The chairlift at Natural Tunnel State Park takes you down past thousands of Christmas lights and animated displays. At the bottom there is a fire at the tunnel, with hot chocolate, warm cider and carols. Up at Carter Cabin, which the park calls one of Scott County's oldest structures, someone tells traditional Christmas stories and the history of the cabin. This year that happens on eight evenings, each from 6 to 10 p.m.
All eight fall on a Friday or a Saturday. Downtown Gate City has its own late night on Thursdays. Put the two schedules side by side and you get a three-night holiday week from Thanksgiving weekend to the week before Christmas.
Three Nights a Week, Not Just One Event
Gate City's holiday calendar has often been a one-night affair. The Gate City Fire Department hosted the 2025 Christmas parade on a single Saturday evening in December. This year has more of a routine to it.
- Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m.: "Gallivanting Gate City" keeps more than 20 businesses on Jackson Street open late through December.
- Friday, 6 to 10 p.m.: Christmas Lighting of the Tunnel, with a different theme each Friday.
- Saturday, 6 to 10 p.m.: Christmas Lighting of the Tunnel again, with the regular program: lights, fire, cider and the stories at Carter Cabin.
So which night you go out is a real choice.
Thursday Belongs to Jackson Street
Gallivanting Gate City began over the summer. By mid-August it was in its fifth week. WJHL reported that more than 20 Jackson Street businesses, from crafts to baked goods, were staying open from 5 to 9 p.m. every Thursday through December to help revitalize downtown. The station also reported that downtown would become a fall market and then a Christmas market in December.
Frank Wynne owns the Wynne Building, and WCYB identified him as one of the event's organizers. He told WJHL, "As we get closer to the holidays, Gate City's a fascinating place to visit." Town officials told the station that 10 new businesses had opened in the previous two years, partly because of the event.
WCYB's coverage in August named three of those newer stops: Franco's Bistro, Antique Alley and the upstairs hobby shop in the Wynne Building. Franco's Gate City Bistro is at 114 West Jackson Street, according to a 2025 VCEDA announcement about its seed capital grant. A Thursday on Jackson Street can be dinner at Franco's and a slow walk past vendor tables, before most people have started thinking about the weekend.
If Your Route Runs Along Kane Street
The Town of Gate City scheduled Kane Street sidewalk work to begin on or about Monday, Oct. 5. The work replaces concrete sidewalks and upgrades curb ramps for ADA access. The Town's public notice estimated several months of work and warned of intermittent lane shifts and temporary pedestrian detours. The Virginia Star reported on Oct. 27 that the major sidewalk construction should be finished in the new year. That covers all of December, so leave a few extra minutes if you park or walk near Kane Street on a Thursday night.
Friday Is the Themed Night at the Tunnel
Every evening of the lighting has the same core: the chairlift ride down, the lights, the fire, cider, carols and Carter Cabin. The Fridays each add a theme. The Saturdays keep to the regular program.
| Weekend | Friday theme | Saturday |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 27–28 | Give a Friend a Lift: free chairlift ride with a food donation | Regular lighting night |
| Dec. 4–5 | Decorate a Cookie Night | Regular lighting night |
| Dec. 11–12 | Kids Craft Night | Regular lighting night |
| Dec. 18–19 | Ugly Sweater Night | Regular lighting night |
Here is what each Friday adds, according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation's event listings:
- Dec. 4, Decorate a Cookie Night: guests decorate a sugar cookie with icing and sprinkles.
- Dec. 11, Kids Craft Night: a card-and-craft table where kids make their own decoration.
- Dec. 18, Ugly Sweater Night: the park's listing invites guests to "don your ugliest holiday attire."
The Saturdays run the same 6 to 10 p.m. hours with the same lights, fire and stories, and no extra activity. For families with young children, the Dec. 11 craft table may be the main draw. For anyone who mostly wants the lights and the fire, Saturday covers it.
What a Night at the Tunnel Costs, and the One Night It Costs Less
The park lists parking at $7 per vehicle. The chairlift is $5 per person round trip or $4 one way. A family of four riding both ways on a regular night pays $20 for the chairlift and $7 to park, $27 in all.
The season opens on Friday, Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, with "Give a Friend a Lift." Anyone who brings two or more nonperishable food items gets a free chairlift ride. The food goes to a local food bank and shelter. Bring at least eight items for that family of four and the night costs just the $7 parking. The rest goes to neighbors who need it. Anything left over from Thanksgiving shopping fits the request.
The practical details are the same every night. No registration is needed, children are welcome, and you can call the park at 276-940-2674 or email [email protected]. Bad weather can cancel an evening, and the park posts updates on its Natural Tunnel homepage. The park's address is 1420 Natural Tunnel Pkwy., Duffield.
The Park's November Afternoons Come First
The tunnel is open in daylight before the lights go up. The park's calendar includes several ranger programs before Thanksgiving:
- Saturday, Nov. 14, 3 to 4 p.m.: a Birding and Wildlife Trail Hike with a ranger, meeting at the Blockhouse Parking Lot, covering birds, plants and ecosystems in the park.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m. to noon: "Be Bear Aware," a talk about the American black bear, at the Visitor Center.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 1 to 1:30 p.m.: "Turkey Talk," about the lives of wild turkeys in Virginia, at the Visitor Center.
- Saturday, Nov. 21, 3 to 4 p.m.: "Tunnel Talk" on the Tunnel Platform, with views of the 300-foot amphitheater walls, rock pigeons and sometimes a passing train.
The park has seven walking trails, including routes to the tunnel floor. Its trail guide lists the Tunnel Trail at 0.27 miles and the Carter Log Cabin Trail at 0.13 miles. Walking those in daylight shows you the cabin and the tunnel before you see them lit up after dark.
A Holiday Week, Mapped
Here is how the calendar lines up, Thanksgiving weekend through the last weekend before Christmas:
- Nov. 27–28: Friday opens the season with the food-drive chairlift offer. Saturday is the first regular lighting night.
- Dec. 3–5: Jackson Street on Thursday, cookie decorating at the tunnel on Friday, regular lighting on Saturday.
- Dec. 10–12: Jackson Street on Thursday, Kids Craft Night on Friday, regular lighting on Saturday.
- Dec. 17–19: Jackson Street on Thursday, Ugly Sweater Night on Friday, and Saturday is the last lighting night of 2026.
The Town of Gate City posts its own event listings on its events page. Last year's Christmas parade, hosted by the Gate City Fire Department, had a listing on the Town's site.
If this season has you thinking about where your family will spend the next few Decembers, staying in Scott County or moving closer to Jackson Street, Mary Glenn Lively can help you see what that move would look like, starting with what your current home is worth. Get your home's free valuation, or schedule a no-obligation consult.
