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2026 Tampa Bay Festival of Lights & Santa's Village

Date: Nov 26 - Dec 27, 2026

Location(s):

Hillsborough County Fairgrounds - 813-737-3247

Category(s):

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Experience the Magic of the Holidays!

Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village

Santa's Village presented by GEICO!

November 26 – December 27, 2026

Gates Open Nightly at 6 PM

Get ready for five festive weeks of holiday magic as Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village returns bigger, brighter, and more magical than ever!

Bring the whole family and experience a dazzling holiday wonderland featuring more than ONE MILLION sparkling lights! Enjoy a spectacular, nearly 2-mile drive-thru light show filled with breathtaking displays, enchanting scenes, and festive surprises around every turn.

But the magic doesn't stop there! After your drive-thru adventure, step into Santa's Village, where holiday cheer comes to life with festive attractions, delicious seasonal treats, family-friendly entertainment, and, of course, a special visit with SANTA CLAUS!

NEW & EXPANDED FOR 2026!

⛸️ NEW! Ice Skating Rink by Sunshine Skate – Lace up your skates and glide into the holiday spirit! We're bringing even more winter magic to Santa's Village with an exciting NEW ice skating experience presented by Sunshine Skate. It's the perfect way to make unforgettable holiday memories with family and friends!

NEW! Celebrate America with Patriotic Light Displays! – Let your American pride shine bright as you experience dazzling NEW red, white, and blue light displays celebrating America's 250th birthday! Enjoy a sparkling tribute to our nation's history, heritage, and patriotic spirit as part of this year's expanded holiday light spectacular!

🍷 Keel Farms Wine at Santa's Village – Adults can sip, savor, and celebrate the season with a selection of Keel & Curley wines while enjoying the festive atmosphere of Santa's Village.

More Lights. More Magic. More Holiday Memories!

Make Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village part of your family's holiday tradition this season!

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW

NOV 26 - DEC 27

Buy Now

BIGGER, BRIGHTER & MORE MAGICAL THAN EVER!

Get ready for an unforgettable holiday adventure as Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village returns with an expanded experience featuring more than 1.5 million sparkling lights! From the moment you enter the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds, you'll be immersed in a dazzling wonderland of holiday magic.

Enjoy a spectacular 2-mile drive-thru light experience featuring breathtaking seasonal displays, Florida-inspired scenes, a mesmerizing animated light tunnel, and our Santa's Winter Woodland! This year, we're also celebrating America with exciting NEW patriotic light displays featuring red, white, and blue tributes to our nation's 250th birthday!

The magic continues at our expanded Santa's Village presented by GEICO, where families can enjoy festive carnival rides, holiday attractions, delicious seasonal treats, and a stroll through the beautifully illuminated Hometown Hillsborough Historical Village. With even more to see and do, there's holiday fun waiting around every corner!

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!

There's no place like home for the holidays, and Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village is your Hometown Holiday Tradition!

Experience the sights, sounds, and excitement of the season with dazzling animated lights, festive entertainment, holiday-themed rides, family-friendly activities, and delicious treats—all wrapped up in the warm, welcoming atmosphere of a hometown celebration.

NEW for 2026! Lace up your skates at the Sunshine Skate Ice Skating Rink, explore our expanded holiday light displays, and enjoy Keel & Curley wines while soaking in the festive atmosphere of Santa's Village.

From visiting Santa Claus and enjoying holiday movies to shopping for unique gifts, exploring festive attractions, and making memories with family and friends, there's something special for everyone!

More Lights. More Attractions. More Holiday Magic.

🎄 November 26 – December 27, 2026

📍 Hillsborough County Fairgrounds | Dover, Florida

✨ Make memories that shine bright this holiday season! Plan your visit today at www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com.

SPECIAL HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT

Get ready for even more holiday magic at Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village! Enjoy exciting live entertainment, spectacular performances, and festive fun for the entire family throughout the holiday season!

🌟 STRONG & AMAZING AERIAL STUNT SHOW

November 26–29 & December 3–6

Prepare to be amazed by the breathtaking Strong & Amazing Aerial Stunt Show! Featuring incredible aerial performances, dazzling acrobatics, and thrilling feats of strength and skill, this spectacular show brings excitement and wonder to Santa's Village. A must-see holiday experience for the entire family!

🎤 DENNIS LEE BAND – LIVE HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT

December 10–13 & December 17–24

Get into the holiday spirit with the Dennis Lee Band! Enjoy lively performances, great music, plenty of laughs, and festive entertainment that will have the whole family smiling and celebrating the season!

SPECIAL THEME NIGHTS

🐾 PAWS & CLAUS NIGHTS – TWO SPECIAL NIGHTS!

Thursday, December 3 & Thursday, December 10

Bring your four-legged family members along for a magical holiday outing! Well-behaved dogs and cats on leashes are welcome to join the festivities at Tampa Bay's Festival of Lights & Santa's Village.

Capture a special holiday memory with Pet Photos with Santa! With a $10 donation to the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, you'll receive a FREE printed photo of your pet with Santa.

Don't miss these two special opportunities to celebrate the holidays with your furry friends while supporting a great cause!

HEROES NIGHT – HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE

Thursday, December 17

Join us as we celebrate and thank our hometown heroes!

Active-duty and retired military personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders are invited to enjoy a special discounted admission of just $15 per vehicle.

Valid identification must be presented at the gate.
Special Heroes Night pricing is available at the gate only and cannot be purchased online.

It's our way of saying THANK YOU to the dedicated men and women who serve and protect our communities!

EVENT HOURS

BUY NOW

EXPANDED AREAS

This year’s immersive event is bigger and better than ever, with additions such as:

New Patriotic Scenes to Celebrate America
Return of last year's favorite "Under the Sea" and "Santa's Winter Woodlands"
Expanded Santa’s Village that has:
- Wine and Cider from local favorite Keel Farms
- Self-guided walking tour of Hometown Hillsborough Historical Village decked out in period décor and beginning with a 80 ft.-long animated light tunnel.
- Holiday Market is open EVERYDAY Santa’s Village is open so you can find the perfect gifts for your loved ones!

TICKET INFORMATION:

CARS: TICKETS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE

$30 (max 8 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience and Santa’s Village is open.
$25 (max 8 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience ONLY is open.

CHARTER BUS:

$80 (max 30 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience and Santa’s Village is open.
$60 (max 30 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience ONLY is open.

MINI BUS:

$40 (max 15 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience and Santa’s Village is open.
$35 (max 15 people) – on days when Drive-thru experience ONLY is open.

SEASON PASS:

$75 *The person listed as purchaser for season pass must provide a photo ID and be in the car for admission. One season pass is valid for admission on every day of the festival.

GROUPS:

20-74 Tickets $5 off – $25 per car

75-149 Tickets $6 off – $24 per car

150+ Tickets $7 off – $23 per car

Please contact the Fair Office to organize group sales – Email or Call Us: (813) 737-FAIR

SANTA’S VILLAGE

After your magical drive thru, take a holiday stroll through Santa’s Village, filled with activities and treats to tempt the young and young-at-heart. Festive lights blanket the area from the Town Square to Holiday Plaza.

Activities

Visits & Pictures with Santa on Santa’s Porch
Santa’s Craft Stations in Santa’s Workshop
Holiday Themed Facepainting
NEW FREE ACTIVITIES IN HOMETOEN HILLSBOROUGH!
Santa’s Interactive Barnyard where you can pet and feed the critters
Santa’s Camel Pen where you can pet the camels and even go for a camel ride!
Holiday treats and goodies along Main Street
Holiday Plaza and Historical Village are filled with picnic tables and fire pits to gather around
Holiday Rides in Santa's Carnival with a Reindeer Carousel and Candy Cane Swings
Holiday Market to pick up your festive holiday gifts and crafts
Wine and Ciders available by local favorite Keel and Curley Winery

Activities in Santa's Village

Pricing for Santa's Carnival:

$5 for 1 ride
$40 for 10-pack

More information here

Pricing for Santa Photos:
$5 Use Own Device
$10 Printed Photo

Pricing for Santa's Barnyard:
$5 Feed Cups
$15-20 Camel Rides

Other Activities:
$4 Hayride Individual
$12 Hayride (Family of 4)
$2 Make Your Own Crafts
$3 Smores Kit

Free Activities:
Walk Thru Experience
Live Entertainment on our Holiday Stage
Holiday Movies and Shorts

Food & Drink - Prices Vary

Thank you to our Sponsors