Video: Watch a sneak peak of the Spanish Fork Festival of Lights

The Spanish Fork Festival of Lights is a 31-year-old tradition that’s become one of Utah’s favorite drive-through holiday activities. The event allows you to stay in your car while you admire light displays, tunnels and people in holiday costumes.

And if you turn your car radio to 99.7 FM, you’ll have Christmas music to set a festive mood.

Utah State Rep. Stephen Whyte of District 63 visited the festival last month. He reviewed his experience in an X post, saying, “I was honored to attend tonight’s kickoff for the 31st annual Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork. This is one of my family’s favorite traditions in celebrating the Christmas season.”

The entry fee for single-family cars is $10, while commercial vehicles or vehicles towing a trailer cost $25 and buses cost $50. Admission fees can be paid at the gate, which is located at Canyon View Park (3300 E. Powerhouse Road in Spanish Fork, Utah).

The event runs from 6-10 p.m. nightly through New Year’s Day.

The event’s website highlights several things to be aware of before going to the event. It says that the Festival of Lights doesn’t offer “a complementary second drive-through,” so make sure you’re soaking it all in on your first pass unless you’re willing to drop another $10 for a second look.

Event organizers also prohibit “animals on foot” and “horse-drawn wagons or carriages.”

Where are the best Christmas light displays in Utah?

If you want the option of walking around at a Christmas lights display, there are several other events in Utah that could fit the bill.

• The Shops at Riverwoods in Provo, Utah, has Christmas displays and lights, and they also have several fires lit until 9 p.m.
• Gallivan Plaza in Salt Lake City has an ice rink and a 50-foot Christmas tree. Ice skating runs until February 2024 and it’s free to walk around the area.
• The Gateway in Salt Lake City will have its Christmas display running until Dec. 31. The mall’s website describes the experience as “filled with oversized woodland creatures, vibrant holiday lighting, and new sculptures to pose with for that magical holiday photo.”
• Pond Town Christmas in Salem City, Utah, runs from 5:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. nightly through Jan. 1, 2024. This display, which is located slightly outside Payson, Utah, is free to the public, per the event website.