2025 Washington D.C. Temple Christmas Lights Details

One of the best free holiday lights display in Washington D.C. is the Festival of Lights at the D.C. temple. It’s one of my family’s yearly holiday traditions. Located in Kensington, Maryland, the Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Temple (aka the Mormon temple) is open to the public and you can walk the grounds to see hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights!

Washington D.C. Temple Festival of Lights 2025

In 2025, the Festival of Lights at the Washington DC Temple and Visitors’ Center runs from December 4, 2025 – January 1, 2026. The hours are from 4:30 PM – 8:45 PM. This year you will need a timed parking pass for your car to park in the parking lot.

During the Washington DC Temple Lights, you can enjoy over 500,000 Christmas lights as well as Christmas trees and beautiful Nativity Créche displays featuring nativities from around the world. Each night from December 4th – 24th, there is a holiday performance inside the auditorium in the Visitors’ Center at 6:30 pm.

D.C. Mormon Temple Christmas Lights Parking

Parking for the Washington D.C. Temple Festival of Lights is free. However you will need a parking pass and no parking is allowed on Stoneybrook Drive. Reserve your parking pass here.

If you are driving north on Stoneybrook, the first entrance on the left is the Visitors’ Center, the second is the Temple, and the third is the Stake Center.

Visitors’ Center – 9900 Stoneybrook Dr.
Temple – 9900 Stoneybrook Dr.
Stake Center (overflow) – 10000 Stoneybrook Dr.

After 4:00 p.m. parking passes required
A valid parking pass will be checked at parking entrance
Parking for people with disabilities is in the Visitors’ Center parking lot (ask a parking attendant for directions)
Arrive during first 30 minutes of time frame selected in parking reservation
Temple grounds, events, and parking lots close at 9:00 p.m.
No Temple grounds entrance after 8:30 p.m.
Only one parking pass per vehicle is required
Parking passes may not be copied or shared
Temple ground parking: 9900 Stonybrook Drive, Kensington, MD
Stake Center parking:10000 Stoneybrook Drive, Kensington, MD
No public parking behind Visitors’ Center
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not responsible for damage to vehicles, persons, or lost/stolen property.

Sometimes traffic can back up, so we like to go early when possible.

Each weekend and during the second half of December, they experience very heavy traffic. To avoid the largest crowds, they recommend coming Monday through Thursday or during the first half of December to avoid some of the crowds.

D.C. Temple Festival of Lights Performance Schedule 2025

This year no tickets will be given out for the musical performances at the Washington DC Visitors Center, but you do need a reserved parking pass. Most performances begin at 6:30 p.m., but some performers have two shows – one at 5:00 p.m. and one at 6:30 p.m. See the schedule below.

For 6:30 performances, a 5:30 parking pass is recommended. Performance attendee cars will be allowed to remain in the parking lot until 7:45. For 5:00 performances, a 4:00 parking pass is recommended and cars will be allowed to remain in the parking lot until 6:15. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The theater doors open about 30 minutes prior to performances, but the line to enter for large events will begin earlier than that. Some performers have quite the following, so if you have a favorite, make sure to get there early to get a seat.

My family and I have always enjoyed these holiday performances; each group is so talented, and it really puts you in the holiday spirit.

December 4
Rockville Chorus – 6:30 PM

December 5
The Scotland AME Zion Mass Choir – 6:30 PM

December 6
Polynesian Cousins – 5:00 PM
Polynesian Cousins – 6:30 PM

December 7
Washington D.C. Temple Orchestra – 5:00 PM
Washington D.C. Temple Orchestra – 6:30 PM

December 8
Greenbelt Concert Band – 6:30 PM

December 9
Gene Schaerr – 6:30 PM

December 10
Harbor City Music Company – 6:30 PM

December 11
Starlight Art Ensemble – 6:30 PM

December 12
Capital Carillon – 6:30 PM

December 13
Washington D.C. Temple Choir – 5:00 PM
Washington D.C. Temple Choir – 6:30 PM

December 14
Ethan Vinodh & Friends – 6:30 PM

December 15
The Sounds of Christmas with Candace and Friends – 6:30 PM

December 16
The Pickwick Singers – 6:30 PM

December 17
The Olney Big Band – 6:30 PM

December 18
The Continental Jazz Congress – 6:30 PM

December 19
Bayside and Calvert Ward Musicians – 6:30 PM

December 20
The Academy of Fine Arts Suzuki Violin Program – 6:30 PM

December 21
Melinda Baird & Shaundra Culatta – 6:30 PM

December 22
Baxter Family Bluegrass Band – 6:30 PM

December 23
The Takemoto Family – 6:30 PM

Créches from Around the World at the DC Temple Lights

One of my favorite things about the Festival of Lights is looking at all the Creches and Nativities depicting the birth of Christ from around the world. Here are some from years past. You can also see many decorated Christmas Trees around the Visitors Center.