Weekendo
Luminescences light festival at Amnéville Zoo
A 1.5 km evening trail through the zoo with 12 light worlds devoted to festivals around the globe, Christmas included – 5th edition, themed 'The world is a party'.
Christmas lights and events 2026: light trails, parades and castles in Belgium and beyond
Not only markets: in December, light trails glow in parks and gardens across Belgium and its neighbours, Christmas parades fill the streets and castles open their festive rooms.
The dates, hours and prices of every event are checked against the organiser's, the town's or the tourist office's website, with the date of the check. Each event page has a map, Christmas markets nearby for the same trip, and the low-emission zones on the way.
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Belgium 19Netherlands 6Germany 6France 4
35 events
Dino Nights light festival at ZOO Planckendael
After dark, more than fifty life-size dinosaurs and light installations turn the animal park in Muizen into a prehistoric evening walk.
opens Thu 12 November, 17:00
Zoolichter – light trail at Duisburg Zoo
A loop of almost 4 km through Duisburg Zoo with more than 25 light installations, including the glowing African 'Big Five'.
Valkenburg Christmas Parade (Landal Christmas Parade)
On nine evenings between mid-November and late December, an illuminated procession of floats and characters winds through Valkenburg's old centre.
Christmas Garden Koblenz – Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
An evening light trail through Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, high above the meeting of the Rhine and Moselle, now in its sixth season.
opens Sat 21 November, 18:30
Lantern Trail (Sentier des Lanternes) in Metz
For its 15th edition, the Boufflers garden on the Esplanade fills with thousands of glowing figures and giant scenery – free to walk through.
Light Safari at Beekse Bergen Safari Park
An enchanted forest filled with thousands of animal light sculptures, explored on foot in the evening at the safari park near Tilburg.
Christmas Time at Pairi Daiza
The big animal park at Brugelette puts up more than a hundred light installations, video projections and an illuminated Christmas train over the holidays.
Lichtgolf light walk in Ostend
A new 3 km evening walk through Ostend past light installations, with an audio story about the city's seafaring soul.
Luminara light festival at Merksplas Colony
A one-to-one-and-a-half-hour light walk across the historic site of Merksplas Colony in the Antwerp Kempen, in late November and early December.
Winterlichter – winter lights at Schloss Rheydt
First edition: the Renaissance castle of Rheydt glows at night with lit paths, façade projections, fire bowls and small concerts.
Aachen Nativity Trail (Aachener Krippenweg)
27th edition: remarkable nativity scenes in churches, chapels and other venues across Aachen and the Euregio, free to visit until Epiphany.
opens Sat 28 November, 17:00
Houdemont Christmas Light Parade
On Saturday 28 November, the village of Houdemont (Habay) opens the season with a decorated pedal-tractor contest followed by a light parade through its streets.
Grand St Nicholas Parade in Nancy
The highlight of Nancy's 45-day St Nicholas festival: the grand parade on Saturday 5 December through the historic centre.
Kerstmagie at Laarne Castle
In a moated castle near Ghent, a Christmas theatre walk with actors and light effects tells the story of 'the Frozen Heart'.
Kerstmagie at Wijnendale Castle (Torhout)
Between Bruges and the coast, Wijnendale Castle hosts a Christmas theatre walk with actors and light effects: 'the Forbidden Marriage'.
Kerstmagie at de Merode Castle (Westerlo)
An hour-long Christmas theatre walk through de Merode Castle, with live actors, light effects and a brand-new tale, 'Kerstmagie en de Dromenvanger'.
Ondenval in Christmas Lights
From 5 December to 3 January, the people of Ondenval (Waimes) light up houses, lanes and squares and set out nativity scenes and winter decorations across the village.
St Nicholas Parade in Metz
On Sunday 6 December, floats and performers parade through central Metz on the theme of puppetry from around the world.
opens Fri 11 December, 17:30
China Lights at Cologne Zoo
After dark, Cologne Zoo becomes a world tour in giant lanterns – famous landmarks and natural wonders in light, themed 'Reise um die Welt'.
Lumina Rolduc light trail at Rolduc Abbey
Projections and light art tell the centuries-old story of Rolduc Abbey on an evening walk of about two kilometres.
Christmas at Hoensbroek Castle
A free Christmas weekend for the whole family at one of the largest moated castles in Dutch Limburg.
Christmas at Modave Castle – 'Christmas around the World'
Thirty rooms of Modave Castle are dressed in a 'Christmas around the world' theme, open daily from 12 December to 3 January, Christmas Day included.
Cochem Castle Christmas – living nativity at the Reichsburg
On two December days the Nativity story is acted out in the courtyards of the Reichsburg above the Moselle, as a guided walk of about 25 minutes.
Falaën Festival of Lights Walk (La Balade des Lumières)
On the evening of Saturday 12 December, the Onhaye tourist office turns Falaën, one of Wallonia's Most Beautiful Villages, into a trail of lights, tales and surprises.
Gnome Days at Heeswijk Castle
Near 's-Hertogenbosch, a medieval castle decked out for Christmas welcomes young children for a gnome hunt, crafts and a cheerful musical show.
Klundert by Candlelight
For one December evening the street lights go off in the small fortified town of Klundert and more than 10,000 tea lights in jars light up the centre.
Laeken Festival of Light – lantern parade
Late on the afternoon of Wednesday 16 December, Laeken residents and local groups parade with lanterns and drums to celebrate the winter solstice and the return of the light.
Torchlight walk 'Count Henry and his Daughter' at Namur Citadel
On 18 and 19 December, a theatrical torchlight walk takes families along the ramparts of Namur Citadel in the company of Henry the Blind and his daughter Ermesinde.
Dinant Lumière: Santa's arrival with a parade of illuminated horses and tractors
On Saturday 19 December at 6 pm, illuminated tractors and horses escort Santa from the Rocher Bayard through Dinant's main streets.
opens Sat 19 December, 16:00
Les Fééries de Noël by Dibagri – illuminated tractor parade
On Saturday 19 December from 4 pm, tractors and farm machines draped in lights roll through the villages of Gesves and Ohey in the Condroz.
Torchlit night tours of Bouillon Castle (winter holidays)
Over the Christmas holidays, a guide in medieval dress leads you through Bouillon's fortress by torchlight alone, from the underground passages up to the Austrian Tower.
Malmedy Christmas Parade (10th edition)
On the evening of Sunday 20 December, illuminated floats, children in costume and live music wind through central Malmedy to mark the parade's tenth edition.
Winter Evenings at Bokrijk
Between Christmas and New Year, Bokrijk Open-Air Museum lights up for five evenings of storytelling, group singing and an old-fashioned funfair.
Dinant Lumière: closing light procession
On the evening of Saturday 2 January, two light processions merge into one to close the 2026 edition of Dinant Lumière in the town's streets.
Cities
Dinant 2Metz 2Aachen 1Amnéville 1Bouillon 1Brugelette 1Brussels 1Cochem 1Cologne 1Duisburg 1Falaën (Onhaye) 1Genk 1Gesves 1Heerlen 1Heeswijk-Dinther 1Hilvarenbeek 1Houdemont (Habay) 1Kerkrade 1Klundert 1Koblenz 1Laarne 1Malmedy 1Mechelen 1Merksplas 1Modave 1Mönchengladbach 1Namur 1Nancy 1Ondenval (Waimes) 1Oostende 1Torhout 1Valkenburg 1Westerlo 1
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book light trails in advance?
Often yes: many light trails sell timed tickets, and weekend evenings sell out first. The price and how to book are on each event page, with a link to the official website.
Can I combine an event with a Christmas market?
Yes: each event page shows the Christmas markets within 60 km, and 'On the way' shows what is along your route.
What if the weather is bad?
Parades and walks take place outdoors and are sometimes postponed in a storm. Check the official website before you leave: the link is on every page.