Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument lit up as a giant Christmas tree over a snowy Indianapolis night
Lights 2026 · Indianapolis

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

Four Christmas light displays in and around Indianapolis have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 3 walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5 p.m. at Winterlights (10th anniversary). Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

4displays with dates
1drive-thru
1free
5 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.

Drive-thru

Christmas Nights of Lights

Indiana State Fairgrounds (Gate 3) · 1698 E 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN

Drive-thruBook ahead
When
Nightly Nov 6 – Dec 31, 2026
Earliest start
See timed slots
Price
Per vehicle; price shown at checkout
  • Timed reservations (see ticket calendar)
  • Online reservations required
  • no refunds
  • music via car radio
  • Rain, shine or snow

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
Walk-through

Winterlights (10th anniversary)

The Garden at Newfields · 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208

Walk-throughStroller OKSensory infoBook ahead
When
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
5 p.m. (Winterwonder Pass arrival window 5–8 p.m.)
Price
From $25 public adults (dynamic pricing); kids 5 and under free; $10 promo days Nov 23 & Nov 30; $2 fee per ticket; priority parking $20 or free at Michigan Rd entrance
  • Evening timed tickets; closes 90 minutes after last ticket time
  • About 90 minutes to walk
  • nearly 2 million lights
  • Tickets on sale to public Oct 20
  • Strollers: Strollers and small wagons permitted on the accessible path; park strollers outside Lilly House; nursing rooms in the IMA and Lilly House basement

Sensory: Official sensory warning: bright and contrasting lighting, changing sounds, crowds

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
Walk-through

Christmas at the Zoo

Indianapolis Zoo · Indianapolis, IN

Walk-throughSensory-friendlySanta too
When
Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 (closed Thanksgiving, Dec 24, 25, 31, Jan 1)
Earliest start
5 p.m.
Price
See zoo ticket page
  • Festivities daily from 5 p.m.
  • Lights plus red pandas, penguins, walrus
  • Santa's Magic Cottage

Sensory: Sensory-friendly evenings Dec 2 & Dec 16

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
Walk-through

Carmel Christkindlmarkt

Carter Green · 10 Carter Green, Carmel, IN

Walk-throughFreeDaytime hours
When
Nov 21 – Dec 24, 2026 (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas)
Earliest start
Noon on weekends
Price
Free admission; ice skating extra
  • Wed–Thu 4–9 p.m.; Fri–Sat noon–9 p.m.; Sun noon–8 p.m.; closed Mon–Tue except Dec 21–22
  • German holiday market with lights and skating
  • opening-day tree lighting per schedule

Little-kid take: Has daytime hours, so it works before nap. Stay until dusk to see the lights come on.

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. Christmas Nights of Lights opens first, on Nov 6. Winterlights (10th anniversary) and Christmas at the Zoo run into the new year.

Christmas Nights of Lights Nov 6 – Dec 31
Winterlights (10th anniversary) Nov 20 – Jan 3
Christmas at the Zoo Nov 21 – Jan 3
Carmel Christkindlmarkt Nov 21 – Dec 24
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 5:20 p.m. in Indy (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Carmel Christkindlmarkt

From noon · stay until dusk

Noon on weekends

Winterlights (10th anniversary)

5 p.m. start · about 90 min

5 p.m. (Winterwonder Pass arrival window 5–8 p.m.)

Christmas at the Zoo

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: Christmas Nights 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: Winterlights (10th anniversary), Christmas at the Zoo, Carmel Christkindlmarkt

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
Christmas Nights of LightsPer vehicle; price shown at checkoutSee the venueDrive-thru
Winterlights (10th anniversary)From $25 public adults (dynamic pricing); kids 5 and under free; $10 promo days Nov 23 & Nov 30; $2 fee per ticket; priority parking $20 or free at Michigan Rd entrancekids 5 and under freeWalk-through
Christmas at the ZooSee zoo ticket pageSee the venueWalk-through
Carmel ChristkindlmarktFree admission; ice skating extraSee the venueWalk-through
Also this season

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Good questions

Christmas lights in Indianapolis: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Indianapolis?

Yes. Carmel Christkindlmarkt is free in 2026.

What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Indianapolis?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Winterlights (10th anniversary) (From $25 public adults (dynamic pricing); kids 5 and under free; $10 promo days Nov 23 & Nov 30; $2 fee per ticket; priority parking $20 or free at Michigan Rd entrance). 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 4 displays can be driven: Christmas Nights of Lights. Walk-throughs (three here) are better for kids who want to run around; stroller rules from the venues: Winterlights (10th anniversary): Strollers and small wagons permitted on the accessible path; park strollers outside Lilly House; nursing rooms in the IMA and Lilly House basement.

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

The earliest evening starts: Winterlights (10th anniversary) at 5 p.m. and Christmas at the Zoo at 5 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime. For no-late-night options, Carmel Christkindlmarkt works in the daytime.

Which light shows are best for kids under 3?

Little ones get in free at Winterlights (10th anniversary) (kids 5 and under free). With a baby, a drive-thru keeps everyone warm in the car.

Are there sensory-friendly light nights in Indianapolis?

Christmas at the Zoo: Sensory-friendly evenings Dec 2 & Dec 16.

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 Indy · Indianapolis city guide · Visiting Indy

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