Pyramid Hill Combines Art and Nature in its Annual Holiday Lights Show

The beloved tradition returns Friday, Nov. 17.

By Katherine Barrier on Mon, Nov 13, 2023 at 10:57 am

[
      {
        "name": "Real 1 Placeholder",
        "component": "12272316",
        "insertPoint": "3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
      },{
        "name": "Ad - NativeInline - Injected",
        "component": "12277917",
        "insertPoint": "2/3",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "9"
      }
    ]

click to enlarge

Photo: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum's holiday lights show returns Friday, Nov. 17.

Holiday revelers looking for a unique tradition filled with art and nature need look no further than the annual Pyramid Hill Lights show in Hamilton.

The glowing light display at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum opens Friday, Nov. 17. Organizers say 2023’s show will feature the return of visitor favorites, as well as a deepened focus on artistic partnerships and community connections.

At the Pyramid Hill Lights show, visitors drive along a two-mile route through the park, which is filled with plenty of art, nature and over 1 million lights. The show is designed to be enjoyed by every generation: Kids can stay engaged throughout the show with an interactive bingo game while parents enjoy the classical music soundtrack curated by WGUC, and grandparents can take in all the holiday magic in a comfortable and inclusive way.

Featured artists include The Bombshells of Cincinnati, Abby Palen, members of the Ross High School Art Club, and Inspiration Studios.

Kings Island's WinterFest Returns This Holiday Season Merrier and Brighter Than Ever: WinterFest will feature over 7 million LED lights, live holiday shows and more than 20 rides.

“The Bombshells of Cincinnati are back for their third year with their yarn-bombed candy cane forest. Fun additions have been made and a new path has been set to transport you into this sweet magical wonderland,” Jen Edwards of The Bombshells of Cincinnati said in a press release.

Pyramid Hill Lights is open Tuesday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 6-10 p.m. The show is closed on Mondays. Admission is $25 per carload for non-park members and $15 per carload for members.

Holiday Junction Train Display Rolls Back into Union Terminal This November: All aboard for one of the most beloved Cincinnati holiday traditions.

The show runs through Sunday, Dec. 31.

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton. More info: pyramidhill.org.

Slideshow

15 Ways to Have a Day Straight Out of a Hallmark Christmas Movie in Cincinnati

Support a small business while shopping at local holiday marketsWith some hard work and just a dash of Christmas magic, you can be the protagonist who saves the day and a struggling small business – or you can just do your part to support small businesses by shopping local for your holiday gifts. We have a handy gift guide you can use, or you can visit one of the holiday markets happening around the city. The Servatii Cincinnati Christkindlmarkt pops up at Smale Riverfront Park every week with local vendors, and City Flea is hosting a weekend-long holiday market Dec.16-17 at Washington Park.

15 slides

Go ice skating at Fountain Square, Summit Park or Fifty West BrewingNothing screams wholesome Winter Wonderland more than people lacing up their skates for a glide on the ice. At Fountain Square, you can twirl underneath the glow of the Christmas tree – or drive bumper cars – after doing some holiday shopping in the many small businesses in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine and visiting the Shillito’s Elves in their new home at the Foundry. Summit Park in Blue Ash has their Warm 98.5 rink set up underneath a color glass canopy, and the four on-site restaurants have plenty of food, hot chocolate and DORA drinks for sale. And Fifty West Brewing has brought back their ice rink, along with fire pits, heated tents and hot drinks to keep you warm after a spin on the ice with that cute baker you just met.

Pick out a Christmas tree at a local market or farmThe visual centerpiece of any good Hallmark holiday movie is the meticulously decorated Christmas tree decked out in lots of colorful lights, ornaments and garland. And if your childhood crush who grew up next door to you and is back for the holidays can come over and help you decorate it — even better. Find a list of places where you can grab a tree, some hot chocolate and maybe even pet a reindeer here.

Visit a small town, like Lebanon or Metamora, and revel in the Christmas aestheticThere are lots of charming small towns close to Cincinnati that go all out for the holidays. Lebanon is known for its distinct Hallmark-movie vibe this time of year. Metamora, Indiana, breaks out tons of lights and decorations for its annual Old Fashion Christmas Walk, and Historic Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio, lights up with millions of bulbs each year.

Go sledding, glow snow tubing or tobogganingThis one requires some participation from Mother Nature, but you can always dream of a white Christmas. If it does happen to snow, some popular sledding hills include Embshoff Woods in Delhi, Stanberry Park in Mt. Washington, Devou Park in Covington, Harbin Park in Fairfield and Mt. Storm Park in Clifton. If you’d rather hit the slopes or careen downhill on an inner tube, you can take a trip out to Perfect North in Lawrenceburg for skiing, snow tubing and warming up with a treat in the lodge. You can also plan a holiday road trip to Mansfield for after-dark glow snow tubing. Just make sure to load your road trip playlist with lots of holiday carols and songs.

Take a wintry hike at the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve and other scenic trailsHiking is a great way to help you reflect and think things over. Do you want to quit your job in the big city to open a coffee shop in a small town? Do you want to leave your aloof, corporate-y significant other for the humble, kind and attractive veterinarian? Probably! But you can decide on the trail. Hamilton County’s Great Parks has 78 miles of trails throughout its 17 parks, including nature trails ranging from just the 0.15-mile Woodlot Trail at Winton Woods to the 2.1-mile Timberlakes Trail at Miami Whitewater Forest. Cincinnati Parks also boasts some amazing nature trails at French Park, California Woods and Ault Park. And in Delhi is the Bender Mountain Nature Preserve that offers stunning views of the Ohio River and Northern Kentucky. Find more stunning hike suggestions here.

Click to View 15 slides

Tags:

About The Author

Katherine Barrier

Email Katherine Barrier

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...

Scroll to read more Things To Do articles