Bright Nights at Forest Park

WORST $ 21 IVE EVER SPENT.
No, seriously. Don’t waste your time or money coming here.
Over an HOUR to get into the park. Why is there no emergency exit for families who realize their egregious mistake by entering this trap?
Why is this even advertised as one of the best places to see Christmas lights? I’d like know who decided that… then find them and punch them in the face.

This was a nightmare. Whatever tradition this was, you need to let to die. Given the hour long line to get in, I can’t begin to comprehend why… Why was everyone here? Were they all like me, coerced into this rubbish by deranged family members trying to reclaim some dimly revered memory of their childhood?
Fine, you want specifics. It was an hour to get the park entrance. Don’t follow your GPS, it’ll efficiently avoid the traffic and you’ll run afoul with the local police; they will redirect you into the traffic jam. And let’s be clear, this entire event is one prolonged traffic jam.
Yes, Everyone will try to cut into the jam. Yes, you will have no recourse. Yes, you will stare at the jerk’s bumper for the next 2 hours.
The cost, 21 $, atrocious. Free is too much. Couldn’t pay me. Seriously, I’d sit thru a focus panel group, jury duty, sales pitch for timeshare for a Croatian getaway. Anything.
The lights are. Boring. Clearly old, dim, mostly functional. Generic holiday themes in 5 watt bulbs.
About 15 minutes into this torture everyone in the car realized our mistake. We all share a look of pleading eyes, then turn to the instigator of this event, my mother. She too sensed the error and could only say «what? I remember it being good!»
40 minutes in, there is a magical forest carstop. Not content with just having a row of toilets, they gussied it up with several rejected carnival rides and questionable refreshments. If you make it this far, good job! You are about half way thru.
The next 40 min is more of the same. Surprisingly, the road wasn’t littered with the abandoned cars of those who fell asleep at the wheel or drove into the woods In a desperate attempt to escape.
Please, please stop perpetuating this event. If you are desperate to see Christmas lights, just drive around the neighborhood. House lights are far, far better. If you want the experience of never ending traffic, just drive slowly.

You should be ashamed as an organization for excluding 911 Communications Officers from your blanket Public Safety category. To compare the job to that of a janitor makes you a despicable and ignorant individual.

We have been doing this since my kids we little. The displays are wonderful and we each have our favorites, that we look for each year, like the leaping reindeer or Suessland. It so nice that they have the simulcast music on the radio. We have been to other light displays in Hartford and Florida, but this is still our favorite — a MUST DO every year. Suggestion: try to go right after Thanksgiving or between Christmas and New Years for the shortest lines. Also, bring a blanket in the car for kids

The lights were nice but the 1 hour wait in line and the jerks cutting the line– and no police to stop them ruined our Christmas spirit.

Since we had family visiting the area for the holidays, we decided to swing through Bright Nights to show them all the incredible lights.
The light displays this year were similar to the past years which were great, but it would be nice to see new displays from year to year. We did love all the Dr. Seuss tributes as well as the dinosaur displays.
The entry price here is a little steep, but we ended up getting a discount because of our Big Y card. Driving through the park is a blast, but it would be nicer if you could walk through. We felt a bit rushed by the vehicles behind us which was a bit frustrating, but we tried to take as much time as we could.
In the end, we really enjoyed the displays here and we hope to continue coming here yearly.

If it wasn’t for a free pass I won I never would have gone. There is absolutely no way I’m spending $ 21 to drive through Bright Nights. This is the city of Springfield’s tourist trap. A 2.5÷3 mile stretch of lighted sponsored advertising. If each display is sponsored by the areas big companies, why does it cost $ 21 to get in? And where does that money go? It should be free for all Springfield residents because we have to deal with the bullshit traffic on Sumner Ave.
Some parts are extremely hard to see if there are no other cars and you have to put your lights on.
I went once when it opened, and last night, about 19 years later. It looks all the same to me. They tell you to tune to 98.5 to listen to Elf Radio which sounded like shit.
Yes, kids 9 and under might get more out of it than adults, and yes the parents will feel ripped off after, but it’s for the holidays, and Springfield knows that.

A boat full of girls ready to see the lights had fun, but there’s room for improvement. Tips for next year:
–The pool should be covered. Don’t they know it’s winter? Also, Santa swimming lights would be dope. Think about it.
–The carousel is great, but making it «move» with a lighting trick would make it awesome.
–The corporate sponsors need to step up their dollars. Long stretch without lights between winter garden and Seussland.
–This experience would be 100x better if there were food trucks. People get hangry in those long lines…
–Okay, stopped at the Snack hut. The rest of lights are awesome! Dino AND Noah’s Ark?! Way to be.

Spectacular. I have been going since I was a youngster. I love the radio station that is linked to the drive through. Have fun and tune in!

This was our first experience with Bright Nights. We decided to go through on active duty night, since it was free! There were veterans working the entrance, it was awesome and they thanked us as we went through. We got a $ 5 coupon for the next time we came through and a gift from Yankee Candle. Super sweet.
The traffic was really light, but it may have been the minimal amount of active duty members in the area and the lack of snow. We didn’t have to wait very long. We live in Longmeadow, so the drive home was quick.
There were so many cool lights, from characters from Suessland to dinosaurs. My two year old and my fiancé and I were in awe. It’s an amazing tradition that I would love to do every year from now on.
I can’t wait to come through once snow has fallen. My son will keep asking to come back, I know it. He loves dinosaurs. This is a must!!! You need to swing by if haven’t already.

Had a great time here and was glad we didn’t have to wait long to get in since we got there 35 minutes before it opened. To all the locals complaining about the traffic, shut your yapping. For years I’ve dealt with tourists clogging up Laguna Canyon Road for at least half the year so you can suck it up for 2 – 3 weeks a year. Aww you poor New Englanders.

I hadn’t been to Bright Nights since shortly after it opened, which was many, many years ago (as in, during Clinton’s first term). So, when my husband received a free pass in his swag bag after running the Bright Nights road race, we decided to check it out. We arrived at around 8pm on a Thursday evening, and managed to avoid the long line typically associated with the event. We waited under five minutes before reaching the main gate.
The lighting display was almost exactly how I remembered it– an odd mish-​mash of Christmas, dinosaurs, plugs for Mass Mutual and Baystate, winter scenes, and Dr. Seuss. But it was nonetheless endearing in its randomness. The Bright Nights radio station was more or less unlistenable, but there was enough outside of the vehicle to keep our attention.
The entire drive-​through took a little over an hour (I think). It was certainly unique, and something I’d recommend seeing once or twice. I suspect kids would get a bit more mileage out of it than a couple of thirty-​year-​olds. The entrance fee is a little steep if you don’t have a pass ($ 18/​car on weeknights, and $ 21 on weekends), but it looks like there is a $ 3 off coupon on the Bright Nights website.

I try to make it a winter tradition to attend Bright Nights at least once!
Usually armed with what I call «Christmas In A Cup» (a Dunkin Donuts Vanilla Chai) and my own Christmas tunes (they provide a Bright Nights radio station, but their music used to be fairly bland, this year they improved their selection) i drive through the park as s… l…o…w…l…y as humanly possible. (for $ 18 per carload, you’ve gotta get your money’s worth, am I right?) Also, it’s definitely prettier when it’s snowing, or there’s at least some snow on the ground.
(My personal favorite Bright Nights memory is the time when I put off going until the very last minute because there wasn’t any snow. Finally, I begrudgingly went, not in the best of moods. As I paid for my ticket and pulled in the park, I remarked to one of my friends, «I just wish it was snowing.» And it INSTANTLY started to snow. I was so excited, I started to cry. (I am a big dork who cries over shit like that. Get over it.))
In the past, the lighting display has remained pretty standard – but this year it got a mini upgrade. I was glad to see this and hope they will continue to add on in the coming years!
Approach the park from The X and not 91 – you’ll get a spot in line MUCH more quickly. I also recommend stopping at the gift shop, especially if you have children with you. (there is a snack bar, gift shop, and you can take photos with Santa! And there are porta potties there, too.)
Big Y offers reduced price tickets ($ 15) and you can also get a $ 3 coupon from WMECo. (it should come in the mail with your November or December billing statement.)
The ONLY thing I would do to improve bright nights? Have a little area (preferably at the end) where you can pull off to the side & take photos by the light display. Oh, and a reminder to turn on your headlights!

I have great memories of Bright Nights at Forest Park with my grandparents. Every year during the holidays, my brother and sister and I spent a week with my them in East Longmeadow, and Bright Nights was always a major highlight of the trip.
Basically you pay to drive through Forest Park and gaze in awe at one of the most beautiful holiday lights displays I have ever seen, while listening to Christmas music on a station they tell you to tune into. It took around 30 – 45 minutes to drive through, not only because it was bumper to bumper but also because, why would you want to rush?
The display never really changed much from year to year, but that didn’t make it any less exciting the fifth or sixth time than it was during the very first. Part of that was probably because I was a kid, but part of it was the lights just really were beautiful.

I’ve been amazed by Bright Nights since I was a kid, and someday I hope to bring my kids to it. I bet they’ll be equally amazed by what creative people can do with lights… Because this gets better and more intricate every year!
The Barney Mansion lighting exhibit is particularly intricate — actually, all of these exhibits are highly sculptural.
I write «exhibits» because these exhibits at Bright Night are essentially outdoor, (whimsical) artworks — sculptures.
This is public art at its finest, dressed up in holiday garb, but make no mistake: this is artwork, and EXTRAORDINARY artwork at that.

I remember when Bright Nights was first announced, about a decade ago. What’s that? They say you can drive through a winter wonderland made up of thousands and thousands of colored lights? Some decorative? Some forming pictures? That sounds pretty cool.
And you know what? It was.
Bright Nights is a family and holiday tradition in Springfield, Mass. Basically, you drive into Forrest Park (one of the most redundantly named parks in all of the country), buy your ticket, and for the next half an hour or so you drive through a light spectacle.
There are different sections, most having something to do with either holidays or Springfield. There’s Santa and Santa’s Village. There’s a whole Dr. Seuss section (since he was born in the area). There’s a section about HASBRO games, since they are also in the area. And it’s really, really beautiful.
It’s such a nice way to connect with your family, since there’s nothing to do but sit in the car, listen to Christmas music on a specific radio station they tell you to turn to and watch some really pretty lights.
Of course, once you do Bright Nights, you don’t really need to do it again, since very little changes year to year. Also, it’s semi-​expensive — about $ 18 to drive through (of course, if you round it out per person, it’s only going to be like $ 5 to $ 10, so that’s not really so bad).
If you’re going to go, go after it’s snowed. Seriously, it kind of looks a little stupid beforehand (like, the ice skaters on the grass). However, if you can get down here right around the holidays, it’s really a really nice thing.

Bright Nights is not popular with a lot of my fellow residents of the Forest Park neighborhood because it ties up Sumner Ave. traffic for hours every evening for several weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years.
There are several of these light displays around the country but this is one of the biggest. I think the display is charming and the experience is worth the admission cost. It is especially beautiful when there is snow falling.
Insider tip: during busy times approach the entrance from the east, (from the X). Most of the waiting traffic comes from the other direction and the police can’t let the traffic back up as much towards the X.

Dear New Englanders,
Stop mucking up the flow of traffic on Sumner Ave. and polluting what is left of Forest Park.

I have been to Bright Nights every year for the past few years, and I definitely recommend it. Even as a Jew, I find it very nice to look at. I opt not to listen to their Christmas music, because that isn’t something I enjoy, but it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment.
I find it so amazing what they can do with the lights, and although it doesn’t change much year to year I still keep going back.
I did one year decide to try the horse drawn carriage ride since I thought it sounded nice. Much to my surprise it was just a big group of us going for about 2 minutes and that was it, definitely not worth it!
Also watch your valpack for a coupon or ask someone who has already been because they give you $ 5 off your next visit with your receipt.

Bright Nights is the yearly light fixture from the City of Springfield that graces Forest Park every year from Thanksgiving until after Christmas.
Be prepared to hang out for awhile, particularly on weekend/​snowy nights. You do have to pay to get in (according to the site, it’s now $ 15 for cars during the week, $ 18 on the weekends/​Holidays), and the lines are long, but once you get in, it’s a treat primarily because of how slowly the lines move.
As you drive through, listening to the Christmas carols blaring on the radio station they suggest you turn to, the panoply of colors overtakes you. What makes it particularly fascinating is the different themes for each section. Take Seussland, for example (Theodore Geisel was born in Springfield, hence the Seuss example). Driving through Seussland, you can look outside and see a variety of different characters. Look in one direction, hey, it’s the freakin’ Cat in the Hat (and not the creepy Mike Myers one either)! Look the other way, it’s the Lorax!
The different sections appeal to a variety of peoples. Whether you’re Christian (a Nativity scene!) or not (Toy Land! Dinosaur Land! Victorian Land!), you’ll be well-​served. It’s the spirit of the season, and all that.
I have great memories of Bright Nights. Whether it was my own wonder in my parents taking me through during those dark, occasionally snowy nights, or later bringing people here during Grad School, it’s a beautiful, wonderful, Christmas-​y/​Holiday-​y sight to behold. :)