Where To Find The Best Holiday Light Displays In The Tampa Bay Area

TAMPA BAY, FL — If you’re looking for a little Christmas cheer this season, we’ve compiled a list of holiday light displays throughout the greater Tampa Bay area.

Some displays were submitted to us by Patch readers, while others are public displays or were found on social media.

It’s not too late to include your holiday light display in this round-up. Email Tiffany.Razzano@Patch.com with photos, information about your display, your address, and dates and hours.

Hillsborough County

The Tampa Bay Festival of Lights & Santa’s Village at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds is open through Dec. 29. The drive-thru light display charges visitors by the carload. It’s open nightly, though hours vary. Santa’s Village is also open on certain nights. Find a full schedule here.

A Very Merry Sithmasis a Star Wars-themed light display on Quintessa Lane in Lithia. The show starts nightly at 6 p.m. and runs for 15 minutes. It restarts every half hour.

Another impressive light display is on Redwood Avenue in Temple Terrace. The home light display, which runs nightly from 6 to 11 p.m., features new decorations every year, according to christmaslightfinder.com.

A home on Oakvista Circle in Tampa features a handbuilt nativity scene, 20 trees and a 30-foot-long tunnel, according to theholidayatlas.com.

Meanwhile, Santa regularly visits a home on N. 25th Street in Tampa from Dec. 1 through Christmas Eve, the website said.

And a home on Lightner Bridge Drive in Tampa offers a full projector light show, as well as light curtains, dog decorations, and an old school Santa and his truck.

The Holiday Spectacular returns to Tampa’s Riverwalk this year. Enchanting lights are displayed along the Riverwalk and on floating barges in the Hillsborough River through Jan. 2.

Manatee County

One reader told Patch that their favorite area to drive around and view multiple homes lit up for the holiday season is along Riverview Boulevard in Bradenton.

The Freedom Factory hosts its first Bradenton Holiday Lights Festival, a drive-thru light display with more than 100,000 lights synchronized to music, dozens of set pieces and a light tunnel. Once your drive is complete, visit Christmas Village, which boasts a 50-foot Christmas tree, visits with Santa on Fridays and Saturdays, games and rides, food and drinks, vendors, and more. The display is open to the public through Jan. 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Pasco County

One reader, a New Port Richey native, shared his holiday lights display with Patch, calling it the “tallest Christmas tree … maybe?”

The display can be found downtown at the intersection of Polk Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

“We lost a couple (of) strands since last year, but I’m … proud to say I haven’t seen a taller tree yet,” he told Patch.

The lights are on any time it’s dark, he added.

The Thomas Christmas Display at 9111 Bearcat Road in New Port Richey features more than 50 blow molds, as well as several blow-up decorations, in the yard.

“Many of my blow molds are old,” the homeowner who submitted the display told Patch. “Many have been restored and repaired and painted.”

The lights are on daily from 6 to 10 p.m. and are synchronized to music.

Another light display at 7008 Grand Blvd. in New Port Richey features more than 40,000 lights, including a 35-foot tunnel of lights.

“We also set up a photo bench in the tunnel of light. Many people come to take their Christmas card photos on the bench,” the homeowner who submitted his light display told Patch. “We have several tall trees lit up. Also, we have a nice gingerbread house.

The lights are on daily from about 6 to 10:30 p.m. through Jan. 5.

Pinellas County

The Valley View Light Show at 960 Valley View Cir in Palm Harbor is now in its fifth year. It boasts more than 15,000 LED pixel lights all synchronized to 38 different songs with “some amazing special effects, like singing Christmas trees and bulbs,” the homeowner told Patch.

This year, they introduced the Angel Wing Photo Station. Visitors can control the color of the wings and take their photo in front of the show.

“And if that’s not all, YOU can control what song you want to hear via your phone when you’re at the show,” the homeowner said. “Just follow the instructions on the sign by the mailbox.”

The show runs nightly through Dec. 31. The lights are on from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

A home on Julia Circle North features more than 200,000 lights synchronized to music. The display includes a 23-foot tree with 10,000 lights and a 19-foot tree with 6,000 LED lights that does animation, according to christmaslightfinder.com. New this year is an 85,000-pixel screen.
Shows run continuously from dusk until 11 p.m. through early January. Outdoor speakers are on until 9:30 p.m. and those in cars can listen to the music on 99.9 FM.

The Oakdale Christmas Display at 2719 Oakdale Street in St. Petersburg, now in its 47th year, features about 500,000 lights. Visitors are invited to walk through the display, which covers about half an acre.

Largo’s 182-acre Florida Botanical Gardens sparkle with 1 million twinkling LED lights in various colors, as well as laser lights, lighted figures, and more. The display is open to the public nightly from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. through Jan. 4.

Nearby, the Largo Central Park holiday display features a walking tour of more than 2.5 million LED lights. There are also food, beverage and market vendors, as well as amusement rides. The display remains up until Dec. 29.

Polk County

A Lakeland couple decided to “go big” after Hurricane Milton ravaged their home in October, destroying part of their roof.

On top of their home, which is located at 1836 Tristram, is a 14-foot-high inflatable Godzilla crushing the part of the roof affected by the storm. There’s also a single strand of colorful rainbow lights along the roof’s edge.

“All the lights are perfect along the entire roof line, except where Godzilla is,” the homeowner told Patch. “There the lights are dangling and hanging.”

On the ground, in their front yard, is an inflatable Santa with a slingshot poised to fling presents at the giant green monster.

“No charities. No synchronized music. Just Santa slingshotting presents at a Godzilla on a crushed house,” he said, adding, “It ain’t much, but some people like the creative lights.”
Sarasota County

Lights in Bloom at the Selby Gardens’ downtown campus is a Sarasota holiday tradition. Explore the light display, which features more than 2 million lights illuminating the gardens, through Jan. 1. General entry to see the display is from 6:30 to 9 p.m. daily.

Town Square University Parkway at 8450 Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota is decorated for the holiday season. The 1950s-themed adult day center welcomes guests Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to explore its indoor holiday displays and explore the 15 different storefronts. The decorations will come down during the first week of January.

The University Town Center hosts its annual Festival of Lights. The shopping destination hosts nightly light shows every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., as well as festive fireworks on Saturdays at 9 p.m. There’s also a full calendar of special events.

The Cedar Hollow neighborhood in Sarasota is also known for its annual extravagant holiday display. The lights start at the first roundabout off Honore Avenue just south of Fruitville Road.

“Drive throughout the entire neighborhood. There is lots to be found,” according to the Facebook page.

The lights will be on display through Dec. 31.