2024 Hampton Roads Holidays: Get a List of Events, Light Displays, and More!
November 20, 2024
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holiday season in Hampton Roads! Get a list of holiday events and light displays below. Plus, check out our guide to the best neighborhood light displays here.
Chesapeake
Chesapeake’s Christmas Bird Count Dec. 14th- Jan. 5th- Held annually by the National Audubon Society, this is the ideal way to see some of the over 200 species of birds flying south for the winter as they migrate across Virginia. Free to participate, this holiday season event is a wonderful way to celebrate nature with family and friends.
Christmas in the Country: Drive through this light display at Triple R Ranch. The event runs from Dec. 1st-23rd and is free of charge.
Community Chrismas Celebration presented byGreat Bridge Baptist Church. 640 Battlefield Boulevard South, Chesapeake, VA 23322. This visually stunning multimedia event is complete with choirs of all generations, live orchestra, live nativity, live animals, a drumline, dancers and so much more. Come and experience the Greatest Story Ever Told.
Deck the Hall and Fa La La Land: Deck the Hall November 28, 2024 to January 2, 2025 from 6 to 9 p.m. nightly. Experience this drive-through light display of holiday themes from the comfort of your car. It’s sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Fa La La Land. December 14 and 21, 2024, from 5 to 9 p.m. Walk around this interactive outdoor wonderland while enjoying baby goats in holiday sweaters, carolers, face painting, holiday-themed food trucks, and more! View live ballerina performances on stage and get pictures with our roaming holiday characters, glass man, stilt walker, and Santa! Free parking around City Hall municipal center. Free family outdoor event. Don’t forget to bring your camera!
Hampton
Downtown Hampton Lighted Boat Parade: The Hampton River will come to life as a fleet of decorated boats parade past the Downtown Hampton waterfront on December 14th. The parade runs from 7:00-8:00 pm and concludes with an awards ceremony at 8:30 pm. Following the parade, Santa will join the fun dockside to provide one last chance for your family to visit with him. This event is free and open to the public!
Holiday Wonder Walk: Friday, Dec. 20 – Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 5 – 8 p.m. Air Power Park. Just in time for the Holidays, Hampton’s Water Walk Trail comes to life with dazzling lights and seasonal décor. Featuring a variety of lighted displays and themed props, the Holiday Wonder Walk is sure to bring out the child in everyone. Come and stroll at your leisure just over one mile out and back.
Portsmouth
Olde Towne Holiday Lights and Tree Lighting: November 22 @ 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm. From a snowy tree lighting to the arrival of Santa Claus, join us for a progressive lighting of the city.
Coleman Collection Nativity Scene: The Nativity Scene, because of it’s religious significance, was best housed outside a public building and separate from the rest of the collection. However, it remains a very important part of Winter Wonderland and visitors enjoy viewing it year after year. Come visit Monumental United Methodist Church and witness this amazing Nativity Scene for yourself! The Nativity Scene is free to view and will be open on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; and on Sundays from 12:30 – 5 p.m. until December 18th.
Holiday Homes Tour: When: Friday, December 13, 2024 from 6-9pm and/or Saturday, December 14, 2024 from 12-5 PM. Experience the spirit of olde world charm of festively decorated homes in the heart of Portsmouth’s historic district during the Holiday Homes Tour. Two opportunities to see these beautiful homes. $20 for both days and $15 for just Saturdays. Friday night will be select homes who will offer holiday refreshments and a chance to see the homes with all their Holiday lights. Then all the home will be open to you on Saturday. Neighbors open their decorated homes during this self-guided walking tour. Along the way, enjoy a holiday market, live music, carolers, seasonal greenery, and historical re-enactors.
Snow Wonders: Snow will fall from the sky, music will fill the air, and we hope that it brings nostalgic memories of the past. Enjoy this magical holiday experience! Join us on the Middle Street Mall outside the Children’s Museum of Virginia for this free seasonal event every Saturday at 6pm | NOV 30 – DEC 28
Norfolk
Downtown Norfolk Elf Tour: Saturday, December 7th. Something strange has been happening in Downtown Norfolk! Small doors, just large enough for an elf, have been appearing at the base of many Downtown Norfolk businesses. During this tour, Norfolk Tour Company will use the elf doors in Downtown Norfolk to lead tour-goers on a cheer-filled scavenger hunt, exploring businesses that host our little elf friends for the holidays. The tour will start and end in Selden Market, Downtown’s holiday shopping hub.
Great Hot Cocoa War:Beginning the day of Downtown Norfolk’s Grand Illumination celebration, there will be a magical contest of the hottest and chocolatiest proportions. Downtown Norfolk will rain with marshmallows of fantastical sizes! Get your cup and choose your side. THE CONTEST RUNS FOR A FULL WEEK! This allows for more chances for you to try all the majestic cocoas Norfolk can create! Learn more at www.hotcocoawar.com.
A Merry Little Christmas Carol: Hampton Roads’ favorite holiday tradition returns with a larger than life production. See Ebenezer Scrooge’s haunting journey unfold with inventive theatricality incorporating traditional holiday music harmonizing to produce a tour de force of laughter, hope, and the magic of the season. Don’t miss this heartwarming tale that reminds us that it is never too late to become our best selves. Beatty Barnes returns to reprise his role as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Million Bulb Walk: The Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Million Bulb Walk is back for another year! Reserve tickets online. This event runs through January 5th. The Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is a beloved tradition in Norfolk. Experience the magic of the lights with your furry friends on “Barks and Bulbs” nights. It’s an experience that’s bound to make memories that last a lifetime.
Winterfest on the Wisconsin at Nauticus:WinterFest on the Wisconsin is celebrating this season with an all-new holiday movie theme. A towering 35-foot-tall leg lamp, a larger-than-life Ralphie (complete with his pink bunny suit), two Grinch “takeover” nights, and an elaborate new train display featuring everyone’s favorite elf are just some of the additions that make this season’s WinterFest bigger and brighter than ever!
Newport News:
Celebration in Lights: Virginia’s first drive-through holiday light event, opens for its 31st season on Thanksgiving night. Newport News Park will be transformed by over a million individual lights, creating animated holiday and fanciful scenes.
Lights at the Fountain: Lights at the Fountain sets the scene for a relaxing stroll around City Center’s five-acre fountain. Here, the lights and soundtrack from a 50-foot animated tree synchronize with 50 perimeter trees that circle the fountain in a 16-minute show that plays every half hour, from 5 to 9 p.m. daily Dec. 8 through Jan. 1.
Santa Paws Pet Photos: $10 Pet Photos with Santa, at White’s Nursery & Garden Center on Saturday, December 2nd. This is a fundraiser benefitting Friends of the Animals at CAS, a 501(c)(3) organization.
Storytime with Santa: December 1st.Santa Claus is coming to The Mariners’! Bring your family and friends, and don’t forget your camera because you’ll want to capture the magic of this special morning. While you wait to take your picture with Santa, enjoy hot chocolate (or apple cider!), delicious cookies, and fun coloring activities. The holiday cheer kicks into high gear when Santa gathers everyone around for one of his favorite stories! Storytime with Santa will take place in the Museum’s Main Lobby. This family-friendly event is $1 and children three and younger are free. Museum admission is included with each ticket. Advance registration is required to ensure seating and supplies.
Weihnachtsmarkt 2043: December 6th and 7th. Join us as we celebrate the holiday season with an authentic -“German Market” in honor of Newport News’ German Sister City of Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This year we will be back for Friday AND Saturday from 3-9 pm. The Christmas Market features 25+ vendors, food trucks (Lodschgi – Taste of Germany and Sate’ are confirmed) and the return of our beloved handmade Gluhwein pottery mugs. The non-profit Sister Cities Newport News (SCNN) hosts the German Christmas Market in conjunction with the City Center Shopping Center.
Suffolk:
Festival of Lights: Welcome in the holidays with the 4th Annual Suffolk Festival of Lights at Sleepy Hole Park! This FREE drive-through holiday light display is sure to put you in the festive spirit! The display is available 5-9 pm on the following dates:
November 24-26, November 30-December 3, December 7-25, December 28-31. For more information about this ongoing event, please contact Suffolk Parks & Recreation at 757.514.7250.
Suffolk Grand Illumination: November 22nd. Suffolk Parks & Recreation is proud to kick- off its holiday season with the annual Grand Illumination event on Friday, November 22, at 6 p.m. at The Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave., Suffolk. After our countdown to light the area, you’ll enjoy seasonal music and complimentary horse-drawn carriage rides. Join us inside for holiday-themed activities, a puppet show, and a meet and greet with Santa Claus! Food and beverages will be available from Arts Kitchen. For more information, contact Suffolk Parks & Recreation at (757) 514-7250, or [email protected].
Suffolk Holiday Parade: View the sights and sounds of the 2024 Suffolk Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 14th. Find the best spot to watch the floats, equestrian units, marching bands, and festive vehicles as they make their way down W. Washington Street and turn up N. Main Street, with the parade route ending at Finney Avenue. The Grandstand will be in front of the old SunTrust Building in the 100 block of N. Main Street. Be sure to grab a seat to catch all the great performances! This year’s theme is Winter Wonderland!
Winter Wonderland in Downtown Suffolk: Experience the magic of the season at Downtown Suffolk’s Holiday Weekend! Free and open to the public. Enjoy gingerbread cookie decorating, sand art creations, holiday photo backdrops and more. November 30 (4-7PM) and December 7-8 (1-5PM).
Lights at the Beach: The magic of BayPort Credit Union Holiday Lights at the Beach, presented by Food Lion, returns to the Virginia Beach Boardwalk through December 31, 2023. Tickets are on sale now.
O Christmas Tea: Care for a spot of tea? Come to the historic Lynnhaven House on Saturday, Dec. 2, and celebrate the holiday season at “O Christmas Tea!” Our popular Dickens classic, late 19th century holiday tea returns this year! Enjoy a specially curated selection of traditional Victorian teas, a menu of tasty treats and a variety of holiday melodies! “O Christmas Tea” will take place in the Lynnhaven Colonial Education Center Two seatings are available (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.). Tickets are $50 per person and limited seating is available, advanced online registraion highly encouraged.
Planes, Trains and Santa! – Join us for a festive Thanksgiving weekend at the Military Aviation Museum for our annual “Planes, Trains, and Santa” family event! New for 2024. To keep the experience special for little ones, we are limiting attendance to 1,300 guests per day. Be sure to purchase your tickets early before each day sells out! Tickets will not be available at the door on sold-out days.
Yule Tours at the Thoroughgood House. Virginia Beach History Museums presents Candlelight Yule Tours at the Thoroughgood House. Come celebrate the season by stepping back in time to experience some favorite colonial Christmas traditions. Costumed guides will escort you by candlelight through the home of Argall II and Susannah Thoroughgood and share stories of the decorations, traditions, foods, and festivities of 18th century coastal Virginia. With live instrumental music provided in the house by members of the Itinerant Band, the interior will come alive with holiday charm. Hear how various members of the household would have experienced the holidays based on their role on the property and status in the community. Grab a hot drink while you write your wishes to burn on the Yule logs before you head home. Tours are every 30 minutes with the last tour of the evening departing at 7:30PM. Event is from 5PM-8PM at the Thoroughgood House. Tickets are $10 for adults and children over 10, $5 for children 2-10 and free for children younger than 2. If you have any questions about this event, or other Virginia Beach History Museums events and tours, please call 757-385-5100 or email [email protected]
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Virginia Beach Holiday Parade at the Beach– On Saturday, December 7th the Holiday Parade at the Beach came alive with almost 90 parade units making their way down Atlantic Avenue in a joyous celebration of the holiday season. Giant balloons, marching bands, lighted floats, equestrian units, fire trucks, performing dance groups, motorcycles, and more joined forces to present a dazzling and entertaining night of fun for all ages! And, best of all, Santa himself made a grand appearance to greet all his loyal fans!
Williamsburg
Busch Gardens Christmas Town: Park-goers can check out the Christmas Town on select dates from November 15 through January 5th.
Grand Illumination: December 7, 14 & 21, 2024. We invite guests to join us as we illuminate the night sky above our beautiful colonial capital. In the 18th century, illuminations — the firing of guns and lighting of fireworks — celebrated major events such as the birthday of a reigning sovereign, military victories, or the arrival of a new colonial governor. Begin the special day by checking out the unique decorations throughout the Historic Area. Then, enjoy musical performances on multiple stages throughout our streets and fireworks displays from the Capitol and the Palace.
*If you have an event you would like added to this listing, email [email protected].
