This list is from 2020 and all of these Christmas displays may not be up again. Proceed with caution!
Maybe it’s because this year has just felt heavy, but Christmas lights make my heart sing now more than ever. There’s just something about the people who pour their heart in soul into their homes for the benefit of all of us that just reminds me of all the good in the world. Also, three cheers for things that can be done safely during these Covid times!
Noticing there were quite a few houses in the Howell/Hartland, Fenton and Linden area that were noted for fantastic light displays, we set out to explore, and boy did we have fun!
We got in our Christmas PJ’s, loaded up with hot cocoa in a thermos, snacks, glow necklaces, and a free printable scavenger hunt {there are TONS on Pinterest for kids of all ages!}, and hit the road. If you have infants/toddlers that may not be into this yet, it would make for a great date night as well!
This route took us 2.5 hours. There are other houses in the area, but we just couldn’t squeeze anymore in without going a little too far past the kids’ bedtime 😉 With that said, if you know of more, please feel free to chime in with addresses in the comments.
These are the spots we visited. Please check my Instagram Christmas Lights highlight reel to see video of all of them. Photos alone do not do these spots justice!
PLEASE be respectful if you visit!
Venture Church | 8457 E Highland Rd., Howell, MI
This light show is free and open to the public. Being a church, the parking lot is large, making it an ideal spot! We visited on a Saturday, and they were even bringing hot cocoa to the cars. This show happens daily {except for 12/15} every 30 minutes from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. You will tune into a radio station to hear the accompanying music. I cannot stress how much we enjoyed this show. It was SO good! Tune in to 88.5FM to hear the music.
Hartland Estates Home | 9196 Rotondo Dr., Howell
No longer operating
This is another light show set to music that plays every 30 mins. This is a private home in the Hartland Estates subdivision. This is a gated community and will only be open from 6-9 p.m. I especially enjoyed hits that weren’t Christmas music. So fun! Tune into 99.9FM to hear the music.
The entire sub is spectacular if you are able to drive around a bit! {Thank you for the tip, Amber!} This house was one of my favorites:
Ewles Family Lights | 10348 Carmer Rd., Fenton
This is a private residence, so respectfully park on the road, or you can get out of your car to watch, as the music plays outside as well {this was key for my crew who needed to stretch their legs!}. This homemade display was absolutely amazing! Bonus: They are helping the community! Consider bringing an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots or non-perishable goods for the Fenton United Methodist Church food pantry {disclosure: my mom helps run the food bank and they super appreciate the donations!}.
You can also visit their son-in-law at the Walter Family Lights in Linden — we didn’t get to this one, but if you can swing it, do it! The address is 518 Tania Trail, Linden, MI.
PJ’s Blow-Ups | 16374 S Seymour Rd., Linden
This private residence is home to hundreds of inflatables, and let me tell you — the kids really LOVED this one. You can do a one-way loop around the driveway to admire them; we even did the loop a few times! There are some really unique ones, including a mooning Santa that my kids loved best – LOL. The blowups are typically up between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily between Thanksgiving and Christmas. {They are not up during ice or high wind, FYI!}
Gingerbread House | 8373 Parshallville Rd., Fenton
This house has a truly unique homemade display including gingerbread cutouts and an entire extended family of snowman blow molds. It’s so cute! Definitely drive by the Parshallville cider mill as well to see a lit up floating barge and more. Such a cute area!
Another bonus one we haven’t seen in person yet: 5788 Whispering Oaks Drive {this has a of lights to drive thru}!
A huge thank you to those who set each of these displays up. You are bringing so much JOY to families this season and we greatly appreciate it!
Find more Christmas fun around southeast Michigan at this post or visit this incredible Santa House in Brighton, too!
Have so much fun if you take this route!
Denise Marks says
Linden Pay It Forward Festival of Lights
Light display is put on by Linden Pay It Forward (a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Drive through the grounds of Symphony Assisted Living Facility and see a Christmas wonderland of lights. No charge. Please turn off car lights when driving around the display.
ADDRESS
202 S. Bridge St
Linden, MI 48451
Mrs. Weber says
Wow, sounds great — thank you so much for the information!
Kristina says
Rickard Holiday Light Show (on Facebook) in Grand Blanc is our favorite. 11216 Stonybrook. It’s in a subdivision. Runs from 7-9pm on weekends. They are collecting non-perishables for FISH and Santa letters until the 20th!
Mrs. Weber says
This is SO great to know! The lights at Bicentennial Park look fantastic too!
Andrew Kost says
At the southwest corner of the Lake Fenton High School property, 2 amazing light displays: neighbours looking like they’re in competition XD
Mrs. Weber says
I am SO going to check this out…Thank you for the insider info!