The Christmas lights are on and the neighborhoods are brightly lit, but that doesn’t stop the real show from happening. The Chickasha Lights Festival remains one of the best Christmas light shows in the country, according to a new poll of USA TODAY readers.
The 2025 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards voted on a range of holiday events, stores and light shows across the country, with Oklahoma scoring in the Vibrant Colors and Public Holiday Light Displays categories.
Best Public Holiday Light Display
The new Arctic Village is illuminated during the 32nd annual Chickasha Lights Festival on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Shannon Springs Park in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Organizers have expanded the festival’s footprint this year, adding Arctic Village, a family-friendly and photo-op area with food trucks, heated tents and additional holiday lights.
Less than an hour away from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City residents can see the third-best public light show in the country at the Chickasha Festival of Lights.
A free light show allows guests to walk or drive through the grounds. The award-winning light show isn’t the only attraction at the Chickasha venue. This year’s events include the Santa Shuttle, ice skating, Ferris wheel and carousel, carriage rides, camel and pony rides and photos with the big man himself.
The festival covers 43 acres and is a gorgeous light show during the festival. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of the nonprofit’s first annual festival.
This year’s festival will run until New Year’s Eve, opening at 6pm every day of the week. From Sunday to Thursday, the lights will dim at 10 p.m., but groups attending the show on Friday and Saturday can see the 11 p.m.
Although this is a free activity, guests will be required to pay for additional activities. They also always accept donations each year to support their mission.
Best Public Holiday Light Display
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Bentleyville “Tour of Lights” (Duluth, Minnesota)
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Christmas Village (Ogden, Utah)
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Chickasha Lights Festival (Chickasha, Oklahoma)
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Tinsel Trail (Tuscaloosa, AL)
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Keg Tree at Genesee Brew House (Rochester, NY)
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Paradise Vacations (West Palm Beach, FL)
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Capitol Holiday Tree (Madison, Wisconsin)
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Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Festival of Lights (Riverside, CA)
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Light Up the Holidays (Altamonte Springs, FL)
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Halo (Indianapolis, IN)
This article originally appeared in Oklahoma: Chickasha Music Festival named to USA Today’s Top 10 Best Acts list
