The Lights Are On! Richmond’s Tacky Lights Season Has Begun

by | Dec 9, 2025 | COMMUNITY, CULTURE, OUTDOORS

Tacky Lights season has officially kicked off, and the region is glowing again. From tight city blocks to wide Powhatan backroads, homes across Central Virginia have thrown the switch and settled into that familiar holiday tradition of trying to outshine the neighborhood. Most displays stay lit through New Year’s Eve, which gives you plenty of time to wander, point, critique, and let the season do what it does best.

Below is a neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to some of the brightest spots around town this year.

Tacky Light Tour Richmond_RVA Magazine 2025
9604 Asbury Court, photo by R. Anthony Harris

Henrico and the West End

● 9604 Asbury Court
● 11601 Aprilbud Drive
● 7729 Brookside Road
● 3228 Center Ridge Drive
● 1909 Cornell Ave
● 7700 Hermitage Road
● 6812 Locust St.
● 9625 Peppertree Drive
● 2601 Rudolph Road
● 7610 Sweetbriar Road
● 2334 Thousand Oaks Drive
● 2302 Wistar Court

Glen Allen

● 9117 Castle Point Drive
● 9600 Dove Hollow Lane
● 1411 Pennsylvania Ave.
● 5123 Reids Pointe Road
● 9013 Runyon Drive
● 9716 Wendhurst Drive

Richmond

● 403 Azalea Ave.
● 3307 Kensington Ave.
● 2200 Park Ave.
● 8304 St. Charles Road

Chesterfield

● 1063 Adkins Road
● 4424 and 4432 Belmar Drive
● 10154 Carol Anne Road
● 600 Coralview Terrace
● 10340 N. Donegal Road
● 9618 Dry Creek Road
● 15640 Hampton Park Drive
● 13174 Hampton Meadows Terrace
● 13813 Orchid Drive
● 11731 Parrish Creek Lane
● 12630 Spring Run Road
● 15237 Willow Hill Lane

Midlothian

● 7801 Bold Forbes Lane
● 7302 Buck Rub Lane
● 12610 Dawnridge Court
● 12618 Dawnridge Court
● 8518 Erika Hill Drive
● 11512 Frederick Farms Circle
● 14608 Genito Road
● 11912 Gardengate Road
● 13207 Glenmeadow Court
● 11909 Hazelnut Branch
● 5037 King Cotton Lane
● 2216 Millcrest Terrace
● 12612 Queensgate Road
● 307 Rossmere Drive
● 14106 Shallowford Landing Court
● 11919 Swift Crossing Drive
● 3155 Tadley Drive
● 5912 Walking Path Lane

Mechanicsville and Highland Springs

● 8602 Anderson Court
● 9410 Apple Blossom Drive
● 7304 Hunterbrook Drive
● 7396 Kelshire Trace
● 7267 Marimel Lane
● 9945 Puddle Duck Lane
● 5494 Smithy Court
● 8265 Soft Wind Court
● 4233 Spring Run Road
● 8305 Tarragon Drive

Ashland

● 13404 Dyson Trail Circle

Caroline and Doswell

● 5002 Pine Tree Drive
● 12629 and 12637 Verdon Road

Chester

● 3650 Hemlock Road
● 4616 Laurel Spring Court

Moseley

● 17201 Silver Maple Terrace
● 7519 Nicklaus Circle

Powhatan

● 3393 Lake Pines Place
● 1207 Skipper Creek Road

Varina

● 8201 Hunter’s Meadow Drive
● 7703 Strath Road

Whether you map out the whole list or just hit a few favorites, the charm is the same. Families out walking, cars easing through the dark, someone in the backseat calling out the next house before anyone sees it. It’s simple and a little over the top, which is exactly why people keep doing it. Richmond knows how to light up a winter night.


Support RVA Magazine. Support Independent Media in Richmond.

At a time when media ownership is increasingly concentrated among corporations and the wealthy, RVA Magazine has remained one of Richmond’s few independent voices. Since 2005, the magazine has provided grassroots coverage of the city’s artists, musicians, and communities, documenting the culture that defines Richmond beyond the headlines.

But we can’t do this without you. A small donation, even as little as $2, one-time or recurring, helps us continue to produce honest, local coverage free from outside interference. Every dollar makes a difference. Your support keeps us going and keeps RVA’s creative spirit alive. Thank you for standing with independent mediaDONATE HERE

We’ve got merch HERE
Subscribe to the Substack HERE
And Reddit HERE
And YouTube HERE

RVA Staff

RVA Staff

Since 2005, the dedicated team at RVA Magazine, known as RVA Staff, has been delivering the cultural news that matters in Richmond, VA. This talented group of professionals is committed to keeping you informed about the events and happenings in the city.




more in community

What the Hell is VITCO? We Went to Find Out.

Editor’s Note: This story was produced in partnership with Virginia Transit Company (VITCO). There are few large-ish pieces of real estate in the city proper that have been more screaming for development than the fallow field bordered by Clay Street and Hermitage...

Can Ellwood Thompson’s Survive Its Owners?

What is Ellwood Thompson’s now? That feels like a fair question most people should be asking right now after this week’s news that the company that owns one of Richmond’s most recognizable stores is being taken over by another company whose primary business is data...

I Went to the Data Center Town Hall at Studio Two Three

On Monday night, close to 300 to people packed into Studio Two Three in Richmond for a town hall about data centers, moderated by Gray Montrose and co-hosted by Henrico Civic Action and Data Center Defiance.  I went to get a better sense of where Richmonders are from...

Be Kind, Rewind! Welcome to Monster Video

On a hot day in June, while visiting The Veiled Mirror and talking with them about collecting old books and DVDs, I was told that next door would be opening as a VHS video store soon. All throughout July, several of my friends who knew of my movie library habit...

Skip the Chains! A VCU Student Guide to Cheap-ish Local Eats

It’s that time of year when the U-Hauls come rolling in, parents are circling the block looking for parking, and thousands of new VCU students are about to move in and get their first real taste of Richmond. There are about 4,500 new students and 1,500 transfer...

Thousands of Lanterns to Light Up Dorey Park

The Water Lantern Festival is back in Richmond on Saturday, August 22nd. Think thousands of personalized glowing lanterns floating on the water, with live music, food, and generally good vibes moving along with them. You get a lantern to make your own. On...

Richmond’s Famous Romantix Mural Gets a New Chapter

For a decade, the mural outside the Romantix adult store, formerly Taboo, on Midlothian Turnpike has been one of Richmond's most debated pieces of public art. Now it's gone, replaced by a new collaboration between tattoo artist and muralist Jesse Smith and Miami-based...