GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Gaithersburg is lighting up the city this holiday season.
The City of Gaithersburg ‘Winter Lights Festival’ is back and ready to welcome visitors for its 28th anniversary.
The 3.5-mile drive takes you through an enchanted woodland setting, filled with twinkling lights, fairytale castles, and all things fantasy-themed.
With more than 450 illuminated displays, Seneca Creek State Park will shine bright like a diamond this holiday season.
The park is located at 11950 Clopper Road a few miles from I-270. The Winter Lights Festival officially opens on November 24 and will run through December 31. The park will be closed on December 25.
Due to its popularity, tickets for the Winter Lights Festival have gone on sale earlier than usual. This year advanced online ticket purchases are required. Tickets must be purchased for a specific date and can only be used on that day.
Admissions is $15 per car Monday through Thursday. The price increases to $25 per car from Friday through Sunday. In the event that you can not make your original purchase date, exchanges will be available, but only if requested in advance.
For those who put up their holiday decorations the day after Thanksgiving and can’t wait for the Winter Lights Festival to open, the park is holding some events early.
On Friday, November 17, the park is holding a ‘S’more Lights and Trolley Rides’ from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Roast marshmallows over a campfire and make delicious s’mores. Trolley rides through the wonderland of sparkling trees are also an option for your leisure. Purchase tickets here.
On Sunday, November 19, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ’Sip & Sparkle’ is for the adults. You must be 21+ to enter the park. Once inside, you get to enjoy wine, cider, hot chocolate, and a 3-mile open-air trolley ride. There will be live music, pictures with Santa, and a selfie station located inside a heated tent. Purchase tickets here.
For the doggie parents who love to dress their dogs up like Max from The Grinch, you get a dedicated day too. On Monday, November 20, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ‘Leashes ‘n’ Lights Dog Walk’, is a leisure 1-mile stroll for you and your pooch. Enjoy hot beverages, visit the pet vendors on site, and get a cute family photo with Santa for this year’s postcard. Purchase tickets here.