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Winter light festivals

Light festivals are made for an evening walk, and most are outdoors and easy to see at your own pace. These are this winter’s festivals and light trails in the places our guides cover, grouped by city.

Kyoto

  • Autumn Leaves Illumination and Special Night Viewing of the Kondo and the Kodo

    To-ji · Oct 31 to Dec 13

    An autumn leaves illumination with special night viewing of the Kondo and Kodo.

    Official listing ↗

The Kyoto guidePlanning kit for Kyoto

Tokyo

  • TOKYO ILLUMILIA 2026-2027

    Nov 5, 2026 to Feb 14, 2027

    A central streetscape is lit between Tokyo Station and Nihonbashi.

    Official listing ↗

The Tokyo guidePlanning kit for Tokyo

Zurich

  • Illuminarium Zurich

    Landesmuseum Zurich courtyard, Museumstrasse 2 · Nov 5 to Dec 30

    The ninth edition fills the museum courtyard with light shows, a fondue chalet, food stands and DJs.

    Official listing ↗

  • Lucy Christmas lights switch-on

    Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich · Nov 19

    The Bahnhofstrasse Christmas lighting is switched on in a public ceremony.

    Official listing ↗

The Zurich guidePlanning kit for Zurich

Asheville

  • Winter Lights

    North Carolina Arboretum · Nov 13, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027

    An open-air walk-through light show illuminating the gardens with over one million lights.

    Official listing ↗

The Asheville guidePlanning kit for Asheville

Chattanooga

  • Enchanted Garden of Lights

    Rock City Gardens · Nov 13 to Dec 31

    A nighttime Christmas lights experience through Rock City Gardens with winter-themed displays.

    Official listing ↗

The Chattanooga guidePlanning kit for Chattanooga

Cornwall

  • Heligan Night Garden

    The Lost Gardens of Heligan · Nov 13, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027

    Illuminated woodland and wildlife lanterns transform the garden after dark.

    Official listing ↗

The Cornwall guidePlanning kit for Cornwall

Chicago

  • Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum

    The Morton Arboretum · Nov 14, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027

    An illuminated arboretum offers a landscape-focused holiday excursion.

    Official listing ↗

The Chicago guidePlanning kit for Chicago

Napa & Sonoma

  • Northern Lights Winter Lights Art Walk

    Sculpture Garden at the LBC · Nov 19, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027

    Illuminated sculpture creates a winter evening art walk.

    Official listing ↗

The Napa & Sonoma guidePlanning kit for Napa & Sonoma

Denver & Boulder

  • Blossoms of Light

    Denver Botanic Gardens · Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027

    Illuminated garden installations make a distinct winter evening outing.

    Official listing ↗

The Denver & Boulder guidePlanning kit for Denver & Boulder

Colmar

  • Spectacle son et lumière – Once Upon a Night 2026

    Musée Unterlinden · Nov 25, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027

    A sound-and-light show in the museum cloister titled Once Upon a Night.

    Official listing ↗

The Colmar guidePlanning kit for Colmar

Amsterdam

  • Amsterdam Light Festival

    Canals of Amsterdam (4.5 km walking route and canal cruise) · Nov 26, 2026 to Jan 17, 2027

    Light artworks line the canals in the 15th edition, and can be seen on foot or from a boat.

    Official listing ↗

The Amsterdam guidePlanning kit for Amsterdam

Cotswolds

  • Enchanted Garden by Night - Twinkly Winter Lights

    Painswick Rococo Garden · Nov 27, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027

    Illuminated garden structures create a smaller-scale winter trail.

    Official listing ↗

The Cotswolds guidePlanning kit for Cotswolds

Lyon

  • Fête des Lumières 2026

    Various locations across central Lyon · Dec 5 to Dec 8

    Artists light up squares, facades and landmarks across the city for four evenings.

    Official listing ↗

The Lyon guidePlanning kit for Lyon

Singapore

  • Gardens-A-Glow

    Singapore Botanic Gardens · Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027

    A year-end light-up event held across the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

    Official listing ↗

The Singapore guidePlanning kit for Singapore

York

  • Minster Mash-Up: Lights switch-on

    York Minster · Nov 28

    An event to switch on the Minster's Christmas lights.

    Official listing ↗

  • Sankta Lucia: Festival of Light

    York Minster · Dec 14

    A Swedish candlelit procession brings a distinct northern European Advent tradition to York.

    Official listing ↗

The York guidePlanning kit for York

Cambridge

  • Christmas Lights Switch On at Station Square

    Station Square, Cambridge · Nov 12

    A short early-evening switch-on with live music at Cambridge station, kicking off the city's Christmas lights.

    Official listing ↗

  • Cambridge Christmas Lights: The Big Switch On

    Market Square, Cambridge · Nov 15

    The main city switch-on, with performances from midday on the market square and the lights going on late afternoon.

    Official listing ↗

The Cambridge guidePlanning kit for Cambridge

Vancouver

  • LUMIERE 2026

    Venues across the city · Nov 12 to Nov 14

    Light installations turn familiar plazas into evening art spaces.

    Official listing ↗

The Vancouver guidePlanning kit for Vancouver

Oxford

  • Oxford Christmas Light Festival

    Bonn Square, Broad Street and communities across Oxford · Nov 13 to Nov 15

    Free light trails, lantern parades and installations spread across the city and its parks over one November weekend.

    Official listing ↗

  • Christmas Light Festival at MOX

    Museum of Oxford · Nov 14

    A festive craft event where visitors make lanterns inspired by Oxford street lights as part of the Christmas Light Festival.

    Official listing ↗

The Oxford guidePlanning kit for Oxford

Bergen

  • Festival of Lights (Lysfesten)

    Around Lille Lungegardsvann · Nov 14

    The Christmas season opener, with the tree lighting around the lake in central Bergen.

    Official listing ↗

The Bergen guidePlanning kit for Bergen

Lake District

  • Ambleside Community Christmas Lights

    Ambleside · Nov 21

    The lantern parade and switch-on bring a village-scale celebration to the streets.

    Official listing ↗

The Lake District guidePlanning kit for Lake District

Lucerne

  • Lilu Lichtfestival

    Jesuit Church · Jan 14, 2027 to Jan 24, 2027

    A light festival with daily organ accompaniment.

    Official listing ↗

The Lucerne guidePlanning kit for Lucerne

Copenhagen

  • Copenhagen Light Festival 2027

    Various locations across Copenhagen · Jan 29, 2027 to Feb 21, 2027

    Winter light-art festival that fills the city with installations, with guided tours and light trails.

    Official listing ↗

  • Officiel guidet tur under Copenhagen Light Festival 2027

    Højbro Plads, 1200 København K · Feb 2, 2027 to Feb 9, 2027

    A hosted route supplies structure for viewing light art after dark.

    Official listing ↗

The Copenhagen guidePlanning kit for Copenhagen

Reykjavik

  • Winter Lights Festival 2027

    Multiple venues across the capital area · Feb 4, 2027 to Feb 7, 2027

    Light art, Museum Night, and Pool Night animate the winter city.

    Official listing ↗

The Reykjavik guidePlanning kit for Reykjavik

Portland

  • Portland Winter Light Festival

    Sites across Portland · Feb 5, 2027 to Feb 13, 2027

    Light installations and interactive work animate winter streets.

    Official listing ↗

The Portland guidePlanning kit for Portland

Dates from official sources, checked October 2026. Plans can change, so confirm with the organizer before you book.

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