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Christmas lights at night in Philadelphia
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Christmas lights · Philadelphia, PA

Christmas lights in Philadelphia

Philadelphia's best-loved lights are two South Philly blocks — 13th Street and Smedley Street — that go all out and are a short walk from the Broad Street Line. Center City adds a free light show in Franklin Square and the Boathouse Row outlines on the river.

6 displays · 4 free · 2 with 2026 dates announced

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Where to see them

Where to go: with kids, on a date, with friends

With kids

Short walks, Santa, rides and something to do besides looking.

For a date

Somewhere to walk slowly, a drink in hand, and look good in the photos.

With friends

Cheap by the carload, or a long evening with food and music.

Free neighborhoods

No ticket, but the best-known ones get very crowded. Go on a weeknight if you can, and read the card for how to get in.

Miracle on South 13th Street extravaganzaPhoto: non-euclidean photography · CC BY 2.0
Miracle on 13th StreetMiracle on 13th Street

Photos: non-euclidean photography · CC BY 2.0

Neighborhood·East Passyunk, South PhillyFree

Miracle on South 13th Street

One South Philly rowhouse block where the neighbours cover every house front with lights, elves climbing the walls and movie scenes from Christmas Vacation to The Nightmare Before Christmas, with lights strung across the street. Free, and best on foot.

🧒 With kids✨ Date night🎉 With friends

What's there

  • Every house on the block decorated
  • Movie-themed displays
  • Free
  • Near the Broad Street Line

What visitors sayGoogle 4.8 ★ · 372 reviews

Visitors say photos don't do it justice — the whole block is full of families, couples and pets, everyone friendly. Walking both sides of the street beats driving through. Parking is hard on busy nights.

Philadelphia's must-see free Christmas block — take the subway and walk it.

2025 season
Nov 29, 2025 – January 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free
Start at
1600 block of S. 13th Street

Getting in and parking

  • SEPTA Broad Street Line (B).

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Weeknights are calmer than weekends.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

Full 2026 guide
Smedley Street Christmas Spectacular — illustrationIllustration
Neighborhood·South PhillyFree

Smedley Street Christmas Spectacular

A South Philly block that goes above and beyond every December — a Hallmark-movie scene of lights and decorations you can walk or drive around.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Whole block decorated
  • Free
  • Walk or drive

What visitors sayGoogle 4.8 ★ · 101 reviews

Families come back every year, some for decades. It can be hard to find — parents often let the kids out to walk the block and pick them up at the other end.

Pair it with 13th Street for a South Philly lights tour.

2025 season
Nov 29, 2025 – January 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free
Start at
2700 block of S. Smedley Street

Getting in and parking

  • SEPTA Broad Street Line (B).

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Combine it with Miracle on 13th Street nearby.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

Walk-through: gardens, zoo, parks

Mostly ticketed per person, and on foot. Check the hours before you set out.

Electrical Spectacle at Franklin Square — illustrationIllustration
Park·Center CityFree

Electrical Spectacle at Franklin Square

The historic square near the Ben Franklin Bridge hosts a free holiday light show with its fountain, carousel and mini golf close by.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Free light show
  • Carousel
  • Easy parking near the bridge

A quick free stop with kids in Old City.

2025 season
Nov 20, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free
Where
200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Getting in and parking

  • Franklin Square in Old City, near the Ben Franklin Bridge. Take the Market-Frankford Line to 5th Street.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • The light show is free; mini golf and the carousel cost extra.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

Boathouse Row East Holiday Lights - panoramioPhoto: michaelwm25 · CC BY 3.0
Park·Schuylkill RiverFree

Holiday Lights on Boathouse Row

Philadelphia's row of Victorian boathouses along the Schuylkill, outlined in lights and reflected in the river — freshly upgraded lights shine in holiday colors.

✨ Date night

What's there

  • Iconic skyline view
  • Upgraded LED lights
  • Free
  • Next to the Art Museum

What visitors sayGoogle 4.7 ★ · 1,747 reviews

Visitors call it an iconic Philadelphia sight and say the new lights are vastly improved.

A quick, free and very Philly photo stop — best from the far bank at dusk.

2025 season
Dec 5, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026
Last year's dates — this year's aren't out yet.
Cost
Free

Getting in and parking

  • Best seen from Kelly Drive or across the Schuylkill on MLK Drive, near the Art Museum.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Lit every night; the reflection on the river is best on a calm evening.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

LumiNature — illustrationIllustration
Zoo·Philadelphia Zoo

LumiNature

The Philadelphia Zoo after dark with light installations along the paths, on select nights.

🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Light installations
  • Select nights
  • Easy with a stroller

An easy family evening in town.

2026 season
Opens Nov 19, 2026 (closing date not yet published)
Where
3400 W. Girard Ave, Philadelphia, PA

Getting in and parking

  • Philadelphia Zoo on West Girard Avenue. Parking $22, free for members. SEPTA: the G trolley or the Route 38 bus.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Accessible parking is in Tiger Lot and the garage.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

Official site
Longwood Gardens Christmas 2017Photo: Forsaken Fotos · CC BY 2.0
Christmas at Longwood Gardens

Photos: Tori Behr · CC BY 2.0

Garden·Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square

A Longwood Christmas

Longwood Gardens' famous Christmas: conservatories filled with poinsettias and decorated trees, outdoor gardens lit up at night and fountain shows — an hour's drive from Philadelphia and one of the best-rated gardens in the country.

✨ Date night🧒 With kids

What's there

  • Conservatories full of poinsettias
  • Outdoor lights at night
  • Fountain shows
  • A full day out

What visitors sayGoogle 4.9 ★ · 32,594 reviews

Visitors are blown away by the masses of poinsettias and the immaculate, ever-changing displays, and say the evening lights create a magical atmosphere. Plan a whole visit — it's huge.

Worth the drive — the most beautiful Christmas display in the region. Book timed tickets early.

2026 season
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027

Getting in and parking

  • Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, about an hour west of Philadelphia on US-1. Free parking on site.

On the map

Worth knowing

  • Timed tickets; weekends sell out fast.

Checked 2026-09-23 · Visit Philadelphia (2025)

Before you go

Why some dates say 2025

Most displays announce the season in October or November. Until they do, we show last year's dates and say so, rather than guess this year's. Every card shows the day we last checked it and where the facts came from.

Santa services in the USChristmas markets in Philadelphia

Christmas lights in other cities

Questions

Which Christmas lights in Philadelphia are free?
Miracle on South 13th Street (East Passyunk, South Philly), Smedley Street Christmas Spectacular (South Philly), Electrical Spectacle at Franklin Square (Center City), Holiday Lights on Boathouse Row (Schuylkill River). None of them sell tickets, but some charge for parking and the busiest neighborhoods have long lines, so check each card and go on a weeknight.
When do the Philadelphia light displays open this year?
So far LumiNature (Opens Nov 19, 2026 (closing date not yet published)) and A Longwood Christmas (Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027) have announced their 2026 dates. The rest publish in October and November; until then this page shows last year's dates, marked as such.