2025 Guide to Philly's Best Holiday Light Shows & Christmas Light Tours

Bucks County’s charming play-shop-dine destination Peddler’s Village rings in the holiday season with a slew of family-friendly festive events and more than enough yuletide cheer to go around.

But whether visiting for an event, finishing off that gift list at the village’s boutiques or enjoying a festive day out, visitors can stay through sunset for 1 million colorful twinkling lights covering nearly every building, path and tree in the village that kick on at 4:30 p.m. each night.

The fun begins with live music, dance performances and the first flickers of light at the Grand Illumination Celebration — hosted by none other than Mr. and Mrs. Claus themselves — on Friday, November 14, 2025.

The hills of Northwest Philly come alive for the sixth annual Manayunk Gets Lit display along the bustling neighborhood’s Main Street. Each holiday season, the entire corridor — more than 50 storefronts in all — is illuminated by over 80,000 holiday lights.

The celebration kicks off on November 20, 2025, with the annual tree lighting ceremony at Canal View Park. The coolest way to take in Manayunk’s displays is from the free Jolly Trolley, which runs the length of Main Street and often features on-board carolers, performers and musicians (December 4-20, 2025, select dates).

One of Philly’s favorite holiday traditions is the Christmas Village in Philadelphia, a Bavarian-style holiday marketplace with 120 vendors lining LOVE Park, as well as more seasonal attractions and vendors across the street at City Hall.

New for 2025, a 30-foot-tall German Christmas pyramid — a windmill-like structure illuminated by over 3,000 festive lights alone — towers above the vendors’ wooden stalls, set aglow by holiday lights of their own. At the LOVE Park Visitor Center (the “flying saucer”), the event’s Festival of Trees offers an indoor display of over 20 stunningly decorated Christmas conifers.

Free to attend with pay-as-you-go shopping, dining and attractions, the Yuletide destination also features a glowing Ferris wheel, carousel and rideable train for the kids.

November 28, 2025 – Winter 2026

Experience a Penn’s Landing winter wonderland as the free Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest sets up on the Delaware River waterfront for its 32nd season.

Glide around the free NHL-sized ice skating rink (tickets required). Enjoy pay-as-you-go games and amusement rides on the boardwalk. Or indulge in seasonal treats and hot drinks around firepits at the rinkside lounge or from inside a cozy warming cabin or heated igloo.

Fantastic light displays viewable here include the thousands of sparkling string lights wrapping the festival’s signature holiday tree, which springs to life for the first time during the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony on December 5, 2025.

Stay tuned to the official website for more information.

November 28 – December 19, 2025 (Fridays)

A celebration of the ubiquitous Christmas luminaire — the decorative candle-in-paper-bag holiday lanterns that line walkways, driveways and curbs across the region — set the Skippack skies aglow during Illuminaire Nights in the historic Skippack Village shopping district in Montgomery County.

To welcome the holiday season, the luminaires frame the sidewalks outside stores and restaurants on Friday nights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participating shops also stay open until 8 p.m., offering special surprises for shoppers.

The streets of West Chester take on a magical quality, as about 75 restaurants and 65 boutiques don sparkly holiday lights. The centerpiece of the wintry display is the massive holiday tree rising high above town. The 28-foot-tall evergreen — the largest in the event’s history — is draped from top to bottom in 16,000 white LED lights.

The switch gets flipped on for the first time during the annual Tree Lighting and West Chester Christmas Parade on December 5, 2025. The annual event also features live dance and musical performances, marching bands, award-winning floats and more.

At its corporate headquarters in Northeast Philadelphia, the lights shine brightly each holiday season during American Heritage Credit Union’s Grand Illumination, with two 40-foot-tall Christmas trees, hundreds of wreaths and more than 400,000 twinkling lights.

Lights twinkle on nightly at dusk when visitors are invited to stroll the campus and take in the display and decorations at their leisure. The celebration begins with the kickoff event on November 29, 2025, featuring seasonal music, costumed Ben Franklin and Betsy Ross and more, with the on button hit for the first time at 7 p.m.

One of the Philadelphia Countryside’s most extensive community light displays, the Rose Tree Festival of Lights has lit up Rose Tree County Park in Media for five decades.

The vast walk-through spectacle celebrates its milestone 50th anniversary with dozens of illuminated trees and light displays spread throughout the 120-acre Delaware County park.

Guests — even four-legged ones — are invited to enjoy live entertainment, food truck eats and shopping with local vendors during the attraction’s Delco Fare & Flair Nights on select nights (December 4, 6, 7, 13 and 14, 2025).

Winter 2025 (dates TBA)

Holidays in Philadelphia just wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Christmas Light Show at the Wanamaker Building — the site of America’s first department store.

Since 1956, thousands of dancing snowflake-, candy cane- and snowman-shaped lights have illuminated Wanamaker’s Grand Court, accompanied by its iconic Grand Organ.

Despite the closure of the historic building’s most recent tenant — Macy’s — the (holiday) show must go on, returning with support from the Independence Visitor Center and fans.

Upstairs in Dickens Village, guests step into a vintage, animatronic retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and get their photos taken with Santa. Stay tuned for more details.

The 200-year-old Yeager’s Farm in Phoenixville — family-owned since the days of William Penn and currently run by sixth-generation Yeagers — lights up the countryside every winter with its Holiday Light Show.

Explore 60 acres of farmland illuminated with tens of thousands of lights and animated displays from the comfort of your car along the one-plus-mile route through the Christmas tree farm, synchronized to favorite holiday songs. The holiday attraction also features options to see the light show by hayride or bike (advance tickets are required).

There are only two Sesame Street theme parks in the world, and one of them is right in Langhorne, Bucks County.

With its sister park far away in unseasonal San Diego, your local Sesame Place is the only true wintry locale for enjoying the annual A Very Furry Christmas, which transforms the park into a one-of-a-kind holiday wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, themed rides, festive decorations and a special Christmas Parade. Enjoy a special Christmas Parade, gifts and a visit with Santa in the Furry Workshop, plus the spectacular 1-2-3 Christmas Tree music and lights show.

November 20, 2025 – January 3, 2026 (select dates)

The immersive LumiNature display transforms the Philadelphia Zoo into a multimedia spectacular illuminated with a million twinkling lights.

While the animals sleep, humans can ride the SEPTA PZ Express Kiddie Train under an illuminated canopy or dance along with a 40-foot-tall penguin shimmering with 40,000 lights. This year, the attraction debuts a brand-new 110-foot-tall observation Pherris Wheel, offering unbeatable views of all the lights from the sky.

Get the perfect selfie in front of the pink flamingo tree, and take the littles to make their holiday gift requests during a visit with the big man himself in Santa’s Lodge. Top it off with seasonal fare, live performers, hot chocolate and adult beverages.

November 21 – December 30, 2025 (select dates)

Festive holiday vibes come to the furry, fuzzy and feathered residents of the Elmwood Park Zoo. The Montco attraction shines bright during the holiday season, with millions of LED lights illuminating the attraction’s 16 acres during Wild Lights.

The walk-through experience features brilliant light displays, live entertainment, animal meet and greets, and photo ops with characters and Mr. Claus himself during the evening hours. Also look out for seasonal snacks and brews at the beer garden, plus a playground, train rides and carousel rides for the kids.

Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights and spectacular fountain shows combine to create an incredible winter wonderland at A Longwood Christmas, named No. 1 for Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights five years in a row by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Illuminated with jewel-toned lights and accented with hanging crystals, lush fabrics and gilded metals, the nationally acclaimed gardens transform into an opulent jewelry box for this year’s over-the-top holiday display.

Marvel at miles of lights glowing in the trees, seasonal plants decorated with ornaments and radiant mineral specimens, a festive outdoor mini railway, and colorful fountains dancing to holiday music.

November 22 – December 30, 2025 (select dates)

One of the country’s largest outdoor model train displays gets its annual winter makeover, becoming the Holiday Garden Railway.

Located inside the 100-acre Morris Arboretum & Gardens, G-scale mini locomotives wind through loops, tunnels, bridges and replicas of beloved Philly landmarks (including the spiffy new Morris Train Station) beneath a canopy of thousands of twinkling lights.

The daytime light experience is free with general admission, but come sunset, the display transforms into The Nighttime Express (beginning Saturday, November 29, 2025) with sparkling lights along the railway and laser lights in the trees (separate timed tickets required).

Millions of twinkling lights illuminate the night at this rolling Bucks County farm. Take in the show from the comfort of your car or in the open air while snuggled up in a wagon with loved ones (weather permitting).

After taking in the whimsical light displays, be sure to stop by Santa’s Village for some face time with the big man and to warm up with festive drinks and snacks by the firepits.

November 28, 2025 – January 1, 2026 (select dates)

Over half a million lights are on display during the walk-through Carnival of Lights across the fields of the Norco Fire Company in Pottstown, Montgomery County, all digitally synchronized to a selection of holiday music.

Admission to the event includes the holiday light walk, unlimited amusement rides and visits with Santa, with food, games, mechanical reindeer, items at the craft market and photos with St. Nick offered pay as you go. On Monday, December 17, 2025, the attraction presents a Sensory Friendly Night, with steady-lit lights, lower volume music and an available quiet room.

National company Events with Benefitz offers guided holiday tours in 10 cities, including Philly’s BYOB Holiday Lights Trolley Tour. The heated and festively decorated vintage trolley makes stops at LOVE Park, Franklin Square, Smedley Street and more (subject to change) over the two-hour tour, with trivia and prizes while on board.

But the fun begins beforehand as attendees meet up an hour ahead at the tour-start location — Urban Village Brewing in Northern Liberties — to check in, meet your tour guide, and receive a complimentary snack. Like all the other tours on this list, this one is BYOB for those 21 and over only.

Hop-on-hop-off City Sightseeing Philadelphia has been operating expert-guided bus tours for over a quarter century. Come holiday time, the company offers Center City tours aboard its Victorian trolleys, highlighting some of Philly’s favorite light displays.

Each hour-and-a-half ride — decked out with colorful lights, holiday decor and singalong music — begins and ends in front of the Bourse Building on Independence Mall and hits sites including LOVE Park, Franklin Square and Smedley Street (where the trolley stops for about 15 minutes). The best part: The trolley is BYOB (beer or wine only) for those 21 and over.

Long-running 76 Carriage Company, home to Philadelphia Trolley Works and The Big Bus Company, offers its festive, reserved ticketed Holiday Lights Tour each holiday season.

Step aboard the classic Victorian trolley for a 90-minute tour of the region’s best holiday illuminations, including the Miracle on South 13th Street, City Hall and Dilworth Park, the Comcast Experience, Franklin Square and Smedley Street (where the trolley stops for about 15 minutes). Tours pick up in front of the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. The tour is BYOB (beer or wine only) for those 21 and over.

First started in 2016, Founding Footsteps Tours began as a one-time fundraiser for family and friends. Today, it’s expanded into a year-round tour company, still offering its self-described “Philly’s original” BYOB Holiday Light Tour, which features on-board local live musicians serenading attendees with sing-along holiday tunes.

The two-hour tour begins in front of Craft Hall in Northern Liberties before rolling to a number of sites, with hop-off stops at Smedley Street and Franklin Square. The tour is BYOB (beer or wine only) for those 21 and over.