# Christmas lights in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley for little kids, 2026

> Three Christmas light displays in and around McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley have 2026 dates: all walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5:30 p.m. at South Pole Illuminated Festival. They’re spread over three areas, from McAllen to Weslaco.

- Last checked: 2026-10-30
- 3 listings with 2026 dates; 0 without posted dates
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## Walk-through lights and light trails

- **South Pole Illuminated Festival** at McAllen Convention Center and Oval Park, 700 Convention Center Blvd., McAllen, TX. When: Nov 28 – Dec 28, 2026. Time: Wed, Thu and Sun 5:30–9:30 p.m.; Fri and Sat 5:30–10:30 p.m. Earliest start: 5:30 p.m. Price: Not listed on the festival page. Lanterns and light displays around a digital Christmas tree over 100 feet tall that pulses to music, plus holiday movie nights on the lawn. Official page: https://www.southpoleoftexas.com/
- **Hidalgo Festival of Lights** at Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum, 902 S. 2nd St., Hidalgo, TX. When: Dec. 5, 2026–Jan. 3, 2027. Time: 6–10 p.m. nightly; until 11 p.m. Dec. 18–Jan. 3. Price: No ticket listed. The light festival sits on the grounds of the old pumphouse museum in historic Hidalgo. A Christmas dinner package on Dec. 10–14 costs $35 per person and includes grounds admission. Official page: https://www.hidalgofestivaloflights.com/

## Worth the drive from McAllen

- **Christmas Light Display at Weslaco City Hall** at Weslaco City Hall, 275 S. Kansas, Weslaco, TX 78596. When: From Nov 20, 2026 through January. Price: Not listed on the chamber page. Drive: About 17 miles east of McAllen (Weslaco, TX). The displays go up around City Hall, with a tree lighting there on Friday, Nov. 20, and stay through January. Official page: https://www.weslaco.com/parade/

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
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## FAQ

### Are there free Christmas lights in McAllen and the Rio Grande 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”.

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

### What time do the Christmas lights start in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley? We have an early bedtime.
The earliest evening starts: South Pole Illuminated Festival at 5:30 p.m. and Hidalgo Festival of Lights at 10 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 30, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).