Drive-through & Walk-through Christmas Lights

November 25, 2023 Family Fun, Outdoor, Winter

Louisville Drive & Walk-through Holiday events are so much fun for 2023 and we have collected ideas for holiday experiences to enjoy LIGHTS!

Families got creative last year and it will continue again this year. These drive-through holiday events are contactless and outdoors!

Louisville drive-through Christmas lights and drive-through Christmas events are popping up all over the area for contactless, outdoor, safe family fun this holiday season. There are also many walk-through experiences. We are thrilled that places are innovating! Usually, we have a list pages and pages long of all sorts of Christmas events taking place over two months. This year, we have to search a little more!

We have found options for families and will keep adding to this Louisville drive-through Christmas list. If we find more options, we will add them. Events are listed chronologically based on when they open. Lots of these are available every night so it’s a good idea to think about going on a weeknight, these will be popular. Some of these may even have had opportunities to get out and snap some photos!

Before you head out, be sure to print one of our SCAVENGER HUNTS. There’s a complete version and a fill-in-the-blank option!

Although some of these are free drive-through events, there are some that have a fee. For those, we will indicate a fee with ‘$’ so you know what to expect. And, to be contactless, you likely have to purchase advanced tickets for those Louisville drive-through Christmas events.

Map it and plan your visits!

Shawnee Park, Portland, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Shawnee Park, Portland, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Shawnee Park, Portland, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky

Browns Lane, Louisville, Kentucky

113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky

Jeffersonville, Indiana

Iroquois Park Road, Louisville, Kentucky

6801 Melon Court
40219

Charlestown, Indiana

Freeman Lake Park Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky

4602 Glenna Way, Louisville, Kentucky

5608 Outer Loop, Louisville, Kentucky

4089 Iron Works Pkwy, Lexington, KY 40511

10707 Taylorsville Rd, Jeffersontown, KY 40299

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville Mega Cavern, Louisville, Kentucky

1249 South Clay Street, Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville Christmas Lights Events:

Clay Street Light Show– we don’t have updated dates for this show for 2023 yet. 1249 S Clay St, 40203. A 10-min drive-through show synchronized to holiday music transmitted through your car’s FM stereo at 89.9 FM. The show runs Fri-Sat 6PM-10pm, and Sunday 6pm-8pm.

Clay Street Light Show

Patterson St Elizabethtown – Lights are on from 5:30p-9p every night.

November 10 – January 1

Lights Under Louisville ($) Louisville Mega Cavern drive-through Christmas lights. Get your tickets in advance online. There are also daytime experiences for 4-6 people, the Christmas Express. Additionally, you can pay more to ‘skip the line’ and get a priority pass for evening dates.

Light Up Louisville – December 2 event date – FREE – Downtown festive light display will include a rainbow of colors to celebrate Christmas, along with holiday-themed gobo lights celebrating Kwanza, Hanukah and all of the seasons special days that seek to reflect the diversity of our community. Lots of Lights parade will again march down Jefferson Street into the heart of Light Up Louisville, vendor village, and children’s area.

November 26 – December 31

Light up Jeffersontown 2023 will be on Sunday, November 26 from 5:30-7:30 on Gaslight Square District on Watterson Trail at Taylorsville Road

November 24 – December 31

Southern Lights Holiday Festival ($35 per car) The Kentucky Horse Park – 5:30 pm-10pm. If you are looking for a little trip, take an excursion to Lexington for this drive-through holiday lights event. You drive-through three miles of dazzling holiday light displays along the charming farm lanes at the horse park. Not open on Christmas Eve.

November 22 – January 8

Lights on Main – Not outdoors anymore but we included this in this post to keep you updated. NOW indoors for 2023 at Frazier History Museum throughout the museum. Included with museum admission.

November 24 – December 31

Zoneton Christmas House – 4201 Zoneton Road – 5:30pm – 11pm, 6am-8am, Christmas Eve, all night. They will have a letter to Santa mailbox this year for kids to put their letters in. Santa and Mrs. Claus hand out treat bags some nights, check the Facebook page for dates and times for this.

December 15-17

Winter Wonderland – OneWest holds its second annual Winter Wonderland, a drive-thru holiday experience and light extravaganza featuring over 200,000 LED lights at Shawnee Park. OneWest Winter Wonderland will take place Dec. 15-17 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Car lines will form at 4501 W. Broadway. Once again, the event is free of charge and the entire city is invited to partake in the holiday cheer.

More outdoor holiday events:

drive thru christmas lights buffalo trace

Buffalo Trace Distillery

November 30 – December 25

Take a little trip to Frankfort and drive through the lights at Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Holiday Light Displays – Nov 30, 2023 – Dec. 25, 2023. FREE

Enjoy the enchanted twinkling light displays of Buffalo Trace Distillery nightly from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. It is FREE! An estimated 150,000 colorful lights, including four brand new light displays by the Visitor Center. Note, lights will not open on November 30th until 7:30pm to accommodate the Lighting of the Trace event. Santa will make an appearance on special nights!

Santa will return to the Distillery Clubhouse on December 6th from 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Rudolph’s Run December 1-December 23, 2023 ($) An adventure in your car, solving clues to find the missing information to complete Santa’s List. The will event have a skating rink and Christmas Market at the end.

Throughout the season

Blue’s Light Show (NOT FOR 2023, they moved) is also fun for the family and free to experience.

Also, a reader emailed us about her own home in Shelby County that has a cool display. She has over 100,000 lights, and 18 computers that run the show. It is a 18 minute show with a 42 minute intermission (during intermission lights are just constantly on), all synchronized to music. Impressive! Derby Lane Lights: The address is 580 Derby Lane Finchville, KY 40022.

Click here to see a YouTube video

November 22 – January 1

Lights at Freeman Lake Park (Elizabethtown) – If you are looking for an evening out, you can go to Freeman Lake Park nightly from 6 – 11pm. Drive-through lights with fun themes like Rudolph, to Christmas themed Star Wars, nativity and more. You turn off your lights and turn on the music! It is FREE, donations accepted.

November 24 – January 1

Charlestown’s Christmas City – FREE – This is in Southern Indiana. Walk around or if you want to drive-through and see the lights, you can see the lights in the town square from the road. Thursdays – Saturdays: Train Rides take place from 6-10 from the Family Activities Park. Ticket sales begin around 5:45, $5. Christmas Mini golf is also $5.

FREE CHARACTER VISITS: SANTA – Nov. 24, Nov. 30, Dec. 7, Dec. 14, Dec. 18-20

THE GRINCH – Nov. 25, Dec. 1-2, Dec. 8-9, Dec. 15-16

LIVE REINDEER VISIT + CHARACTERS, Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 6-10 p.m. at Greenway Park

November 27 – December 25 (dates not updated on their website for 2023 and their website appears inactive)

Toyland Christmas Display – FREE – Awesome house that lights up so bright, it’s wonderful. You can drive by or step out and walk around. You can learn more about it by clicking here.

More outdoor drive-through holiday events:

December 1 – December 30 (Various dates open, check website)

Gardens Aglimmer at Waterfront Botanical Gardens – ($) 5:45pm-9pm (arrival on grounds begins at 5:30pm). Nightly Slots Available: 5:45pm, 6:30pm, 7:15pm, 8pm. LIGHTS TURN OFF AT 9PM. $12 for WBG members | $17 for non-members | $8 for ages 3 – 12 members ($10.50 non member children), FREE for ages 2 and under

Must purchase tickets in advance.

More Ongoing options

Windemere Subdivision in Hikes Point (Off Lowe Road) – many houses to see like the one below. Map in the link in the prior sentence, turn on Ashfield Lane to see many many homes with fantastic decorations.

Head to Warder Park in Jeffersonville. You can drive around the square or get out and walk around and see the beautiful lights as shown in the video below. Check out their video here.

Lights on Tamarack runs from the day after Thanksgiving to the end of the year. See their Facebook page for videos. Address is 9210 Tamarack Grove Ln, Louisville

1716 Larkmoor Ln, Louisville, KY 40218 has a lights show set to music, you can tune in on your radio

4610 Springdale Ct, Louisville 40229 has tons of items on display and lights set to music.

Light Up St. Matthews is December 2, 2023 from 3-6pm. Even if you don’t go to the light up event, you can drive by Brown Park and see the lights on your own or get out and walk around! Grab a hot chocolate before you go, makes for a really nice evening.

Drive right by the minion house in New Albany! 2032 Indiana Ave New Albany, IN 47150. The ground is lit with lights and they have SO MANY blow-up minions in their yard. It is a sight! Fun even during the day when they are blown up but not lit. We have included some videos below so you can see what to expect!

If you are looking for more Christmas fun, we have a full list of holiday events! Click here.

It's fun to share: