Holiday Light Festivals, Christmas Markets and more this holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving is upon us and many of you may be traveling this weekend. Therefore, it’s a perfect time to look at other states in the list as there are a fair amount of events in each.
In all the states, the majority of events listed are Holiday Light Shows found in the country, at zoos, and at county fairgrounds. They’re great opportunities to load a car with family and friends and check out the lights after a day of eating or shopping.
Other events this weekend include light-up events (usually with food and entertainment if listed here), Christmas Markets, some Chanukah festivals on Sunday and many craft shows and holiday bazaars (I only list the craft shows in Ohio).
Some Ohio recommendations include all the Winterfests (Cleveland, Lorain, Fairview Park, Portsmouth), the Dickens of a Christmas at Ohio Village (Columbus), the Legendary Lights of Historic Clifton Mill (Clifton), the Dayton Holiday Festival, the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, Advent Market and Christmas Wonderland, and Light Up Middletown.
Here are some of the festivals I would check out in the other states:
Florida (32 Fests): Christmas Lane (Plant City), Christmas Made in the South (Jacksonville)
Georgia (23 Fests): Christmas at the Mill (Canton), Holiday Road Atlanta (Fairburn)
Illinois (27 Fests): Wonderland in Lights (Effingham), Deer Santa Festival (Pittsfield)
Indiana (16 Fests): Cambridge City Christmas Wonderland, Christmas Tyme Lights (Lowell)
Kentucky (15 Fests): Winter Woods Spectacular (Louisville), Southern Lights Holiday Festival (Lexington)
Michigan (23 Fests): Frankenmuth ChristKindlMarkt, Holly Dickens Festival (Holly)
New York (6 Fests): Buffalo Holiday Market, Dickens Christmas Festival (Skaneateles)
Pennsylvania (13 Fests): Luminate Leechburg, Holiday Nights of Lights (Bedford)
Tennessee (21 Fests): Christmas on The Market (Morristown), Gatlinburg Festival of Trees
West Virginia (5 Fests): St. Albans Festival of Lights, Bluefield Holiday of Lights
Wisconsin (21 Fests): Christmas Carnival of Lights (Caledonia), Door County Christkindlmarkt (Sister Bay)
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, everyone! I hope it’s filled with friends, family and delicious moments.
Love, Peace and Funnel Cake Grease!
Upcoming Festival Weekend: November 25-28, 2021
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MAP of festival and fair food cities this weekend.
If you can’t see the map on your smartphone, click HERE.
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My Experiences of this Weekend’s Festivals
11/27 – Winterfest – Cleveland – My Review
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OHIO
11/22-11/28 – Toledo Zoo Lights Before Christmas II – Toledo
11/22-11/28 – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights II – Delaware
11/22-11/28 – Journey Borealis II – Hamilton
11/22-11/28 – Magical Lights of Winter II – Hebron
11/22-11/28 – Christmas Cruise Thru II – Hicksville
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Holiday in Lights II – Sharonville
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – PNC Festival of Lights II – Cincinnati
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Wildlights at Columbus Zoo II – Powell
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – The Christmas Ranch II – Morrow
11/22-11/28 – WonderLight’s Christmas in Ohio III – Hartford
11/23-11/28 – A Carillon Christmas I – Dayton
11/23-11/28 – Elegant Illusions Christmas Drive Through Park I – Canfield
11/23-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Wild Winter Lights at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo II – Cleveland
11/23-11/28 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village, Advent Market & Christmas Wonderland I – Steubenville
11/24-11/28 – Magic of Lights I – Middleburg Heights
11/25-11/28 – Light Up Middletown I – Middletown
11/25-11/28 – Lucas County Holiday Light Show II – Maumee
11/25-11/28 – Holiday Art Fair at Gallery 22 IV – Delaware
11/26 – Salt Fork Holiday Craft Show – Cambridge
11/26 – Dayton Holiday Festival – Dayton
11/26-11/27 – Holiday Craft and Gift Show – Dayton
11/26-11/27 – Heart of Christmas Craft Show – Rushville
11/26-11/28 – South Milford Artisans Holiday Show – Milford
11/26-11/28 – Vendor Village Artisan Pop-Up Market II – Westlake
11/26-11/28 – Legendary Lights of Historic Clifton Mill I – Clifton
11/26-11/28 – Woodland Lights II – Washington Township
11/26-11/28 – Holiday Lights Cruise-Thru I – LaGrange
11/26-11/28 – Ashtabula County’s Light on the Lake I – Ashtabula
11/26-11/28 – Whispering Christmas Holiday Lights I – Eaton
11/27 – Winterfest – Cleveland – My Review
11/27 – Lorain Winterfest – Lorain
11/27 – Cincy Blues Society Fall Blues Festival – Cincinnati
11/27 – Holiday Wine Festival – Wadsworth
11/27 – Shandon Christmas in the Country – Shandon
11/27 – 1920’s Holidays on Main Street in Sauder Village I – Archbold
11/27 – St. Mary Magdalene Byzantine Catholic Church Craft Show – Fairview Park
11/27 – Mistletoe Hall Craft Show – Canton
11/27* – Bethany Christmas Bazaar – Middletown – CANCELED
11/27 – Christmas Craft Bazaar – Pomeroy
11/27 – Newport VFD Craft Show – Newport
11/27 – Holiday Craft Show – Bloomingdale
11/27 – Crafty Supermarket Holiday Show – Cincinnati
11/27 – Crafty Supermarket – Akron
11/27 – West Clermont High School Holiday Craft Fair – Cincinnati
11/27 – The Handmade Market – Painesville
11/27 – Coopers Vendor/Craft Show – Cortland
11/27 – Upper Sandusky Music Boosters’ Craft Bazaar – Upper Sandusky
11/27 – Fibonacci Brewery Bazaar – Cincinnati
11/27 – Columbiana Nazarene Church Fall Craft and Vendor Show – Columbiana
11/27 – St. Mary Craft Show – Mansfield
11/27 – Irondale Fire Department’s Holiday Craft and Vendor Show – Hammondsville
11/27 – St. Monica Christmas Craft Fair – Garfield Heights
11/27-11/28 – Crafty Mart Holiday Market – Akron
11/27-11/28 – The Toledo Craftman’s Guild Crafts for Christmas – Maumee
11/27-11/28 – Winterfest I – Portsmouth
11/27-11/28 – CLE Market’s Holiday Market I – Olmsted Township
11/27-11/28 – Dickens of a Christmas at Ohio Village I – Columbus
11/28 – Winterfest – Fairview Park
11/28 – Sleigh Bells Ring Craft Show – Richwood
11/28 – Cincinnati Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show – Loveland
11/28 – Back Road Reptiles and Exotics Expo – Fremont
11/28 – Gambier Christmas Craft Show – Gambier
FLORIDA
11/22-11/28 – Night of a Million Lights III – Kissimmee
11/22-11/28 – Magic of Lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway II – Homestead
11/22-11/28 – Magic of Lights at Daytona International Speedway II – Daytona Beach
11/22-11/28 – Dazzling Nights II – Jacksonville
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Asian Lantern Festival II – Sanford
11/22-11/28 – Space Coast Lightfest II – Melbourne
11/23-11/28 – Santa’s Enchanted Forest IV – Hialeah
11/25-11/27 – Sertoma Youth Ranch Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival – Brooksville
11/25-11/28 – The Wonderland of Lights and Santa’s Village I – Auburndale
11/25-11/28 – Cranes Roost Park Holiday Lights I – Altamonte Springs
11/25-11/28 – Tampa Bay’s Festival of Lights and Santa’s Village I – Dover
11/26 – Light-Up Eustis – Eustis
11/26-11/27 – Christmas in the Wild I – Tampa
11/26-11/27 – Zoo Lights Miami I – Miami
11/26-11/27 – Bloomers Garden Center Holly Days – San Mateo
11/26-11/28 – Zoo Lights II – West Palm Beach
11/26-11/28 – Enchant Christmas I – St. Petersburg
11/26-11/28 – NightGarden at Fairchild Tropical Garden II – Coral Gables
11/26-11/28 – Raprager Family Farm’s Winter Festival and Christmas Extravaganza I – Odessa
11/26-11/28 – Christmas Made in the South – Jacksonville
11/26-11/28 – Christmas Lane I – Plant City
11/27 – Old Florida Holiday and Winter Market – Santa Rosa Beach
11/27 – Whimsy’s Holiday Market – Umatilla
11/27 – Ozello Arts, Crafts and Blue Crab Festival – Crystal River
11/27 – Tree Lighting Festival at Lake Sumter Landing – The Villages
11/27-11/28 – Shopapalooza Festival – St. Petersburg
11/27-11/28 – Fusionfest – Orlando
11/27-11/28 – Sarasota Medieval Fair IV – Myakka City
11/27-11/28 – Suncoast Renaissance Festival IV – Sarasota
11/28 – A Taste of Chanukah – Sarasota
11/28 – Chanukah Street Festival on Lincoln Road – Miami Beach
11/28 – The Delray Beach Grand Chanukah Festival – Delray Beach
11/28 – Boca Raton Chanukah Festival – Boca Raton
11/28 – Light Up Tioga – Newberry
GEORGIA
11/22-11/28 – Garden Lights, Holiday Nights III – Atlanta
11/22-11/28 – Stone Mountain Christmas III – Stone Mountain
11/22-11/28 – World of Illumination: Rockin’ Christmas III – Marietta
11/22-11/28 – World of Illumination: Artic Adventure II – Hampton
11/22-11/28 – Enchanted Garden of Lights II – Lookout Mountain
11/22-11/28 – Holiday Lights at Veteran’s Park II – Canton
11/22-11/28 – Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort and Gardens II – Pine Mountain
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – IllumiNights at the Zoo: A Chinese Lantern Festival I – Atlanta
11/23 – Washington Wonderland and Holiday Gift Market – Washington
11/24-11/28 – Illuminate: Chinese Lantern Festival and Acrobat Show II – Lawrenceville
11/25 – Christmas in Possum Snout – Tallapoosa
11/25-11/27 – Mountain Country Christmas in Lights I – Hiawassee
11/25-11/28 – Lights of Life I – Marietta
11/25-11/28 – A Country Christmas at Pettit Creek Farms I – Cartersville
11/26-11/27 – Christmas at the Mill – Canton
11/26-11/28 – Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular III – Buford
11/26-11/28 – Atlanta Christkindl Market I – Atlanta
11/26-11/28 – Christmas Lights at A.H. Stephens State Park I – Crawfordville
11/26-11/28 – Holiday Road Atlanta I – Fairburn
11/27 – Handmade Holiday Fest – Conyers
11/27 – Light Up Blue Ridge – Blue Ridge
11/27-11/28 – Christkindlmarkt on the Marktplatz I – Helen
11/28 – Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival – Waycross – VIRTUAL
ILLINOIS
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Lightscape at the Chicago Botanical Garden III – Glencoe
11/22-11/28 – Mattoon Lightworks II – Mattoon
11/22-11/28 – Christkindlmarket Wrigleyville II – Chicago
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Santa’s Rock N Lights II – Grayslake
11/22-11/28 – Illumination: Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum II – Lisle
11/22-11/28 – Shelbyville Festivals of Lights II – Shelbyville
11/24 – Turkey Testicle Festival – Huntley
11/24-11/28 – Winter Nights Winter Lights Exhibit II – Rock Island
11/24-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo II – Chicago
11/25-11/28 – East Peoria Festival of Lights I – East Peoria
11/25-11/28 – Wonderland in Lights I – Effingham
11/25-11/28 – Quincy Festival of Lights I – Quincy
11/26-11/28 – Walnut Grove Farm’s I’ll Be Home For Christmas Celebration – Knoxville
11/26-11/28 – Chatham Light Up the Park I – Chatham
11/26-11/28 – Mooseheart Holiday Lights I – Mooseheart
11/26-11/28 – Amaze Light Festival II – Rosemont
11/26-11/28 – Julmarknad Christmas Market I – Bishop Hill
11/26-11/28 – Brookfield Zoo Holiday Magic I – Brookfield
11/26-11/28 – Aurora Festival of Lights I – Aurora
11/26-11/28 – Nights of Lights I – Wheaton
11/26-11/28 – Cosley Zoo Festival of Lights I – Wheaton
11/27 – Keeping Christmas Close to Home – Streator
11/27 – Fox Lake Festival of Lights – Fox Lake
11/27 – Highwood Holiday Fest – Highwood
11/27 – Downtown Country Christmas Festival – Jerseyville
11/28 – Deer Santa Festival – Pittsfield
11/28 – Orland Park Holiday Festival – Orland Park
INDIANA
11/22-11/28 – Festival of Trees III – Indianapolis
11/22-11/28 – Magic of Lights Holiday Light Drive Through II – La Porte
11/22-11/28 – Christmas Night of Lights III – Indianapolis
11/22-11/28 – Magic of Lights at Ruoff Music Center II – Noblesville
11/22-11/28 – Winter Lights at Sunset Hill Farm II – Valparaiso
11/22-11/28 – Winterlights II – Indianapolis
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Christmas at the Zoo II – Indianapolis
11/24-11/28 – Carmel Christkindlmarkt German Holiday Market II – Carmel
11/24-11/28 – Lanthier Winery Festival of Trees III – Madison
11/25-11/28 – Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights I – Evansville
11/26-11/28 – A Merry Prairie Holiday I – Fishers
11/26-11/28 – Christmas Tyme Lights I – Lowell
11/26-11/28 – TPA Park Holiday Festival of Lights I – Frankfort
11/26-11/28 – Gift of Lights at the Potawatomi Zoo I – South Bend
11/27 – Christmas Through the Ages at the Old Fort – Fort Wayne
11/27 – Cambridge City Christmas Wonderland – Cambridge City
KENTUCKY
11/22-11/28 – Festival of Trees and Trains II – Ashland
11/22-11/28 – Festival of Lights IV – Grand Rivers
11/22-11/28 – Winter Wonderland of Lights II – Ashland
11/22-11/28 – Lights Under Louisville III – Louisville
11/24-11/28 – Christmas in the Park I – Paducah
11/24-11/28 – Elizabethtown’s Christmas in the Park I – Elizabethtown
11/25-11/28 – Twinkle at the Track I – Bowling Green
11/26 – Light-Up Louisville – Louisville
11/26-11/28 – Christmas at Panther Park I – Owensboro
11/26-11/28 – Brent Street Holiday Market at Fête de Noël Winter Holiday Festival I – Louisville
11/26-11/28 – Southern Lights Holiday Festival I – Lexington
11/26-11/28 – Winter Woods Spectacular I – Louisville
11/26-11/28 – ChristmasTime at Ark Encounter I – Williamstown
11/27-11/28 – Festival of Lights at Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds I – Mayfield
11/27-11/28 – Christmas at Mustard Seed Hill I – Millersburg
MICHIGAN
11/22-11/28 – Magic of Lights II – Clarkston
11/22-11/28 – Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Festival of Trees I – Manistique
11/22-11/28 – Festival of Trees II – Dearborn
11/24-11/28– Muskegon Museum of Art’s Festival of Wreaths (formerly Trees) I – Muskegon
11/24-11/28 – Wayne County Lightfest II – Westland
11/24-11/28 – Winter Wonderland: A Holiday Lights Spectacular I – Hickory Corners
11/24-11/28 – The Christmas Lite Show I – Comstock Park
11/24-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Canterbury Village Holiday Stroll I – Lake Orion
11/25-11/28 – Nite Lights I – Brooklyn
11/26-11/27 – Dutch WinterFest KerstMarkt II – Holland
11/26-11/28 – Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic I – Flint
11/26-11/28 – Michigan Made Holiday Market – Lake Orion
11/26-11/28 – Glenlore Trails Aurora I – Commerce Township
11/26-11/28 – Frankenmuth ChristKindlMarkt I – Frankenmuth
11/26-11/28 – Wonderland of Lights at Potter Park Zoo II – Lansing
11/26-11/28 – Winter Wonder Lights at Meadow Brook I – Rochester
11/26-11/28 – The Colors of Christmas Wonderland I – Newaygo
11/26-11/28 – Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo II – Royal Oak
11/27 – Stockbridge Festival of Lights – Stockbridge
11/27 – Northport Tree Lighting Festivities – Northport
11/27-11/28 – Sparkle in the Park I – Bear Lake
11/27-11/28 – Walk Through the Lights at Gull Meadow Farms I – Richland
11/27-11/28 – Holly Dickens Festival I – Holly
NEW YORK
11/22-11/28 – Wegman’s Lights on the Lake II – Liverpool
11/25-11/28 – Buffalo/Niagara Holiday Light Show II – Lockport
11/26-11/27 – Fall Makers and Shakers: Boozy Artisan Market – Buffalo
11/26-11/28 – Dickens Christmas Festival I – Skaneateles
11/26-11/28 – Buffalo Holiday Market I – Buffalo
11/27 – LiveNF Makers Market (Jingle Falls USA) – Niagara Falls
PENNSYLVANIA
11/22-11/28 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland III – Prospect
11/22-11/28 – Christmas Light-Up II – Clinton
11/22-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Peoples Gas Holiday Market II – Pittsburgh
11/22-11/28 – Holiday Lights on the Lake II – Altoona
11/25-11/28 – Overly’s Country Christmas II – Greensburg
11/26-11/27 – Beaver Light-Up Festival – Beaver
11/26-11/28 – Saint Vincent Festival of Trees – Erie
11/26-11/28 – Christmas in the Park I – Grove City
11/26-11/28 – Holiday Nights of Lights I – Bedford
11/26-11/28 – Holiday Lights at Kennywood II – West Mifflin
11/26-11/28 – Zoo Lights Drive Thru I – Pittsburgh
11/27 – Luminate Leechburg – Leechburg
11/27 – Scenery Hill Christmas Market II – Scenery Hill
TENNESSEE
11/22-11/28 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland IV – Sevierville
11/22-11/28 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland III – Jackson
11/22-11/28 – Lights Over Gatlinburg IV – Gatlinburg
11/22-11/28 – Pinnacle Speedway in Lights III – Bristol
11/22-11/28 – Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas IV – Pigeon Forge
11/22-11/28 – The Dancing Lights of Christmas III – Lebanon
11/22-11/28 – A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland III – Nashville
11/22-11/28 – Holiday Lights at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens II – Nashville
11/23-11/27 – Zoo Lights at Memphis Zoo III – Memphis
11/23-11/28 – Christmas on the Cumberland I – Clarksville
11/24-11/28 – Gatlinburg Festival of Trees – Gatlinburg
11/24-11/28 – Fantasy of Trees – Knoxville
11/24-11/28 – Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees II – Memphis
11/24-11/28 – Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland I – Johnson City
11/25-11/28 – Franktown’s Festival of Lights I – Franklin
11/25-11/28 – Chad’s Winter Wonderland I – Lebanon
11/26-11/28 – Zoo Lights I – Knoxville
11/26-11/28 – Starry Nights at Shelby Farms Park I – Memphis
11/27 – Christkindlsmarkt at Schulz Bräu Brewing Company I – Knoxville
11/27 – Christmas on The Market – Morristown
11/27 – Christmas Craft Festival – Crossville
WEST VIRGINIA
11/22-11/28 – Oglebay’s Winter Festival of Lights IV – Wheeling
11/25-11/28 – Bluefield Holiday of Lights I – Bluefield
11/26-11/28 – Celebration of Lights I – Fairmont
11/26-11/28 – St. Albans Festival of Lights I – St. Albans
11/27-11/28 – Festival of Lights at Central Hampshire Park I – Augusta
WISCONSIN
11/22-11/28 – Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival II – Milwaukee
11/22-11/28 – The North Pole Christmas Village III – Chilton
11/22-11/28 – Winter Wonders at Boerner Botanical Gardens II – Franklin
11/24-11/28 (Closed 11/25) – Santa’s Rock N Lights II – De Pere
11/24-11/28 – Magic of Lights at American Family Field I – Milwaukee
11/25-11/28 – Chippewa Falls Christmas Village I – Chippewa Falls
11/26 – Festival of Lights – Three Lakes
11/26-11/27 – Holly Days – Egg Harbor
11/26-11/27 – Lights in Lincoln Park I – Manitowoc
11/26-11/28 – Fox Cities Festival of Lights I – Harrison
11/26-11/28 – Country Christmas I – Pewaukee
11/26-11/28 – Enchantment in the Park I – West Bend
11/26-11/28 – Door County Christkindlmarkt I – Sister Bay
11/26-11/28 – Rotary Lights I – La Crosse
11/26-11/28 – Celebration of Lights I – Oshkosh
11/26-11/28 – Sam’s Christmas Village and Light Tour I – Somerset
11/26-11/28 – Rotary Winter Wonderland I – Marshfield
11/26-11/28 – Garden of Lights at Green Bay Botanical Gardens I – Green Bay
11/26-11/28 – Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show I – Janesville
11/27-11/28 – Noel Light Park and Christmas Market I – West Allis
11/27-11/28 – Christmas Carnival of Lights I – Caledonia
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Festival Schedule Pages
Miami | Tallahassee/Florida Panhandle | Tampa
Akron/Canton | Cincinnati | Cleveland | Columbus | Dayton | Toledo
Knoxville | Memphis | Nashville
Eau Claire | Madison | Milwaukee
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