Nov21Sat
Shine On Madison Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony
Lisa Link Peace Park · 452 State St., Madison, WI
- Time
- 4–6 p.m.; lighting ceremony 5 p.m.
- Price
- No pricing information
Tree lighting 2026Madison · Mad City
Tree lighting in Madison, 2026.
We found three Christmas tree lightings in and around Madison whose organizer page shows a 2026 date, a time and a place. The first one on the list is Shine On Madison Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony on Nov 21. None of these pages says the lighting is free, so none of the cards calls it free. Three do not state a price.
By date
Every tree lighting, soonest first
Tap one for the time, the price and what the organizer says about little kids.
Tree lightings
Tree lightings in and around Madison
Date, time, place and price come from each organizer’s own page. A page that does not state a price stays “No pricing information.”
Nov28Sat
Fire & Lights Parade
Downtown Sun Prairie · Downtown Sun Prairie
- Time
- Community band at 5 p.m.; parade followed by the tree lighting
- Price
- No pricing information
For little kids: Santa appears. The community band plays before the parade, and the tree lighting follows the parade.
Dec4Fri
Hometown Holidays Kick-Off and Tree Lighting
Century School Park · Century School Park
- Time
- 4–7 p.m.; tree lighting 5 p.m.
- Price
- No pricing information
Know one we missed?Send us the organizer’s page and we’ll check the date, time and place.Suggest a lightingNearby cities
Tree lightings in nearby cities
Each city has its own list, checked the same way.
Before you go
Three things that make a lighting easier with little kids
TimeGo by the cardThe time on each card is the one posted when we checked. Recheck the organizer’s page the day you go.
WarmDress for standing stillA lighting is usually outdoors at dusk. A blanket for the stroller helps more than a walk would.
SpotStand where they can seeA tree lighting is short. A spot near the tree, not the back of the crowd, is the one little kids can see.Keep planning
More for little kids in Madison
November: things to do in MadisonEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in MadisonEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in MadisonFree days, free events and places that never charge
Indoor play in MadisonIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Ice skating in MadisonHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and pricesSledding in MadisonSledding hills and snow tubing, with height rules
Thanksgiving weekend in MadisonParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Christmas parades in MadisonParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in MadisonPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in MadisonBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in MadisonChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hoursChristmas tree farms in MadisonChoose-and-cut farms, wagon rides and kid notes
Splash pads in MadisonSpraygrounds with addresses and last season’s hours
More things to do with kids in Madison this weekDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every ThursdayGood questions
Tree lighting in Madison: the FAQ
Shine On Madison Downtown Holiday Lighting Ceremony at Lisa Link Peace Park: Sat, Nov 21, 2026, 4–6 p.m.; lighting ceremony 5 p.m. Fire & Lights Parade at Downtown Sun Prairie: Sat, Nov 28, 2026, Community band at 5 p.m.; parade followed by the tree lighting. Hometown Holidays Kick-Off and Tree Lighting at Century School Park: Fri, Dec 4, 2026, 4–7 p.m.; tree lighting 5 p.m.
None of the organizer pages on this list says the lighting is free. Each card says “No pricing information.”
Santa: Fire & Lights Parade. A performance: Fire & Lights Parade. A parade: Fire & Lights Parade. Only what that lighting’s own page states is listed.
Parade dates and start times are on the Christmas parades page. This page is the tree lightings.
The month’s other dated listings are on the December page, and November’s are on the November page.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Nov 11, 2026, and we recheck them every week through December. How we choose and check.
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