Holiday lights near Springfield for families (2026)
Checked · Covers Oct 31 – Jan 15 · All times are local Central Time
We list 3 holiday light events around Springfield for Oct 31 – Jan 15: 1 display running for weeks and 2 one-night events. Displays that run for weeks come first, then one-night parades and tree lightings around Springfield. Popular nights can sell out, so check the official page before you go.
Light displays open for weeks
Gardens Aglow at Springfield Botanical Gardens
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 – Sun, Dec 27 (Nov 27–29; Dec 4–6, 11–13, 16–23 and 26–27) · 5–8:30pm (last admittance 8:15pm)
- Cost
- Adults $6 presale / $8 at the gate; kids 3–12 $4 presale / $6 at the gate
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
A holiday light walk through the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden on level, paved paths suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
One-night light parades and tree lightings
Mayor's Tree Lighting Holiday Show
- When
- Sat, Nov 21 · From 6pm
- Cost
- No fee listed
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
The mayor lights the 48-foot tree on Park Central Square with a holiday show by local performing-arts groups. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive at 6pm in their Christmas Tree House, with selfies with Santa and free cookies and hot chocolate from 6 to 8pm while supplies last.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Silent Night at Dickerson Park Zoo
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 & Fri, Dec 4 (Nov 27 and Dec 4) · 5–7pm
- Cost
- $5 teens and adults; $2 kids 3–12; 2 and under and FOZ members free (pay at the gate)
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
A quiet, sensory-friendly evening at the zoo: phones silenced and voices low to enjoy the holiday lights and nighttime sounds.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Frequently asked questions
When do holiday lights open around Springfield in 2026?
1 light display on our list runs for weeks: Gardens Aglow at Springfield Botanical Gardens (Springfield, Nov 27 – Dec 27).
How much do ticketed light displays near Springfield cost?
Prices from the official pages: Mayor's Tree Lighting Holiday Show (No fee listed), Gardens Aglow at Springfield Botanical Gardens (Adults $6 presale / $8 at the gate) and Silent Night at Dickerson Park Zoo ($5 teens and adults). Prices can change by night.
Can kids see Santa at a light display near Springfield?
Yes. 1 light event on our list has Santa: Mayor's Tree Lighting Holiday Show (Springfield, Nov 21). Some charge extra for Santa photos.
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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