Holiday Lights Displays in the DC Metro Area

This is an update version of an article I submitted last year. Every holiday season, everyone will have their house covered in Christmas lights. Some will this activity to new levels. In addition, you always knew who the house in your neighborhood with the coolest lights displays. Now, you can relive the joy of that childhood experience with several Christmas Lights displays taking place in the Washington, DC region. Here are the best lights displays in town.

Lights on the Bay: Entering its 13^th year, it's one of the most popular holiday events in Annapolis. The family can check out some amazing holiday displays like a colonial village, Noah's Ark, pirates, elves, a giant teddy bear, a North Pole train station and even reindeer that appear to leap over the roadway. It's all done in the comfort of your heated ride. Admission to this popular event is $12 per car and $50 per bus. Proceeds from this holiday event go to the Anne Arundel Medical Center. Light The Bay runs from November 16, 2007 - January 1, 2008 at Sandy Point State Park from 5-10 p.m.

Sandy Point State Park

1100 East College Parkway
Annapolis, MD. 21401

(410) 481-3161

Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens: The Brookside Garden has something special for the Christmas time. During the holiday season, the outdoor winter garden includes a whimsical monster, an enchanting persimmon tree, a walk through kaleidoscope caterpillar, an animated flying cardinal, and swimming geese over sparkling water. Admission is $15/car. It runs from November 17, 2007 through January 6, 2007.

Wheaton Regional Park

1800 Glenallan Ave.

Wheaton Maryland 20902

(301) 962-1400

Symphony of Lights at Merriweather Post Pavilion: We all know Merriweather Post Pavilion has hosted many great concerts in the summer. Now, it's hosting one of the DC Metro Area finest holiday lights display. This holiday event has more than 75 animated and stationary holiday lights on the grounds of Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. The proceeds from this event go to the services of Howard County General Hospital. Admission for this event is $15/car. This event runs from

Symphony Woods

Merriweather Post Pavilion

10475 Little Patuxent Parkway,

Columbia, MD 21044

Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park: This light display is Prince George's County, Maryland's spectacular drive-through Christmas light display featuring more than a million twinkling lights. The event runs from November 23 through January 1, 2008. HOURS: 5-9:30 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 per car; $15 for mini-buses and limos; $25 for buses; $10 for multi-visit passes for cars and vans (good for three visits). The festival is FREE on December 25. You may bring canned food items to donate to local food banks for the holidays.

Watkins Regional Park

301 Watkins Park Drive,

Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774

301-218-6700

Winter Lights at Seneca Creek State Park: It's an annual Gaithersburg Christmas tradition. You can check out more than 350 illuminated displays along a 3.5-mile drive through the park. As you're driving through the enchanted forest setting, you will experience an array of displays that light up the night. Themed areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, the North Pole and much more. This event benefits the following benefit local charities: the Dwelling Place, the Friends of Seneca Creek State Park, Hospice Caring, Inc., Identity, and the Shady Grove Adventist Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The event runs from November 23 through December 30, 2007. Admission for Sundays-Thursdays is $10 and runs from 6-9 p.m., and it is $12 for Fridays-Saturdays and runs 6-10 p.m.

Seneca Creek State Park

11950 Clopper Road,

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877

Zoo Lights at the National Zoo: ZooLights at the National Zoo in Washington, DC is a winter holiday event that is sure to be fun for the whole family. The National Zoo presents a display of thousands of sparkling lights featuring many of the Zoo's most popular animals. In addition, visitors can enjoy winter-themed crafts, ice sculpting demonstrations, choral groups, and storytellers. This event runs from November 28-December 30, 2007 from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $6 for FONZ members, $10 for nonmembers, $20 for a member family pack of four tickets, and kids under two are free.

National Zoo

3001 Connecticut Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20008

Festival of Lights at the Mormon Temple: The Mormon Temple Lights Festival has more than 450,000 lights and a live outdoor Nativity scene each evening from 6 to 9 p.m. It also has live musical performances begin at 7 and 8 p.m. The event is free to the public, and it runs from November 30^th to December 30^th.

The Mormon Temple

9900 Stoneybrook Drive

Kensington, Maryland 20895

Bull Run Festival of Lights: Entering its 10th year, the Bull Run Festival of Lights at Bull Run Regional Park has drawn thousands of visitors from hundreds of miles away to Centreville, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. This event includes an all-new 2.5 mile, drive-through holiday light show and will keep the fun going after the car ride is over with an exciting holiday village that will include food, entertainment, and recreational activities the entire family will enjoy! Main Attractions include the Toy Solider, Santa's Workshop, The 12 Days of Christmas, candy canes, Old Man Winter, and tinkering elves. The Bull Run Festival of Lights runs from November 22nd, 2006 through January 7th, 2007.

Bull Run Park

7700 Bull Run Drive

Centreville, Virginia 20120

(703) 359-4633

6th ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS: Similar to the Parade of Lights in Annapolis, MD., Alexandria version of this holiday tradition features more than 50 brightly lit sailing and powered leisure boats cruise along the Potomac River at the City's historic waterfront. It takes place on December 1^st from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Alexandria Marina at the foot of Cameron St., behind the Torpedo Factory. This event is free for the public.

Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights
Alexandria Marina
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

(703) 838-5005

Eastport Yacht Club Parade of Lights: Each December, The city of Annapolis celebrates Christmas in style with the Eastport Yacht Club Parade of Lights, an annual holiday tradition with boat owners showing off their Christmas light decorations through the Annapolis Harbor. Bring the whole family to enjoy this fun-filled evening and be sure to dress warm for this outdoor event! The best spots to see this Christmas event are Eastport Bridge, Fawcett Boat Supplies Parking Lot, and Annapolis City Dock and Ego Alley. The festival takes place on December 8^th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.