If you want to enjoy holiday light displays from the comfort of your car, you can visit the 37th annual winter festival of lights in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which kicks off Friday evening.
“We have over two-and-a-half million lights throughout the program,” said Angel Waldron, spokesperson for the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation.
She said the largest display is a giant, 54-foot LED musical tree.
Waldron said the 3-mile drive through Watkins Regional Park should take around 15 to 30 minutes to complete, depending on crowd size.
“We do advise folks to consider a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, where there’s less traffic and you’ll have more freedom to explore,” she said.
The Festival of Lights costs $10 per car with preregistration online. Admission is $15 at the gate. Tickets for vans and limos are more expensive.
This year, the festival will also include ticketed hayrides and horseback riding. The hayride is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Horseback riding costs $150 per person.
The Winter Festival of Lights runs from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1, 2024. Admission on Christmas is free, but visitors are encouraged to bring canned goods to donate. Hours of admission are 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. every evening.
NOVA Parks is also putting on several holiday display events, including the Bull Run Festival of Lights at Bull Run Regional Park in Centerville, Virginia, and the Meadowlark Botanical Garden’s Winter Walk of Lights in Vienna, Virginia. They both run through Jan. 7. Tickets for the Bull Run Festival start at $30 per car. Tickets for the Meadowlark event start at $18 per person.
In D.C., the Smithsonian National Zoo is once again inviting visitors to Zoo Lights. It begins Friday, Nov. 24 through Dec. 30. General admission is $6.
