Holiday lights near Nashville for families (2026)
Checked · Covers Oct 28 – Jan 15 · All times are local Central Time
We list 4 holiday light events around Nashville for Oct 28 – Jan 15: 3 displays running for weeks and 1 one-night event. Displays that run for weeks come first, then one-night parades and tree lightings around Nashville. Popular nights can sell out, so check the official page before you go.
Light displays open for weeks
Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo
- When
- Fri, Nov 13 – Sun, Jan 3 (Nightly Nov 13–Jan 3) · 5–9pm
- Cost
- Single-night admission $27 per person (members save $5); children under 2 free; parking $10
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Nashville Zoo’s new holiday light show with glowing wildlife displays and an 85-foot synchronized Christmas tree in the Holiday Square. Santa visits nightly Nov 27–Dec 24; ice skating, the carousel and the zip line cost extra.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood
- When
- Fri, Nov 20 – Sun, Jan 3 (Nov 20–Jan 3 (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)) · 4:30–10pm
- Cost
- Separate timed ticket; prices vary by night (see site)
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Cheekwood’s gardens and historic mansion lit and decorated for the season, with this year’s French-inspired “Enchanted Noel” mansion décor and a holiday marketplace.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
A Charming Christmas at Cannonsburgh Village
- When
- Fri, Dec 4 – Sat, Dec 19 (Fridays and Saturdays Dec 4–19) · 4–8pm
- Cost
- $5 per person; ages 5 and under free
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Candle-lit village buildings with rustic holiday decor, light displays, carolers, live music, letters to Santa, holiday crafts and demonstrations. Tickets online or at the gate.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
One-night light parades and tree lightings
Rutherford County Christmas Tree Lighting
- When
- Fri, Dec 4 · 6–8:30pm
- Cost
- Not stated (activities, hot cocoa and Santa photos are free; carriage rides offered)
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Choirs, kids’ crafts and free hot cocoa around the courthouse from 6pm, stage performances 6:30–7:30pm, then Santa arrives on stage to light the tree. Free pictures with Santa inside the courthouse afterward.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Frequently asked questions
When do holiday lights open around Nashville in 2026?
3 light displays on our list run for weeks: Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo (Nashville, Nov 13 – Jan 3), Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood (Nashville, Nov 20 – Jan 3) and A Charming Christmas at Cannonsburgh Village (Murfreesboro, Dec 4 – Dec 19).
How much do ticketed light displays near Nashville cost?
Prices from the official pages: Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo (Single-night admission $27 per person, members save $5), Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood (Separate timed ticket) and A Charming Christmas at Cannonsburgh Village ($5 per person). See all 4 above. Prices can change by night.
Can kids see Santa at a light display near Nashville?
Yes. 3 light events on our list have Santa: Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo (Nashville, Nov 13 – Jan 3), A Charming Christmas at Cannonsburgh Village (Murfreesboro, Dec 4 – Dec 19) and Rutherford County Christmas Tree Lighting (Murfreesboro, Dec 4). Some charge extra for Santa photos.
Which holiday lights events near Nashville need tickets or registration?
1 event on our list says on the official page that it needs advance tickets, timed entry or registration: Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood (Nashville). Book through each official page.
Which Nashville-area cities have holiday lights events?
We list holiday lights events in 2 cities, including Nashville (2) and Murfreesboro (2).
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How we build this page: each event comes from the organizer's official website and shows the date we checked it. An event is called free only when its official page says so. Read how we verify listings.
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