Nashville Christmas Tree Lightings: My Top 6, From the Mayor's Tree On Down

Paul Whitten

2 days ago

6 min read

By Paul Whitten, Founder of Nashville Adventures

If you want the single best of the Nashville Christmas tree lightings, go downtown for the Mayor's annual City Christmas Tree Lighting at Public Square Park, the free early-December ceremony that officially flips Music City into the holidays. That one is number one on my list. But it is far from the only tree worth standing in the cold for, so here are my top six, ranked, with a few honest notes on timing you will want before you bundle up the family.

I have spent a lot of Decembers walking this city, and a tree lighting is my favorite kind of Nashville night. The lights come on, a few hundred strangers go quiet for a second, and the whole downtown smells like cold air and roasted nuts. Let me point you to the good ones.

Large Christmas tree covered in multicolored lights and a star topper stands at night before a lit civic building.

1. The Mayor's Nashville Christmas Tree Lighting (Public Square Park)

The Mayor's Office hosts Nashville's official City Christmas Tree Lighting at Public Square Park, on the lawn beside the Historic Metro Courthouse at 1 Public Square downtown. This is the one that counts as the city's grand kickoff, and it is free.

It has traditionally landed on the first Friday evening of December, which in 2026 is December 4, with the ceremony in the early evening. The city has not posted the 2026 details yet, so confirm the exact date and time on the Mayor's Office events page before you go.

Here is my local tip. Park once and make a night of it. Public Square sits a short walk from Lower Broadway and the riverfront, so you can catch the tree, then walk off into the glow of the honky-tonks. It is the most Nashville way to start the season I know.

2. Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square, Franklin

Twenty minutes south, downtown Franklin lights its tree on the Public Square, and it is pure Hallmark-movie magic. The historic Main Street district goes full Victorian, and the tree lighting kicks off a holiday season that runs straight through the famous Dickens of a Christmas weekend.

Franklin's square is walkable, lined with local shops, and genuinely one of the prettiest small-town holiday scenes in Middle Tennessee. Check the date and details on FranklinIs, since the square fills up fast. If you are making the trip, my day trip guide to Franklin tells you what else is worth seeing while you are down there.

3. Christmas at the Tennessee State Capitol

For a tree with a statewide pedigree, the Tennessee State Capitol tree lighting is hard to beat. It has typically happened in late November, around the Monday after Thanksgiving, on the plaza below the Capitol, with the limestone building lit up behind it.

It is a shorter, quieter ceremony than the downtown bash, which is exactly why some locals prefer it. Fewer crowds, a gorgeous backdrop, and you are steps from the Bicentennial Mall if you want to keep walking. Confirm the 2026 date through the state before you plan around it, since the timing shifts with the Thanksgiving calendar.

4. The Gaylord Opryland Tree (A Country Christmas)

Aerial night view of a resort plaza glowing with golden holiday lights, lit trees, and a giant conical Christmas tree.

Now for the giant. The towering Christmas tree inside the Gaylord Opryland Resort's Delta atrium is the most jaw-dropping tree in the region, period, and it anchors the resort's A Country Christmas celebration.

This one is not a single lighting ceremony but a whole lit-up world you can walk for hours, under glass, warm, no coat required. A Country Christmas runs from early November, around November 6, 2026, through January 2, 2027. Wandering the decorated atriums is free. The ticketed attractions like ICE! cost extra, so check the Gaylord Opryland Resort site for current holiday pricing and hours. If you only see one indoor tree all season, make it this one.

5. Cheekwood Holiday Lights

Cheekwood turns its 55-acre estate and botanical gardens into a glittering winter garden every year, with more than a million lights and illuminated trees threaded through the grounds. It is less a single tree and more a forest of them, which is the point.

Holiday Lights at Cheekwood typically runs from mid-November into early January on select nights, and it sells out, so buy ahead at cheekwood.org. Dress warm, go on a weeknight if you can, and give yourself time. This is the prettiest slow walk in Nashville in December, hands down.

6. The Mall at Green Hills Tree Lighting (and a Few Neighborhood Favorites)

Rounding out the list, The Mall at Green Hills holds a beloved annual tree lighting that many families treat as their real start to the season, usually in late November. It is easy, it is free, and there is hot cocoa.

Beyond that, almost every town around Nashville lights its own tree. Hendersonville, Brentwood, Mt. Juliet, and Gallatin all host community tree lightings in late November and early December, so if you live out that way, check your city's parks or events page. Sometimes the best tree lighting is the one five minutes from your front door.

A Few Tips for Tree-Lighting Season

A little planning turns a cold, crowded night into a great one. Here is what I tell my own family.

Confirm the date first. Most of these ceremonies move a little each year with the calendar. A quick check of the official page beats a wasted drive.
Go early for parking, especially downtown. Public Square and Franklin both fill up. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes ahead and you will thank yourself.
Layer up and bring a thermos. Nashville Decembers swing from mild to bitter, sometimes in the same week. Gloves and a hot drink make the wait easy.
Pair it with more lights. After the tree, keep the night going with a drive-through light show or a walk down a glowing Broadway. Our guide to things to do in Nashville in November and the big 50-plus things to do in Nashville list will help you build the rest of the evening.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Nashville Christmas tree lighting in 2026?

Nashville's official City Christmas Tree Lighting at Public Square Park has traditionally been held on the first Friday evening of December, which in 2026 falls on December 4. The city posts the confirmed date and time on the Mayor's Office events page, so check there before you go, as timing can shift year to year.

Where is the Mayor's Christmas tree lighting in Nashville?

The Mayor's City Christmas Tree Lighting takes place at Public Square Park, on the lawn beside the Historic Metro Courthouse at 1 Public Square in downtown Nashville. It is within easy walking distance of Lower Broadway and the riverfront, so it is simple to pair with a downtown stroll.

Is the Nashville Christmas tree lighting free?

Yes. The downtown City Christmas Tree Lighting at Public Square Park is free and open to the public, as are the tree lightings in Franklin, at the Tennessee State Capitol, and at most neighborhood malls. Wandering the decorated Gaylord Opryland atriums is also free, though ticketed add-ons like ICE! and Cheekwood's Holiday Lights cost extra.

What is the best Christmas tree lighting near Nashville?

For the full small-town experience, the Christmas Tree Lighting on the Square in Franklin is the top pick near Nashville, about 20 minutes south. For sheer spectacle, the giant indoor tree at Gaylord Opryland and the million lights at Cheekwood are tough to beat. Each one has a different feel, so pick the night that matches your crowd.

When does Franklin light its Christmas tree?

Franklin lights its tree on the downtown Public Square in early December, kicking off a holiday season that includes the Dickens of a Christmas festival. Confirm the exact 2026 date on the FranklinIs events page, since the square draws a big crowd and the date can vary.

Are Nashville Christmas tree lightings family friendly?

Absolutely. The downtown, Franklin, Capitol, and neighborhood tree lightings are all family-friendly and usually feature music, hot chocolate, and sometimes a visit from Santa. They are short enough to hold a child's attention, free to attend, and a wonderful low-cost way to kick off the holidays with kids.

See the Lights the Best Way: On Foot

Here is the thing about Christmas in this city. The lights are made for walking, not for a windshield.

Once the trees are lit, downtown Nashville is one of the most magical walks of the whole year, and it is the walk I love guiding most. Come see the glow up close on a holiday-season Nashville walking tour, where I will connect the tree at Public Square to the stories hiding on every block around it. Browse all our seasonal options on the Nashville tours page, grab a date before December fills up, and let a local show you Music City at its brightest.

Paul Whitten is the founder of Nashville Adventures, a veteran-owned walking tour company in Music City. A US Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and a former Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia, Paul is a Nashville historian who has spent more December nights downtown than he can count. Read more on his author page.