City of Worcester, MA

WORCESTER, Mass. – The City of Worcester’s annual Festival of Lights celebration returns to the Worcester Common Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. The free, family-friendly event hosts numerous lighting features, ice skating, food vendors, community organizations, and performances from 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

The festival performance headline features two dynamic Worcester-rooted acts performing together: NBC’s The Voice Runner-Up Ricky Duran and the Blue Light Bandits, a 4-piece rock group with 5 million plus streams. Soulful and electrifying, they will engage the audience with festive music, lively rhythms, and the joyful spirit of the season.

Festival of Lights is the first night of the municipality’s winter lighting installation, which will be displayed on the Worcester Common from Dec. 5, 2025, through March 1, 2026. 

A highlight for Festival of Lights visitors is the lighting of the tree, which will take place at 6 p.m. This year’s lighting installations are supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ (NEFA) Making It Public Grant, the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, and the City of Worcester.

The City of Worcester Cultural Development Division was one of 10 municipalities selected statewide to participate in a public art training and grant initiative by NEFA in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Arts & Culture Department. After months of training and a dynamic public art call, talented national and international artists were selected to display temporary event and seasonal lighting activations which include:

• “Kinetic Perspective” — Inspired by the Optical Art illusions of the 1960s and designed by Studio JF Creative, this activation features a row of sixteen abstract, immersive geometric shapes, playing with the perspective of visitors by giving the impression of movement.
• “Waves” — An immersive light art installation inspired by the energetic beauty and geometry of the sea. Innovative movement and light produced by designer Studio JF Creative generates new shapes and perspectives for viewers.
• “Allium” — A light-art sculpture, designed by Everything Good Studio, made of recycled bottles inspired by allium flowers, produces a larger than life, 10-foot-tall glowing cluster. Two interaction points allow participants to activate a unique light show by interacting with the artwork.
• “The Snowglobe” — This larger-than-life inflatable 3D projection snow globe, by performance-based artists of Fractaltribe, provides 360 degrees of festive fun on the festival night.
• Glow Park and Interactive amusements — An illuminated playscape for youth and adults on the Common as well as a variety of amusements and carnival games on Franklin Street for the night of the festival.
• Roving circus and fire acts by Cirque de Light.
• Interactive light displays and Tree Uplighting — LED-lit holiday decorations and tree uplighting display throughout the season with snow people, hearts, and other fun offerings that can be used for photos.
• The Create 508 Fall Cohort will be offering youth designed public art activations and a craft making station

“Festival of Lights is a truly magical winter tradition on the Worcester Common that brings our downtown neighborhood to life each year, celebrating community, togetherness and the joy of the season” said City Manager Eric D. Batista. “We are extremely grateful to our community partners whose collaboration makes it possible to create a night of fun, inclusive, family friendly activities that brighten Worcester for all and spread light throughout the holiday season.” 

In addition to the lighting displays, Festival of Lights will feature 15 food vendors, a beer garden hosted by Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, community organizations, a visit from Santa, face painting, and interactive roving circus and fire acts. Community performances will take place throughout the evening from the Burncoat High School Quadrivium Chorus, Jo Ann Warren Studio, Many Voices: Mechanics Hall Youth Singers, Midland Street Elementary Youth Choir, and North High School. 

Complimentary ice-skating on the Worcester Common Oval during Festival of Lights is made possible by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Skaters may bring their skates or rent for $6 per pair.

The Worcester Public Library, at 3 Salem Sq., will be open for Festival of Lights on Friday, Dec. 5 until 8:30 p.m. The library will host a hot cocoa station, small family crafts, giveaways, a family picture-taking area, and a Friends of the Library pop-up holiday sale.

Beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, parking will be free at the Pearl-Elm Garage (24 Pearl St. — located within a five-minute walk from the Common), as well as at McGrath Parking Lot (located at the Worcester Public Library). Parking at all other municipal lots, garages, and metered spaces will maintain standard and event rates.

Area road closures for Franklin Street and Front Street will begin at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. 

This year, the Festival of Lights doesn’t end after opening night — it shines all winter long. Come out and enjoy ice skating and dazzling light sculptures, along with fun pop-up activities and events presented by the Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District through the end of February. Highlights include live ice sculpture carvings, Holiday Lights Photo Walks, a glow-in-the-dark park, “winter warm-up” giveaways with local businesses, and a community snowman and snow sculpture competition celebrating the season’s creativity and cheer. Follow @downtownworcesterbid on Instagram and Facebook for updates and the full schedule throughout the season.

Thank you to the generous community partners that make this event possible: AC Hotels Marriot, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, College of the Holy Cross, Cumulus Radio Station Group, Discover Central Massachusetts, Downtown Worcester Business Improvement District, DCU Center/Legends Global, Fiesta Shows, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company, Kelleher & Sadowsky, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Rockland Trust, WeCare 365 AFC, Worcester Cultural Coalition, Worcester Railers Hockey Club.

For more details regarding Festival of Lights, please visit worcesterma.gov/worcester-common-oval/ice-skating.