Lights 2026 · Akron–Canton

Christmas lights in Akron–Canton for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Three Christmas light displays in and around Akron–Canton have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 2 walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 4 p.m. at Holiday Lights at Stadium Park. They’re in Akron and Canton.

3displays with dates
1drive-thru
1free
4 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 3 displays

Pick tonight’s lights

Tap a filter to narrow it down. Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.

Walk-through

Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens · Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Akron, OH

Walk-through
When
Nov 27 – Dec 30, 2026
Earliest start
3–9pm
Price
Adults $28, youth 3–17 $15; members $22 and $12
  • The manor house, grounds and conservatory decorated and lit for the season
  • Dec 29–30 are sold out
Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Drive-thru

Holiday Lights at Stadium Park

Stadium Park · 1615 Stadium Park Dr. NW, Canton, OH 44718

Drive-thruFree
When
Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 8, 2027
Earliest start
4 p.m.
Price
Free
  • Nightly 4–11 p.m.
  • Canton Parks and Recreation's 28th season
  • The crew builds more than 57 displays, and this year they run from Stadium Park through Monument Park and Waterworks Park
  • See them from the car or on foot

Little-kid take: Stays in the car: the easiest pick with a baby or a toddler who may fall asleep. PJs on, car seat buckled, no stroller needed.

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 8

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Holiday Lights at Stadium Park opens first, on Nov 19. Holiday Lights at Stadium Park runs into the new year.

Holiday Lights at Stadium Park Nov 19 – Jan 8
Wild Lights at the Akron Zoo Nov 20 – Dec 27
Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet Nov 27 – Dec 30
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 5 p.m. in Akron–Canton (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Holiday Lights at Stadium Park

4 p.m. start · plan about an hour

4 p.m.

Wild Lights at the Akron Zoo

9 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5–9pm

Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet

9 p.m. start · plan about an hour

3–9pm

Drive-thru or walk-through?

Which is better for little kids?

🚗 Stay in the car

  • Babies and toddlers stay warm and buckled, PJs and all
  • No stroller, no mitten battles, no lost hats
  • A car-seat nap can turn straight into bedtime
  • Check the listing for timed slots and refund rules

Pick: Holiday Lights at Stadium Park

🚶 Get out and walk

  • Kids 3 and up love running ahead to the next display
  • Bring the stroller where the venue allows it (see each card)
  • Plan a snack stop and a bathroom break
  • Check sensory notes for bright lights and crowds

Picks: Wild Lights at the Akron Zoo, Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet

Bring along

The little-kid lights kit

Mittens on a stringLittle hands get cold fast after dark.
Warm drink in a thermosA treat to look forward to at the halfway point.
Hat and a blanketFor the stroller, or the car once the heat is off.
PJs before you goSo a car-seat nap can turn straight into bedtime.
2026 prices

Prices at a glance

From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.

DisplayPriceLittle kidsGood to know
Wild Lights at the Akron ZooSee the zoo’s siteSee the venueWalk-through
Deck the Hall at Stan HywetAdults $28, youth 3–17 $15; members $22 and $12See the venueWalk-through
Holiday Lights at Stadium ParkFreeSee the venueDrive-thru
Also this season

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Good questions

Christmas lights in Akron–Canton: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Akron–Canton?

Yes. Holiday Lights at Stadium Park is free in 2026.

What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Akron–Canton?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet (Adults $28, youth 3–17 $15; members $22 and $12). Check whether a price is per car or per person before you compare.

Drive-thru or walk-through: which is better with little kids?

With a baby or a sleepy toddler, a drive-thru is easiest: they stay buckled in and warm. One of the 3 displays can be driven: Holiday Lights at Stadium Park. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.

What time do the Christmas lights start in Akron–Canton? We have an early bedtime.

The earliest evening starts: Holiday Lights at Stadium Park at 4 p.m., Wild Lights at the Akron Zoo at 9 p.m. and Deck the Hall at Stan Hywet at 9 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.

How do you check these Christmas lights listings?

Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page, and links to it. We list dates, times and prices only when that page shows them for 2026; anything without posted dates goes in “Dates not posted yet” instead. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.

Keep planning: This week in Akron–Canton · Akron–Canton city guide · Visiting Akron–Canton

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