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

Christmas lights in Des Moines for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Two Christmas light displays in and around Des Moines have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 1 walk-through. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5 p.m. at Dome for the Holidays. Two more ran last season but haven’t posted 2026 dates yet. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

2displays with dates
1drive-thru
0free
5 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 2 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.

Drive-thru

Jolly Holiday Lights

Iowa State Fairgrounds · 3000 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50317

Drive-thru
When
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
5:30 p.m.
Price
$25 per car; bus/limo/RV $50; season pass $65 (plus taxes and fees); flash sale starts Nov 9 at 8 a.m.
  • Sun–Thu 5:30–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5:30–10 p.m.; Dec 20–27 5:30–10 p.m.
  • About 3 million lights, including a drive through the speedway stands
  • Plan 30–45 minutes on busy nights. $1 per ticket to Make-A-Wish Iowa

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 · Source

Report a problem
Walk-through

Dome for the Holidays

Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden · 909 Robert D. Ray Dr., Des Moines, IA

Walk-throughStroller OKBook ahead
When
Select evenings Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (closed Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25, Jan 1)
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
Adults $18; youth 1–13 $13; under 1 free; members $3 off
  • 5–9 p.m.; timed 30-minute arrival windows, last entry window 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday Family Nights (Nov 18, 25
  • Dec 2, 9, 16, 30, 5–8:30 p.m.) add glow games
  • Indoors and warm
  • Strollers: Small strollers welcome but some paths are narrow; leave double-wide strollers and wagons in the car. Loaner strollers and wheelchairs available.

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

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 18 on the official page

Report a problem
Dates not posted yet
  • Santa's Rock n Lights · Living History Farms (rented site; not a Living History Farms event) Dates not posted yet — check the official page (santasrocknlights.com).
  • Holiday Hullabaloo · Southridge Event Center Dates not posted yet — check the official page (holidayhullabaloo.com).

These ran last season. We’ll add them when 2026 dates go up.

Nov 1 – Jan 3

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Dome for the Holidays opens first, on Nov 14. Dome for the Holidays and Jolly Holiday Lights run into the new year.

Dome for the Holidays Nov 14 – Jan 3
Jolly Holiday Lights Nov 20 – Jan 3
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 4:45 p.m. in Des Moines (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Dome for the Holidays

5 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5 p.m.

Jolly Holiday Lights

5:30 p.m. start · about 45 min

5:30 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: Jolly Holiday 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

Pick: Dome for the Holidays

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
Jolly Holiday Lights$25 per car; bus/limo/RV $50; season pass $65 (plus taxes and fees); flash sale starts Nov 9 at 8 a.m.See the venueDrive-thru
Dome for the HolidaysAdults $18; youth 1–13 $13; under 1 free; members $3 offunder 1 freeWalk-through
Also this season

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

Santa in Des Moines →
Good questions

Christmas lights in Des Moines: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Des Moines?

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 Des Moines?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Dome for the Holidays (Adults $18; youth 1–13 $13; under 1 free; members $3 off); Jolly Holiday Lights ($25 per car; bus/limo/RV $50; season pass $65 (plus taxes and fees); flash sale starts Nov 9 at 8 a.m.). 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 2 displays can be driven: Jolly Holiday Lights. Walk-throughs (one here) are better for kids who want to run around; stroller rules from the venues: Dome for the Holidays: Small strollers welcome but some paths are narrow; leave double-wide strollers and wagons in the car. Loaner strollers and wheelchairs available.

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

The earliest evening starts: Dome for the Holidays at 5 p.m. and Jolly Holiday 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 Dome for the Holidays (under 1 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 19, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.

Keep planning: This week in Des Moines · Des Moines city guide · Visiting Des Moines

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