Looking to bring a little twinkle to your holidays? Watkins Regional Park’s Winter Festival of Lights is a great, affordable and local drive-through event! Kids, adults, families – everyone loves the dazzling displays featuring more than 2.5 million lights throughout the park!
What’s more – you and your family can enjoy it all inside the comfort of your warm car! More on our time and travel tips, below! (And don’t judge with these blurry photos – it’s hard to capture the magic while the car is moving! 😊)
Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park
With over 2.5 million twinkling lights illuminating the night with festive themes, this drive-through festival is a delightful way to enjoy this holiday season – all within the warmth as your own car!
Evening Fun!
Open nightly from now through January 1st, 2020 (5-9:30pm), you’ll have the chance to check out a Bowling Snowman, Basketball Santa, Penguins Jumping Rope, Flying Candy Canes, Cartwheeling Elf & more!
Drive-Thru Experience
With so many colorful lights, all enjoyed within the warmth & comfort of our own car, it’s enough to put us all in a jolly mood!
Tips for Winter Festival of Lights at Watkins
Eat before you go
There are not a ton of places to eat near Watkins Regional Park, though we did spot a Chipotle at Watkins Park Plaza, and we have taken the kids to the nearby McDonalds on Central Ave as it has a playground / place space inside where they have had fun.
Empty your tanks before you enter
While the drive itself is only about 30 minute drive, give or take, you cannot stop the car to jump out and find a bathroom, so plan accordingly.
Plan to Arrive between 6:15 & 7pm.
We’ve been a couple of times now and have found that arriving too close to 5:30pm (opening time) may have you waiting a bit for to get into the Festival whereas our 6:15/20pm arrivals find us with minimal wait time (say 5-10 minutes or so).
Bring a donation of canned food
Please bring canned goods for donations to local food banks this holiday season (they will collect your donation as you pay/enter the park).
Enjoy Yourself…Don’t Go Crazy with the Camera
Trying to capture the memories on camera while in a moving car doesn’t really make for totally awesome photos (clearly speaking from experience 😑).
2019 Admission Fees
- Advance Online tickets – $8
- Car or Van – $10
- Multi-Visit Pass – 3 visits (car or van)- $20
- Mini-Bus or Limo – $20
- Multi-Visit Pass – 3 visits (mini-bus or limo) – $40
- Bus – $30
Watkins Regional Park is located at 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774.
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[…] to enjoy this holiday season – all within the warmth as your own car! Check out our time at the Watkins Festival of Lights here. When: 5pm-9pm now through 1/1 Where: Watkins Regional Park, Upper […]