All Festival of Lights events and displays at the Washington DC Temple Visitors’ Center are free of charge, but entrance is limited to guests who have a timed parking pass for one of the two available parking lots. Parking is not permitted on the roads leading to the Visitors’ Center.

Absolutely! Everyone is welcome to attend our events. We request that all guests use clean language and treat everyone with respect. We are Christians who do our best to follow the commandments and teachings of Jesus Christ. Whatever your background, you’re invited to join us.  However, be sure to download a parking pass to be given entrance to our parking lots. Parking is not allowed on neighborhood streets.

Wear comfortable clothing to enjoy both indoor and outdoor activities.  Outside, where there is a pathway to view lights and other Christmas displays, we recommend warm coats and comfortable shoes. 

All Festival of Lights events are family-friendly and children are welcome! However, if you plan to attend a performance in our Auditorium, we suggest that children be old enough to remain seated and attentive throughout the performance and that any disruptive children be calmed in the lobby area.

We recommend following the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center website  for Festival of Lights updates and helpful tips about parking, dress and hours of operation. 

Parking for the Festival of Lights is free, but a parking pass is required to park in one of  two parking lots (Temple parking and Stake Center parking) that are adjacent to the Visitors’ Center, where the event is being held.  Only the driver of each car (and not passengers) must show the parking pass. There will be parking attendants at each parking lot entrance to admit cars to one of the two parking lots after you display your parking pass on a smart phone or paper copy. There is no parking on Stoneybrook Drive which leads to the Festival of Lights, so be sure to get your parking pass. If you are driving north on Stoneybrook, the first entrance on the left is the the Temple parking lot and the second entrance is the Stake Center parking lot.   

Temple parking – 9900 Stoneybrook Dr.

Stake Center  parking – 10000 Stoneybrook Dr.

Outdoor lights will be turned on at 4:30 and turned off at 8:45 every evening. In addition, within the Visitors’ Center, guests can see an international crèche exhibit, beautifully decorated Christmas trees and December 4-24, performances in our Auditorium, which start at 6:30 PM. The Auditorium doors open 30 minutes prior to performances, but the line to enter for large events may begin earlier.

Pictures and videos of the outdoor lights and the exhibits in the Visitors’ Center are permitted.  For performances, it depends on the event so check individual event listings and listen for any announcements made prior to the performance.

Avoid crowds by coming in early December. Dress for the weather, wear good comfortable shoes, and leave pets at home. Service animals are permitted as long as you bring your certificate. Smoking, drugs, and alcohol are prohibited in parking lots and in the Visitors’ Center.

It depends on how much you like crowds. Smaller crowds are expected on weekdays during the first half of December. Last year, after December 13,  as many as 8,000 – 10,000 guests attended Festival of Lights each evening. Guests are welcome to come to the Visitors’ Center between 10 AM and 4:30 PM to see the exhibits in the Visitors’ Center before the lights are turned on at 4:30 PM.

If you have additional questions, please send an email to: [email protected]. We will respond as quickly as possible.  Alternatively, you may call the Visitors’ Center at +1 (301) 587-0144.