Holiday Light Displays

by Kim on November 25th, 2023 at 6:21 PM

Our readers have shared some of their favorite stops for holiday lights. Please note we’re passing along the addresses shared with us and cannot verify all neighborhood locations listed. The list of light shows in other cities has been updated for 2023. There are a lot of drivable holiday delights!

Send us your favorites from business or residential places around the area! Email to springfieldmoms.org@gmail.com. The Holiday Lights Neighborhood Guide is first and then visit those that are worth the drive.

If you haven’t yet seen Holly the holiday bus in her 13,000 lights of LED glory don’t miss her remaining appearances at the Downtown Holiday Walks and other area events! Thank you Sangamon Mass Transit District for this festive tradition. Find Holly’s next appearance here: https://www.smtd.org/2023-holiday-events

Area Neighborhood Guide

Chatham Lights in the Park Nov. 24-Christmas Day. A fantastic tradition that grows ever year, don’t miss it!

Drive through a mile of holiday lights displays! Bring the family, maybe you’ll see the big guy himself! Thursdays-Sundays 6-9pm. $5/carload suggested donation. Vans/busses welcome. Donations accepted for: Toys for Tots, Ball Chatham Food Pantry and Titan Fuel. All proceeds benefit Chatham Parks

Holiday Lights at the Henson Robinson Zoo: Starting Nov. 24-Dec.10

South
After you visit the Community Park Display in Chatham:
524 Mallard Drive in Chatham runs every night 5-10, tune to station 98.1 There are 6-7 songs and a NYE show as well with countdowns.

In Chatham, Fox Creek and Ironbridge Estates subdivisions.
In Chatham, the corner of Walnut and Gordon
In Chatham, the corner of Ptarmigan and Osteen has LOTS of holiday inflatables in the evenings.
Stay on Route 4 through Chatham heading to Auburn and there is a beautiful display on the right side of the road just a mile or so before you hit Auburn.
The town square in Auburn is beautifully lit- Virden’s is too!

Laketown Subdivision in Springfield. Several readers suggest driving through for a festive glow. A special callout to the corner of Hood St. and Hooker St.
Southern View in Springfield – South 3rd Street

North

Athens has some great displays in Country Lake and Barn Hollow
Val-E-Vue neighborhood at the North end of Route 4 before Bruns Lane.
Northgate subdivision in Springfield
Both 400 and 401 Burr Oak Drive in Williamsville have lovely displays.

Sherman and Williamsville are receiving rave reviews for multiple areas! Meander through many areas. Off Meredith Avenue to start.
Take your #elfieselfie at 513 Charter Oak Drive in Sherman
Prairie Place Light Show at 235 Prairie Place in Sherman is a light show sequenced to music with 15,000 lights!
Sherman welcomes you off Route 4 with a well-lit up area as you enter town. Also check out Quail Ridge and Brookside Glen in Sherman. A reader also suggests 501 Radford in Sherman.

West

Grants Ridge subdivision off far west Washington has a synchronized light show at a home on Missionary Ridge near the cul-de-sac.
West Side Christian Church in Springfield on Veterans Parkway.
Colbrook Dr in Springfield in the Country Meadows Subdivision off of West Washington St.
Cobble Stone Subdivision in Springfield between Wabash and Iles Avenue.
Ginger Creek Subdivision on Woodfield Drive between Iles Avenue and Ginger Creek
Mill Creek Subdivision in Springfield off Washington or Meadowbrook has lots of houses with light displays.
Harrison Park subdivision further west has a lot of festive decor.
Iles Avenue just west of the YMCA, look to your right just before you get to Lenhart.
Country Club subdivision in Springfield, especially on golf road near greenbriar- one house on Golf Road looks like it’s wrapped up like a present.
The Gables Shopping Center off Veterans Parkway next to Sam’s Club is a beautiful environment to get in the holiday spirit! Great local shops and BUNN gourmet coffee, candies and treats all curbside pick-up or delivery as needed. Beautiful light displays and a huge tree for photo opps.
Drive through Centennial Park Place neighborhood off Lenhart and Hedley Road for many beautiful displays throughout the subdivision. See below.
A great new addition this year is at the 4600 block of Foxhall Lane off Cockrell road at the back end of Panther Creek subdivision. They have a light show choreographed to several songs. Tune to 103.3 and the show ends nightly at 9 p.m. VERY festive and worth the stop!
3 miles south of New Berlin corner of Waverly Road and and Union cemetery road. Over 150 blow molds (plastic decorations). 10 scenes ranging from sleigh and reindeer to nativity.

Central

You can’t go wrong driving the neighborhoods around Washington Park in Springfield. Head down South Grande Avenue and go up and down the side streets all around for festive displays.

Westchester subdivision has a lot of fun displays, check out Elmhurst off of the main drag Westcheseter.

East

5128 Mitchell Road in Riverton/Spaulding.
E 2300 North Road, Edinburg (cross street is N 750 East Road)
Taylorville has a Christmas in the Park lights display

Worth the Drive

Allerton Park and Retreat Center holiday lights are a treat well worth the drive! 515 Old Timber Road, Monticello IL 217-333-3287

Uptown Holiday Windows in uptown Normal 4 pm – 9 pm daily from Nov. 28 – Dec. 31. Enjoy this contemporary take on the window displays that major department stores traditionally provide during the holiday season. Passersby will enjoy a visual spectacle on the circle comprised of projected images and large scale decorative installations.

Christmas Light Show At 114 N Randolph St, Princeton, Illinois. Read more.

Festival of Lights in Peoria November- January. Admission is paid at the entrance booth. Read more.

Lightworks in Mattoon. Annual event in Peterson Park. Free admission; donations welcome. Walk-thru event. Learn more.

WonderLight’s Christmas in St. Louis at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, IL.
This dazzling display of Christmas lights is synchronized to traditional and newer, rocking music, played through your car stereo. Come see shooting stars, floating snowflakes, dancing candy canes and lollipops, giant Christmas trees, and (a crowd favorite) enchanting tunnels of lights! Open nightly November 17, 2023 to December 31, 2023 – rain, shine, or snow!!! Read more and buy tickets.

Wonderland Lights in Effingham Community Park has turned into a Winter Wonderland! Community Park is located on East Temple Avenue in Effingham, Illinois. Santa visits Wonderland in Lights every Saturday to bring special presents to the children. The Wonderland in Lights is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information or to volunteer to collect donations, please call 217-342-5310 or visit www.visiteffinghamil.com. If you want to expand the holiday fun, visit downtown Effingham and see the large Ornament on the Courthouse lawn, including the Royal Gift and the Star. These 3D glittering light displays are a big hit.

Shelbyville Festival of Lights Drive through Forest Park, lit up for the Holiday season. Candy Cane lane honors loved ones. Enjoy the Victorian Village, Santa’s Shop, the North Pole, Bethlehem, and others. Read more.

Christmas Wonderland in Alton. Rock Springs Park in Alton, Illinois is transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Visitors can drive through the park to view more than 4 million lights, cascading waterfalls of lights, lighted trees and displays, and visit Santa Claus in the Enchanted Forest. Christmas Wonderland is open the day after Thanksgiving through late December. Learn more.

Wild Lights at the Zoo in St. Louis. Timed entry; register online. High demand is expected and popular dates may sell out quickly. Read more.

Lot of Lights at Family Arena, 2002 Arena Pkwy., St. Charles, MO. A spectacular holiday drive-through light show featuring lasers, holograms, projection mapping and a lot of lights. In fact, millions of them! As visitors enter the massive tunnel of lights, they will enjoy over a mile of unique and exciting holiday displays. Buy timed tickets here.

Celebration of Lights at Fort Zumwalt Park in O’Fallon, MO. ALL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCED! Tickets purchased are NOT for a specific date and can be used on ANY night the park is open. Celebration of Lights is a holiday light display held at Fort Zumwalt Park in O’Fallon, Missouri. Each scene is designed and funded by local organizations, churches and businesses. Started in 1991, the holiday event attracts more than 13,000 vehicles each year and more than 10,000 individuals during the Old-Fashioned Holiday Stroll. Learn more.