The 15 Best Christmas Light Displays in Cincinnati

Zapf's Christmas Display in North College Hill

2032 Galbraith Road, North College Hill
Every Christmas, a slice of suburban North College Hill becomes awash in a glorious twinkling, festive glow. Zapf’s Christmas Display has been lighting up the neighborhood since 1970, originally created by Bill "Santa Z" Zapf. After Bill died in 2008, his son — who has the same name — kept the tradition alive. Roll up to 2032 Galbraith Road and you’ll be greeted by an an array of illuminated figures: reindeer, cheery snowmen, suited-up Santas and candy canes. Twinkling lights pepper trees and line the house’s borders; even an iteration of A Christmas Story’s infamous leg lamp glows in a window.
Photo via Facebook.com/ZapfsChristmasDisplay

The Christmas Ranch

Take a drive up to Morrow to visit the Christmas Ranch, a winter wonderland that features one million lights synchronized to music. Drive along an animated, illuminated route or park the car to visit the Christmas village with seven shops, a bakery and café, train and wagon rides and a toy factory.

A portion of proceeds benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Little Miami Food Pantry, Neediest Kids of All and Shriners Hospital for children. Through Dec. 23. $20 per carload. 3205 S. Waynesville Road, Morrow.
Photo via Facebook/TheChristmasRanch

Zapf's Christmas Display in North College Hill

Every Christmas, a slice of suburban North College Hill becomes awash in a glorious twinkling, festive glow. Zapf’s Christmas Display has been lighting up the neighborhood since 1970, originally created by Bill "Santa Z" Zapf. After Bill died in 2008, his son — who has the same name — kept the tradition alive. Roll up to 2032 Galbraith Road and you’ll be greeted by an an array of illuminated figures: reindeer, cheery snowmen, suited-up Santas and candy canes. Twinkling lights pepper trees and line the house’s borders; even an iteration of A Christmas Story’s infamous leg lamp glows in a window. 2032 Galbraith Road, North College Hill
Photo via Facebook.com/ZapfsChristmasDisplay

PNC Festival of Lights

The Festival of Lights is back for its 37th year of wintery amazement. Voted the No. 1 zoo light show in the country by readers of USA Today, 3 million LED lights (that’s 284 miles of lights) transform the zoo into a dazzling display of color and festive cheer. New this year is an immersive Northern Lights experience and Fiona’s Fairyland, where five fairy hippopotamuses will be hidden for visitors to find. Ride the Toyland Express train past the Wild Lights show on Swan Lake, snack at the two S’mores-n-More stations, meet the “royal sisters” at the Frozen Wonderland, catch a Madcap black light puppet show and snap a pic with Santa, who will start taking visitors an hour before the festival begins. Whatever you do, make sure to do it with a cup of hot cocoa (spiked or not) in hand. Through Jan. 4. Free with zoo admission. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

The Legendary Light of Clifton Mill

Prepare to be amazed by the dazzling lights of Clifton Mill — 4 million of them. The mill, trees, riverbank and more will all be illuminated from bottom-to-top in colorful lights. Nov. 29-Dec. 30. $10. Clifton Mill, 75 Water St., Yellow Springs.
Photo via Wright-Patterson AFB CGOC/Facebook

ChristmasTown at the Creation Museum

Check out an interesting reenactment of the birth of Christ at the Creation Museum’s holiday nativity. In addition to watching the arrival of baby Jesus, get a 360-degree view of the Garden of Lights multicolored display as you take a zip line through the park. Family dining is available, with hot chocolate and wandering costumed bible characters. 5-8:30 p.m. nightly Nov. 29-Dec. 30. Free. The Creation Museum, 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg.
Photo via creationmuseum.org

Christmas Glow Land of Illusion

This haunted Halloween attraction transforms for the season for the second year in a row. Instead of ghosts and ghouls, find “Southwest Ohio’s largest Christmas lights drive-thru event.” See three million lights strung across a mile-and-a-half, then visit the Christmas Village Santa Workshop to see the man in red. A 45-foot Christmas tree lights the way to gas fire pits. Save $2 when you bring canned goods for the Hope House Mission of Middletown. Through Dec. 30. Tickets start at $18 per vehicle. Land of Illusion, 8762 Thomas Road, Middletown.
Photo via Facebook.com/LandofIllusion

Kings Island WinterFest

WinterFest is back! Kings Island’s nostalgic winter wonderland returns this year, complete with festive food and drinks, special holiday shows and ice skating underneath a Christmas tree-bedecked Eiffel Tower. There will be an artisan village selling holiday crafts, booze-infused hot beverages, ice carvers, carriage rides and even blue hot chocolate. Through Jan. 1. Tickets start at $27.99. Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason.
Photo: Megan Waddel

Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods

For more than 25 years, this annual event has transformed into a staple Cincy holiday tradition. Kick back in your car and take a joy ride through a mile-long stretch of Sharon Woods. Dial the radio to Warm 98.5 — the lights are synchronized to the music. New this year are pixel light displays and more lighted trees. After or before, take the kiddos to the wonder-filled Santaland, open through Dec. 23 (just in time for him to get his sleigh in gear.) A portion of proceeds goes to A Child’s Hope International, to help feed children around the globe. 6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Through Dec. 31. $15 per vehicle. Sharon Woods, 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville.
Photo via

Light Up The Fair

Located at the Boone County Fairgrounds, this Northern Kentucky drive-through light display spans two miles long with over a half a million dazzling lights and is synchronized to music. 5:30-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through Jan. 4. $6 per person, children 3 and under are free. 5819 Idlewild Road, Burlington.
Photo via Facebook/LightUpTheFair

Holiday Lights on the Hill

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum will light up for the 20th year this November. The Holiday Lights on the Hill drive-thru light display features two-and-a-half miles of creative, glowing scenes and an additional new projection-mapped sculptural installation overseen by Brave Berlin, part of the team behind the BLINK art and light festival. This is the park’s second year collaborating with Brave Berlin and this year’s display is a stepping-stone to the park’s Journey BOREALIS, a “top-tier art and holiday destination,” arriving in November 2020. Through Jan. 5. $20 per car load Monday-Thursday; $25 per car load Friday-Sunday. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Hamilton.
Photo via Facebook.com/pyramidhillsculpturepark

Christmas Night of Lights

Coney Island transforms into a drive-thru Christmas show during the 10-week-long Christmas Nights of Lights. Enjoy the warmth of your car while lights manipulated to resemble dancing candy canes, glowing snowmen, colorful tunnels and giant holiday trees are synchronized to Christmas tunes both classic and new available via your car radio. The two-and-a-half-mile long display features more than one million lights. Through Jan. 5. $6. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California.
Photo: Provided by Coney Island

OTRaglow

This storefront display competition pits OTR businesses against each other to see who can create the most magical winter wonderland in the shop’s window. Shops (and residences) will illuminate their displays. 5:30-10 p.m. nightly Nov. 29-Dec. 31. Over-the-Rhine.
Photo: Facebook.com / OtrAGLOW

Newport Light Display with a View

This extravagant light display comes with a spectacular view of downtown Cincinnati framed by an enormous 25-foot lit wreath. Drive through colorful light arches down the Broadway Street hill and gaze upon a dazzlingly entertaining display of sparkling lights, inflatable holiday characters, a model trains, an illuminated snowman family inside a parked van, a giant projection screen featuring holiday movies, and mosey past the North Pole to check out a magical view of the city. 100 W. Broadway St., Newport.
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Light Up Middletown

The 19th-annual Light Up Middletown drive-through Christmas light display is located inside the 100-acre Smith Park. Admission is donation based and raises funds to improve Middletown's parks and attract attention to the city from a wider audience. 6-10 p.m. nightly, through Dec. 31. Donation of your choice. 500 Tytus Ave Middletown.
Photo via Facebook/LightUpMiddletown

Light Up the Levee

Newport on the Levee will transform into a whimsical holiday haven during this year's season-long Winter Wonder event, bringing local vendors, holiday lights, a 500-foot Christmas tree, entertainment and Santa himself to the plaza. Through Dec. 28. Village on the Levee, 1 Levee Way, Newport.
Photo via Facebook.com/LightUpTheLevee