to kick off your holiday celebrations.
Christmas Wonderland Christmas Wonderland
Wonderlights Christmas at World Wide Technology Raceway
For a night of holiday fun the whole family can enjoy, head over to the Wonderlights Christmas show for holiday lights accompanied by classic and modern Christmas songs.
Wonderlights Christmas Wonderlights Christmas
Quincy Festival of Lights
Featuring nearly two miles of exuberant holiday light installations, Quincy’s Festival of Lights will surely buoy your spirits and maybe even become a family tradition.
Festival of Lights Festival of LightsWay of Lights Christmas Lights
Located in Belleville, visitors will rejoice over this spectacular 1.5-mile Way of Lights display that shares the story of Christmas. Beyond the lights, enjoy a petting zoo, Christmas tree room, wreath displays, and camel rides. Open Nov. 21st - Dec. 31st
Central Illinois Light Shows
Effingham Wonderland of Lights
Get into the holiday spirit at Wonderland in Lights. Along with the free display, every Saturday Santa visits to bring presents to the children in attendance. You can always continue the fun in downtown Effingham and see the larger-than-life ornaments on the Effingham County Courthouse Museum lawn, including a 34-foot, dazzling Christmas Tree.
Old Capitol Holiday Walks
Spread holiday cheer by basking in the unique shops Downtown Springfield has to offer, which are ripe this time of year for shopping and dining.
Holiday Walks Holiday Walks
Candlestick Lane
For over half a century, the Urbana neighborhood comes together and celebrates family, friends and their city. Lamplighters go from house to house on opening ceremony to start Candlestick Lane.
Candlestick Lane Candlestick LaneShelbyville Festival of Lights
Drive through a seasonally decorated Forest Park in Shelbyville for twinkling lights displays, which are painted and taped to match the light’s colors for an out-of-this-world holiday light extravaganza.
Chatham Light Up the Park
Marvel at nearly a mile of bright lights and holiday displays from the comfort and safety of your vehicle.
Henson Robinson Zoo Lights
Take a bundled-up family walk through the annual Zoo Lights at the Henson Robinson Zoo in Springfield, which runs on selected nights beginning November 28 through December 21, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Downs Dooley Park
Enjoy a dazzling lights display in Downs Dooley Park from November to January.
Mattoon Lightworks
Celebrate the holidays at Peterson Park with a dazzling display of holiday lights to welcome the season. Drive through or walk to get a picture up close.
Olney Christmas Lights Display
Hear the sounds of Christmas accompanied by glimmering holiday lights, a simple way to celebrate the holiday season.
Christmas Lights Wonderland
Check out Christmas Lights Wonderland in Greenville for an extensive Christmas lightbox collection and special events on the weekends.
Southern Illinois Holiday Lights
WonderLight's Christmas
WonderLight's Christmas returns for the 2025 season! Conveniently located in the St. Louis area, drive through an incredible display of over 1 million LED lights choreographed to both classic and modern Christmas music, all played through your car stereo. Load up the car with friends and family to enjoy this festive show and make it a new holiday tradition!
Du Quoin Holiday Lights Fair
Witness the magic of millions of twinkling lights by driving through the transformed Du Quoin State Fairgrounds for its 23rd annual holiday lights festival, which runs from Thursday, November 27 through Tuesday, December 30, 2025 (evenings).
Holiday Lights Fair Holiday Lights Fair
Christmas Village Walking Path
Celebrate Christmas with a stroll through the Arboretum in Bethalto, with lighted trees, glass cottages, wire art, nativity, and much more.
Christmas Village Christmas VillageLighted Christmas Parade
Stroll down to Christmas in Carterville — where the downtown streets are closed — for an ideal night of holiday activities like parade floats, Christmas lights, carriage rides, letters to Santa, ornament making, CandyLand trails, and carolers. Dec 5th
Christmas Lights in Carlyle Park
The holidays have officially arrived, and there’s no better way to welcome the good tidings than driving through this display of Christmas splendor in Carlyle’s City Park. Open Nov 28th - Jan 4th
Downtown Country Christmas Bright Nights
Explore the windows of Downtown Country Christmas Bright Nights and see the lights shining bright for family fun from the comfort of your car.