These dazzling Christmas light shows in the Smokies, Knoxville will brighten your holiday
It’s looking a lot like Christmas! The holiday season has East Tennessee glimmering with bright, vibrant lights from the Great Smoky Mountains to Knoxville.
Enjoy the holidays at Dollywood and see the new drone light show or see the millions of lights dazzling across Sevier County. Ride though elaborate fun displays in the Smokies or browse Knoxville neighborhoods and experience festive light shows accompanied by synchronized holiday music.
If checking out the best and brightest Christmas lights is part of your family's tradition, here are a few festive light shows to see before they dim until next year.
Christmas lights in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge
Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas
Until Jan. 6
Dollywood is adorned with more than 6 million twinkling lights through the end of the year, and the park's festival, featuring shows and Christmas cheer, has been voted America's Best Christmas Event for more than a decade. New this year is a festive drone show, “Joyful,” that lights up the night sky with reds, greens and whites. Tickets and information for the Pigeon Forge attraction are available at dollywood.com.
Tickets: Adult - $92 | Child 4-9 - $82 | Seniors 62+ - $82Location: 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge
Enchanted Christmas at Anakeesta
Until Dec. 31
Over three million lights and custom animations bring the Smoky Mountains alive at night at Anakeesta. Stroll through the new Stone Village, which includes a “Classic Christmas” tree farm, or enjoy the winter lights in Arctic Alley, music and mountain views in Black Bear Village, shopping in Firefly Village and blissful walks in Vista Gardens and the Tree Top Skywalk. And do it all while sipping hot chocolate and running into carolers, aerial performances, juggling elves on stilts and Santa. Visit Anakeesta.com for more details.
Tickets: Adult – $34.99+ | Children 4-11: $22.99 | Seniors 60+: $27.99 | 3 and under: FreeLocation: 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland (Sevierville)
Until Jan. 7
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland has moved to Soaky Mountain Waterpark. The 8-mile drive-thru light show features 25-feet-tall trumpeting angels, a star-studded pathway and custom-built “Santa’s Safari” themed comical displays. And watch out for mischievous elves along the way, too. Visit shadrackchristmas.com/sevierville-shows for more information.
Tickets: $39.95 per vehicle. Discounted value tickets available on select days.Time: 6-10 p.m. (or later on weekends)Location: 175 Gists Creek Road, Sevierville
Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland (Johnson City)
Until Jan. 7
Another Shadrack drive-thru light show is in Johnson City. The immersive show features synchronized Christmas music from your car, three tunnels covered in a kaleidoscope of colors, towering walls of lights, a visual “12 Days of Christmas” interpretation and sparkling 50-foot Christmas trees. More information is available at shadrackchristmas.com/johnson-city-tn.
Tickets: $29.95 per vehicleTime: 6-10 p.m. (or later on weekends)Location: 100 Lakeview Street, Gray, Tenn.
Winterfest in Sevier County
Until Feb. 18
Winter in the Smokies is magical and it’s brighter than ever. More than 5 million lights draped across Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevier County create a winter wonderland enjoyed by first-time guests and locals. Visitors should check out the Wonders of Light Walking Trail in Pigeon Forge which features 20 displays with over one million lights, arches, flowers, Old Man Winter and even a 52-foot-long caterpillar, all programmed to music. Visit pigeonforgewinterfest.com for more information.
Location: Throughout Sevier County
Christmas lights in Knoxville
Boyd Family Christmas Light Show
Enjoy this vibrant and popular light show in West Knoxville. A new music sequence has been specifically curated to accompany the display. Check out facebook.com/BoydFamilyChristmasLightShow for more information.
Time: 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday | 6-10 p.m. Friday and SaturdayLocation: 1936 Winter Winds Lane
Johnson Christmas Light Displays
The Johnson Christmas display is expected to light up Dec. 1. This computer-animated Christmas light show has been a festive holiday enjoyment since 2005. Tune radio your radio to 91.5 FM at 6 p.m. for the accompanying music. Find more information at Facebook.com/johnsonchristmasTN.
Time: 6-10 p.m.Location: 4901 Fragrant Cloud Lane
Christmas at Chilhowee
Until Jan. 1
The tree in the bandstand at Chilhowee Park has been lit, along with holiday decorations in the park. You can drive through nightly to enjoy the festive lights.
Time: Nightly until 10 p.m.Location: 3301 E. Magnolia Ave.
Christmas on Conner
Until Jan. 8
More than 7,500 lights have been programmed to twinkle, shine and dance to holiday songs at this Fountain City home. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., tune to 91.5 FM to listen to the music.
Time: 5:30-10 p.m. on weekdays | 5:30-11 p.m. on weekendsLocation: 3008 Conner Drive
Gray Eagle Lane
Several homes in the Gray Eagle Springs subdivision in West Knoxville are elaborately decorated each holiday season. Be sure to drive through Gray Eagle Lane off of Bob Gray Road to experience it all, but be prepared to wait in a line.
Holiday Festival of Lights at Concord Park
Until Dec. 31
Holiday Festival of Lights is celebrating 25 years! The Knoxville tradition has almost a mile of thousands of sparkling lights coordinated to music. Enjoy story time with Mrs. Claus and other Christmastime characters. You can also decorate ornaments to hang on the tree and cookies to eat, and write letters to Santa that can be dropped off in a special nearby mailbox.
Time: 6-9 p.m.Location: 11808 S. Northshore Drive
Light the Park (Farragut)
Until Jan. 1
Thousands of holiday lights are illuminated along Campbell Station Road from the I-40 commuter lot to the Campbell Station Inn Plaza at the intersection of Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike. Stroll through festive area to also check out daily giveaways from local businesses and groups and mail letters to Santa.
Time: Dusk to 10 p.m.
Light up Lakeshore
The trees in Lakeshore Park are lit and decorated throughout the holiday season for visitors to enjoy.
Location: 5930 Lyons View Pike
Listen to the Lights
Enjoy a synchronized light show as you listen to music from your car. The extravagant display features illuminated trees, holiday decorations and bubbles. A new machine has been added this year that will go off during the finale song. This year’s song list includes “Holly Jolly Christmas” (Straight No Chaser), “Count on Christmas” (Bebe Rehxa), “Joy to the World” (Faith Hill) and “Waymaker” (Michael W. Smith). Tune in to 93.7 FM to get the full experience. And keep a look out for Santa! Go to facebook.com/BranchLights for more information.
Time: Starts at 6 p.m. daily. Show runtime is just over 33 minutes.Location: 929 Oak Haven Road
Share your light display on our map!
If you want to show off your wonderful holiday decorations while also making the holidays brighter for East Tennessee families in need, you can donate to our Empty Stocking Fund.
Knox News is introducing a new map of our community's best home and business decorations, and yours can be added to the list with a donation to our charity that has been providing Christmastime meals since before 1912.
Head to esfknox.org and make a donation of at least $20, and be sure to leave us a comment with your address to add to the map.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Where to see Christmas lights in Dollywood, Pigeon Forge and Knoxville
