Glow Begins at 7pm every December 24 (rain date December 25th)

In the mid 1960's, the wife of the first president of the University of South Florida, Mrs. Grace Allen, an Original Carrollwood resident, had read about a southwestern tradition of lighting candles placed in sand-filled paper bags, luminarias , on Christmas Eve. She made a sample and proposed the thought to the Carrollwood Civic Association that all the homes in the Original Carrollwood subdivision light rows of candles in front of their property for a few hours on Christmas Eve.   The idea was approved.  

Around 7pm nearly every home in Original Carrollwood begins to glow as neighbors stroll along the sidewalk, share holiday cheer of all kinds and enjoy a relaxing evening. Amazingly, the tradition has continued since then!