Free Menorah Lighting Events for Families
Free Hanukkah lightings in four cities include music, latkes, crafts and gifts for children.
Families can attend free menorah lightings in Washington, D.C., New York City, Owings Mills and San Francisco. A menorah lighting is a public Hanukkah ceremony where candles are lit nightly, often with music and food for children. The listed events centered on Sunday, Dec.
14, 2025, the first night of Hanukkah that year. Some were single-afternoon festivals and others were nightly lightings through Dec. 21 or Dec.
22.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
What to reserve in Washington, D.C.?
The National Menorah lighting was scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, at the Ellipse near Farragut North Station. According to the National Menorah, attendees needed to submit ticket requests in advance through the National Menorah tickets page.
General admission did not carry a ticket price, but entry required advance online ordering. Seating was limited, so families needed to reserve early and check arrival instructions.
Where to gather in New York City?
In Brooklyn, Chabad of Park Slope hosted nightly lightings at Grand Army Plaza through Hanukkah. According to its description, the gathering included live music, hot latkes and special gifts for every child at the Chabad of Park Slope description. In Manhattan, a 36-foot menorah at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street was scheduled for nightly lighting Dec.
14-21, 2025. According to New York State tourism, the Lubavitch Youth Organization ceremonies included music, dancing, doughnuts and chocolate gelt in the New York State tourism notice.
What is free in Owings Mills?
Metro Centre at Owings Mills and Chabad of Owings Mills scheduled a community Chanukah Festival and menorah lighting for Dec. 14, 2025, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. According to event organizers, the festival was open to the entire community at the Metro Centre event page.
The program listed crafts, face painting, live entertainment, a Dreidel Mascot visit, doughnuts and latkes. Holiday gifts were available while supplies lasted, which makes early arrival practical for families with young children.
What is planned in San Francisco?
San Francisco's Bill Graham Menorah Day in Union Square was scheduled for Dec. 14 from 2:00 to 6:30 p.m. The program marked 50 years of Chabad of San Francisco presentations in the city.
According to the Bay Area Hanukkah notice, all events were free and open to the public, with nightly lightings continuing through Dec. 22 in the Bay Area Hanukkah notice. Families could attend the opening-day festival or choose a later lighting.
How should families plan arrival?
- Check Friday and Saturday times separately, because Shabbat changes lighting schedules.
- Reserve ticketed events first, then plan travel and parking.
- Arrive early for children's gifts, food and seating, since supplies and space are limited.