Finals week can be a stressful time for students, and the thought of sipping a hot chocolate and watching a Christmas movie in the back of your mind can make the week feel like a drag. But finals week means the Christmas season is in full swing in the Tri-Cities, and there is one Christmas tradition in the area that has been lighting up the holiday season for 29 years that might just be the light you need to get you through finals: The Food City Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The idea came to fruition in 1997, when the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities was trying to figure out what to do for a signature fundraising event.
“We didn’t want to do a black-tie event like many of the other chapters do; we wanted to do something catered more toward families,” Claudia Byrd, executive director of the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, said. “We came up with the idea to do a Christmas light show and decided we should use the racetrack since there are no races happening in the winter. The first year we did it, we had no idea if anyone would come, but they did, and it has just kept growing ever since.”
The light display started as a mile-and-a-half drive, but it has now grown into a five-mile route with four million lights extending along the historic Bristol Dragway and ending with a lap around “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.” When the display began in 1997, LED lights did not even exist, and the incandescent lights that were being used were much cheaper than the LED lights that are being used now. Byrd explained that this has come into play throughout the years when growing the display, but the charity has received generous donations and sponsorships to help with the cost of growing the display year after year.
This year, the display is headlined by the brand-new Santa’s Beach Party themed display, along with longtime favorites such as the 12 Days of Christmas, Ripley’s Sea of Illumination, the NASCAR pit stop, Dinosaur Land, the candelabra, drag cars, the Victorian Village, the snowman maker, the nativity scene and Toy Land. In addition to the lights, the display features a Christmas village located in the middle of the racetrack with rides, craft vendors, food, firepits for roasting marshmallows and even Santa. After you have seen the lights and visited the Christmas village, you can go skating at the Tri-Cities Airport Ice Rink at Bristol Motor Speedway, presented by Stateline Services, located at BMS entrance number one.
“I just love so much of the light display, and some of the displays have been here since the beginning, so those are very special to me,” says Byrd. “I have 10 grandchildren that I love bringing to the lights, and they love Dinosaur Land, but my favorite is probably under the grandstand when you go through the Ripley’s Aquarium area. I love feeling like I am under the sea with all the sea creatures.”
The Speedway in Lights is no small endeavor. Byrd said they start setting up the display right after race season at the end of September, and it is all Speedway employees who do the setup and work to make the Speedway in Lights a success each year. Then, after the lights come down in January, they go back to the drawing board to start planning for the next year.
“Every year we try to add something new to the display,” Byrd said.
In the spirit of the holiday season, the mission of the lights is to give back to the community of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. All proceeds from the Speedway in Lights go to nonprofit children’s organizations from the 18 counties surrounding Bristol Motor Speedway in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, making this the largest fundraiser for the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities, raising more than $21 million since 1997. Organizations that the Speedway in Lights has helped include Boys and Girls Clubs, Coalition for Kids and many more.
“This is a very philanthropic community that wants to make the quality of life for the children here better,” Byrd said. “I really want people to realize that by coming to see the lights, they are making a difference in a child’s life.”
Every year, the nonprofits that are helped by the Bristol Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities are recognized at an event called Night of Smiles, the night before the Speedway in Lights opens each year.
“Night of Smiles is a night to celebrate all the great work these nonprofits do for the children of our communities,” Byrd said. “My husband [Jeff Byrd] was actually the one who came up with the name Night of Smiles, seeing all the great work these organizations do just brought a smile to his face.”
The Speedway in Lights has become a Christmas tradition for many families in the Tri-Cities over the past 29 years. An average of 42,000 vehicles drive through the display each year.
“I love seeing Christmas lights and the speedway is just so perfect for that,” said Milligan junior Gabby Jones. “Growing up here, it’s always been my favorite Christmas activity!”
The lights are open 6-10 p.m. each day now through Jan. 3, 2026, including Christmas and New Year’s Day. Typically, it takes between 30-35 minutes to drive through the display. Admission is generally between $25 and $35, depending on the night of the week and the time of the visit. Keep an eye on the Speedway in Lights social media pages for a variety of discounts through special partners on the following nights: Food City and WCYB-TV (Sunday); Wendy’s (Monday); College Night and Brightspeed (Tuesday); Southeast Industrial Construction (Wednesday); and Goodwill Industries of Tenneva (Thursday).
The Speedway in Lights is a great chance to take a break from finals, celebrate the holiday season and give back to the community.
Cover Photo: Bear Display; photo credit, Gabby Jones