Fall color at Roan MountainRoan Mountain
mid to late October · check the date
The leaves on the mountain peak in the second half of October, and the state park has easy creek walks.
Fall in Bristol and the Tri-Cities1 things
The ones people drive in from other counties for. Most of them run the whole season, so you don't have to pick a weekend yet.
The little stuff, by town0 things
The city Halloween parties and the trunk or treats and the free stuff. Cities post their 2026 dates late, so anything marked "check the date" gets fixed the second it's announced.
The cities post these in early November. Check back.
For the rest of your list
These don't need an address, tap them and they go on your list with everything else.
Christmas in Bristol and the Tri-Cities3 things
Most of these post their 2026 dates in the fall, so these show last year's windows. Speedway in Lights has long lines on the weekends before Christmas, so a weeknight is easier.
Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol
nightly 6 to 10, late November into early January (last year Nov 21 to Jan 3) · check the date
A four mile drive through 3 million lights that takes you around the actual race track, then the Christmas Village in the infield with rides and Santa.
Ice rink at Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol
mid November into January · check the date
An outdoor skating rink right at the speedway, easy to do the same night as the lights.
Shadrack's Christmas WonderlandGray
late November through December · check the date
A drive through light show with a kaleidoscope tunnel, set to music.
Town Christmas stuff
The town stuff, and I'll add the tree lightings as the cities post them in November.
The cities post these in early November. Check back.
For the rest of your Christmas list
This is the at-home stuff, tap them and they go on your list with the lights and the train.
put it on the wall
Turn your Christmas picks into a real bucket list
Tap the lights and the trains and the town stuff you want and pick the Christmas design you like, and I'll hold onto your picks. The Christmas lists are coming soon, and the second they're up your picks drop straight into the slots.
Good any weekend1 things
The stuff that doesn't need a date, for the Saturday when nothing's going on.
Gray Fossil Site and MuseumGray
A real dig site with mastodon and red panda fossils, and kids can watch the scientists work.
Bristol and the Tri-Cities fall and Christmas questions
When is Speedway in Lights in Bristol?
It usually runs nightly from 6 to 10 from late November into early January. Last year it was November 21 to January 3.
Can you drive on the track at Speedway in Lights?
Yes, part of the route goes around the actual Bristol Motor Speedway oval, and the Christmas Village is in the infield.
who's writing this
Hi, I'm Amy.
We roadschool six kids out of a van. I'm just a mom with a Ford Transit and a lot of opinions about corn mazes, so if something on here is wrong, or your town's party is missing, email me at hello@bellebucket.com and I'll fix it.
put it on the wall
Turn your picks into a real bucket list
Tap the ones you want and I'll drop them onto whichever fall design you pick, then you add your own stuff (birthdays, carving pumpkins, whatever your family does). It prints big, like 24x36 big, and it hangs on the wall all season.