# Christmas lights in Bakersfield for little kids, 2026

> Three Christmas light displays in and around Bakersfield have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 2 walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5:30 p.m. at Bakersfield Christmas Town. One more ran last season but hasn’t posted 2026 dates yet. They’re in Bakersfield and Delano.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 3 listings with 2026 dates; 1 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/bakersfield/christmas-lights/
- Santa (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/bakersfield/santa/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/bakersfield/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/bakersfield/llms.txt

## Drive-thru Christmas lights

- **Bakersfield Christmas Magic Drive-Thru Lights** at Kern Raceway, 13500 Raceway Blvd., Bakersfield, CA 93311. When: Most nights Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (closed some Mondays and Tuesdays; see the calendar). Time: Gates 5:30–9:30 p.m. Earliest start: 5:30 p.m. Price: Per vehicle: $30 Mon–Thu, $40 Fri–Sun online; $10 more at the gate. Stay in the car and tune to the posted FM station for the music. Gate sales depend on space, so buying ahead is safer. Official page: https://bakersfieldchristmas.com/schedule

## Walk-through lights and light trails

- **Bakersfield Christmas Town** at Kern County Fairgrounds (walk-through parking at Gate 31, drive-thru at Gate 28), Kern County Fairgrounds, off Belle Terrace east of P St., Bakersfield, CA. When: Nightly Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (walk-through closed Dec 24–25; drive-thru open). Time: Sun–Thu 5:30–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5:30–10 p.m. Earliest start: 5:30 p.m. Price: Walk-through $25 on green days, $30 on red days; drive-thru $30–$40 per vehicle; 2 and under free; parking $5. A walk-through with a hayride that loops most of the drive-thru, and Santa in his cottage every night. Free photos with Santa on your own camera. Mon–Thu nights are the least crowded. Official page: https://christmastown.net/faqs
- **Delano Light the Night** at Central Park, Central Park, Delano, CA. When: Nov 28, 2026 through January. Time: Evenings; see the event calendar for each weekend's activities. Earliest start: 17:00. Price: See the event site. Delano's Central Park is lit up for the season, with Santa visits, caroling, cocoa and themed nights on weekends. Official page: https://www.delanolightthenight.com/events

## Dates not posted yet

- **CALM HolidayLights** (CALM Zoo): dates not posted yet. Check the official page: https://calmholidaylights.org/

## More holiday outings in Bakersfield

- [The Nutcracker with kids in Bakersfield](https://littlesweekly.com/bakersfield/nutcracker/index.md): 3 shows with 2026 dates, run times, ages and sensory-friendly performances.

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Are there free Christmas lights in Bakersfield?
None of the light shows with 2026 dates that we found are free. The lowest prices are listed in “2026 prices at a glance”.

### What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Bakersfield?
Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Bakersfield Christmas Town (Walk-through $25 on green days, $30 on red days; drive-thru $30–$40 per vehicle; 2 and under free; parking $5); Bakersfield Christmas Magic Drive-Thru Lights (Per vehicle: $30 Mon–Thu, $40 Fri–Sun online; $10 more at the gate). 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: Bakersfield Christmas Magic Drive-Thru Lights. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.

### What time do the Christmas lights start in Bakersfield? We have an early bedtime.
The earliest evening starts: Bakersfield Christmas Town at 5:30 p.m. and Bakersfield Christmas Magic Drive-Thru Lights at 5:30 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.

### Which light shows are best for kids under 3?
Little ones get in free at Bakersfield Christmas Town (2 and under free). With a baby, a drive-thru keeps everyone warm in the car.

### 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](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).