All is once again merry and bright within the South Sound community as we welcome Santa and his reindeer in preparation for everyone’s favorite gift-giving holiday, Christmas. Already Christmas trees are going up, presents are being wrapped, and neighborhoods are lighting up with holiday cheer as colorful string lights decorate the streets to help guide the big man’s sleigh. Yes, the lights will soon be up in magical displays portraying the Christmas holiday’s beauty and magic. Here to take part in this favorite holiday tradition and bring joy to all in the spirit of the season are these wonderful Christmas light displays in Tacoma and the South Sound community!
Fantasy Lights
14800-15470 Bressmann Blvd. S Spanaway Park, Tacoma
From November 25 until January 1, Fantasy Lights is lighting up the holiday skies at Spanaway Park. The spectacle of colors is actually the largest holiday drive-through display in the Northwest, featuring nearly 300 elaborate displays and thousands of sparkling lights, all a fabulous reflection of the Christmas spirit. To take part in this wonderful family holiday tradition, tickets must be pre-purchased online. There are multiple pricing options available, with tickets sold per vehicle for this massive display of holiday cheer.
Sumner’s Downtown Americana Christmas
Downtown Sumner
Downtown Sumner will once again transform into a winter wonderland as the ambiance of small-town, cozy Christmas comes to life during their annual Sumner’s Downtown Americana Christmas in December. Main Street will feel like the North Pole itself as the historic and restored brick buildings are encompassed in soft-white, glowing holiday lights. Adding to the warm, fuzzy feeling you’re bound to get as you walk the streets are decked-out windows of the local coffee shops, bookstores, bakeries, boutiques, and more as they participate in a window-decorating contest to see who can bring the most cheer to Main Street.
Zoolights
5400 N Pearl Street, Tacoma
253.305.1088
Point Defiance Park will again greet the holidays with everybody’s favorite Zoolights tradition. Over 800,000 magical lights transform the zoo into a colorful winter wonderland and dazzle boys and girls of all ages from November 25 until January 2 from 4:30 until 10 p.m. Adding to the fun are some groovy goats in holiday coats for fun animal encounters for guests. The zoo is already counting down the days in anticipation, with tickets sold online ranging from $6 to $16, and children under two receiving free admission. Last year this popular event sold out quickly, so reserve those tickets early!
A Victorian Country Christmas
110 9th Avenue SW, Puyallup
253.845.1771
If you’ve ever wondered what Christmas was like during the Victorian Era, you can finally experience it firsthand during A Victorian Country Christmas, which is held at the Washington State Fairgrounds. This wonderful and unique Christmas experience runs from December 1 through 4, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with special hours of 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays. More than 500 exhibits are decorated to the pinnacle of Victorian fashion, along with various shops that house thousands of unique holiday gifts, handcrafted items, and specialty foods. Live entertainment will be there to enjoy on not one but two stages, along with a beautiful singing nativity, sure to leave your head full of Christmas carols before the night is over. O’ holy night indeed.
Solstice Lights
12317 Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest, Lakewood
253.584.4106
Guests can witness the interplay of lights, sound, and Mother Nature this holiday season during Lakewold Gardens’ Solstice Lights event. From November 25 until January 2, this colorful array of immersive lighting, data-driven music, and live instrumentation brings the garden to life, allowing guests to experience the interconnectedness of our globe in the spirit of the holidays. Artist Samuel Stubblefield is the artistic mastermind behind the show’s creation and has worked hard to provide the citizens of Pierce County with a holiday experience they won’t forget. All are invited to come experience this seasonal celebration that includes several installations with tickets starting at $16 for adults, $12 for youth, seniors, military, and educators, and children under five receiving free admission.
2023 Tacoma Light Trail
Downtown Tacoma
Though the big man himself is done with his hard work after he drops off his presents on Christmas Eve, that doesn’t mean the beloved city of Tacoma isn’t done working hard to spread some holiday cheer. From December 31 until January 19 of the new year, guests can immerse themselves this holiday season in a festival of light, art, and sound like no other every night in downtown Tacoma. The 2023 Tacoma Light Trail hopes you’ll follow the path into the new year with them during these nights of fun that will include four nights of free outdoor performances. Lumens concerts, light art, lantern workshops, and even a dragon parade. The fun is sure to capture the season’s magic and wonder and lead Tacoma residents into the new year. Celebrate with them and choose to be the light in the new year!
Twinkling, sparkling, dazzling, so many lights reflect Christmas’s beauty and magic, and they’re all right here in Tacoma and the South Sound community.
