Baltimore's holiday lights spectacular is lighting back up at Druid Hill Park, with organizers highlighting a 50-foot tree and an array of features for its latest run. Charm City Lights will run from Nov. 28 through Dec. 27 at Druid Hill Park.
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks shared the 2026 details in a social media post describing the event as returning with a “glow up,” according to Baltimore Rec & Parks
. This year's promotion touts more than 250,000 lights and a 50-foot tree, along with selfie-worthy displays, dining igloos, winter drinks and themed nights, per the same post.
A Taller Tree Than the Original
When Charm City Lights debuted in 2023, the display ran nightly from Dec. 5 through Jan. 1 as a mile-long, drive-through experience open from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., according to Baltimore Fishbowl. That inaugural edition featured more than 250,000 lights and a 48-foot tree, the outlet reported, meaning this year's advertised 50-foot tree marks a modest step up in height.
The original event charged $10 per car on most nights, with discounted themed nights that closed the route to automobile traffic, Baltimore Fishbowl reported at the time. A separate listing from Visit Baltimore describes a second annual edition of Charm City Lights as a one-mile, drive-thru adventure with a 48-foot tree running from Nov. 30 through Jan. 1, though that listing does not specify which year it covers.
What the City Spent to Launch It
Standing up the original display wasn't cheap. Baltimore's Board of Estimates approved a request from Baltimore City Recreation and Parks to spend $735,935 on the project, Baltimore Brew reported in December 2023. City comptroller records from that period list a transaction with MOSCA Design, Inc. tied to a Druid Hill Park lighting display, though the available records don't spell out further contract terms tied to that figure.
It's unclear whether this year's edition carries a comparable price tag, and the available materials don't lay out a 2026 budget for the attraction. What's confirmed is the headline lineup organizers are promoting for this year's run: the lights, the 50-foot tree, the photo-friendly setups, the igloos, the seasonal drinks and the themed evenings.
Getting There
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks can be reached at (410) 396-7900 for those with questions about the event. The display is in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland, and runs through the end of December.
