Two Christmas light displays in and around Colorado Springs have 2026 dates: both walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5:30 p.m. at Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 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.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo · 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, CO
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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Tejon Street, downtown · Tejon St. at Boulder St., Colorado Springs, CO
Little-kid take: Free, so it’s an easy one to try for a short visit.
Checked Oct 18 on the official page
Report a problemNothing is lit yet. Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo opens first, on Dec 2. Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo runs into the new year.
In early December the sun sets around 4:35 p.m. in COS (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.
5:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour
From 5:30pm; ends 8:30pm
5:50 p.m. start · plan about an hour
5:50pm
No drive-thru with 2026 dates in town yet.
Picks: Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Festival of Lights Parade
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo | See the zoo’s ticket page | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Festival of Lights Parade | Free to watch | See the venue | Walk-through |
See all 3 Santa outings in and around COS: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.
Santa in COS →
Yes. Festival of Lights Parade 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: Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo at 5:30 p.m. and Festival of Lights Parade at 5:50 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.
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 COS · Colorado Springs city guide · Visiting COS
One short email every Friday morning with what works for ages 0–6 in COS that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.