8 of the Biggest Christmas Light Displays You Can See in West Virginia

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) – The holiday season just isn’t the same without lights, but West Virginia is lucky to have some great displays scattered across the state.

Here is a list of some of the largest exhibitions in the Mountain State brighten Your December:

Festival of Lights in Oglebay

• Permit: $30 suggested donation per vehicle
• When: Open every evening from dusk to midnight, including public holidays, until January 5th

The Festival of Lights in Oglebay is truly one of the largest shows in the state, with more than 100 different light shows this year. 2024 also marks the 40th anniversary of the Festival of Lights and runs until January 5th.

You can read more about Oglebay’s Festival of Lights here.

Fairmont Festival of Lights

• Permit: $10 per car, $30 per bus or $5 per person on walking evenings
• When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m
  • Driver Nights begin on Friday November 29th and run from Thursday to Monday each week until December 29th.
  • Hiking evenings take place every Wednesday in December.

Now in its 17th year, the Celebration of Lights at Morris Park in Fairmont features more than 500 individual light displays along a 1.3-mile route. All money raised through the light show will benefit the Tyagrt Valley United Way.

Find out more about the exhibition and how to buy advance tickets here. Information about traffic history for the ad can be found here.

Krodel Festival of Lights in Point Pleasant

• Permit: Free, donations welcome
• When: Every evening until January 1st from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

This exhibition is located in Krodel Park, just minutes from the world-famous Mothman Museum, which added a new indoor mini-golf course and Mothman-themed escape room earlier this year.

Although the show is free, all donations for the exhibition will go toward “the continued revitalization of the downtown area and the growth of the light show,” according to the event page.

Holiday of Lights in Bluefield

• Permit: Free, donations welcome
• When: Sunday to Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. until January 5th

Bluefield’s light display will take place every evening until January 5th at Lotito City Park. According to the show’s website, admission is free, but all donations will go toward maintaining and upgrading the show over time. Visitors can also enjoy a nearby ice rink and a 22-foot-tall “Light-O-Rama” Christmas tree that synchronizes music and a light show every 30 minutes starting at 6 p.m

For more information about the Bluefield Holiday of Lights, visit the website.

Christmas at the Lewisburg Fair

• Permit: Free, donations welcome
• When:
  • 5th–8th December
  • 12-15. December
  • 19-24. December

The “Christmas at the Fair” light show is hosted by the West Virginia State Fair and takes place at the State Fairgrounds in Lewisburg. This exhibition is also free for visitors, but you can donate if you wish.

There is currently no stated start time for Christmas at the Fair, but a calendar of days the event will be open can be found on the State Fair website. “Christmas at the Fair” is primarily a drive-in light show, but guests can walk through the display on three days: December 7, December 12 and December 19.

Light up the night in Charleston

• Permit: $11 per adult, $9 for children ages 3 to 12, children 2 and under are free
• When: The light show takes place every day at 5 p.m. until January 1st, except Christmas

The Light the Night event at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston is more than just an exhibition; This interactive music and light show also features a variety of events such as ice skating and bumper cars starting at 12 p.m.

Tickets for the Light the Night event can be found on the official website here.

Festival of Lights in St. Albans

• Permit: Free, donations welcome (cash or canned goods)
• When: Every evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. until December 26th, except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

You can find the Festival of Lights in St Albans at St Albans City Park. Although it’s a drive-thru light-only display, the event website says the entire route can take about 30 minutes.

For more information about the Festival of Lights, visit the event’s official website here.

Christmas in the Park in Logan

• Permit: Free, donations welcome
• When: 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., open every evening until December 31st

Chief Logan State Park hosts its lights show throughout December and is a great opportunity to explore the park and not just see the lights. On the Chief Logan State Park website you can read all about what the park has to offer, including a restaurant, hiking trails, lodging and more.

If you know of other light displays in West Virginia that are open to the public, you can email [email protected].