COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Drive, walk, or amble — there’s a Christmas lights display in Columbus and surrounding areas that will fit your budget.
Grab your mittens and a mug of your favorite hot drink, and head out for some winter cheer at the neighborhood lights displays. Or choose a ticketed, drive-through event.
Columbus Neighborhood light displays:
- Chafins family light show: 1094 Carnoustie Circle, Grove City 43123. 6-9 p.m.
- Christmas Tree House: 2013 Bellflower Court, Grove City. 30′ lighted tree, presents, bear, wagon, nativity scene.
- Dazzling Christmas Lights: 649 Old Coach Road, Westerville, 43081. Every night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Synch to the car radio at 90.1 FM. Christmas lights that dance to music in this Westerville neighborhood.
- Harmon House: 3192 Menzola Drive, Columbus, 43228. Hour-long looping display from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. until Jan. 1. Tune to 89.3 FM.
- Lights of Glenross: Ohio’s largest free choreographed light show. The show now includes Glenross, Glenross North, Braumiller, and Dornoch Estates subdivisions, located between US 23 and South Old State Rd.
- Making Spirits Bright (from Dec. 11): 3112 Melbury Drive, Columbus, 43221 in Hilliard. First introduced in 2011. Flying reindeer, nativity, toy shop Christmas window.
- Reed Road Carnival of Lights: 4460 Reed Road, Upper Arlington, 43220. 5 p.m. to midnight, until New Year’s Day.
- Sawmill Meadows Lights, 2691 Sawmill Meadows Avenue, Columbus 43016. Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m.
- Lights around Schiller Park: 1069 Jaeger St., Columbus 43206. Walk the perimeter of Schiller Park, and enjoy Christmas displays on the houses. Then head up 3rd Street to enjoy lights in German Village. Stop at Winans for hot chocolate and coffee, Valters at the Maennerchor for a hot toddy and food, or cream puffs at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus.
- Taunton Way Lights: 5023 Taunton Way, Columbus, 43228.
- Westbrook Village Drive: Canned food donation. Several houses coordinating a Christmas light display.
Free professional displays:
- Columbus Commons, 160 S High Street: Free. Lights through Jan. 2 from dusk until 11 p.m.. Columbus Commons features more than 400,000 lights. December 10 and 17 there will be a little extra festive with free hot chocolate and carousel rides from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Plus, there will be music in the air with musicians roaming around the Commons for extra holiday cheer. Park at 55 East Rich Street in the Columbus Commons Main Garage.
- State Auto’s Christmas Corner, 518 East Broad St.: State Auto’s Christmas Corner, including its historic life-sized Nativity display, has returned to 518 E. Broad! Unfortunately, due to renovations to State Auto’s campus, hot cocoa will not be available this year. Face coverings and appropriate physical distancing will be required of all guests. Check the website for times and choir schedules. Bring your own hot chocolate this year, and face coverings are required.
Paid professional displays:
- Butch Bandos Fantasy of Lights: Holiday drive-through light show until Jan. 2. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.
- Columbus Zoo: Wildlights until Jan. 2 from 5 p.m. until close. Check the website for times, dates, and ticket prices.
- Conservatory Aglow: Through Jan. 9. Visitor favorites — like the musical light show and Gingerbread House— return to accompany brand new light displays including a reimagined Topiary Collection. Entertainers and musicians will perform in the gardens on select evenings to enhance the experience.
Further afield
Yuletide Village, Season of Lights is open through December 18 on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
This year’s display features themed lit areas ranging from rivers of lights to colorful Gum Drop Alley to the magical display in the joust field by Brave Berlin. Visit with Woodland Santa or bargain with Krampus to get off the naughty list. Shopping, hot food and drinks, and cozy firepits can be found throughout the village
For the first time, Yuletide Village, Season of Lights is part of the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail, a compilation of the state’s most impressive light displays curated by Ohio. This year’s holiday lights trail features 43 locations across Ohio.