1. Fairgrounds Festival of Lights
5600 McKinley Pkwy, Hamburg
It’s only fitting that we start our list of best locations with the largest holiday festival in Western New York the Festival of Lights! This festival in Hamburg, NY provides the total package for everything Holiday Spirit related. Guests are treated first to a magical drive through of home-made LED light displays provided by North Pole Productions. Next, you and your family can park the car and explore any of the unique holiday activities they provide, such as a holiday magic show or a train tour on the Upstate Farms Express. You name it, they got it.
2. Grain Elevator Light Display
Canalside, Buffalo
The next stop on our list takes us canalside to one of Buffalo’s historic grain elevators. Here you can get a little taste of Buffalo history while enjoying one of the world’s most unique and dynamic permanent lighting installations. This breathtaking light display began in 2012, and since then viewing it has become a popular yearly tradition for people all around the Buffalo area. The whole experience is hard to put into words, but I can safely say you and your family will not be disappointed in checking it out.
3. Stony Brook Neighborhood Lights
60 Stony Brook Dr, Lancaster
This next stop in Lancaster, NY is really something special in more reasons than one. For the past 9 years the families of the Stony Brook Neighborhood have been decorating their homes and trees every holiday season to help raise money for local charities. All nine streets located in this sub-division off Pleasant View are involved which results in truly something special. If you and your family are looking for some place new to look at lights this holiday season, I really recommend checking this neighborhood out.
4. Winter Festival of Lights
Niagara Falls, Canada
Although this next location isn’t technically in Western New York (as in another country) it’s worth the tip over the border to check it out. The Winter Festival of Lights is breath-taking yearly festival which takes place in Niagara Falls, Canada from November 18th to January 31st. You and your family can tour their magical 5-mile-long display that travels through the beautiful landscapes of the Niagara Parks, Dufferin Islands and surrounding tourist districts. The Winter Festival of Lights also provides several other fun events throughout the holiday season such as Opening Ceremonies in Queen Victoria Park, Laser Light shows, weekly fireworks and much more. Don’t miss out on this wonderful winter experience this year, check this place out.
5. Lake View Singing Twinsmas House
1662 Schoellkopf Rd, Lake View
If you or any of your family members love Disney, you have to see this house in Lake View, NY. Twin brothers Larry Field Jr. and Dennis Field put together one of the most exciting holiday displays every year and they’ve even won ABC’s holiday lights contest the “Great Christmas Light Fight.” Every night during the holiday season people from around the area line up outside the Field household to watch the incredible light show of thousands of Christmas lights timed to holiday music. You really need to visit the Field house this year and if you don’t believe me, there’s tons of videos of the Singing Twinsmas House all over the internet.
6. Power Lights
6 Red Clover Ln, Lancaster
The last location on our list brings us back to Lancaster, NY to another local favorite which began way back in 2010. The Powers Lights display mastered the art of music timed Christmas lights way before it was cool. Powers Lights puts on a show every night from 5:30-9pm each year where you can marvel at the lights timed to their mix of holiday classics, new holiday tunes and a few surprise hits mixed in. If you haven’t seen the Powers Lights display this year, you need to check it out.