Lockeland Springs sits in East Nashville, across the Cumberland River from downtown, and grew up as a streetcar suburb around the turn of the 20th century. It keeps two December traditions of its own: a tree lighting that opens the season and a trolley ride past the decorated houses. The neighborhood's organizers have posted the 2026 dates for both, but not yet the places or the tickets. Below are those dates, then four larger light shows around Nashville. Look at lockelandsprings.org again before heading out, since details are still being added.
When is the Lockeland Springs tree lighting in 2026?
- Date:
- Monday, November 30, 2026
- Time:
- 5:00 pm
The Lockeland Springs events page lists the Tree Lighting for Monday, November 30, 2026, from 5:00 pm. The listing calls it a neighborhood holiday tradition and says more details for this year are coming soon. No 2026 location has been posted yet.
Sunset in Nashville that evening comes at about 4:30, so the tree goes on shortly after dark. Houses whose lights switch on at dusk are already glowing as families walk home from the tree.
When does the Lockeland Springs Holiday Trolley run in 2026?
- Date:
- Thursday, December 17, 2026
- Time:
- 6:00 pm
The same events page puts the Holiday Trolley on Thursday, December 17, 2026, from 6:00 pm. The listing invites riders to "vote for your favorite displays," which turns each decorated house along the way into an entry in a friendly contest. Ticket and route details for 2026 are not posted yet.
A house hoping for those votes should be lit by mid December and every evening after that, since nobody knows which night a rider first spots it.
Where can you see Lockeland Springs Christmas lights on foot?
Lockeland Springs is a compact grid of older streets, which makes it a good place to walk instead of drive. Park once, then take a slow loop on the sidewalks after dark. If you do drive, keep to low beams, leave room at the curb cuts and stop only where parking is legal. The decorated porches show up best between the tree lighting and the trolley night.
Lockeland Springs Christmas lights 2026: bigger shows a short drive away
- A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland: the resort's season starts November 6, 2026, and its last night is January 2, 2027, an easy trip up Briley Parkway. See the resort's Christmas site.
- Date:
- November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027
- Place:
- Gaylord Opryland
- The Hermitage lamplight tours: Andrew Jackson's home runs its Christmas by Lamplight Tour each Friday and Saturday night, 6:00 pm, starting November 13 and ending December 19, 2026, with one extra night on December 26. Details: the tour listing.
- Date:
- Friday and Saturday nights, November 13 to December 19, 2026, plus December 26
- Time:
- 6:00 pm
- Place:
- The Hermitage
- Cheekwood's Holiday LIGHTS: on the far west side, the gardens glow from 4:30 until 10:00 pm, starting November 20, 2026 and running to January 3, 2027. See Cheekwood's page.
- Date:
- November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Time:
- 4:30 to 10:00 pm
- Place:
- Cheekwood
- Glow Wild at the Nashville Zoo: south of downtown, open nightly 5 to 9 pm between the November 13 opening and the January 3, 2027 finale. See the Glow Wild page.
- Date:
- November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Time:
- 5 to 9 pm nightly
- Place:
- Nashville Zoo
The Nashville-area holiday lights calendar gathers tree lightings, parades and shows from all over the region in a single list.
Victorian gables, bungalow eaves and big shade trees
The neighborhood's 2026 Home and Garden Tour, held in May, walked visitors past Victorian and craftsman houses, and the two styles light differently. A Victorian has steep gables and detailed trim, so a track that follows each fascia line picks out the shape of the house. A bungalow has long, low eaves, so one clean run across the front reads well from the sidewalk a few steps away. The neighborhood also plants street trees, and where branches hang low over a street, the eave line stays visible beneath them even when the upper roof is hidden.
Before the trolley comes by
How a roofline track suits the Victorian gables and bungalow eaves of East Nashville is covered on the Lockeland Springs permanent lighting page, and the quote form is the place to start if you want your house lit by trolley night.