A family car driving past holiday lights on a snowy night
Lights 2026 · Columbus

Christmas lights in Columbus for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Five Christmas light displays in and around Columbus have 2026 dates: 2 drive-thrus and 3 walk-throughs. None are free on their own, though some come with admission you may already have. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 4 p.m. at Wildlights. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

5displays with dates
1drive-thru
0free
4 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 4 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

Wildlights

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium · Powell, OH

Walk-throughSensory-friendly
When
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
Lights at dusk; zoo encourages arriving before 4 p.m.
Price
Included with zoo admission
  • Sun–Thu noon–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat noon–10 p.m.
  • Train ride, reindeer, free carousel and Yule Tide boat ride

Sensory: Sensory-Friendly Light Stroll Nov 17, 5:30–8:30 p.m. (free for members, pre-registration; sensory kits $10 deposit; calming room). Jingle Jam has a light-sensitivity warning.

Little-kid take: Opens at 4 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.

Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Conservatory Aglow

Franklin Park Conservatory · Columbus, OH

Walk-throughBook ahead
When
Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (closed Thanksgiving, Dec 2–3, Dec 24–25)
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
Special-engagement ticket; reservations open Oct 26, 11 a.m.
  • Sun–Thu 5–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5–10 p.m. through December
  • 100-foot light tunnel, life-size Candyland, igloos, garden railway
  • Good indoor option in bad weather

Little-kid take: Opens at 5 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.

Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Drive-thru

Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights

Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights · Delaware, OH

Drive-thruSanta too
When
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
See site
Price
Cars/vans/SUVs: Mon–Thu $20; Fri–Sun and holidays $30; tickets sold at the show
  • Santa's House (run by a former neighboring campground) is not part of this show

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 ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Season of Celebrations

COSI · Columbus, OH

Walk-throughSanta too
When
From Sat Nov 21, 2026
Earliest start
Museum hours
Price
Included with COSI admission
  • Twinkling lights, community tree forest
  • no Santa listed
Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Worth the drive

Worth the drive from Columbus

Bigger out-of-town shows parents make a night of. The drive time is on each card.

Drive-thru

WonderLight's Christmas

Hartford Fairgrounds · 14028 Fairgrounds Road, Hartford, OH 43013

Drive-thruAbout 45 minutes (Hartford, OH)
When
Nightly Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, including holidays
Earliest start
5:30 p.m.
Price
$35 per car; $50 limos and activity vans
  • 5:30–10 p.m.
  • 1M+ LEDs synced to music on car radio
  • no RVs or vehicles over 25 ft

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 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 3

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Wildlights opens first, on Nov 20. Wildlights, Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights and Conservatory Aglow run into the new year.

Wildlights Nov 20 – Jan 3
Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights Nov 20 – Jan 3
Conservatory Aglow Nov 21 – Jan 3
Season of Celebrations Nov 21 on
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 5:05 p.m. in Columbus (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Wildlights

4 p.m. start · plan about an hour

Lights at dusk; zoo encourages arriving before 4 p.m.

Conservatory Aglow

5 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5 p.m.

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: Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights

🚶 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: Wildlights, Conservatory Aglow, Season of Celebrations

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
WildlightsIncluded with zoo admissionSee the venueWalk-through
Conservatory AglowSpecial-engagement ticket; reservations open Oct 26, 11 a.m.See the venueWalk-through
Butch Bando's Fantasy of LightsCars/vans/SUVs: Mon–Thu $20; Fri–Sun and holidays $30; tickets sold at the showSee the venueDrive-thru
WonderLight's Christmas$35 per car; $50 limos and activity vansSee the venueDrive-thru · About 45 minutes (Hartford, OH)
Season of CelebrationsIncluded with COSI admissionSee the venueWalk-through
Also this season

Want Santa with your lights?

See all 9 Santa outings in and around Columbus: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.

Santa in Columbus →
Good questions

Christmas lights in Columbus: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Columbus?

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 Columbus?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights (Cars/vans/SUVs: Mon–Thu $20; Fri–Sun and holidays $30; tickets sold at the show); WonderLight's Christmas ($35 per car; $50 limos and activity vans). 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. Two of the 5 displays can be driven, including Butch Bando's Fantasy of Lights and WonderLight's Christmas. Walk-throughs (three here) are better for kids who want to run around.

What time do the Christmas lights start in Columbus? We have an early bedtime.

The earliest evening starts: Wildlights at 4 p.m., Conservatory Aglow at 5 p.m. and WonderLight's Christmas at 5:30 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.

Are there sensory-friendly light nights in Columbus?

Wildlights: Sensory-Friendly Light Stroll Nov 17, 5:30–8:30 p.m. (free for members, pre-registration; sensory kits $10 deposit; calming room). Jingle Jam has a light-sensitivity warning.

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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.

Keep planning: This week in Columbus · Columbus city guide · Visiting Columbus

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