Two Christmas light displays in and around Baton Rouge have 2026 dates: both walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5:30 p.m. at Louisiana Lights. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.
Last checked · How we choose
Tap a filter to narrow it down. Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.
LSU Burden Museum & Gardens · LSU Burden Museum & Gardens, Baton Rouge, LA
Little-kid take: Opens at 5:30 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
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Downtown Baton Rouge · Downtown Baton Rouge, LA
Little-kid take: Has daytime hours, so it works before nap. Stay until dusk to see the lights come on.
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
Report a problemNothing is lit yet. Louisiana Lights opens first, on Nov 27.
In early December the sun sets around 5:05 p.m. in Baton Rouge (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.
From noon · stay until dusk
Noon–7pm
5:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour
First entry 5:30pm; final entry 8:30pm
No drive-thru with 2026 dates in town yet.
Picks: Louisiana Lights, Festival of Lights
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.From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.
| Display | Price | Little kids | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Lights | Timed tickets online | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Festival of Lights | Free to attend | See the venue | Walk-through |
See all 4 Santa outings in and around Baton Rouge: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.
Santa in Baton Rouge →
Yes. Festival of Lights is free in 2026.
We didn’t find a drive-thru with 2026 dates yet. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.
The earliest evening starts: Louisiana Lights at 5:30 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime. For no-late-night options, Festival of Lights works in the daytime.
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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.
Keep planning: This week in Baton Rouge · Baton Rouge city guide · Visiting Baton Rouge
One short email every Friday morning with what works for ages 0–6 in Baton Rouge that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.