Grand Illumination at Colonial Williamsburg

Held annually on the first Sunday of December since 1935, Grand Illumination marks the start of the Colonial Williamsburg holiday season with the simultaneous lighting of candles in every Historic Area window, fireworks, and 18th-century musical performances; it draws tens of thousands of visitors and is one of the longest-running holiday community traditions in Virginia. The candle-lighting tradition references documented 18th-century Virginia illumination celebrations.