The holidays have arrived in the Madison area!

Not only do we love this time of year, but we love seeing all of the gorgeous lights and decorations around town. Whether you're just visiting or have lived here for your entire life, there are a few holiday displays that you must see to get you in the holiday spirit!

1. Zoo Lights at Henry Vilas Zoo

Get your picture taken with Santa, then sip on hot chocolate and take a scenic walk through the zoo at night while enjoying over 800,000 holiday lights! Tickets are $7 per person, or you can get a family 4-pack for $25. All tickets include free carousel rides! All proceeds go directly to support the animals at the zoo. Zoo Lights runs every Thursday through Sunday from 5:30pm - 9pm until December 29th. 

For craft beer fans, don't forget to check out Brew Lights where you can enjoy the holiday lights and sample beers from local and regional breweries!

2. Holiday Fantasy in Lights at Olin Park

A staple for 31 years, the Holiday Fantasy in Lights is one of the Madison area's most popular holiday light displays! Drive through Olin Park any time after dusk until January 4th, and enjoy thousands of gorgeous lights. Donations received at the event help keep the event free for everyone, and also support the UW Health Burn Center and other local community organizations! The event is put on by NECA Wisconsin Chapter, IBEW Local 159, and The Electric Group.

3. Holiday Light Show at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville

Experience over 750,000 holiday lights in Janesville's beautiful Rotary Botanical Gardens! Tickets are available online and at the door, and can even be given as gifts this holiday season! Ticket prices range from $10 for adults to $5 for children ages 3-12 (children under 2 are free!). 

4. Stoughton Rotary Club Holiday Light Display

Experience over 120,000 LED lights that are set to music at Rotary Park in Stoughton! This display features 19 choreographed songs and a full hour of music before repeating. The best viewing corner is on E. Jefferson and Sixth Street!

Residential displays to check out:

• 7006 Colony Drive, Madison, WI: 11/29/2019 - 1/1/2020, Sunday through Thursday 5pm-9pm, Friday & Saturday 5pm-10pm
• 4289 Dicky Lane, Madison, WI: Starts at 5pm on Thanksgiving, 5pm to midnight every night
• 451 N. Main Street, Cottage Grove, WI
• 3788 Token Road, DeForest, WI: 11/29/2019 - 12/27/2019, Monday through Friday 4:30 - 10pm, Saturday & Sunday until 11pm.
• 1808 Dover Drive, Waunakee, WI
• 501 Ashton Drive, Verona, WI: Sunday through Thursday 4:45-9pm, Friday through Saturday 4:45-10pm. 1 mega tree set to music on 89.1!

*Please keep in mind that these are residential homes - click the links above to see all requests/rules (if available) from the residents who are awesome enough to put on these displays for everyone to enjoy!