Lights 2026 · Lehigh Valley

Christmas lights in Lehigh Valley for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Three Christmas light displays in and around Lehigh Valley have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 2 walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 10 p.m. at Lights in the Parkway. They’re in Allentown and Schnecksville.

3displays with dates
1drive-thru
0free
10 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 3 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

Winter Light Spectacular

Lehigh Valley Zoo · 5150 Game Preserve Rd., Schnecksville, PA 18078

Walk-throughBook aheadSanta too
When
Nov 13, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 (37 nights)
Earliest start
Evenings
Price
Advance online: adults $16, kids 2–11 $14. At the gate: adults $18, kids $16. Under 2 free; parking free
  • A walk through 1.7 million lights, with Candy Land, Gingerbread Junction and Whoville areas new this year
  • Santa photo packages run on select nights through Dec 23
  • Opening night tickets are $13 in advance
Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Drive-thru

Lights in the Parkway

Lehigh Parkway · Lehigh Parkway, Allentown, PA

Drive-thruSanta too
When
Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 6, 2027 (closed Dec 24, 25, 31 and Jan 1)
Earliest start
5:30–10pm
Price
Ticketed; proceeds go to local nonprofits
  • The city’s drive-through lights in the Lehigh Parkway
  • Mondays are walk, run and bike nights, with Santa and reindeer on Dec 21

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 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Illumination at the Allentown ballpark

Jefferson Park (home of the IronPigs) · 1050 IronPigs Way, Allentown, PA 18109

Walk-throughBook aheadSanta too
When
Select dates, Nov 13, 2026–Jan 2, 2027
Earliest start
18:00
Price
$13 in advance ($11 on select November dates), more on the day; kids 2 and under free
  • 6–9 p.m.; select Saturdays 5–9 p.m.
  • Nearly 2 million lights around the stadium concourse, plus a carousel, a scavenger hunt and photos with Santa
  • The concourse is stroller and wheelchair friendly
  • the field area is not
Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 6

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Winter Light Spectacular opens first, on Nov 13. Winter Light Spectacular, Illumination at the Allentown ballpark and Lights in the Parkway run into the new year.

Winter Light Spectacular Nov 13 – Jan 2
Illumination at the Allentown ballpark Nov 13 – Jan 2
Lights in the Parkway Nov 27 – Jan 6
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 4:35 p.m. in Lehigh Valley (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Lights in the Parkway

10 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5:30–10pm

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: Lights in the Parkway

🚶 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: Winter Light Spectacular, Illumination at the Allentown ballpark

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
Winter Light SpectacularAdvance online: adults $16, kids 2–11 $14. At the gate: adults $18, kids $16. Under 2 free; parking freekids $16. Under 2 freeWalk-through
Lights in the ParkwayTicketed; proceeds go to local nonprofitsSee the venueDrive-thru
Illumination at the Allentown ballpark$13 in advance ($11 on select November dates), more on the day; kids 2 and under freekids 2 and under freeWalk-through
Also this season

Want Santa with your lights?

See all 6 Santa outings in and around Lehigh Valley: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.

Santa in Lehigh Valley →
Good questions

Christmas lights in Lehigh Valley: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Lehigh Valley?

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 Lehigh Valley?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Illumination at the Allentown ballpark ($13 in advance ($11 on select November dates), more on the day; kids 2 and under free); Winter Light Spectacular (Advance online: adults $16, kids 2–11 $14. At the gate: adults $18, kids $16. Under 2 free; parking free). 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 3 displays can be driven: Lights in the Parkway. Walk-throughs (two here) are better for kids who want to run around.

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

The earliest evening starts: Lights in the Parkway at 10 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 Winter Light Spectacular (kids $16. Under 2 free); Illumination at the Allentown ballpark (kids 2 and under 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 30, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.

Keep planning: This week in Lehigh Valley · Lehigh Valley city guide · Visiting Lehigh Valley

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