# Christmas lights in Philadelphia for little kids, 2026

> 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: 2026-10-26
- 9 listings with 2026 dates; 0 without posted dates
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/christmas-lights/
- Santa (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/santa/index.md
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/llms.txt

## Drive-thru Christmas lights

- **Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show** at Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Rd., Yardley, PA 19067. When: Drive-through nightly Nov 21, 2026–Jan 31, 2027; wagon rides Nov 22–Jan 3. Time: Drive-through Sun–Thu 5–10pm, Fri–Sat 5–11pm; wagons Sun–Thu 5–8pm. Price: Varies by date; buy ahead, since gate prices run $5 more per car and $3 more per wagon seat. More than 4 million lights. Santa’s Village is free. Wagon rides skip Nov 26, Dec 24, Dec 25, Dec 31 and Jan 1. Official page: https://www.shadybrookfarm.com/pages/holiday-light-show

## Walk-through lights and light trails

- **Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo** at Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown, PA 19401. When: Select nights, Nov 20 – Dec 30, 2026. Time: 5–9pm; last entry 8:30pm. Price: Adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online, 0–2 free; $18.95 after 7:30pm. Closed Nov 26 and Dec 24–25. Cookie decorating is $10 on select dates. Official page: https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/wildlights/
- **LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo** at Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104. When: Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027. Time: 5–9pm. Price: See the zoo’s ticket page. Official page: https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/events/luminature/
- **Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin Square** at Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St., Philadelphia, PA 19106. When: Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027; closed Nov 26, Dec 25 and Jan 1. Time: Every 30 minutes, 5–9pm. Price: See the event page. Opening night, Nov 19, has a free choir performance and hot chocolate, with the first show at 6:30pm. Official page: https://historicphiladelphia.org/events/holidays-in-franklin-square/
- **Christmas Village in Philadelphia** at LOVE Park and City Hall, LOVE Park, 1500 Arch St., Philadelphia, PA 19102. When: Nov 21 – Dec 27, 2026; closed Nov 23–25 and Dec 25. Time: Sun–Thu noon–8pm, Fri–Sat noon–9pm. Price: No admission. Open 9am–5pm on Thanksgiving and noon–5pm on Christmas Eve. Kids under 12 ride SEPTA free. Official page: https://www.philachristmas.com/
- **A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place** at Sesame Place Philadelphia, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA 19047. When: Select dates, Nov 14, 2026–Jan 3, 2027. Time: See park hours. Price: Included with park admission. Millions of lights across the park, a Sesame Street Christmas parade and visits with Santa. Official page: https://sesameplace.com/philadelphia/events/a-very-furry-christmas
- **Grand Illumination at Peddler’s Village** at Peddler’s Village, Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA 18931. When: Nov 20, 2026 (lights stay on nightly through Jan 18, 2027). Time: 4:30–10pm; switch flips at 6:15pm. Price: Free admission and parking. Santa and Mrs. Claus light up the village at 6:15 sharp. Parking fills fast, so the village asks you to arrive by 5:30. Official page: https://peddlersvillage.com/event/grand-illumination-celebration/
- **Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium** at Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ 08103. When: Nov 20–Dec 24, 2026. Time: During aquarium hours. Price: Included with admission. The world’s tallest underwater Christmas tree stands in the shark tank, with indoor snow falling around the Rotunda tree every hour. Official page: https://www.adventureaquarium.com/explore/special-events/christmas-underwater/

## Worth the drive from Philadelphia

- **A Longwood Christmas** at Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348. When: Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027. Time: Daily 10am–11pm. Price: Adults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under free. Drive: About 50 min drive from Center City. Official page: https://longwoodgardens.org/visit

## Light displays that come back every year

- [Electrical Spectacle Light Show in Franklin Square](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/electrical-spectacle-light-show-in-franklin-square/): next dates Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
- [LumiNature at the Philadelphia Zoo](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/luminature-at-the-philadelphia-zoo/): next dates Nov 19, 2026 – Jan 9, 2027
- [A Longwood Christmas](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/a-longwood-christmas-gardens/): next dates Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027
- [Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/wild-lights-at-elmwood-park-zoo/): next dates Nov 20 – Dec 30, 2026
- [Christmas Village in Philadelphia](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/christmas-village-in-philadelphia-love-park-city-hall/): next dates Nov 21 – Dec 27, 2026
- [Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/events/shady-brook-farm-holiday-light-show/): next dates Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027

## Christmas trains near Philadelphia

- [Christmas train rides near Philadelphia](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/christmas-trains/index.md): Holiday lights trains, Polar Express rides and more, 11 with 2026 dates, ages, prices and booking notes.

## More holiday outings in Philadelphia

- [The Nutcracker with kids in Philadelphia](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/nutcracker/index.md): 3 shows with 2026 dates, run times, ages and sensory-friendly performances.
- [Christmas markets in Philadelphia](https://littlesweekly.com/philadelphia/christmas-markets/index.md): 3 markets and winter wonderlands with 2026 dates, hours and stroller notes.

## 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 Philadelphia?
Yes. Grand Illumination at Peddler’s Village is free in 2026.

### What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Philadelphia?
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.

### 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 9 displays can be driven: Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show. Walk-throughs (eight here) are better for kids who want to run around.

### What time do the Christmas lights start in Philadelphia? We have an early bedtime.
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.

### Which light shows are best for kids under 3?
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.

### 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 26, 2026, and we recheck them in early November and again in early December. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).