The Lights Festival is an event where people of all backgrounds and beliefs can come together to have an uplifting, positive, and unforgettable experience! We love seeing the variation of significance this event has for different people. We hope you’ll join us!

Saturday December 5, 2026 at 6 pm. The parade lasts approximately an hour.
(The event will happen the first Saturday of December each year following.)

You can park in any of the legal street, garage or parking lots available throughout the downtown area that is not blocked off. Plan to arrive up to an hour early and to walk a bit. For more parking information and resources visit the City of Columbus website here.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY: The Columbus Festival of Lights Parade is an outdoor event and we sometimes encounter unpredictable or bad weather. Should inclement weather occur prior to the parade, Red Arch Community Events, Inc. will determine if it is sufficiently severe to cancel or delay the parade. Any decision to cancel the parade will be announced no later than 10 am on parade day. We will email all entries via the address provided on the application, post to our website and all social media feeds, and inform local radio stations and newspapers.

Usually, the parade will be held in rain, snow, or clear weather. In the event of inclement weather, the parade will go on as scheduled, except in the event of extreme and/or dangerous conditions such as ice storms, temperatures (including wind chill) nearing zero degrees, or blizzards. These conditions are defined as situations when the downtown streets cannot be cleared by the City of Columbus and/or it is deemed unsafe to be outside by the National Weather Service.

Parade entry fees for accepted entries are non-refundable, and there is no "reschedule date" should the parade be canceled or shortened due to inclement weather. No entry fees are refundable in the event of cancellation due to acts of God, fire, natural disaster, terrorism, war, military hostilities, or any other force majeure event, or cancellation by a government agency.

You may decline to participate if the weather threatens to damage uniforms, props, or instruments; however, no refunds will be given. All participants should make provisions for foul weather.

The Lights Fest is for all ages! There’s nothing like seeing the amazement in a child’s eyes while they gaze up into this genuinely magical sight. There is ample security at each event.

We love your pets! … but we caution bringing them to the event. We do make exceptions for service animals. Keep in Mind that loud music and flashing lights may provide an uncomfortable atmosphere for your animal. They must be kept on a leash.

Creating memories that will last a lifetime is what we are all about! We hope to see you at The Lights Fest!

Per the City of Columbus and Columbus Police Department, candy or any other objects MAY NOT be thrown from parade entries. If you wish to distribute any goodies, walkers may hand items to spectators along the route. Walkers must be at the curb. Safety is our primary concern and we will enforce this policy.

Award winners will be named at the end of the parade. A list of float categories for this year will be announced soon.

There are many great places to view the Parade. We suggest Washington Street from 4th Street to 9th Street. Please be aware of the safety line and try to remain behind that line. We also ask that you respect law enforcement and security as they are there to keep the parade safe and fun for everyone.

The parade has a variety of units including floats, bands, balloons, and marching units.

We hope you’ll get involved with us and make this the best Christmas parade we’ve ever had. Here are just a few things you can do: Like us on Facebook, share the event with your friends, and click here to volunteer for the parade.