Lights 2026 · Sarasota–Bradenton

Christmas lights in Sarasota–Bradenton for little kids, picked for early bedtimes.

Three Christmas light displays in and around Sarasota–Bradenton have 2026 dates: all walk-throughs. None are free. For an early bedtime, the earliest evening start is 5:30 p.m. at Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens. They’re in Sarasota and Venice. Each card has stroller notes where the venue gives them, the 2026 price and a link to tickets.

3displays with dates
0drive-thrus
0free
5:30 pmearliest evening start

Last checked · How we choose

All 3 displays

Pick tonight’s lights

Every card has hours, price and what it’s like with a little one.

Walk-through

Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Downtown Sarasota campus · 1534 Mound St., Sarasota, FL 34236

Walk-through
When
Dec 5, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027
Earliest start
5:30 p.m.
Price
Tickets on the Lights in Bloom site; buy ahead
  • Early entry 5:30–9 p.m.; general entry 6:30–9 p.m.
  • More than two million lights along the garden paths
  • Early entry is the better bet with little ones who go to bed early

Little-kid take: Opens at 5:30 p.m., so an early visit gets you home in time for bedtime.

Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota

University Town Center · 210 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota, FL 34243

Walk-through
When
Nightly, Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027
Earliest start
6:30 p.m.
Price
No ticket listed for the shows; carriage rides $12 per passenger
  • Light shows 6:30–9:30 p.m.
  • Nightly light shows around the shopping center, with fireworks every Saturday
  • Carriage rides run Thursday through Sunday
Tickets / details ↗Directions

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Walk-through

Wellen Wonderland tree lighting

Downtown Wellen Park

Walk-throughSanta too
When
Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4–5
Earliest start
5–9:30 p.m.
Price
No ticket listed
  • A two-night holiday festival with a Christmas tree lighting and live music
  • Santa is there to hear wish lists and pose for photos
Tickets / details ↗

Checked Oct 30 on the official page

Report a problem
Nov 1 – Jan 3

When each one is open

Nothing is lit yet. Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota opens first, on Nov 14. Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota and Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens run into the new year.

Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota Nov 14 – Jan 3
Wellen Wonderland tree lighting Dec 4 – Dec 5
Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens Dec 5 – Jan 2
Nov 1Dec 1Jan 1
Early bedtime plan

Lights before bedtime

In early December the sun sets around 5:35 p.m. in Sarasota (the dashed line). Here’s when each display opens, on a scale from 4 to 9 p.m.

Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens

5:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5:30 p.m.

Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota

6:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

6:30 p.m.

Wellen Wonderland tree lighting

9:30 p.m. start · plan about an hour

5–9:30 p.m.

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: Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens, Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota, Wellen Wonderland tree lighting

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
Lights in Bloom at Selby GardensTickets on the Lights in Bloom site; buy aheadSee the venueWalk-through
Holiday Light Shows at UTC SarasotaNo ticket listed for the shows; carriage rides $12 per passengerSee the venueWalk-through
Wellen Wonderland tree lightingNo ticket listedSee the venueWalk-through
Also this season

Want Santa with your lights?

See all 3 Santa outings in and around Sarasota: breakfasts, photo spots and evening visits, with 2026 prices.

Santa in Sarasota →
Good questions

Christmas lights in Sarasota–Bradenton: questions parents ask

Are there free Christmas lights in Sarasota–Bradenton?

None of the light shows with 2026 dates that we found are free. The lowest prices are listed in “2026 prices at a glance”.

What’s the cheapest Christmas light show in Sarasota–Bradenton?

Going by the lowest posted 2026 price: Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota (No ticket listed for the shows; carriage rides $12 per passenger). 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 Sarasota–Bradenton? We have an early bedtime.

The earliest evening starts: Lights in Bloom at Selby Gardens at 5:30 p.m., Holiday Light Shows at UTC Sarasota at 6:30 p.m. and Wellen Wonderland tree lighting at 9:30 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.

Keep planning: This week in Sarasota · Sarasota–Bradenton city guide · Visiting Sarasota

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