The holiday season is here, and Nashville is turning up the sparkle. Streets, parks, and venues are all decked out in twinkling lights and seasonal fun that make this time of year feel extra special. Whether you’re planning a night out with family, a festive date, or want to soak in the seasonal spirit, here’s a guide to some of the best holiday lights and events happening around Music City this season.
Christmas at Gaylord Opryland
Dates: November 6, 2026 – January 2, 2027
Location: 2800 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN
Gaylord Opryland goes all out with So Much Christmas: dazzling displays, tempting treats, holiday shows, and festive activities throughout the resort. This year’s signature attraction, ICE! featuring Home Alone, brings the holiday classic to life in hand-carved ice, from the McCallister house to the battle-plan traps and the Wet Bandits. It’s kept at a chilly 9°F, so you’ll get a cozy blue parka at the door, and the exhibit includes five ice slides, tunnels, and crawl-through passages. Catch Pomp, Snow & Cirqueumstance, a family-friendly Broadway-style cirque production, then wander more than 5 million holiday lights across 9 acres of indoor atriums. Gingerbread decorating, photos with Santa, ice tubing lanes, and 20+ holiday dining and pop-up experiences round out a full day of holiday magic.
The Dancing Lights of Christmas
Dates: November 7, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Location: 1033 Sparta Pike, Lebanon, TN
Tune your car radio to the holiday soundtrack and cruise through Tennessee’s largest drive-thru light show, where more than 2.5 million lights dance in sync to the music. Your $35 admission per standard family vehicle covers the multi-mile drive, plus a stop at Santa’s Village to visit with Santa and meet the animals at the petting zoo. The show runs nightly, rain or shine.
Glow Wild at Nashville Zoo
Dates: November 13, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Location: 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN
Glow Wild is a brand-new holiday light show at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Stroll lit walkways past massive illuminated wildlife structures, then head to the Holiday Square, where an 85-foot Christmas tree puts on a fully synchronized light show, and Santa visits nightly from November 27 through December 24. Select habitats stay open until 8:30 PM, including the Sumatran tiger, Andean bear, flamingos, and the Unseen New World exhibit. Lace up for a 45-minute session at the Smashville Ice Rink, and warm up with holiday treats and spiked hot cocoa for the grown-ups!
Christmas Village
Dates: November 13 – 15, 2026
Location: 500 Wedgewood Ave, Nashville, TN
Kick-start your holiday shopping at Christmas Village, where more than 250 merchants offer everything from toys and jewelry to gourmet foods and those hard-to-find gifts for the person who has everything. Best of all, the event is run entirely by volunteers of the Nashville Pi Beta Phi Alumnae Club, so every ticket helps support local charities.
FrankTown Festival of Lights
Dates: November 20 – December 31, 2026
Location: 4215 Long Lane, Franklin, TN
FrankTown Festival of Lights fills a mile and a half of drive-through paths with more than 200 synchronized light displays. Cruise along to festive holiday music, take selfies by the towering Christmas tree, roast s’mores at the fire pits, and grab a snack from the food trucks. Best of all, your visit supports the nonprofit mission of FrankTown Open Hearts.
Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood
Dates: November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Location: 1200 Forrest Park Dr, Nashville, TN
Follow a one-mile walking path through more than a million twinkling lights, from the radiant Peppermint Path and breathtaking Star Field to the 28-foot Pixel Pine glowing over the Bradford Robertson Color Garden. Don’t miss the Dancing Lights of TRAINS!, as Cheekwood’s permanent model train exhibit gets a glittering holiday makeover. Inside the Historic Mansion, An Enchanted Noel is a French-inspired holiday installation by former Chief White House Floral Designer Laura Dowling. Warm up by the fire pits with s’mores and seasonal drinks, and browse the Holiday Marketplace for gifts.
Nashville Yards Holidays
Dates: November 21, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Location: 901 Church St, Nashville, TN
Nashville Yards brings the holidays downtown with skating on real ice at the upgraded Rink Under Broad, festive food and drinks, free photos with Santa courtesy of Ascension Saint Thomas and free holiday movie nights in partnership with Xfinity. Mark your calendar for the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, November 28, at 5:00 PM, and shop small at the Merry Market Under Broad on November 28 and 29.
Holly Jolly Festival of Lights
Dates: November 27 – December 23, 2026
Location: 4374 Rocky Glade Rd, Eagleville, TN
Just a short drive from Nashville, Franklin, and Murfreesboro, Lucky Ladd Farms lights up with a mile-long walkable trail of twinkling displays, shimmering tunnels, animated scenes, and a live nativity. Meet holiday characters and barnyard animals, take a pony ride, write a letter to Santa, step into the snow globe experience, and cozy up by the campfire with s’mores, fresh-baked cookies, and a hot cocoa bar. General admission for ages 2 and up is $12–$16 online, depending on the date, or $19–$23 at the gate. Online tickets must be purchased at least an hour in advance, and kids under 2 and parking are free.
Nashville’s Nutcracker
Dates: November 27 – December 27, 2026
Location: 505 Deaderick St, Nashville, TN
Nothing says the holidays quite like the Nutcracker, and Nashville Ballet’s Nashville’s Nutcracker puts a Southern spin on Tchaikovsky’s timeless classic. With dazzling costumes, talented dancers, and the sweeping sound of a live orchestra, this beloved production is a magical holiday tradition the whole family will treasure.
Santa Express Excursion
Dates: November 28, December 5, 12 & 19, 2026
Location: 220 Willow St, Nashville, TN
Climb aboard the Tennessee Central Railway Museum’s Santa Express for a 90-minute holiday train ride in restored 1950s streamlined rail cars. Santa and his elves visit every car along the way, making it a nostalgic treat for kids and grown-ups alike. For the best views, snag one of the 20 seats in the glass-enclosed dome car, which offers a 360-degree panorama but always sells out first. The vintage dining car serves hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, snacks and drinks, and little ones under 2 can ride free on a parent’s lap. Tickets range from $42.64 to $127.10, and the train runs rain or shine, so book early, since most trips sell out quickly.
Opry Country Christmas
Dates: November 29 – December 22, 2026
Location: 600 Opry Mills Dr, Nashville, TN
The merriest show in Music City is back. Opry Country Christmas transforms the Grand Ole Opry House into a winter wonderland of lights, trees, and photo ops, and unlike a regular Opry night, every song is a Christmas favorite. Opry regulars like Riders In The Sky, Mandy Barnett and Rhonda Vincent are joined by rotating guests, including Ashley McBryde, Jon Pardi, The Oak Ridge Boys and Lauren Alaina, with more to be announced. Keep an eye out for Santa’s on-stage cameo, though there’s no meet-and-greet, so head to Gaylord Opryland if you want a photo. The shows are family-friendly and sell out fast, so book early.
Nashvillage Holiday Market
Dates: December 3 – 6 & December 10 – 13, 2026
Location: 121 4th Ave S, Nashville, TN
This free annual market takes over Walk of Fame Park for two festive weekends of local artisan vendors, seasonal treats and drinks, campfires with live music, a community tree lighting, the Bridgestone Holiday Lodge and Santa’s Village. Kids can make holiday crafts, try fun science experiments and get their faces painted, and Santa will be on hand for photos on Saturdays, December 5 and 12, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.
Porter Flea Holiday Market
Dates: December 11 – 12, 2026
Location: 320 Wedgewood Ave, Nashville, TN
Shop handmade at this juried indoor craft fair featuring more than 200 local and regional makers, with a curated mix of jewelry, apparel, home décor, and artwork that’s perfect for one-of-a-kind gifts. Get first pick at the ticketed Preview Market on Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, or stop by the Main Market on Saturday.
Dickens of a Christmas Festival
Dates: December 12 – 13, 2026
Location: Main Street, Franklin, TN
Step back in time at the 41st annual Dickens of a Christmas, about 20–30 minutes south of Nashville. Downtown Franklin’s historic streets fill with musicians, dancers, carolers, and Dickens characters, from the nefarious Fagin to Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, plus a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for the kids. Enjoy arts and crafts vendors, food and drinks, live entertainment on two stages, storytimes, a whiskey lounge, and a beer garden. The festival is produced by the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.
Jack Daniel’s New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash
Date: December 31, 2026
Location: 600 James Robertson Pkwy, Nashville, TN
Ring in 2027 at Nashville’s biggest free party of the year, with headlining performances by Little Big Town, The Red Clay Strays, and HARDY. Join thousands of fellow revelers downtown for hours of live music, then watch fireworks light up the skyline as the iconic Music Note Drop counts down to Music City Midnight. It’s the perfect way to welcome the new year in true Nashville style.
Nashville is ready to make your holiday season merry and bright, whether you’re coming for a weekend or staying through the new year. To make the most of your trip, book a GoodNight Stay and find your home for the holidays. And don’t forget to check our specials page for exclusive discounts that make your getaway extra special!
