Lights 2026 · Sacramento

Christmas lights in Sacramento for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Three Christmas light displays in and around Sacramento have 2026 dates: all walk-throughs. One is free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 7:30 p.m. at Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

3displays with dates
0drive-thrus
1free
7:30 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

Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento

K Street, Old Sacramento · K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Walk-throughFreeSanta too
When
Tree lighting Wed, Nov 25; shows Fri–Sun Nov 27–Dec 20, plus Dec 23 and Dec 24
Earliest start
Shows 6:30 and 7:30pm Fri–Sat, 6:30pm Sun; Dec 23 at 6:30 and 7:30pm; Dec 24 at 6:30pm only
Price
Free
  • A free 20-minute retelling of ’Twas the Night Before Christmas on the K Street balconies, ending with the 60-foot tree lighting up
  • No show on Thanksgiving
  • Holidays on K Street adds lawn games, pop-up vendors and a Letters to Santa station on Saturdays and Sundays from Nov 28 to Dec 20

Little-kid take: Free, so it’s an easy one to try for a short visit.

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 29 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Imaginarium at Cal Expo

Cal Expo · 1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815

Walk-through
When
Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 4, 2027, nightly
Earliest start
Sun–Thu 5–10pm; Fri–Sat 5–11pm
Price
From $21 ages 13+; from $16 ages 3–12 and 62+; under 3 free
  • A ticketed walk-through with themed light worlds, circus shows included with admission, carnival rides and an outdoor ice rink
  • Plan on about two hours
Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 29 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary

Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary · Parking behind City Hall, 52 Natoma St., Folsom

Walk-throughBook ahead
When
Dec 4–6, 10–13 and 18–22, 2026
Earliest start
5–8:30pm; last entry 8pm
Price
$14.17 ages 2 and up with fees; under 2 free; Starlight Express train $8.86
  • Timed entry, sold online only from Nov 1
  • The 16th year of lights around the zoo, with carolers, nocturnal animals and night rides on the Folsom Valley Railway
  • Heavy rain or wind cancels
Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 29 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 4

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Imaginarium at Cal Expo opens first, on Nov 14. Imaginarium at Cal Expo runs into the new year.

Imaginarium at Cal Expo Nov 14 – Jan 4
Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento Nov 25 – Dec 24
Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary Dec 4 – Dec 22
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 4:45 p.m. in Sacramento (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento

7:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

Shows 6:30 and 7:30pm Fri–Sat, 6:30pm Sun; Dec 23 at 6:30 and 7:30pm; Dec 24 at 6:30pm only

Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary

8:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5–8:30pm; last entry 8pm

Imaginarium at Cal Expo

10 p.m. start · plan about an hour

Sun–Thu 5–10pm; Fri–Sat 5–11pm

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

No drive-thru with 2026 dates in town yet.

🚶 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: Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento, Imaginarium at Cal Expo, Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary

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
Theatre of Lights in Old SacramentoFreeSee the venueWalk-through
Imaginarium at Cal ExpoFrom $21 ages 13+; from $16 ages 3–12 and 62+; under 3 freeunder 3 freeWalk-through
Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary$14.17 ages 2 and up with fees; under 2 free; Starlight Express train $8.86under 2 freeWalk-through
Also this season

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Good questions

Christmas lights in Sacramento: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Sacramento?

Yes. Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento is free in 2026.

What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Sacramento?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary ($14.17 ages 2 and up with fees; under 2 free; Starlight Express train $8.86); Imaginarium at Cal Expo (From $21 ages 13+; from $16 ages 3–12 and 62+; under 3 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?

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 Sacramento? We have an early bedtime.

The earliest evening starts: Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento at 7:30 p.m., Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary at 8:30 p.m. and Imaginarium at Cal Expo 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 Imaginarium at Cal Expo (under 3 free); Wild Nights and Holiday Lights at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary (under 2 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 Sacramento · Sacramento city guide · Visiting Sacramento

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Every year

Light displays that come back 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 Sacramento

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train RideNext: Nov 13 – Dec 21, 2026

By month

More dates for little kids in Sacramento

Things to do with kids in Sacramento in November · Things to do with kids in Sacramento in December