Updated August 2026 • Curated by NaperKids
This is our annually-updated guide to holiday lights and displays for families in and around Naperville. Because run dates and hours change every year, we do not publish specific dates unless we can confirm them — instead we point you to the kinds of displays worth seeking out and pull confirmed light events into the list below as they are announced. Check back through November and December as the season fills in.
The Chicago area hosts several large walk-through and drive-through light experiences each winter, including displays at area arboretums and zoos. Dates and ticketing change yearly — check each venue's site for this season.
Naperville's downtown and Riverwalk are decorated through the holidays, and the community holiday tree lighting is a popular free kickoff to the season. Confirmed dates appear in our list below as they are announced.
Some Naperville-area neighborhoods are known for elaborate home light displays that are free to drive by. These are organized by residents, not the city, so exact streets and dates vary each year.
Have a display we should add? Send us a tip and we will verify and include it.
Related events happening in the Naperville area
Options range from large walk-through and drive-through light shows at area arboretums and zoos, to Naperville's decorated downtown and Riverwalk, to elaborate neighborhood home displays you can drive by for free. Because dates and details change each year, confirm with each venue and check our event list below for what is confirmed this season.
Most displays and the downtown tree lighting run from late November through the December holidays and into early January, but exact dates vary every year. We only list specific dates once they are confirmed, so check back as the season approaches.
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