Holiday Lights & Christmas Lights in Boston, Massachusetts, and beyond
12/21/08 by
Johnny Monsarrat
This week most of the holiday lights close down, although a few hang on through New Years. It’s another good activity for Christmas Day or this week.
| Holiday Lights | grade | |||||||||
| Millis Wonderland | Millis, MA | |||||||||
| Nightly 6-10pm. This is a private home, not a commercial “attraction”, but still good. Slowest nights are Tuesday-Thursday. 60 Causeway Street, Millis, MA. more |
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| Stone Zoo’s Zoolights | Stoneham, MA | |||||||||
| Daily 5-9pm. 250,000 lights and lots of animals. But the animals are mainly sleeping in their holes and the rest are poorly lit. Only OK. Santa is available. 149 Pond Street, Stoneham, MA.617-989-2000. more |
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| Holiday Landscapes | Stoneham, MA | |||||||||
| It’s a private home but a really expansive lights display, with lights that flash in rhythm to music broadcast over an FM transmitter. 83 Franklin St, Stoneham, MA. more |
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| Edaville Railroad’s Christmas Festival of Lights | Carver, MA | |||||||||
| The biggest and best “holiday lights” display in New England. It’s quite non-religious, with Santa letting kids sit on his lap but also plenty of generic fare like Frosty the Snowman and a tip of the hat to Hannukah. I don’t think you’ll see Jesus at all. Come at night and take a 20-minute train ride, or ride the ferris wheel our carousel. They have 7 million lights, and fireworks every Friday night in December. See website for coupons. Daily. I’ve been and it’s a ton of fun even for adults who are kids at heart and like people-watching. Rt 3S to exit 6, Rt 44W for 8 miles to Rt 58 for 8 miles. Pine Street, Carver, MA.877-EDAVILLE. more |
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| Bridgewater Festival Of Lights | Bridgewater, MA | |||||||||
| Free. 200,000 lights with a walk-through village. Santa and free coffee and hot chocolate by an outdoor fireplace. At the private home of Dale and Cindy Higgins. 5-9pm M-F, 5-10pm SS. 55 Alexander Drive, Bridgewater, MA.508-279-2894. more |
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| La Salette Shrine Festival of Lights | Attleboro, MA | |||||||||
| Daily, 5-9pm. Very religious, it’s a shrine. Over 300,000 lights covering 10 acres. Trolley rides Fri-Sun. 947 Park Street, Attleboro, MA.508-222-5410. more |
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| Holiday Lights at Buttonwood Zoo | New Bedford, MA | |||||||||
| 6-9pm. And many daytime visits by Santa, see Web site. 425 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford, MA.(508) 991-6178. more |
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| Springfield’s Bright Night at Forest Park | Springfield, MA | |||||||||
| 5-9pm, but to 11pm Fri, Sat. 550,000 lights. Surprisingly good though — the 2nd to Edaville. Check out Springfield Museums or zoo (open during school holidays in Dec) at same time. Daily. And check out the holiday lights at Dunn & Phillips, 185 Belmont Ave., Springfield. Rt 83, Springfield, MA.413-733-3800. more |
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| White Mountain Holiday Magic Light Park | Campton, NH | |||||||||
| This one features outdoor lights you can drive through in your car, or on their horse-drawn sleigh, and a non-commercial holiday gift center, too. Fri, Sat, Sun, 4:30-8:30pm. Exit 28 off I-93. Branch Brook Campground, Route 49, Campton, NH.(603) 726-7001. more |
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| Lighted Christmas Rides @ Charmingfare Farm | Candia, NH | |||||||||
| They have a 30 minute horse drawn night ride. Live reindeer. Petting zoo. Route 27, Candia, NH.603-483-5623. more |
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| La Salette Shrine & Center | Enfield, NH | |||||||||
| Another very religious site has 45,000 evening lights spread across 30 acres. 603-632-7087. more |
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| Candlelight Stroll @ Strawbery Banke | Portsmouth, NH | |||||||||
| Strawbery Banke is a re-enactment museum where you’ll meet actors dress as people from history. This event features the 18th century and has live music, a bonfire, participatory caroling, demonstrations on ancient musical instruments and the Masons, hundreds of candles, a gingerbread house contest, and more. Sounds really great! 4-9pm. Marcy Street, Portsmouth, NH.603-422-7514. more |
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