Your guide to Reno’s best holiday lights

Holiday magic comes alive across four neighborhoods in the Biggest Little City in the World.

The tradition of grand holiday light displays continues across Reno this season, with four neighborhoods organizing routes and shows for evening visitors. 

Here are four major lights displays you can check out: 

Hidden Valley’s Parade of Lights, a south Reno tradition spanning more than four decades, is back through New Year’s Day. The neighborhood competition awards the top 10 houses and best street, with yard signs marking winners. Visitors can enter through Pembroke or Mira Loma Drive to tour the displays.

In Cold Springs, the community’s Lights of the Valley contest has transformed the northern valley into a holiday attraction. While voting has ended, the displays remain lit nightly, with winners to be announced December 26th on the Cold Springs Family Center’s Facebook page.

West Reno’s Somersett neighborhood continues its Neighborhood of Lights competition with five distinct categories. Categories include “Classic” for traditional displays, “Griswold” for over-the-top decorations, “Young People’s Choice” for kids’ favorites, and “Just Decorating” for a chance at a raffle prize. The “Best Street” category requires at least four homes per street to participate. While some gated areas within Somersett may be restricted, many displays are visible from public access roads throughout the master-planned community.

The Lights of Tanea offers a synchronized music and light show Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Visitors can drive north on Wedge Parkway from Mt. Rose Highway, turn east on White Cedar to Tanea Drive, and tune to 106.1 FM for the full experience. Organizers have asked drivers to turn off headlights and avoid blocking driveways.

For residents planning their light-viewing routes, the Nevada Moms and Reno Dads blogs offer comprehensive maps of decorated houses across the Reno-Sparks region. The Nevada Moms map, found here, provides an interactive guide of houses with holiday displays. 

The Reno Dads map, found here, features a detailed system marking current displays with green trees and Griswold Award winners – homes known for going above and beyond with their holiday decorations year after year – with red stars. 

Both can be opened in Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions, and both sites continue accepting submissions from homeowners wanting to showcase their holiday spirit.