Nine Christmas light displays in and around Philadelphia have 2026 dates: 1 drive-thru and 8 walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 8 p.m. at Christmas Village in Philadelphia. They’re spread over seven areas, with the most in Philadelphia.
Last checked · How we choose
Tap a filter to narrow it down. Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.
Elmwood Park Zoo · 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown, PA 19401
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
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Philadelphia Zoo · 3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
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Franklin Square · 200 N. 6th St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
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LOVE Park and City Hall · LOVE Park, 1500 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
Report a problemSesame Place Philadelphia · 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA 19047
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
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Shady Brook Farm · 931 Stony Hill Rd., Yardley, PA 19067
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.
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
Report a problemPeddler’s Village · Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA 18931
Little-kid take: Free, so it’s an easy one to try for a short visit.
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
Report a problemAdventure Aquarium · 1 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ 08103
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
Report a problemBigger out-of-town shows parents make a night of. The drive time is on each card.
Little-kid take: Has daytime hours, so it works before nap. Stay until dusk to see the lights come on.
Checked Oct 26 on the official page
Report a problemNothing is lit yet. A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place opens first, on Nov 14. A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place, LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo and Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin Square run into the new year.
In early December the sun sets around 4:35 p.m. in Philadelphia (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.
8 p.m. start · plan about an hour
Sun–Thu noon–8pm, Fri–Sat noon–9pm
9 p.m. start · plan about an hour
5–9pm; last entry 8:30pm
9 p.m. start · plan about an hour
5–9pm
9 p.m. start · about 30 min
Every 30 minutes, 5–9pm
10 p.m. start · plan about an hour
Drive-through Sun–Thu 5–10pm, Fri–Sat 5–11pm; wagons Sun–Thu 5–8pm
10 p.m. start · plan about an hour
4:30–10pm; switch flips at 6:15pm
Pick: Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show
Picks: Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo, LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo, Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin Square, Christmas Village in Philadelphia and 3 more
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.From each venue’s own page. Check whether a price is per car or per person before you book.
| Display | Price | Little kids | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo | Adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online, 0–2 free; $18.95 after 7:30pm | 0–2 free | Walk-through |
| LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo | See the zoo’s ticket page | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin Square | See the event page | See the venue | Walk-through |
| A Longwood Christmas | Adults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under free | 4 and under free | Walk-through · About 50 min drive from Center City. |
| Christmas Village in Philadelphia | No admission | See the venue | Walk-through |
| A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place | Included with park admission | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show | Varies by date; buy ahead, since gate prices run $5 more per car and $3 more per wagon seat | See the venue | Drive-thru |
| Grand Illumination at Peddler’s Village | Free admission and parking | See the venue | Walk-through |
| Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium | Included with admission | See the venue | Walk-through |
See all 6 Santa outings in and around Philadelphia: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.
Santa in Philadelphia →
Yes. Grand Illumination at Peddler’s Village is free in 2026.
Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo (Adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online, 0–2 free; $18.95 after 7:30pm); A Longwood Christmas (Adults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under free). Check whether a price is per car or per person before you compare.
With a baby or a sleepy toddler, a drive-thru is easiest: they stay buckled in and warm. One of the 9 displays can be driven: Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show. Walk-throughs (eight here) are better for kids who want to run around.
The earliest evening starts: Christmas Village in Philadelphia at 8 p.m., Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo at 9 p.m. and LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo at 9 p.m. The first hour after opening is the easiest with an early bedtime. For no-late-night options, A Longwood Christmas works in the daytime.
Little ones get in free at Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo (0–2 free); A Longwood Christmas (4 and under free). With a baby, a drive-thru keeps everyone warm in the car.
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 26, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. How we choose and check.
Keep planning: This week in Philadelphia · Philadelphia city guide · Visiting Philadelphia
One short email every Thursday evening with what works for ages 0–6 in Philadelphia that weekend, including the Santa and light-show dates worth knowing.
Every year
Each of these comes back every year. Its page keeps the last confirmed dates, and the new ones go up there once they’re posted. Every year in Philadelphia
Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin SquareNext: Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027LumiNature at the Philadelphia ZooNext: Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027A Longwood ChristmasNext: Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027Wild Lights at Elmwood Park ZooNext: Nov 20 – Dec 30, 2026Christmas Village in PhiladelphiaNext: Nov 21 – Dec 27, 2026Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light ShowNext: Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027By month
Things to do with kids in Philadelphia in November · Things to do with kids in Philadelphia in December
Christmas trains
Christmas train rides near Philadelphia: Holiday lights trains, Polar Express rides and more. 11 with 2026 dates, ages, prices and booking notes.
More holiday outings
The Nutcracker with kids in Philadelphia: 3 shows with 2026 dates, run times, ages and sensory-friendly performances. Christmas markets in Philadelphia: 3 markets and winter wonderlands with 2026 dates, hours and stroller notes.