Holiday LIGHTS was Voted the Best Event in Nashville – Here’s Why!
Publish Date: 11/17/2019
Holiday LIGHTS is an unforgettable, immersive and engaging experience that has become a favorite Nashville holiday tradition. It’s easy to see why Nashville Scene Readers voted our holiday festival Best Event/Festival in Nashville! The holiday lights shine a little brighter out here away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as you enter our winter wonderland, you’ll be captivated by the seasonal light displays throughout our gardens.
1. Bigger, Better, More!
Holiday LIGHTS is a spectacle of wonder – one mile of lights, Santa and his reindeer, s’mores, the Cheekwood Mansion bedecked for the season, and holiday activities galore.
And each year, there’s more – more lights, more activities, more food, more exhibitions, more photo ops, more, more, more. That’s because, at Cheekwood, we have a philosophy: Bigger, Better, More! Each year, our Holiday LIGHTS festival gets new lights installations, new activities, and new decorations. This year, we unveiled Pinnacles of Light in the Bradford Robertson Color Garden. Featuring 17 pinnacles of 81,600 green, white and pink LED lights, this display captivates the imagination. Also new this year, we took our poinsettia display up a notch with the addition of our new Poinsettia Wall. Both our Poinsettia Tree and Wall make perfect holiday photo! Also new this year is our Pawlidays at Cheekwood. On Sunday, December 8th, dogs are invited to experience Cheekwood during our daytime hours and even get their photo with Santa himself from 10 AM – 2 PM. With this new holiday dog event, Cheekwood now offers dog-friendly events during every season!
2. Cheekwood is the ONLY place to see real reindeer in Nashville during the holidays!
One of our most beloved holiday traditions is inviting two of Santa’s most trusted companions to spend the holiday season with us. Our resident reindeer, Jolly, returned for her fifth year at Cheekwood with her youngest calf. We held a social media contest to name the young calf. You voted and you chose Dolly – a most fitting name for a reindeer in Music City!
You can visit Jolly and Dolly during our regular daytime hours and at night during Holiday LIGHTS in our Reindeer Village. This year, we’ve also introduced “Deer Diaries” Reindeer Keeper talks so you can get all of the questions you have about Santa’s Reindeer answered directly from the experts themselves!
3. The Perfect Seasonal Selfie
We know you want to experience events – and show them off! At Cheekwood, there are dozens of photo ops spread throughout the mile-long pathway. From the Candy Cane Forest to the Glowing Gazebo, there is no shortage of Instagram moments for you to capture the perfect seasonal selfie. Be sure to use #CheekwoodLights and tag @Cheekwood on social media for a chance to win a membership!
4. No Other Event in Nashville Is Like It!
Nashville has no shortage of holiday fun – lights exhibits, pop-up bars, igloos, shows, tours, parades, and more. But, there are some items that you can only see and experience at Cheekwood! From the historic mansion period rooms bedecked for the season, a celebration of antique trains, model trains outside, and live caroler performances and singalongs each night, there is truly no other holiday experience like Cheekwood!
5. It’s Become a Timeless Nashville Tradition
Now in its fifth year, the phrase we hear most from the locals is that it has become a favorite Nashville tradition, and why wouldn’t it be? The event is friendly for all ages, all demographics, and has something for everyone. Immediately as you enter the property, you see lights, smell hot chocolate, hear upbeat holiday music and more as you are instantly put in the holiday spirit.
Come and see for yourself why we were voted the Best Local Event/Festival by the Nashville Scene! Visit our ticketing page for tickets and more information.
Holiday LIGHTS is presented by
