One of our favorite community light displays, Fox Cities Festival of Lights in Darboy, is affordable holiday fun that has become a tradition for many Fox Valley families. The walk through the woods is magical!
It is truly a community light display; businesses and organizations in the Appleton area and beyond have helped sponsor and bring this event to life.
Part of the mission of this event is also to give back to area nonprofits in exchange for being part of the display by volunteering.
This unique display at Darboy Community Park in Appleton is custom-designed and built. Volunteers work hard throughout the year to prepare it to glow right after Thanksgiving.
There are about 50 displays with over 100,000 lights! Some displays are replicas representing things from across the Fox Valley, including the Fox Cities PAC, the Grignon Mansion in Kaukauna, the Little Chute windmill, and more!
Things to know before you go:
Dress warm! Visitors will walk through wooded trails in the park. The light show is about a half-mile long.
The trail is wood chips and possibly stroller and wagon-friendly depending on weather, snow, and ice.
Depending on the weather, consider snow pants, hats, and gloves. Even when the weather seems pretty warm, and your little Elsa or abominable snowman insists they don’t need that scarf, grab it anyway.
Everyone will want to be warm enough to have fun and take their time exploring this new holiday destination!
You can spend some time warming up at the nightly bonfire and grabbing hot cocoa and coffee.
Santa is back this year! Find the jolly old fellow ready to visit and hear wishes every night except for December 24th and 25th, when he has other very important plans.
Also, good to know—porta potties will be available.
Check out their Facebook page for updates on weather conditions and early closings.
Where is the Fox Cities Festival of Lights?
This year’s holiday light display will be at Darboy Community Park on Noe Road in the town of Harrison, just outside of Appleton.
Parking will be on the park’s east side and at Sunrise Elementary School. The small parking lot next to the Darboy Community Park shelter is reserved for volunteers and accessible parking only.
What are the Fox Cities Festival of Light hours?
5-9 pm on the following nights:
- Friday, November 29, 2024 – Saturday, November 30, 2024
- Sunday, December 1, 2024
- Friday, December 6, 2024 – Sunday, December 8, 2024
- Friday, December 13, 2024 – Sunday, December 15, 2024
- Friday, December 20, 2024 – Sunday, December 22, 2024
- Tuesday, December 24, 2024
- Wednesday, December 25, 2024
- Friday, December 29, 2024 – Sunday, December 31, 2024
What does it cost for admission?
FREE community event, $5/person suggested donation
Proceeds will sustain the light display for years to come, allow it to grow, and benefit area nonprofits. Fox Cities Festival of Lights Inc. is a nonprofit organization 501c3 non-profit made up of volunteers from the Fox Cities area that will build a fun and exciting holiday light display every year in Darboy Community Park.
For more information, visit the Fox Cities Festival of Lights website and follow their Facebook page.
