Cincinnati's Nights of Lights
A spectacular drive-through light show at the Clermont County Fairgrounds featuring over 2 million lights synchronized to music.
Cincinnati’s Nights of Lights is a drive-through holiday light show that relocated from its original home at Coney Island to the Clermont County Fairgrounds in Owensville. The show runs from late November through early January and features over 2 million lights.
The Experience
This was a lot of fun. The show was longer than I expected—you wind through the fairgrounds passing larger-than-life Christmas trees, glowing snowflakes, dancing candy canes, and fantastic tunnels of light. The light and music coordination is second to none. You tune your radio to their station and the displays dance perfectly in sync with the holiday music. It’s mesmerizing.
The singing trees and animated faces are particular highlights—they’re synchronized so well with the music that you can’t help but smile.
The singing trees light display
The animated singing faces synchronized to music
Location
The one downside is the location. Being out at the Clermont County Fairgrounds on the far east side means it’s not easily accessible to much of the city without a significant drive. If you’re coming from the west side or northern suburbs, plan for some travel time. The address is 1000 Locust Street, Owensville, OH 45160.
Pricing
The price was great. Standard admission is $33 per carload (up to 8 people), but by booking online and using a coupon code, I got in for only $25. Definitely look for deals before you go. Larger vehicles with 9+ people are $54.
Note that tickets are non-refundable—it’s a rain, snow, or shine event.
A Note on the Name
Interestingly, the website URL is “queencitylightshow.com” but the event itself is called “Cincinnati’s Nights of Lights.” Not sure of the history there, but don’t let the URL confusion stop you from finding it.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a great drive-through light experience and don’t mind the drive out to Clermont County, Cincinnati’s Nights of Lights is well worth it. The music synchronization elevates it above typical static light displays, and the length of the show makes it feel like a complete experience rather than a quick drive-by.