Bright Nights at Forest Park

Springfield, Massachusetts — Bright Nights at Forest Park has been dubbed the Northeast’s premier holiday lighting experience.  It includes a spectacular three-mile drive through with more than 700,000 lights.  The displays surround the holiday revelers as they travel the three-mile route through arches and tunnels and larger-than-life displays.  These include Seuss Land, Toy Land, Victorian Village, Jurassic World, a replica of the Springfield Municipal Group with Santa flying over, towering candles, nativity, menorah, Kwanzaa displays, and more.

The 29th season, which opens on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, will also feature more activities than ever before so that visitors can extend their experience outside of the car.  At Santa’s Magical Forest, which is located just after Seuss Land, the Jolly Ol’ Elf himself will greet visitors and pose for photographs through Christmas Eve.  There will be a grand carousel to ride, snacks to munch on, souvenirs to take home, and selfies to take to remember the experience.  There will also be a host of activities that include musical performances by high school choruses, and special appearances by the Snow Queen and Ice Princess, the Grinches Granddaughter, and Elf on the Shelf.  On Tuesday, December 4th and 11^th, there will be free face painting.  Wednesday, December 5^th and 12^th will Zoo Nights with special activities at the Zoo at Forest Park.

Because every member of the family should enjoy Bright Nights, be sure to bring the pets along for the ride.  On Friday, December 1^st  and 15^th , the furry family members can have their picture taken with Santa.

For those planning ahead, reservations are being accepted for horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides, and Supper with Santa at the Barney Carriage House.

General admission tickets, valid for any night of the event, are $23.  Discounted tickets for specific dates are also available in limited quantities.  There is Roll Back night, which is Wednesday, November 22, 2023, opening night.  Tickets are the same price as they were in 1995, $6 per car.  $10 admission tickets are valid for Tuesday, December 5, and Tuesday December 12, $10 Tuesdays.  Limousine admission tickets are available for $35 each.    Big Y World Class Markets has general admission tickets for sale for $18 with Big Y Membership.

Buses have been making reservations all year.  Admission for a bus with seating capacity of 30+ passengers is $175.  Mini buses with seating between 17 and 30 passengers is $80.

Bright Nights at Forest Park will be open from Wednesday, November 22, 2023, through Monday, January 1, 2024, and closed Monday, November 27 and Tuesday, November 28, 2023.  The lights will be lit nightly at 5pm, and glow through 9pm Sunday through Thursday, and 10pm Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays that include Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Bright Nights at Forest Park is generously supported by American Medical Response, Balise, Baystate Health, Big Y World Class Markets, Charlie Arment Trucking, Comcast, Eastman-Indian Orchard, Eversource Energy, Gleason Johndrow Landscaping, Health New England, iHeart Media, MassLive, MassMutual, Mercy Medical Center, MGM Springfield, MP CPA’s, PeoplesBank, Sarat Ford, Sheraton Springfield, Springfield Thunderbirds, The Republican, The CW Springfield, WWLP-22 News, and Yankee Candle.

The Spirit of Springfield has been producing Bright Nights at Forest with the Springfield Department of Parks, Buildings, and Recreation Management Park since its inception in 1995.  To-date, it has entertained over seven million visitors.

For more information and all of the activities, visit brightnights.org.