Christmas on the Cumberland lights McGregor Park from Nov. 21; the Speedway drive-thru opens Nov. 24. Santa photos, Noel Night, a Light Run and Roxy's Carol.

Last checked Nov. 9, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: Clarksville Parks and Recreation’s Christmas on the Cumberland and Christmas Light Run pages, Clarksville Speedway, the Customs House Museum, the Roxy Regional Theatre, Governor’s Square and Montgomery County Parks and Recreation’s calendar.

Clarksville’s two big light shows open the week of Thanksgiving: the free Christmas on the Cumberland along the McGregor Park riverwalk on Saturday, Nov. 21, and the paid drive-thru lights at Clarksville Speedway on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Both run into early January. City events: Clarksville Parks and Recreation, 931-645-7476. The parade and tree lighting on Dec. 5 have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.

Updated Nov. 9: Montgomery County Parks and Recreation has added a ticketed MoCo Morning with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Fredonia Community Center.

Updated Nov. 2: Montgomery County Parks and Recreation has added free photos with Santa at the Wade Bourne Nature Center on Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12 and 19.

What this means for you

  • Free lights: Christmas on the Cumberland, nightly Nov. 21 to Jan. 2; off in rain or high winds.
  • From the car: Speedway drive-thru, Nov. 24 to Jan. 2, one ticket per vehicle.
  • Register early: the Christmas Light Run closes registration Dec. 8, or when full.
  • After Christmas: the city has collected live trees for mulch at Heritage Park in past years.

Light displays

Display Where Dates and hours Cost
Christmas on the Cumberland McGregor Park riverwalk, 640 N. Riverside Drive Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 2, 2027, nightly Free
Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Clarksville Speedway, 1600 Needmore Road Nov. 24, 2026, to Jan. 2, 2027; dusk to 9 p.m. Sun.-Thu., dusk to 10 p.m. Fri., Sat. and holidays; dusk to 8 p.m. Dec. 27-30 $30.08 a carload (seven or fewer); $28.27 with a military ID; $25.52 with a church bulletin on Sundays, Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27; $50.13 for cargo vans or more than eight people; plus tax and card fees

Christmas on the Cumberland opens with a Holiday Market from noon to 8 p.m. Nov. 21, with local vendors, music, ornament decorating, visits with Santa and the return of the drone show, according to Clarksville Parks and Recreation. The lights are turned off during rain or high winds; the city’s app has same-day updates.

Clarksville Speedway says its drive-thru covers more than a mile and more than 3 million lights. Tickets are sold online through its ticket page; questions go to 931-645-2523.

Neighborhood displays: each December Clarksville Now runs a reader-built Christmas lights map of home displays around town.

Christmas events by date

Now through Dec. 24

  • Photos with Santa at Center Court, Governor’s Square, 2801 Wilma Rudolph Blvd. Santa arrived Nov. 7 (mall events).

Saturday, Nov. 21

  • Christmas on the Cumberland grand opening and Holiday Market, McGregor Park, noon to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 3

  • Noel Night, 5 to 8 p.m., Customs House Museum and Cultural Center: holiday treats, music by Red River Breeze, a guest from the North Pole and the F&M Bank Huff & Puff Model Trains Christmas Express, per the museum’s calendar.

Dec. 4 to Dec. 20

  • A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol, Roxy Regional Theatre, 114 Public Square: 7 p.m. Dec. 4, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19; 2 p.m. Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20. Tickets go on sale Nov. 10, with a presale from Nov. 2.

Saturday, Dec. 5

  • Photos with Santa, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wade Bourne Nature Center, Rotary Park, and again Dec. 12 and 19. A photographer takes family photos at no charge, personal cameras are welcome and there is a North Pole mailbox for letters, the county calendar says.
  • Spiritfest, the county tree lighting and the Lighted Christmas Parade downtown. Times, the route and where to watch are on our parade and tree lighting page.

Saturday, Dec. 12

  • MoCo Morning with Santa, Fredonia Community Center, sessions at 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. A professional photo with Santa, light refreshments, letter-writing and a take-home craft. Tickets are $5 a person and everyone attending needs one, Montgomery County Parks and Recreation says; buy them for the 9 a.m. session or the 11 a.m. session.
  • Christmas Light Run, 4:30 to 6 p.m., McGregor Park. Run, walk or stroll through the riverwalk displays; proceeds support new displays for next year. Pre-registration is required and closes Dec. 8 or when full; register through the city.

Sunday, Dec. 13

  • Rockin’ Clarksville: Local Music Legends of the ’60s and ’70s, an encore show at 6 p.m. in Mabry Concert Hall at Austin Peay, listed by the Customs House Museum.

Monday, Dec. 21

  • The Polar Express movie night at 6 p.m. with live ice sculpting, from Montgomery County Parks and Recreation; check the county’s calendar for the location.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4. We found no public menorah lighting announced in Clarksville when we checked. Congregations or groups holding one can send details through our contact page.

After Christmas: tree recycling

Last season the City of Clarksville’s Forestry Division, the Clarksville Tree Board, CDE Lightband and Parks and Recreation collected live Christmas trees and wreaths at Heritage Park, 1241 Peachers Mill Road, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, dawn to dusk, and chipped them into mulch. Trees had to be undecorated and unbagged, with wreath frames removed (city notice). Watch for the 2026 dates.

More: Black Friday and holiday shopping, New Year’s Eve in Clarksville and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When does Christmas on the Cumberland open in 2026?

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, with a Holiday Market from noon to 8 p.m. The McGregor Park riverwalk lights are then on nightly through Jan. 2, 2027, except in rain or high winds. It is free.

When do the Clarksville Speedway Christmas lights open?

Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2026, nightly through Jan. 2, 2027. The drive-thru opens at dusk and runs until 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. A carload of seven or fewer is $30.08 plus tax and card fees.

Where can I see Santa in Clarksville?

Santa arrived at Governor’s Square on Nov. 7, and photos run at Center Court through Dec. 24. He also visits the Christmas on the Cumberland opening on Nov. 21 and Spiritfest downtown on Dec. 5. Free photos with Santa run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Dec. 5, 12 and 19, at the Wade Bourne Nature Center in Rotary Park. Montgomery County’s ticketed MoCo Morning with Santa is Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Fredonia Community Center, $5 a person.

Is there a menorah lighting in Clarksville?

We found no public menorah lighting announced in Clarksville for Hanukkah 2026, which begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4. We will add one when it is announced.