Holiday lights near Atlanta for families (2026)
Checked · Covers Oct 28 – Jan 15 · All times are local Eastern Time
We list 3 holiday light events around Atlanta for Oct 28 – Jan 15: 2 displays running for weeks and 1 one-night event. 1 list free admission. Displays that run for weeks come first, then one-night parades and tree lightings around Atlanta. Popular nights can sell out, so check the official page before you go.
Light displays open for weeks
Stone Mountain Christmas
- When
- Sat, Nov 7 – Sun, Jan 3 (Weekends Nov 7 – Jan 3, plus school holidays (see the park calendar)) · Christmas Parade 6pm; Tree Lighting with Santa's Big Flight 6:30pm; Drone & Light Show 8:20pm
- Cost
- Online tickets $36.99 child, $39.99 adult (ages 3+); parking extra; Flight to the North Pole sold separately
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Over two million lights, a nightly Christmas Parade, the Enchanted Tree Lighting with Santa flying overhead, and a drone and light show with fireworks. Kids can visit Santa at his North Pole office (through Dec 24), ride the Scenic Railroad and see the Christmas Dino Glow.
✓ Checked Oct 28, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Garden Lights, Holiday Nights
- When
- Sat, Nov 14 – Sun, Jan 10 (Nightly Nov 14–Jan 10) · Nightly until midnight (last entry 11pm); timed tickets
- Cost
- Separate timed ticket (see site); Night Light tickets after 9:30pm from $19.95 for adults; children 2 and under free; parking $20
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
The Garden’s holiday light show, now in its 16th year: the Imaginary Worlds mosaiculture dragon returns to the Skyline Garden, plus Nature’s Wonders, a giant curtain of light and sound. Tickets must be bought before the day of your visit.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
One-night light parades and tree lightings
Lantern Parade & Lighting Celebration at Piedmont Park
- When
- Sun, Nov 22 · Lantern-making 3:30pm; parade 5pm, then the lighting
- Cost
- Free and open to the public (registration encouraged)
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Piedmont Park Conservancy’s Light Up the Season kickoff: a lantern-making party at 3:30pm, then a 5pm lantern parade led by the Seed & Feed band from Greystone around Lake Clara Meer to the Meadow, where the park’s Great Tree, menorah and kinara are lit.
✓ Checked Oct 26, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Frequently asked questions
When do holiday lights open around Atlanta in 2026?
2 light displays on our list run for weeks: Stone Mountain Christmas (Stone Mountain, Nov 7 – Jan 3) and Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Atlanta, Nov 14 – Jan 10).
Which holiday light events near Atlanta are free?
1 light event lists free admission on the official page: Lantern Parade & Lighting Celebration at Piedmont Park (Atlanta, Sun, Nov 22).
How much do ticketed light displays near Atlanta cost?
Prices from the official pages: Stone Mountain Christmas (Online tickets $36.99 child, $39.99 adult, ages 3+) and Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Separate timed ticket, see site). Prices can change by night.
Can kids see Santa at a light display near Atlanta?
Yes. 1 light event on our list has Santa: Stone Mountain Christmas (Stone Mountain, Nov 7 – Jan 3). Some charge extra for Santa photos.
Which holiday lights events near Atlanta need tickets or registration?
2 events on our list say on the official page that they need advance tickets, timed entry or registration: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights (Atlanta) and Lantern Parade & Lighting Celebration at Piedmont Park (Atlanta). Book through each official page.
Which Atlanta-area cities have holiday lights events?
We list holiday lights events in 2 cities, including Atlanta (2) and Stone Mountain (1).
Our weekend search covers Phoenix Metro & Arizona for now, and more areas are coming soon. This guide is hand-checked the same way.
How we build this page: each event comes from the organizer's official website and shows the date we checked it. An event is called free only when its official page says so. Read how we verify listings.
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