# Christmas lights in Knoxville for little kids, 2026

> Five Christmas light displays in and around Knoxville have 2026 dates: all walk-throughs. Three are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 3:30 p.m. at Tour de Lights. One more ran last season but hasn’t posted 2026 dates yet. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

- Last checked: 2026-10-19
- 5 listings with 2026 dates; 1 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/knoxville/christmas-lights/
- Santa (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/knoxville/santa/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/knoxville/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/knoxville/llms.txt

## Walk-through lights and light trails

- **Smoky Night Lights** at Zoo Knoxville (Boyd Foundation Boardwalk / Clayton Timber Loop), Knoxville, TN. When: Select nights Nov 13, 2026 – Mar 28, 2027. Time: 5:30–9 p.m. Earliest start: 5:30 p.m. Price: Adult $15.95–$22.95; child/senior $13.95–$19.95; members $11.95–$15.95 (varies by date). Music-and-light show on an elevated boardwalk; firepits and rocking chairs. Official page: https://www.zooknoxville.org/smokynightlights/
- **Light the Park** at Founders Park / Campbell Station Road, Campbell Station Rd, Farragut, TN 37934. When: Nightly from Nov 24, 2026. Time: Dusk–10 p.m. (listed 6–10 p.m.); restrooms until 9 p.m. except Dec 25. Earliest start: Dusk. Price: Free. Letters-to-Santa mailbox, nightly giveaways. Town of Farragut. Official page: https://visitfarragut.org/events/light-the-park/
- **Tour de Lights** at Covenant Health Park, Knoxville, TN. When: Sat Dec 12, 2026. Time: 3:30–7:30 p.m.; ride starts 6 p.m. Earliest start: 3:30 p.m. Price: Free. Watch decorated bikes roll through Old City, Fourth and Gill and downtown. Official page: https://www.visitknoxville.com/tour-de-lights/
- **Christmas at Chilhowee tree lighting** at Chilhowee Park Bandstand, Enter at 401 Lakeside Street, Knoxville, TN. When: Fri Nov 20, 2026. Time: 6 p.m. Earliest start: 6 p.m. Price: Free. Official page: https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/1005/Christmas-at-Chilhowee

## Worth the drive from Knoxville

- **Smoky Mountain Christmas** at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, TN. When: Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. Time: See park calendar. Price: Theme park admission (see site). Drive: About an hour (Pigeon Forge, TN). Official page: https://www.dollywood.com/themepark/festivals/smoky-mountain-christmas/

## Dates not posted yet

- **Christmas Never Ends drive-thru** (Christmas Never Ends): dates not posted yet. Check the official page: https://www.christmasneverends.com/

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Are there free Christmas lights in Knoxville?
Yes. Light the Park, Tour de Lights and Christmas at Chilhowee tree lighting are free in 2026.

### What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Knoxville?
Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Smoky Night Lights (Adult $15.95–$22.95; child/senior $13.95–$19.95; members $11.95–$15.95 (varies by date)). Check whether a price is per car or per person before you compare.

### Drive-thru or walk-through: which is better with little kids?
We didn’t find a drive-thru with 2026 dates yet. Walk-throughs (five here) are better for kids who want to run around.

### What time do the Christmas lights start in Knoxville? We have an early bedtime.
The earliest evening starts: Tour de Lights at 3:30 p.m., Smoky Night Lights at 5:30 p.m. and Christmas at Chilhowee tree lighting at 6 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime.

### 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](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).