Oxford and Pell City Shine Bright for the Holidays
Two East Alabama communities are set to dazzle once again this holiday season, each offering its own take on the magic of Christmas lights — from snow tubing and Santa’s Village in Oxford to a community-driven wonderland along the shores of Pell City’s Lakeside Park.
Oxford Festival of Lights
The 2025 Oxford Festival of Lights returns for its sixth season with more sparkle, more snow, and an extended calendar that gives families extra time to take in the show.
New this year are two winter attractions inside Santa’s Village, the grand finale after visitors drive through more than 2.5 million lights arranged in glowing displays around Choccolocco Park.
Snow Mountain Tubing will deliver the thrill of a multi-lane, 20-foot slide built on a blanket of real snow, while Frosty’s Playground offers a hands-on winter experience where children can make snow angels, build snowmen or toss snowballs.
With more to do, organizers have extended the normal run of the festival which will now begin November 21, 2025, and run through January 4, 2026, with new select weekday daytime hours and 1 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekends for Santa’s Village.
Tickets for the drive-through and Santa’s Village are available beginning Oct. 1 at oxfordlights.com. Passes purchased in October will be discounted to $20 and automatically entered into a “Golden Ticket” drawing, which includes full admission and extra amenities from Santa’s Village.
“Over the past five years, we have had almost 250,000 come through the show,” said special events coordinator Madison Gardner. “We are looking forward to being bigger and better this year with more to do and the opportunity to come multiple times. We look forward to seeing everyone there and making memories with this special holiday experience.”
First Bank of Alabama returns as the primary sponsor for the Oxford Festival of Lights, which takes place at Choccolocco Park, 954 Leon Smith Parkway.
Pell City Lights in the Park
About 40 miles west, the glow of holiday cheer will also illuminate Lakeside Park in Pell City, where the 2025 Lights in the Park event will showcase more than 70 holiday displays and thousands of twinkling bulbs.
This year’s event opens Saturday, Nov. 29, and runs nightly through Dec. 31, with lights on until 9 p.m. each evening. Admission is free, and community members are already registering to take part in the display.
According to the city’s website, “We are thrilled with the growing excitement and dedication of our participants, which is what makes Lights in the Park such a cherished holiday tradition. As the event continues to grow, we are introducing a new Sustainability Initiative. This change ensures a spectacular and reliable event that brings joy to our entire community for years to come.”
The Sustainability Initiative encourages participants to help maintain and expand the light displays in one of two ways. They can pay a $50 non-refundable contribution fee at registration – funds the Parks and Recreation Department will use to purchase new displays – or provide a receipt showing at least $50 in new lights or display materials purchased within the past six months.
“Participants think of this as a direct investment in the event’s longevity and quality,” the city’s statement read. “Your contribution increases the number of lights in the park, either through your own display or by supporting the Pell City Parks & Recreation display.”
The city hopes the initiative will keep the event growing without losing its community spirit. Lights in the Park is hosted at Lakeside Park, 2801 Stemley Bridge Road in Cropwell, with entry through the Civic Center parking lot. For details or registration, visit pellcity.recdesk.com or follow Pell City Parks & Recreation and the city on Facebook.
