Holiday light displays in and around Boston start switching on in late November. This guide covers the displays whose 2026 dates have already been announced by their organizers, with hours, prices and practical notes. Where an organizer has not yet published 2026 details, we say so rather than guess. Dates were checked on Oct. 22, 2026; confirm with the organizer before you go, since weather can change outdoor plans.
Tree-lighting ceremonies and holiday markets are covered separately in our holiday markets and tree lightings guide.
In the city: free displays run by Boston Parks
Commonwealth Avenue Mall
The trees along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall in the Back Bay are lit on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026, at about 8 p.m., following the Boston Common tree ceremony earlier that evening. The display runs along the mall from Arlington Street to Charlesgate, and the City of Boston presents it with the Friends of the Public Garden. It is free and outdoors, and once lit it can be seen on an evening walk any night of the season. The closest MBTA stops are Arlington, Copley and Hynes Convention Center on the Green Line.
Christopher Columbus Park trellis, North End
Boston Parks and Recreation lists the 24th annual holiday lighting of the trellis at Christopher Columbus Park in the North End for Nov. 23, 2026. The waterfront park sits next to Long Wharf and the Aquarium Blue Line station.
The ship at Martin’s Park
The department also lights the play ship at Martin’s Park, on the Children’s Wharf Harborwalk in Fort Point, on Nov. 28, 2026. The park is a short walk from South Station.
ZooLights at Stone Zoo, Stoneham
Zoo New England’s ZooLights at Stone Zoo runs from Nov. 20, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, nightly from 4 to 9:30 p.m., with last entry at 8:30 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Tickets use date-based pricing, so evenings closer to Christmas usually cost more; the zoo recommends buying online ahead of time. EBT and WIC cardholders can buy $10 tickets, and parking is free. Santa is scheduled on Nov. 27–29, Dec. 4–6, Dec. 11–13, Dec. 18–20, and Dec. 22 and 23. Franklin Park Zoo’s separate Boston Lights event ends Nov. 8, so it will be over before the holiday season.
La Salette Christmas Festival of Lights, Attleboro
The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro holds its Christmas Festival of Lights from Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027. The lights are on nightly from 5 to 9 p.m., including Christmas night, and admission is free. It’s about an hour’s drive south of Boston. The shrine’s phone number is 508-222-5410.
Edaville’s Winter Wonderland, Carver
Edaville Family Theme Park at 5 Pine St. in Carver runs its Winter Wonderland on weekends from Nov. 27 to Dec. 27, 2026. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, 2 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays; it is closed Christmas Day. General admission is $36, a First-Class Pajama Express ticket is $65, and children 3 and under are free. Parking is free.
Not announced yet
As of Oct. 22, Faneuil Hall Marketplace had not announced its 2026 tree-lighting date (in 2025 it was held Nov. 22), and Somerville, Cambridge and Brookline had not posted 2026 holiday lighting dates. We will update this guide when they do.
Tips for a lights night
- Check the forecast and our Boston Snow Day & Storm Center before driving to an outdoor display; organizers can close for ice or high winds.
- Buy timed tickets online where offered. Popular weekend nights in December often sell out at the gate.
- For the Boston displays, the T is easier than parking. See our MBTA guide for routes and fares.
- Dress for standing outside: most of these events are walk-through displays with little indoor space.
Related guides
- Holiday markets and tree lightings 2026
- New Year’s Eve in Boston and First Night
- Ice skating near Boston, 2026-27
- Hanukkah 2026 menorah lightings
- Boston Halloween 2026 guide
Sources
- City of Boston: 2026 Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall
- City of Boston: 2026 Copley Square Tree Lighting (lists other Parks lightings)
- Zoo New England: ZooLights at Stone Zoo
- National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette
- Edaville Family Theme Park
- Featured image: File:2013 boston common xmas 11632941155.jpg, kenji ross from boston, usa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Featured image: Holiday lights on Boston Common. Photo: kenji ross from boston, usa via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
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