The holidays are the most magical time of the year! And Sacramento is one of the best places where you can easily find holiday events and see lights displays to get into the Christmas spirit. The festive lights throughout the region are a testament to how much everyone, kids and adults alike, treasure the Christmas season’s sparkle. When the sun goes down, it’s time to visit the most dazzling holiday and Christmas lights displays in Sacramento!
Witness how Sacramento transforms into a winter wonderland with Christmas and holiday lights blazing everywhere in the region. From walk-through spectacles to long drive-through glittering displays, these Christmas lights events in Sacramento offer memorable holiday experiences for the whole family. Homes and commercial establishments lavishly deck their halls, trees, and exteriors with lights, creating enormous exhibits that draw crowds year after year. Along with holiday lights, many also offer food, music, entertainment, and a visit with Santa himself.
Are you planning to take your kids to a perfect holiday lights family outing? Check out our list of the best places to see holiday and Christmas lights displays in Sacramento! Pile up your kids in the car, and make sure you open your eyes and hearts to the wonder of this magical adventure. The colorful spectacles on our list will bring you lots of joy and holiday cheer.
Cal Expo
1600 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815
Phone Number: (916) 250-3007
November 20, 2023 – January 7, 2024
Schedule:
Wednesday – Thursday | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday – Sunday | 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Experience the original Light Up the Night at Cal-Expo Center in Sacramento — one of the best holiday lights events this Christmas. Action Packed with more than 3 million lights, you’ll venture through 15 acres of lights, mazes, rides, nightly shows, a fantasy zone, and so much more. Wrap up your night with a meet and greet with your favorite characters, or kick back with an adult beverage while the kids visit our newly designed fantasy zone.
Dive into a mesmerizing experience tailored for all ages. Wander through the radiant rose garden, boasting over 35,000 LED Roses, or lose yourself in the infinite mirror rooms. Venture deeper into the enchanted forest and marvel at over 25 majestic, larger-than-life storybook creatures, each bathed in a cascade of lights. Take the kids to meet Santa, followed by an evening on the ice with their very own, Ice Skating Rink!
Piazza at Palladio
350 Palladio Pkwy., Folsom, CA 95630
Phone Number: (916) 542-7408
November 18, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday | 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Join one of the best holiday lights events in Sacramento — the annual Palladio Tree Lighting. There will be free yummy refreshments available provided by Barnes & Noble Kitchen and fun local performances. Santa and friends will also be joining for some holiday fun.
Village Green Park
3141 Bridgeway Dr., Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Phone Number: (916) 273-5701
November 26, 2023
Schedule:
Sunday | 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
The annual lighting of the Cordova Community Christmas Tree is a public event inspiring community unity, showcasing Rancho Cordova community life, promoting local business, and providing a community branding experience. This vibrant holiday celebration is a happy collaboration of numerous Rancho Cordova organizations, faith communities, and performers who give our celebration a true community appeal.
This is one of the Sacramento Christmas Lights holiday events powered completely by volunteers from local civic associations and churches, led by the Cordova Community Council and an active planning group. Food trucks, fireworks, snow, and Santa make it a party. Event admission is free to the public. Attendance has exploded to more than 5,000 in what has become a leading community event.
Arden Park
1000 La Sierra Dr., Sacramento, CA 95864
Phone Number: (916) 624-2548
December 8, 2023
Schedule:
Thursday | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Come and join the 10th annual Holiday in the Park. Santa will use his Christmas magic to light up the 17-foot tree and the community center for the holidays. Local music and talent groups will take the stage and help celebrate the kickoff to the holiday season. Pictures with Santa will be available after the tree lighting, and hot chocolate and crafts for kids.
This year’s sponsors are Tom Phillips Real Estate, Dana Gray & The Gray Group and Augustine & Associates, and their partner Mariemont Elementary!
The Sac Brew Bar
1519 19th St., Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone Number: (916) 952-7973
December 1-30, 2023
Schedule:
Monday – Sunday | 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
The top spot for holiday lights in Sacramento this Christmas season is the historic neighborhood known as the Fab 40’s. Explore the neighborhood on your own, or do a leisurely SacBrew Bike Holiday Lights Tour, where you pedal a bike through the neighborhood and stop for a snack. Sacramento’s Fab 40s will dazzle you with impressive decorations, bright colors, holiday cheer, and more. Touring the Fab Fourties is a longstanding holiday tradition for many Sacramento families, and there’s truly no better way to experience the magic than on Sac Brew Bike’s 90-minute Fab Fourties Light Tour.
Grab your family and friends and pedal through the beautifully lit streets as you sing Christmas carols loud enough for all to hear. Be sure to bring some hot chocolate and lots of cookies with you to enjoy while you pedal. Children 6 years and older are welcome (unfortunately, no children are allowed under the age of 6), but there are only two spots on the back bench available for children under 12 years old. Children 12 years and older can sit on a pedal seat.
District56
8230 Civic Center Dr., Elk Grove, CA, 95757
Phone Number: (916) 250-3007
December 2, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday | 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Kick off the holiday season at the 4th annual Elk Grove Illumination Festival. The Illumination Festival promises an evening of free, family-friendly fun, offering something delightful for everyone. This is one of the holiday events in Sacramento that includes everything you’re looking for – shopping in a holiday vendor village (brought to you by River City Marketplace), holiday delicacies, carnival games, a giant snow globe, and maybe a Santa sighting.
Explore a tapestry of global holiday traditions, shop for gifts, step into a whimsical snow globe for a perfect holiday photo, jump in bounce houses, go ice skating, and witness the grand tree lighting ceremony that ushers in the official start of the holiday season. Unwrap the magic of the Illumination Festival in Elk Grove!
Quarry Park
4000 Rocklin Rd., Rocklin, CA 95677
Phone Number: (916) 624-2548
December 2, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday | 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Join the community for its 16th annual Rocklin Tree Lighting Festival at beautiful Quarry Park. Come gather and enjoy a holiday market to support local crafters and artisans, tasty food trucks, live entertainment with local artists and troupes, a visit with Santa, and more. They will be collecting socks in their giant stocking. Socks for men, women, teens, and children are greatly appreciated!
This year’s Christmas Tree Lights event in this part of the Sacramento area will be hosted by the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce. This is a holiday hometown favorite you don’t want to miss. Admission is free for everyone. The tree lighting will be at 7 pm.
EDH Town Center
2085 Vine St., El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Phone Number: (916) 933-6699
December 2, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Illuminate the holiday season with the 17th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, a joyous collaboration between El Dorado Hills Town Center and the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce. The merriment commences at 4 pm with a delightful merchant open house and the ever-popular “Stuff Your Stocking” game, inviting children to explore participating businesses and fill their stockings with special treasures. Feel the holiday spirit soar as the Holy Trinity Choir sets the tone with beloved holiday melodies, and a live band takes the stage from 5-6:30 pm.
As the sun sets, Santa arrives in traditional EDH style, gracing the scene on a fire truck adorned with magical glitter. At approximately 6:30 pm, Santa bestows his enchantment upon the Christmas tree, lighting it up for all to see. To sweeten the experience, delectable cookies donated by Nugget Market adding a touch of indulgence to this heartwarming event.
Fulton-El Camino Recreation & Park District
2201 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
Phone Number: (916) 927-3802 ext 125
December 2, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday | 4:00 – 6:30 PM
Enjoy one of the best places to see Christmas lights in Sacramento, with festive music and the beautiful annual tree lighting on Fulton Avenue. The parade will begin promptly at 5:00 pm, travel South on Bell Street, East on Cottage Way, North on Fulton Avenue, and end at the Department of Human Assistance parking lot at 2700 Fulton Avenue. There will be music, entertainment, and a Christmas tree raffle.
Immediately following the parade, the Annual Tree Lighting will begin with food and pictures with Santa available for all participants. The event will conclude with awards for the Festival of Lights Parade. Fun and games at Santa’s Workshop and FREE coffee, cocoa, cookies, hotdogs, and chickin’ until supplies last!
Fairytale Town
3901 Land Park Dr., Sacramento, CA 95822
Phone Number: (916) 808-5233
December 9, 10, 16 & 17, 2023
Schedule:
Saturday & Sunday | 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Celebrate the holidays together at Fairytale Town’s annual Winter Wonderland! Enjoy a visit with Santa Claus, play in nightly snowfall at 6pm, and enjoy festive decorations. Join in games and crafts while making magical memories on December 9, 10, 16, and 17, from 1-7pm. The storybook park will be trimmed with festive décor and, starting at dusk each day, lit up with a dazzling display of lights. Take a picture on Santa’s Sleigh too!
Multiple arts and crafts activities will be stationed throughout the park. Visit the new Story Center for holiday themed crafts and story times. There will be a holiday scavenger hunt for families to embark on as well. Santa Claus will be on the Mother Goose stage to visit and take photos with children from 1 to 6 p.m. Families can enjoy free self-served photos.
The holiday lights’ choices seem limitless as almost every corner of the Sacramento region has begun stringing millions of lights into breathtaking festive Christmas decorations. Perhaps you want to make it a before-Christmas family getaway to usher in the holiday spirit and set the mood for a merry yuletide season.
Simplify your search for Christmas lights in Sacramento with our list of must-see places and landmarks. Indeed, you’ll never be disappointed, and your kids will be begging to visit these spots year after year.
Sacramento offers so many opportunities for kids to enjoy and have fun all year round! Check out our list of resources, or browse through our things to do in Sacramento with kids. Still looking for more activities for kids in Sacramento? No problem! Check out our comprehensive listing of places to go in the region and our highly recommended seasonal blog posts.
Christmas Tree Farms near Sacramento – A Holiday Season Family Trip
Christmas Tree Farms Near Santa Clara to Visit this Holiday Season
Imaginarium 360 – A Magical Journey Through Light
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