Skip to content
Things to do › Holiday Lights and Christmas Events
Holiday lights, Christmas parades, tree lightings, train rides and holiday tours on our Tennessee calendar.
55 holiday and Christmas events are on our calendar: 12 that run for weeks (light shows, train rides and garden displays) and 43 with a single date (parades, tree lightings and markets), across 19 towns.
55Holiday Events
12Run for Weeks
43One-Date Events
19Towns
Events come from our Tennessee events dataset (last re-checked Nov 2, 2026); each date and price was read on the organizer’s own page, and “See event page” means the organizer does not publish one. Plans and rules change, so check the organizer or park page before you drive.
Holiday and Christmas Events With Dates
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sip, Shop & Stroll Downtown After 5: Holiday Edition | Fri, Nov 6: 5:00-8:00 PM CST (as listed) | Murfreesboro · Nashville Area | See event page |
| Winterfest Christmas Village (Pigeon Forge) | Nov 13-28 (Open Nov 13-15 and Nov 20-28; see the organizer page for venue rules) | Pigeon Forge · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Graceland Holiday Lighting Weekend | Nov 19-21 | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | Dean Z show $43.50 / $67.50; Graceland Unwrapped After Dark Christmas Tour $350; more prices on the event page |
| Christmas at Chilhowee | Fri, Nov 20 (6-9 PM; tree lighting at 6 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | Free admission |
| Classical Christmas: Handel's Messiah | Sun, Nov 22 (2:30 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | See event page |
| NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet (touring) | Sun, Nov 22 (See ticket link; see the organizer page for venue rules) | Chattanooga · Chattanooga & Southeast | See event page |
| Regal Celebration of Lights | Fri, Nov 27 | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | Free admission |
| A very merry 1930s Christmas with Santa Claus at the Sadie Ford Farm | Sat, Nov 28 (9:00 AM-3:00 PM) | Lebanon · Nashville Area | Free; donations welcome |
| Deck the Gingerbread at BAD Bakery & Cafe | Sat, Nov 28 (9:00 AM-12:00 PM) | Columbia · Southern Middle Tennessee | $50 per gingerbread house; more prices on the event page |
| Holiday Cookeville Community Band Concert (Cookeville Performing Arts Center) | Sun, Nov 29: 3:00 PM-5:00 PM (page text: 3pm) | Cookeville · Upper Cumberland & Plateau | Free |
| Christmas at the Courthouse (Sevierville) | Thu, Dec 3 (5:30-8:30 PM) | Sevierville · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Christmas | Thu, Dec 3 (7:30 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | See event page |
| Celebrate Christmas Downtown (Rutherford County Christmas tree lighting) | Fri, Dec 4 | Murfreesboro · Nashville Area | See event page |
| Christmas in the Village (Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center) | Dec 4-5 (Tickets on sale 5:30-7 PM; viewing ends 8 PM) | Townsend · Smoky Mountains | Tickets required; see the organizer page for venue rules |
| Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade (Gatlinburg) | Fri, Dec 4 (7:30-9:00 PM) | Gatlinburg · Smoky Mountains | Free; Grandstand VIP seating $50 per person (seating from 5:30 PM) |
| Free Pictures with Santa on Beale (Holly Jolly Holiday Celebration) | Dec 4-11 (Dec 4 and Dec 11, 5:00-7:00 PM, Beale Street) | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | Free |
| WIVK Christmas Parade (downtown Knoxville) | Fri, Dec 4 (7 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | See event page |
| 64th Sevierville Christmas Parade | Sat, Dec 5 (11 AM; about 30 minutes past any viewing point) | Sevierville · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Cookeville Depot Christmas Open House | Sat, Dec 5 (10:00 AM-3:00 PM) | Cookeville · Upper Cumberland & Plateau | See event page |
| Doggone Christmas | Sat, Dec 5 (11:00 AM-3:00 PM) | Jonesborough · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Gatlinburg Christmas Concert: Tiffany and Matthew & Gunnar Nelson | Sat, Dec 5 (8:00-10:00 PM) | Gatlinburg · Smoky Mountains | Reserved seating $30; premium reserved $40 (page header also shows $31.65-$41.95) |
| Holiday Movie Magic: It's a Wonderful Life | Sat, Dec 5 (8:00 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | See event page |
| Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: Santa's Hiwassee Holiday | Dec 5-22 (Under 1 hour; arrive 20-30 minutes early) | Delano · Chattanooga & Southeast | $30 per seat coach, $45 per seat premium (ages 1+) |
| Dogwood Park Christmas Tree Lighting and Light Show | Sun, Dec 6 (6:00 PM-7:30 PM) | Cookeville · Upper Cumberland & Plateau | See event page |
| Townsend Christmas Parade | Sun, Dec 6 (Time TBA) | Townsend · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Chattanooga Ballet's The Nutcracker | Dec 11-13 (See ticket link; see the organizer page for venue rules) | Chattanooga · Chattanooga & Southeast | See event page |
| The Nutcracker! | Dec 11-12 | Bristol · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Ballet Memphis: The Nutcracker | Dec 12-20 | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | See event page |
| Breakfast with Santa at BAD Bakery & Cafe | Dec 12-13 (10:15-11:30 AM) | Columbia · Southern Middle Tennessee | $90 for up to 3 guests, $115 for 4, $140 for 5; more prices on the event page |
| Dickens of a Christmas | Dec 12-13 | Franklin · Nashville Area | Franklin Transit shuttle $1 per person each way; see the organizer page for venue rules |
| Jaycee's Christmas Parade (Maryville and Alcoa) | Sat, Dec 12 (Time TBA) | Maryville · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Jonesborough Christmas Parade | Sat, Dec 12 (6:00-8:00 PM) | Jonesborough · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Memphis Holiday Parade & Market on Beale Street | Sat, Dec 12 (Parade 11:00 AM; Holiday Market in Handy Park times not published) | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | See event page |
| Santa's Christmas Village | Sat, Dec 12 (11:00 AM-3:00 PM) | Jonesborough · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Tour de Lights bike ride | Sat, Dec 12 (3:30-7:30 PM; bike ride starts 5:30 PM) | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | See event page |
| A Christmas Carol: a one-man play with John Hardy | Sun, Dec 13 (4:00-5:30 PM) | Jonesborough · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Amy Grant & Vince Gill Christmas at the Ryman | Dec 14-23 | Nashville · Nashville Area | Tickets non-transferable and valid only if bought from the Ryman on AXS.com; more prices on the event page |
| Mannheim Steamroller Christmas | Thu, Dec 17 (See ticket link; see the organizer page for venue rules) | Chattanooga · Chattanooga & Southeast | See event page |
| Chattanooga Symphony & Opera: Home for the Holidays | Dec 19-20 (See ticket link; see the organizer page for venue rules) | Chattanooga · Chattanooga & Southeast | See event page |
| Christmas Church Stroll | Sat, Dec 19 (11:00 AM-3:00 PM) | Jonesborough · Tri-Cities & Northeast | See event page |
| Drew & Ellie Holcomb's Neighborly Christmas | Tue, Dec 22 (Orpheum Theatre) | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | See event page |
| Christmas Day Hike (Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park) | Fri, Dec 25 (1:00 PM-2:30 PM) | Manchester · Southern Middle Tennessee | $0.00 (donation tiers $5-$20 listed) |
| Mannheim Steamroller Christmas | Sat, Dec 26 (Orpheum Theatre) | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | See event page |
Holiday and Christmas Events Running for Weeks
Not checked for each date: these run for weeks, and some open only on certain days or nights. Check the organizer’s page for the day you want.
| Event | When | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatlinburg Winter Magic (holiday lights) Our guide | Nov 5-Feb 15, 2027 (Recurring daily; hours not published) | Gatlinburg · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland (ice! featuring Home Alone, ice tubing, ice skating, Santa photos, POMP SNOW & CIRQUEumstance) Our guide | Nov 6-Jan 2, 2027 | Nashville · Nashville Area | See event page |
| Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas Our guide | Nov 6-Jan 3, 2027 | Pigeon Forge · Smoky Mountains | See event page |
| Sh-Boom! A Christmas Miracle (Cumberland County Playhouse) | Nov 6-Dec 19 | Crossville · Upper Cumberland & Plateau | See event page |
| Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum: Chattanooga Christmas Dinner Train | Nov 6-Jan 3, 2027 (About 2.5 hours; select dates, departure times vary) | Chattanooga · Chattanooga & Southeast | Per table: $280 for 1-2 people, $375 for 3, $450 for 4; Pullman Section $360; more prices on the event page |
| Memphis Zoo Lantern Festival Our guide | Nov 13-Feb 14, 2027 | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | $25 non-members, $23 members (new $75 season pass); ziplines $10 per ride; food extra; more prices on the event page |
| Christmas at Graceland (holiday tours) Our guide | Nov 19-Dec 23 | Memphis · Memphis & West Tennessee | Afternoon tour $100 adults / $69.50 youth; Ultimate VIP $300 per person (age 2+) |
| Cheekwood Holiday LIGHTS (over one million lights, Enchanted Noel in the Mansion) Our guide | Nov 20-Jan 3, 2027 | Nashville · Nashville Area | Gardens Only: weekday adults $24, youth $20; more prices on the event page |
| Food City Speedway in Lights powered by TVA | Nov 20-Jan 2, 2027 (6:00-10:00 PM nightly) | Bristol · Tri-Cities & Northeast | Priced per vehicle (Fast Lane per vehicle, limited nights); more prices on the event page |
| Cookeville History Museum Christmas Forest Exhibit (30+ decorated trees) | Nov 26-Jan 2, 2027: 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, Tuesday-Saturday (page: any time the museum is open) | Cookeville · Upper Cumberland & Plateau | See event page |
| Knoxville's Holidays on Ice (Market Square ice rink) | Nov 27-Jan 3, 2027 | Knoxville · Knoxville Area | Adult $12; children 12 and under $9; more prices on the event page |
| Opry Country Christmas Our guide | Nov 30-Dec 22 | Nashville · Nashville Area | See event page |
Keep Planning
- Regional event hubs: Smoky Mountains, Nashville Area, Memphis & West Tennessee, Knoxville Area, Tri-Cities & Northeast, Chattanooga & Southeast, Upper Cumberland & Plateau, Southern Middle Tennessee
- By day: Today, Tomorrow, This Weekend, Next Week, By Month
More Topic Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the light shows start?
Dates differ by show. The long-running ones open in early to mid November and run into January or February; the table shows each organizer’s own dates, and we say when a show runs on only some nights.
Are the big Christmas shows on this list?
Yes where the organizer has published dates. Our Tennessee Christmas parades guide covers the Dec 4-12 parades. Several shows have their own guide on this site: see Dollywood Smoky Mountain Christmas, Gaylord Opryland and Cheekwood Holiday Lights.
Do you sell tickets?
No. Each row links to the organizer’s page, where the date and price were read.
Sources
- Each event was read on the organizer’s own page, where its date, hours and price are printed; every row is in the Tennessee events dataset with a checked date.
How we check
Cite this page: It's Tennessee, “Holiday Lights and Christmas Events”, itstennessee.com/things-to-do/holiday-lights-and-christmas-events/ (updated ). By the It's Tennessee editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.