Looking for something fun to do with friends and family next week after Thanksgiving? There are plenty of beautiful holiday light displays in local neighborhoods as well as at regional parks. NOVA Parks' holiday light shows are open now through the holidays and feature several options — a drive-through holiday light show, a walking tour, ice-skating and more. You can purchase your tickets now to reserve your preferred date and time to visit the following parks:
2024 Ice & Lights—The Winter Village at Cameron Run
Cameron Run Regional Park, 4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria
22024 Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights
9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna
2024 Bull Run Festival of Lights
7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville
Here’s more information about these fun holiday wonderlands:
Cameron Run
Ice & Lights- the Winter Village at Cameron Run has a variety of beautifully lit outdoor holiday displays that are perfect for selfies and family photos. Guests can stroll the park and see light displays, buy light-up toys, sip hot chocolate, eat snacks and warm up by the fire, and even take a spin on the ice rink! (Ice skating tickets required).
The Winter Village is open now, Friday-Sunday through Nov. 24, then nightly Nov. 29- Jan. 5. Village entry is any time between 5-10 p.m. for the date of your ticket. All guests ages 2 and older must have a ticket to enter the Village.
Ice Skating is open nightly starting Nov. 29 through Jan. 6 from 5-10 p.m. Be sure to look for daytime ice skating times around the holidays and through January and February for even more fun. Ice skating tickets include Village admission and must be purchased online due to capacity limits.
Daytime skating options are available at Cameron Run Regional Park. Timed tickets for ice skating are available select weekends and winter break in December, then weekends and holidays in January and February. For more information and tickets, visit the EventBrite page for Ice & Lights.
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
Meadowlark Gardens Winter Walk of Lights
Meadowlark
From now through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, you can enjoy the festive glow of Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights — a 0.6-mile trail lined with mesmerizing displays of flowers, animals, gardens, sparkling trees, and enchanting holiday and winter scenes. Open nightly, including all holidays, this event promises to captivate visitors of all ages.
Highlights
- Dates: Open now through Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025
- Open nightly, including all holidays
- Trail length: 0.6 miles of breathtaking lights
- Sips and snacks: Hot chocolate, coffee (spiked or not), cold beverages, beer, and wine available at the glass house. Stop by the Breezy Bites Food Truck for hot pretzels and funnel cakes. End your evening with a s’mores kit from the S’mores Shack and roast marshmallows over a cozy fire.
- Add even more sparkle: Light-up wands, headbands, sabers, holiday spectacles and the popular annual Winter Walk of Lights ornament are available for sale at the Visitor Center and glass house.
Photo courtesy of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
Bull Run Festival of Lights
Bull Run Festival of Lights
One of the best displays in the region is at the Bull Run Festival of Lights, a 2.5-mile drive-through of festive light displays, walk-through holiday village and carnival. The show is open nightly now through Jan. 5, 2025. Organizers want you to know you only have to purchase one ticket per vehicle, for $30 on EventBrite.
Hours
• Monday - Thursday nights 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
• Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holiday nights 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
• Holiday nights include Nov. 28, and 29, Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 5, 2025
Holiday Village dates and times
• Open every night (weather permitting) Nov. 15 through Jan. 5, 2025
• 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday (except in case of holidays)
• 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Friday - Sunday and holiday nights
The holiday village has retail merchandise, bonfires, s’mores, and photo ops. Hours are weather-permitting. Live camel rides and covered petting zoo will be available this year. The village accepts cash and card (Apple Pay and tap and pay accepted)
The carnival has a variety of children’s rides, games and food vendors. Carnival pricing is:
- Single tickets $1.75 per ticket
- Sheet of 30 tickets $40
- Sheet of 50 tickets $60
- Ride all you want wristbands $27 per person
- Rides require three, four or five tickets
