Across the metro, holiday elves programmed lights to music, donned donkey costumes for your amusement or enlightenment, baked cookies and prepared to wow you with lights, performances and more holiday magic than you can shake on a Festivus pole. Get out there and see some of them before they’re over.
Downtown in December Holiday Lights
dusk to dawn through Jan. 1
Bricktown CanalAutomobile Alley, Bricktown and Film Row districts
Free
The folks at Downtown in December outdid themselves and added a burst of twinkle to pockets of downtown OKC that are perfect for strolling. Some 180,000 brilliant LED lights make spirits bright along eight blocks of Automobile Alley’s main drag, N. Broadway Avenue. Bricktown Canal is also resplendent, with the added bonus of free water taxi rides several nights during the season. Film Row, full of rich history and unique architecture, has also been festively draped.
Markwell Lights
6-10 p.m. nightly through Sunday
N. Markwell Avenue from Graham Avenue to NW 20th StreetFree
The 2100 block of this heavily treed, quaint Oklahoma City street became a holiday destination the moment its synchronized light show began in 2007. As you drive past the street’s elaborately lit homes, be sure your radio’s tuned to 107.1 FM, because the animated displays are set to music. The show doubles as a food drive benefiting Putnam City West food pantry, so bring a canned food item to contribute. Event organizer Mark Metalik recommends visitors enter the street from the north, starting at NW 23rd Street and Graham Avenue, which leads to Markwell.
North Pole Adventure
noon-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday
noon-6 p.m. Saturday
Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads7000 Crossroads Blvd.
405-605-6123
free-$14
When John Conner opened his magical North Pole Adventure three years ago, it was housed in the parking lot in a series of heated tents. Today, it fills 24,000 square feet inside Plaza Mayor at the Crossroads. It’s home to elves, a toy factory, Santa’s Post Office, live reindeer, the Elf Clubhouse, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus’ kitchen, which offers cookies and milk to all who attend. Admission is $14 per child and includes all of the fun and activities. One adult may accompany each child at no charge. Additional adult admission is $6.
Midwest City Holiday Lights Spectacular
6-10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 6-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 30
Joe B. Barnes Regional Park8700 E. Reno Ave., Midwest City
405-739-1293
Free
What began in 1995 with 44 lighted displays has become an epic 1.5-mile journey through more than 100 displays, including a 118-foot-tall Christmas tree festooned with 9,000 LED lights, a fly-fishing Santa and much more. Signs at the park’s entrances direct viewers to tune their radios to a dedicated FM station that will fill their cars with music.
Downs Family Christmas Light Ministry
6 p.m.-midnight through Dec. 30 and 6 p.m. -1 a.m. Dec. 31
2900 72nd Ave. SE, NormanFree
For the Downs family, sharing more than 280,000 painstakingly placed lights with the community at large is a joyful ministry. More than 18 miles of light strands, 80 control boxes and 800 pounds of glimmering bulbs on the enormous trees are guaranteed to create Christmas memories for all who visit. The family also uses the beautiful display as a ministry for the hungry. All donated goods go to Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. Since it began, the event has raised more than $209,821 and collected 62,865 pounds of food.
Live Nativity Scene
6-7 p.m. Friday
First United Methodist Church of Edmond305 E. Hurd St., Edmond
405-341-0107
Free
For one night only, First United Methodist Church of Edmond creates a living nativity scene. Visitors also can enjoy the petting zoo and snacks of cookies and hot chocolate. After the nativity performance, guests can watch Worship on Hurd.
“Members of our choir will perform and the Christmas story will be read,” said Erica Lawrence, director of youth ministries. “All of the parts will be played by church members, including the animals.”
Lawrence recommended parking in the south or west church lots; the living nativity will be staged in the east lot next to the main building.
McIntire Christmas Light Show
6-10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Monday and 6-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
4102 Calm Waters Way, Edmond405-471-6091
Free
Chris McIntire, wife Katie and their kids are enthusiastic about Christmas. By that, we mean Katie and the kids choose their favorite holiday tunes, which Chris then breaks into two playlists and synchronizes to 103,000 lights on the family’s property. This year, they added snow machines. Tune your car radio to 97.7 FM and enjoy crowd-pleaser “Heathens” by 21 Pilots.
Christmas in the Park
6-11 p.m. through Dec. 31
multiple Yukon parks405-354-8442
Free-$2
Three Yukon parks spanning more than 100 acres are filled with 425 light displays. You can drive its nearly three miles, or you can set out on foot on the 2.2 miles of walking trails guaranteed to dazzle the senses. A train, the Santa Express, is located in Chisholm Trail Park, and rides cost $2 per person. Visit Christmas in the Park at Yukon City Park at 2200 S. Holly Ave., Freedom Trail Park at 2101 S. Holly Ave. and Chisholm Trail Park at 500 W. Vandament Ave. in Yukon.
Print headline: Last call, Catch these glowing OKC metro events and light displays before they’re gone.
This article appears in Dec 21-27, 2016.