Christmas lights in Queens, New York

We track 3 displays in Queens. Every one of them is free to visit.

When to go

Displays here switch on around sunset. In Queens that means about 4:29 PM in early December and 4:29 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 5:00 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Queens typically drop to around 32°F.

DateSunsetFully dark
Dec 14:29 PM4:59 PM
Dec 154:29 PM5:00 PM
Dec 254:33 PM5:04 PM

The Queens lights loop — 3 stops

We ordered every display in Queens into the shortest sensible driving loop: roughly 0 miles and 12 minutes of driving, before you count time spent parked and looking. Start wherever is closest to you and follow it round.

  1. Jamaica Avenue Holiday Lights — Jamaica Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard, Jamaica
  2. Little North Pole — 144-03 Neponsit Avenue, Rockaway
  3. Modafferi Home — 97-03 165th Avenue, Howard Beach

Driving estimate assumes a 25 mph average on residential streets plus four minutes stopped per display. Straight-line distances with a road-network allowance — treat it as a planning figure, not a satnav route.

Practicalities

Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Queens cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 40 public car parks and 11 public toilets. There is no shortage of cafés and takeaways for a hot drink on the way round.

All 3 displays in Queens

Jamaica Avenue Holiday Lights

Jamaica Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard, Jamaica · Queens, New York

Tree illumination December 5 at 7pm, with a parade the following day · typically dusk – 10 PM

Freeneighborhoodtree-lightingparademusicwalk-through

Home to the largest Christmas tree lighting in Queens, held on Rockaway Boulevard, followed the next day by the Parade on Rockaway. Through the season the commercial stretch stays lively with music, pop-up vendors, and street decorations.

2 other displays within 5 miles

✓ Verified 2025-2026

Modafferi Home

97-03 165th Avenue, Howard Beach · Queens, New York

typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · 5-10pm nightly

Freeresidentialdrive-bywalk-throughcharity-donations

A corner-lot display in Howard Beach that the Modafferi family has been putting up for more than 30 years, lit nightly from 5 to 10pm. Donations collected at the house benefit a volunteer fire department.

2 other displays within 5 miles

✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season

Little North Pole

144-03 Neponsit Avenue, Rockaway · Queens, New York

typically late Nov – early Jan (check before visiting) · typically dusk – 10 PM

Freeresidentialdrive-bycharity-donations

A Rockaway home display with a charitable mission: an on-site collection box gathers donations for juvenile diabetes research, and past seasons have featured live entertainment plus donated food and toys. Driving is the recommended way to visit.

2 other displays within 5 miles

✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season

Nearby towns

Brooklyn6 displays · 8 miNew York22 displays · 9 miBronx1 display · 10 miStaten Island1 display · 24 mi

Know a display we're missing in Queens?Add it to the guide.