The town tree at Lincoln Square
The tree lighting ceremony opens the season as part of A Gettysburg Christmas Festival — a genuine small-town gathering, with carols and a crowd that knows each other.
After Dark
Gettysburg Christmas Lights
Where the town glows in December — the square, the historic blocks, the decorated inns, and the quiet country roads beyond.
Gettysburg does Christmas lights the way it does most things — with restraint and a strong sense of history. There is no enormous commercial display here. Instead, the town is dressed: wreaths on every shutter, garlands on the lampposts, warm white light in the windows of the brick buildings that survived 1863.
The visual heart of the season is Lincoln Square, where the town tree stands and the surrounding buildings cast their light onto wet December pavement. From there, walk south along Baltimore Street toward Steinwehr Avenue. The blocks between are lit for the season, and the reflections on the street after rain or snow are what most people photograph.
Beyond town, the countryside is worth a slow drive. Farmhouses and historic inns put candles and wreaths in the windows, and the fields along the battlefield edges look beautiful in early blue-hour light. Wrap up warm, keep the speed low, and treat the drive as the evening's entertainment.
Before You Go
Christmas Lights: what matters most
Walk, don't drive, the downtown
The lit blocks are less than a mile end to end. Walking lets you see the wreaths, shop windows and side streets you would otherwise miss.
Catch a decorated inn
Historic inns around Gettysburg dress their facades, entryways and staircases for the season — a lovely place to end an evening.
Our Suggestions
Ways to spend the day
Practical starting points, all within the historic district or a short drive of it.
Walk
Lincoln Square and Baltimore Street
Start at the tree, then follow the lights down Baltimore Street toward Steinwehr Avenue. Peak atmosphere is the half hour after sunset.
Drive
A countryside evening drive
Head out of town on any of the rural roads for candlelit windows, farm gates and snow-covered fields under a deep blue sky.
Evening
Warm up with dinner
Plan the walk so it ends at a table. Winter menus in town are built for cold evenings.
Tip
Photograph it properly
Shoot at blue hour rather than full dark — the sky keeps its colour and the window lights read as warm against it. A phone on a wall or tripod beats a handheld shot.
This Season
Happening while you're here
Events are added and verified by our team, and always link back to the organizer's own page.
December 4–6, 2026
Festival
A Gettysburg Christmas Festival
Gettysburg's community-wide holiday celebration, held on the first weekend in December, filling downtown from Lincoln Square to Steinwehr Avenue with entertainment, shopping, dining and lights.
Dates shown are the organizer's published festival weekend
Historic Downtown GettysburgDetails →
Friday, December 4, 2026
Tree Lighting
Tree Lighting Ceremony at Lincoln Square
The lighting of Gettysburg's town Christmas tree opens the holiday weekend, with a crowd gathering in Lincoln Square for carols and the countdown.
Ceremony time is confirmed by the organizer each season
Lincoln SquareDetails →
December 4–6, 2026
Concert & Theatre
Annual Tuba Carol Fest
The festival's long-running brass carol tradition, now in its 30th year, gathers tuba and euphonium players at Lincoln Square to play carols for the crowd.
Performance time published by the organizer
Lincoln SquareDetails →
Questions
Good to know
When do the Gettysburg Christmas lights go up?
Downtown decorations and the town tree typically arrive in the weeks before the first weekend in December, when the tree lighting ceremony takes place. Specific switch-on dates are published by the organizers each season.
Is there a drive-through light display?
Gettysburg's holiday lighting is a walking-town experience rather than a drive-through show. For illuminated driving, head into the surrounding countryside after dark.
What are the best hours to see the lights?
The half hour after sunset — around 4:45 to 5:30pm in December — gives you colour in the sky plus fully lit windows.
Event dates, prices and hours are set by each organizer and can change. Always confirm details on the organizer's page before travelling.
Stay Overnight
Turn your Christmas day trip into a winter getaway
Stay the night in a historic countryside inn and let the season slow down. Book direct for the best available rate.
Free Download
Free Gettysburg Christmas Weekend Guide
A printable Friday-to-Sunday route, the lights worth finding, and where to eat.