Christmas Lights in Birmingham 2024-2025

Christmas lights in Birmingham, AL, tantalize the citizens and the local community during the holiday season every year. The buildings are adorned with sparkling lights, and the whole city is filled with a Christmas atmosphere. We’ve put together the best Christmas lights in Birmingham to help you choose the brightest destination for this holiday season.

Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration at the Birmingham Zoo (November 22, 2024–January 20, 2025 (select nights)

The Birmingham Zoo knows how to celebrate Christmas. Glow Wild: An Animal Lantern Celebration is an illuminating event designed to impress and inspire. It features a one-way path, where you can view different animal shapes of all sizes animated to move parts of their bodies. Live acrobatic performances is another thing to look forward to. Children and adults alike will enjoy thrilling rides on a Red Diamond Express Train and a Protective Life Jingle Bell Carousel.

Schedule & Tickets

The show is held on select days during November, December, and January. The grounds are normally open from 5 pm until 9 pm, with onsite ticket sales stopping at 8 pm. The show is usually closed on holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Tickets start at $18.95 for adults, $11.95 for children 2 to 12 years old, and are completely free for infants.

Galaxy of Lights (November 15–December 31, 2024)

The Bham area also knows how to impress you with hundreds of twinkling lights. Galaxy of Lights is a holiday tradition that is held every November and December at the Garden in Huntsville. It features magnificent light displays with a special walking path through the Garden that sparkles from all the corners.

Schedule

Galaxy of Lights allows visitors to experience the show both walking and driving. Walking nights for the 2024 edition are from November 15 until December 1, December 4-8, and December 18-26th. The drive-thru option is open on December 9-17 and December 29-31. On Mondays and Tuesdays of walking nights, you can even bring your dog, but be sure to keep it leashed.

Tickets

Ticket prices depend on the peak and off-peak times of the season. For adults, who are members of the Huntsville Botanical Garden, prices are $13 during non-peak time, $17 during peak, and $25 at the gate. Children, who are members, pay $7 during non-peak, $10 at peak, or $15 at the gate. Non-member adult tickets are priced at $16, $20, and $25, and non-member children (ages 3-15) are charged $9, $12, or $15. For participants of the "Museums for All" program, tickets are consistently $3, regardless of age. Dog admission, where applicable, is priced at $5. All prices are subject to tax.

The Richardson Family Christmas Light Show (late November–late December, 2024)

The Richardson Family takes the best out of every holiday season since they use their decoration to arrange a canned food drive for those in need. Enjoy hundreds of synchronized dazzling lights while helping less fortunate families. This Christmas lights show in Birmingham, AL, is held from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. The show is weather-dependent and might be canceled in case of severe weather.

Downtown Birmingham Christmas lights

If you are a walking enthusiast, take a walk in Downtown Birmingham and enjoy the Christmas lights it’s filled with. For instance, in Linn Park, you can watch a 40-foot (12 m) Christmas tree come to life with hundreds of flickering lights. You can also enjoy the lighting of the Regions Center, the 390-foot (118 m) tower, which has been installing displays for decades.

Regions Center Light Display (November 29–late December, 2024)

The night after Thanksgiving, the Regions Center in Central City lights up with thousands of flickering bulbs, all creating a magical installation. The windows of an office tower turn into little pieces of a puzzle, coming together in a festive illustration of a Christmas tree, Christmas stocking, or other holiday-themed subjects. Each window of the center has a light tube, which is carefully set up every year. The display approximately begins at 4:45 or later in the day. The show is on through the Christmas season.

Tree Lighting & Block Party in Linn Park (December 8, 2024)

Situated in the heart of the city, Linn Park is normally crowded with families, dog-walkers, and joggers continuing their normal daily routine. But on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the park transforms into a winter fairytale with a presence of a towering beauty—Christmas tree. Taking place in front of the City Hall, the event also features numerous vendors, offering keepsakes and delicious fare, as well as carol singing, special performances, and more.

Schedule & Admission

The party is completely free to attend but offers from street vendors and some attractions are subject to a fee. The festivities run from 4 pm until 7 pm, with tree lighting taking place at 5:30 pm. Visitors are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or other types of seating to fully enjoy the performances and the atmosphere.