Merriweather Symphony of Lights is nestled right in the middle of Downtown Columbia. With over nearly 300,000 holiday lights on display, you’ll find something for everyone to get excited.
For more than 25 years, families have enjoyed the the Symphony of Lights, a drive-through display of holiday lights in Columbia, MD and annual fundraiser for the Howard County General Hospital.
Symphony of Lights has walk-thru nights and of course, their regular drive-thru.
Here’s everything you need to know before you go…
Table of Contents
Drive-Thru Display of Lights
Walk-Thru Display of Lights
Tail Lights (Bring Your Pup!)
Midnight at 7 (+ Fireworks)
Military Appreciation Nights
When to Go
Symphony of Lights Tickets & Pricing
Merriweather Lights Discounts & Coupons
Frequently Asked Questions
Good to Know Before You Go
Getting There
What’s to Do Nearby
The Drive-Through display of Lights
This drive-through display has more than 100 larger-than-life holiday light displays, a laser light show and a 3-D holiday video projected 50 feet high.
Light displays, both animated and stationary, glow with over 300,000 LED lights on a 1-mile scenic wooded drive through Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods.
During drive-thrus, visitors can listen to seasonal music on the Symphony of Lights FM radio frequency.
This year, this family-oriented light show has a refreshed course and new lights to enjoy!
Walk-Thru Display of Lights
Most nights are for drive-thru only, however, on select nights you actually get the chance to walk through the lights!
This takes place on 3 nights:
- November 28th (Festive Families)
- December 8th (Tail Lights)
- December 31st (Midnight at 7)
On these nights, Symphony of Lights requires all attendees ages 12+ to be fully vaccinated.
Tail Lights: Walk Your Dogs Through Symphony of Lights
Tail Lights gives dogs and their owners a chance to walk through the lights on Wednesday, December 8th from 6:00 to 7:30pm.
Dress up the pups and stroll through the lights!
Note: you are not required to bring a dog to attend so if you love dogs but don’t have one of your own, you’ll love this!
NEXT UP: 45+ Holiday Light Shows In The DC Area
Midnight at 7
Midnight at 7 is a fun way to bring in the New Year. It offers a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration featuring a walk-thru of the holiday lights and fireworks set to a soundtrack.
This event takes place on December 31, from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
Military Appreciation Nights
Thursdays are Military and Veteran appreciation nights where members of the military and veterans can get into the drive-thru lights for only $10.
Active-duty, reserve and retired military members with government-issued IDs and their dependents qualify for military nights. You must show your ID at the gate for the discount.
When to Go
The Symphony of Lights runs from November 25th to January 2nd.
The Merriweather Drive-Thru Lights run from 6 – 10pm Monday – Friday and from 5 – 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Going on weekends tends to have lighter traffic while Friday – Sunday are the heavier days. As you get closer to Christmas and New Year’s day, more people tend to visit.
If you are going to a special event, those take place on specific days:
- Festive Families (walk-thru night): November 28th from 5 – 7pm and December 31st
- Tail Lights (bring your pup): December 8th from 6 – 7:30pm
- Midnight at 7 from 5:30 – 7:30pm
The Columbia lights are closed on November 29 – December 1, December 6 – 7 and December 13 – 14.
Symphony of Lights Tickets & Pricing
Tickets for the Symphony of Lights drive thru are $20 per car.
The Tail Lights event is $10 per person.
Midnight at 7 is $15 per person or $50 for a group of 4. Children 3 and under are free.
Note: tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gate. Cash and credit accepted.
Thursday nights are Military nights and when you bring a valid military or veterans ID, you can get tickets at the entrance for $10.
Merriweather Lights Dicounts & Coupons
Symphony of Lights does not offer any discounts except to military and veterans who show ID at the gate on Thursdays (see schedule above).
We are keeping an eye out for any discounts and will post here if we find any. We have seen them on Groupon in years past.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to drive through the Symphony of Lights?
It takes about 20-minutes to drive through the lights. On busier nights, it may take a little longer.
How long is the drive?
It is approximately a 1-mile drive.
What is the radio frequency to listen to holiday music during the drive-thru?
105.5FM
What if it rains or snows?
The lights will be on display rain, shine or snow. If for any reason the display needs to be canceled, you can check the Symphony of Lights Facebook page and you will receive an email if you purchased tickets.
Are the lights open on holidays?
Yes! They are open on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Good to Know Before You Go
- When you drive through you can look for lit-up letters that are hidden throughout the course. Unscramble the letters and enter a drawing here for a chance at winning tickets to a concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, a 1-night stay at the Merriweather Lakehouse or a $100 gift card to GrillMarx Columbia or The Food Market
- The last light display is a large “Healthy Holidays” display. Soon after is a parking lot on the right. If you unbuckle your children for the scenic drive, this parking lot is a good place to pull over to safely secure them.
- There are no refunds for cancellation
- The events run in rain or snow
Getting There
The drive through starts at the intersection of Hickory Ridge Rd and Broken Land Pkwy.
The address to pop-in your GPS is: 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway Columbia, MD 21044
What’s Nearby
If you’re looking for other things to do before you go see the Christmas lights in Columbia MD here are some great options:
- East Columbia Branch Library (6 minutes)
- Robinson Nature Center (7 minutes)
- Main Event Columbia (3 minutes)
- The Puppet Co (40 minutes) – Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins and The Nutcracker are playing
- Port Discovery Children’s Museum (30 minutes)
