While Hershey is known for its Sweet Lights and Elizabethtown is known for Stone Gables, both great drive-through Christmas light displays, there is a fun walk-through display nestled between them: The Festival of Lights at Historic Acres of Hershey.
The Festival of Lights first opened in 2023 on the grounds of the Historic Acres of Hershey, a popular event and wedding venue. I had a chance to walk-through this beautiful display during the holiday season of 2024.
From the parking area, Village of Lights doesn’t look overly large, and I was sure I was going to have no problem walking through it in just a few minutes. However, the exterior visual is definitely deceiving as they do a good job of putting a lot into this space and creating a bit of a winding path through it.
That being said, it’s not super huge, at least compared to some of the other walk-through displays I’ve visited. To combat this, the Village of Lights does a good job of creating a variety of experiences within the grounds.
One of the most notable aspects of the Village of Lights is the numerous photo spots that they’ve set up throughout the space. These range from classic holiday scenes to more whimsical ones. Make sure to bring a camera with you if you want to capture some of these scenes.
They aren’t really set up for selfies, though, so getting photos of your whole group can be a bit of a challenge. I can also see these spots having a bit of a line on busy evenings, so you’ll likely want to pick and choose which spots you shoot at or make sure to have a fair bit of time.
The Festival of Lights also has some really fun dioramas set up inside their buildings that you can look in on. I especially liked the Santa’s workshop area that was set up across from the first snack bar as it was both colorful and whimsical.
Speaking of snack bars, there are three areas at the Village of Lights set up for food and drinks. The first one has the largest selection, including some food, while the second has adult beverages, and the third is primarily a stop for s’mores.
Next to the s’mores stand are several campfires around which you can roast your marshmallows. This really adds a lot of festiveness to the site.
Near the end of the display, which you reach by walking through a light tunnel, you’ll find a small play area for kids, and an indoor shopping area with a handful of local craft vendors.
Overall, Village of Lights is a fun Christmas Light display near the Dauphin County – Lancaster County border. While it’s not as large as some other walk-through displays in the region (like Koziar’s Christmas Village in Berks County and Christmas Magic in York), it’s a festive spot that’s a lot of fun to visit.
So, if you’re looking for a great walk-through Christmas light display near Hershey and Lancaster, make sure to check this spot out this holiday season.
In 2024, the Village of Lights is open select nights from November 29 through December 29. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for kids (plus an approximately $2 service fee per ticket).
Looking for even more things to do nearby? Check out the White Cliffs of Conoy, Hersheypark Christmas Candylane, and the Governor Dick Observation Tower.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will make a small commission from these links if you order something at no additional cost to you.
