Looking for Christmas light displays? Here's where to see them in Fayetteville
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Holiday Lights in the Garden exhibition runs until Dec. 21.
With Christmas just around the corner, Cumberland County is getting adequately festive. Here’s your guide to local spots offering holiday lights and more.
In Fayetteville, Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s Holiday Lights in the Garden exhibition returns Friday. According to the garden’s website, the “outdoor, walk-through, interactive experience” will run from 5 to 9 p.m. every weekend until Dec. 15 and nightly from Dec. 15 to Dec. 21, offering thousands of lights, visits from Santa and the Grinch, treats and vendor markets. Advance tickets with timed entry are required, with prices ranging from $6 to $14 depending on age and membership status. Kids under 3 get in free, the website states. Visit etix.com/ticket/v/26840/cape-fear-botanical-garden to purchase tickets.
Keep reading to find out other places in Cumberland County offering Christmas light displays.
More Christmas fun: Here's your guide to Fayetteville-area Christmas and holiday events
A drive-through experience at Arnette Park
For those wanting to get in touch with nature, Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation will be operating a free Christmas in the Park lights display at Arnette Park, located at 2165 Wilmington Highway. According to the department’s website, the event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays from Dec. 3 to Dec. 21.
Anyone interested can call 910-433-1457 for more information or 910-306-7325 in the event of inclement weather.
Woodpeckers create winter wonderland
The Fayetteville Woodpeckers will host the third annual Fayetteville Holiday Lights show at Segra Stadium from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly between Dec. 8 and Dec. 23, according to the Cool Spring Downtown District’s website. In addition to the tens of thousands of lights on display, each night will feature different themes and photo opportunities with Santa, the website states.
As part of the “Trees for Charity” event, community members and organizations can also buy a six-foot live tree and tree stand for $200 in partnership with a local nonprofit of their choice, according to the event website. The tree will then be on display for the duration of the Fayetteville Holiday Lights event, and attendees can vote on the best-decorated tree, with the top three trees earning cash prizes from the Woodpeckers Foundation for their respective nonprofits, the website states.
The themed nights are as follows:
Dec. 8: Opening night with fireworks display.
Dec. 9: Snow globe giveaway.
Dec. 10: Movie night.
Dec. 11: Military Monday with discounted tickets for active-duty and retired military.
Dec. 12: Teacher Tuesday with discounted tickets for teachers and school administrators.
Dec. 13: Waggin’ Wednesday — bring your dog to enjoy the lights.
Dec. 14: Mele Kalikimaka Hawaiian Night.
Dec. 15: Movie night with a holiday market.
Dec. 16: Holiday market.
Dec. 17: Princess Night with a holiday market.
Dec. 18: Military Monday with discounted tickets for active-duty and retired military.
Dec. 19: Teacher Tuesday with discounted tickets for teachers and school administrators.
Dec. 20: Woodpeckers Wednesday and Waggin’ Wednesday.
Dec. 21: An ugly sweater party.
Dec. 22: Fireworks display.
Dec. 23: Family night.
Tickets are $8 for children ages 3-12 and $10 for adults if purchased in advance, or $10 for children ages 3-12 and $12 for adults if purchased on-site. Visit milb.com/fayetteville to purchase tickets.
Sweet Valley Ranch Festival of Lights
Sweet Valley Ranch, located at 2990 Sunnyside School Road, opened its Festival of Lights show on Nov. 24, bringing “over 1 million lights and over 350 animals as the stars of the show” to Fayetteville, according to the ranch’s website. The drive-through display also has parking available across the street so attendees can enjoy visits with Santa, vendors, a gift shop, amusement rides and food, the website states.
Those who want to see the lights as part of a more authentic farm experience can purchase a tractor-pulled farm wagon tour of the festival, according to the ranch’s website. Costs range from $230 for a wagon seating up to 22 guests with a wheelchair lift to $750 for a wagon seating up to 80 guests. Wagons can be reserved by calling 844-622-3276, the website states.
Tickets for the experience can be purchased in advance online and are $10 per person for groups of up to three people, $9 per person for groups of four to 11 people and $8 per person for groups of 12 or more. Kids under 2 get in free, the website states. Visit sweetvalleyranchnc.com/festival-of-lights to purchase tickets.
The show is open from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 25, Dec. 1, Dec. 2, Dec. 8-10, Dec. 15-17, Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 26.
Got a display we missed? Contact reporter Lexi Solomon at ABSolomon@gannett.com or 910-481-8526.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Here's where to see Christmas light displays in Fayetteville in 2023
