Tree Lightings and Parades in Lexington and Central KY

Downtown Lexington

Tree Lighting
Sunday, November 26, 2023
3 pm – 7 pm

Head to Triangle Park on November 26, and join us for our annual Holiday Lighting Festival presented by Baird! Lexington’s Christmas Tree will be lit with beautiful bright lights, and Lexington’s Hanukkah Menorah will shine ahead of the festival. Plus, community choirs will sing festive songs which are sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit!

Lexington’s Jewish community is excited to participate in this year’s Holiday Lighting Festival! A community choir performing Hanukkah songs will take to the stage as Lexington’s menorah, shining ahead of the Festival of Lights, adds to the holiday glow in downtown Lexington. Join the Jewish community to learn how they will celebrate this year’s festival while also taking part in a national effort to Shine A Light on antisemitism. Visit jewishlexington.org/shinealight to learn more.

Schedule of events:
1 p.m-9 p.m – The Rink at Triangle Park will be open
3 p.m. – Live music and vendors, including I Want Tacos at Triangle Park Cafe
5:30 p.m – Hanukkah songs and Menorah presentation with Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass
6 p.m. – Santa comes to Triangle Park to light the tree, followed by Christmas carols with The Lexington Singers

Parade
Saturday, December 2, 2023 11 am
Midland Avenue
Santa Claus is coming to (down)town! The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited! We hope you’ll join us on December 2nd at 11 am for the Downtown Lexington Christmas Parade! The parade will feature a variety of organizations, bands, floats, and of course, Santa himself! More information coming soon!

Ashland, Henry Clay Estate

A Kentucky Christmas at Ashland
Saturday, December 2, 2023 Dusk (Illumination at sunset around 5:30 pm)

Christmas Market 12 noon – 5:30 pm; Santa Selfies 3 pm – 5:00 pm Kentuckians Chorus 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Ashland Illumination 5:30 pm (ish) First Candlelight Tour 5:30 – 7:00 pm, last entry at 7:00 pm (Additional candlelight tours on Thursday Dec. 7, and Saturday Dec. 9)

Downtown Danville

Small Town Christmas & Tree Lighting Ceremony
Saturday, December 2, 2023 Noon – 7 pm

Join us for an all-ages, free family-friendly celebration! Meet Santa & Mrs. Clause. There will be hot chocolate, cookies, inflatables, train rides, ornament-making, and more. Enjoy live music and performances on the Main Stage all day, and a vendors’ village full of small businesses to complete your holiday shopping. The lighting of Danville’s Christmas Tree will be at 7:00 p.m.

Small Town Christmas & Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 9, 2023 Noon – 6 pm

Danville’s Small Town Kentucky Christmas Parade is back again for 2023 with several new activities happening before and during the parade. Downtown Christmas events get underway at noon and continue leading up until the parade begins at 6 p.m. Downtown businesses will be decorating their storefronts, and 19 authentic slays will be on display along the parade route. There will also be food trucks and vendors.

Join us for a night of fun, music, lights, and magic. See historic downtown Danville awash in the glow of twinkling lights. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies at Weisinger Park beginning at 4 pm. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. Be sure to dress warmly – you won’t want to leave before Santa and Mrs. Claus ride through town!

Downtown Winchester

Parade
Saturday, December 2, 2023 6 pm – 8:30 pm

Don’t miss Winchester’s annual Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting celebration “Jingle All the Way” down Main Street on Saturday, Dec. 2. The evening kicks off with the Christmas Tree Lighting at 6 p.m., followed by the parade. Line up and down Main Street to enjoy the parade as it marches from Depot Street down to Hickman Street. Like last year, the parade will be continuous with no stops, so any spot on Main Street provides a great view of what’s happening.

Richmond

Parade
Friday, December 1, 2023 7 pm

Kicking off a fun filled December is Richmond’s Christmas Parade on Friday, December 1st at 7:00 PM! We hope you will join us to see all the floats decorated in this year’s theme: “Celebrating the Season”! The parade will leave Alumni Coliseum by 6:30 PM and will arrive on Main Street by 7:00 PM

Downtown Georgetown

Parade and Tree Lighting
Saturday, December 2, 2023 6 pm

Come to “Home for the Holidays” on Saturday, Dec. 2 when Downtown Georgetown presents its annual Christmas parade and tree lighting. Picturesque with its Victorian streetscape and buildings, Downtown Georgetown will be decorated for the holidays and ready to welcome Santa during the parade at 6pm.

Don’t forget Santa Claus ushers in the holiday with the “Official Lighting of the Tree” immediately following the parade.

Downtown Nicholasville

Tree Lighting
Friday, December 1, 2023
On Friday, December 1 at 6:00 p.m., join Judge/Executive David K. West and the Jessamine County Fiscal Court on the Courthouse Lawn at 101 North Main Street in Nicholasville for our Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony! Features include: free pictures with Santa, hot chocolate, cookies and music.

Annual St. “Nich” Festival
Saturday, December 9, 2023 (Events through the day)
Parade 5:30 pm
9th Annual St Nich Christmas Fest returns on December 9th! Join us for a day filled with shopping, crafting, food, storytelling, pictures with your pets and more! Be sure to stick around for the incredible Christmas Parade that begins at 5:30 pm on Main St.

Midway Tree and Street Lighting Ceremony

Watch for a date

Watch for more info

Lighting of the Trace and Holiday Lights at Buffalo Trace

Lighting of the Trace
Thursday, November 30, 2023 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Please join us as we kick off the holiday season at Buffalo Trace Distillery! Family friendly activities begin at 5:30pm, followed by the lighting of the Distillery and a visit from Santa at 6:30pm.
5:30pm – Gift Shop, Holiday Stories, Carols + More
6:30pm – Program, Lighting of the Trace, Visit from Santa
7:00pm – Pictures and Cookies with Santa

This event is complimentary to attend and open to the public.

Holiday Lights at the Trace
Nightly November 30, 2023 – December 25, 2023
Nightly 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Embrace the holiday season by driving through a special route of magnificent and colorful light displays. This event is complimentary to attend and open to the public. *Lights will be lit at the Lighting of the Trace event at 6:30 pm on 11/30.