Because December is the darkest month, we welcome these grand displays of holiday lights to brighten the night. This map pinpoints some of the most engaging light displays in the greater Rochester area. These homeowners and communities go all out to celebrate the season, so let’s get out there and celebrate with them!
Check out these popular holiday lights
Follow each link for directions, or if you are using Google Maps on your mobile device, add this map as a layer.
1. Rahway Road (Gates)
Many of the homes in the Rahway community (Rahway, Dawson, Witch Hazel) in Gates, NY participate in the annual holiday lights extravaganza. Some homes are lit to the extreme, while others are elegant, monotone, or traditional. Most visitors drive because it’s usually quite cold, so take your time. Bring along some hot cocoa and snacks, and put on the holiday songs! You can also purchase popcorn and drinks on Witch Hazel Court (Thursday through Sunday, and every night the week of Christmas).
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2. 9 Burning Tree Lane (Penfield)
AKA Wrights Bright Lights. Extraordinary light display synched to music. Get all the details on their Facebook page and bring along a pajama donation.
3. 15 Academy Drive (Henrietta)
AKA T2 Holiday Lights. This home has synched music with 20,000 lights. Check out their website for more info.
4. Colony Lane (Henrietta)
This is a cul-de-sac with lights and music synced across multiple homes. There’s a food donation box here, too, so bring some canned goods with you. Join the Facebook group to stay informed.
5. 76 White Oak Bend (Chili)
AKA King Christmas Lights. This home has been a stop on my family’s holiday lights adventure for years! White Oak Bend is a single home synched with over 19,000 lights to 33 songs. Check out their website for their story. Hint hint: Park on Wellesey Knoll near the stop sign, across from the house, for a forward-facing view.
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6. Endicar Drive (Irondequoit)
This cul-de-sac neighborhood is lit! Multiple homes participate to bring the holiday cheer.
7. Stonebridge Lane (Pittsford)
The entire neighborhood gets decked out by a professional light designer. What an incredible experience!
8. Buckskin Drive (Farmington)
AKA Raggi Christmas Light Show. The house is lit and synchronized to music, and 20 other houses in the neighborhood join in the fun! Follow along on their Facebook page.
9. 16 Beauclaire Lane (Fairport)
Single home with synced music and lights, plus fun lighted lawn displays.
10. 2 Wheat Hill (Chili)
Chili Supervisor, David Dunning, lights the way into the holiday season every year.
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Other ways to enjoy holiday lights around Rochester
Liberty Poll Lighting, Fireworks & Family Ice Skating Night (Rochester)
This is a family-fun event sponsored by the City of Rochester. There are activities around the Liberty Poll leading up to its official lighting. After, there’s parade over to MLK Jr. Park at Manhattan Square where there’s ice skating, horse-drawn wagon rides, and more activities. There are also free trolley rides back and forth to the parking areas.
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The Garden Factory (Gates)
Over 100,000 LED lights, enough to cover over five-hundred individual trees, all hung up within one room. Set in their heated indoor theater that seats up to 60 people, the show features three-song sets from among eleven holiday songs, ranging from rock opera to the oldies.
Lights on the Lake (Onondaga Lake, Syracuse)
This is a bit of a drive (roughly 90 minutes) but a fun way to spend an evening. It’s truly an over-the-top holiday lights experience.
Holiday Lights of Greater Rochester
Avon Vintage Drive-In is the 2017 location for Rochester’s drive-through holiday lights adventure.
Lamberton Conservatory
The Holiday Show features a tower of poinsettias and the various rooms are strung with holiday lights. Plus, the tropical temperature will wisp you away from cold & snowy Rochester.
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