Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket is swapping soccer cleats for string lights this winter. The venue will host the inaugural Rhode Island Lights Festival from Nov. 27, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, turning the field and seating bowl into a holiday light display for the first time since the stadium opened.
According to Providence Business News, festival organizers hope the event will attract visitors to Pawtucket and generate business for local vendors. The stadium's own announcement describes light displays on the field and synchronized light shows throughout the seating bowl, giving the venue a glow it has never had during its short history as a sports and entertainment hub.
What's Inside the Festival
Beyond the lights themselves, guests can browse a festive holiday marketplace, roast s'mores and visit Santa, per the stadium's festival announcement. The festival's Vendor Village is billed as a collection of local Rhode Island artisans, makers and vendors, giving the event a homegrown feel alongside the large-scale light installations.
For those wanting a warmer, more private experience, the stadium says guests will be able to reserve heated igloos, suites and club hospitality spaces. The stadium's general manager framed the new event as part of a broader push to make the venue feel like a neighborhood staple, saying the Rhode Island Lights Festival is another exciting step in making this a true community gathering place.
Tickets and Timing Details
Individual tickets for the festival go on sale Nov. 10, the stadium says on its festival page. The Valley Breeze reports that tickets to walk through the displays start at under $15, though the outlet did not specify whether that starting price applies across every date or ticket type.
Nightly hours depend on which source you check. The stadium's announcement states the festival will be open nightly from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., except for Dec. 24 and 25. The Valley Breeze, however, reports the festival will run Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m.
A Boost for Pawtucket's Holiday Scene
Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said the city will work with the stadium to connect the new festival with an existing holiday tradition. Per the Valley Breeze, the city will collaborate with the stadium to tie in the Rhode Island Lights Festival with Slater Park's yearly Winter Wonderland, giving Pawtucket two major light displays running at once this season.
The festival arrives as Centreville Bank Stadium continues building out its calendar beyond professional soccer. In its first year, the stadium hosted more than 70 events and welcomed nearly 220,000 fans, according to Rhode Island FC. The stadium's general manager described the venue as a dynamic, year-round destination while noting it was preparing to welcome its first major entertainment events in the summer of 2026, a run that the Lights Festival now extends into the holiday season.
