Southern Lights Holiday Festival 2026

Southern Lights Holiday Festival is an annual drive-through holiday-light event at Kentucky Horse Park. The 2026 edition marks its 33rd year, combining a three-mile illuminated driving route with a walkable Holiday Village and more than one million lights.

Dates, hours, and admission

The festival runs November 27–December 31, 2026, nightly from 5:30–10:00 p.m., but is closed on Christmas Day, December 25. General admission is $35 per carload, whether purchased online in advance or at the entrance; tickets are nonrefundable but valid on any operating night through December 31.

What the experience includes

The centerpiece is a three-mile vehicle route through more than a million holiday lights and displays. After completing the drive, visitors can park at the Holiday Village, where the admission price includes access to attractions such as Animal Land, the Bluegrass miniature train display, Santa’s North Pole Mailbox, the gift shop, and seasonal food and drinks; some individual activities cost extra.

Santa and family activities

Santa is scheduled nightly through December 24, with one complimentary Santa photo per family according to the organizer. Animal Land includes a petting zoo, while pony and camel rides are available for additional fees; the outdoor portions make cold-weather clothing worthwhile. The festival is also listed as wheelchair accessible.

Planning the visit

Weeknights are generally the better choice for lighter traffic. The organizers warn that Thursdays through Sundays can be especially popular and that waits on busy weekends may extend for hours, with the period from the second week of December through Christmas historically busiest. The festival operates rain or shine unless unusually hazardous winter driving conditions force a closure.