Nashville · Christmas in Nashville
Christmas in Nashville for Grown-Ups
Nashville turns Christmas into a show, which is exactly what you'd expect. A mile of lights in a historic garden, a hotel full of ice sculptures, the Nutcracker with a live symphony and country music in the old Mother Church. Here are the 2026 dates and how to plan a grown-up December trip around them.
- Lights
- Cheekwood Holiday LIGHTS, November 20, 2026-January 3, 2027
- Ice
- ice! at Gaylord Opryland, November 6, 2026-January 2, 2027
- Ballet
- Nashville's Nutcracker, November 27-December 27, 2026
- Book ahead
- Cheekwood public sale opens October 13
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Holiday LIGHTS at Cheekwood
Cheekwood's Holiday LIGHTS run November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 10 p.m., along a one-mile walking path through the gardens. Inside the mansion, An Enchanted Noel is a French-inspired holiday installation by former Chief White House Floral Designer Laura Dowling. Public tickets go on sale October 13; weeknights are calmer.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
1200 Forrest Park Dr, west Nashville
A historic mansion, art museum and botanical garden west of downtown. Its Holiday LIGHTS run November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 10 p.m., on a one-mile walking path, and inside the mansion An Enchanted Noel is a French-inspired installation by former Chief White House Floral Designer Laura Dowling.
Tip: Public tickets for Holiday LIGHTS go on sale October 13; pick a weeknight for a calmer walk.
Christmas at Gaylord Opryland
The vast Gaylord Opryland resort goes all-out every year. Its ice! attraction, hand-carved ice sculptures telling Home Alone this year, runs November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027. On busy dates (Fridays and Saturdays from November 20, plus Thanksgiving week and December 18-31) the resort is open after 3 p.m. only to overnight guests and ticket holders, so go on a weekday or book a ticket. The Grand Ole Opry is just next door.
Grand Ole Opry
Opry House, Music Valley
The long-running live radio show where several artists, from legends to newcomers, each play a short set. A genuine piece of American music history even if you are not a country fan.
The Nutcracker and the Ryman
Nashville's Nutcracker plays Jackson Hall at TPAC from November 27 to December 27, 2026, with Tchaikovsky's score performed live by the Nashville Symphony; evening shows are on Fridays and Saturdays. And check the Ryman Auditorium's calendar: the Opry returns to the Ryman for a stretch each winter, and a concert in the old tabernacle is the best way to spend a December night in Nashville.
Ryman Auditorium
116 Rep. John Lewis Way, Downtown
The "Mother Church of Country Music", a former tabernacle with church-pew seating and famous acoustics. Catch any concert here if the calendar lines up; daytime tours run too. The Opry returns to the Ryman for a stretch each winter.
Warm drinks and long dinners
Between shows, book dinner at Husk in its 1880s mansion and finish at The Patterson House, the speakeasy-style bar that started the city's cocktail scene.
Husk
37 Rutledge St, Rutledge Hill
Southern ingredient-driven cooking in an 1880s mansion a few blocks from Broadway, with a garden on site and a menu that changes twice a day.
The Patterson House
700 8th Ave S (5th floor)
The speakeasy-style bar that started Nashville's cocktail scene in 2009, now in a new fifth-floor home. Hand-cut ice, a long classic list and seasonal specials; limited reservations, walk-ins welcome.
Our advice
- Plan Opryland for a weekday; weekend evenings are restricted to guests and ticket holders.
- Book Cheekwood when public tickets go on sale on October 13.
- Broadway is busy in December too; head to the Ryman or a songwriter room instead.
- Check current hours, event dates and prices before you go.
Everything on this page was checked on October 1, 2026. Event dates, show runs and ticket prices change, so confirm before you go.
Questions people ask
When are Cheekwood's Holiday LIGHTS in 2026?
November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Public tickets go on sale October 13.
When is Christmas at Gaylord Opryland in 2026?
ice!, featuring Home Alone, runs November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027. On busy dates the resort is open after 3 p.m. only to overnight guests and ticket holders.
When is Nashville's Nutcracker in 2026?
November 27 to December 27, 2026, at Jackson Hall, TPAC, with the Nashville Symphony playing live.
Is Nashville good to visit at Christmas?
Yes. The lights, the Nutcracker and the Ryman make December one of the best months for a grown-up trip, and the bachelorette crowds are smaller than in summer.