The first cold snap hits, and everyone wants a plan. Where are the best Christmas lights in Salt Lake City this year? Which ones are free, and which need a ticket before you leave the house?
We checked every official page on November 4, 2026 and copied dates, hours and prices as posted. If 2026 isn’t up yet, we say so.
Short answer: The best Christmas lights in Salt Lake City and along the Wasatch Front for 2026 include Temple Square, Tracy Aviary’s Lightwalk, ZooLights, Draper Park, Luminaria in Lehi, Layton Commons Park and Ogden’s Christmas Village. Several are free, and Lightwalk and ZooLights post prices from $13.95 to $19.95 per person.
How did we pick the best Christmas lights in Salt Lake City and Utah?
We chose public displays that run for weeks, each with an official page. The list covers Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis and Weber, with one stop in St. George. It isn’t a ranking.
1. Temple Square: the downtown Salt Lake City classic
Temple Square is the longtime home of Christmas lights in Salt Lake City’s downtown. Its 2026 schedule wasn’t posted as of November 4, 2026. For 2025, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints newsroom listed lights daily from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., November 28 through January 1. All Christmas activities were free.
2. Tracy Aviary Lightwalk: a ticketed stroll in Liberty Park
Lightwalk brings Christmas lights to Tracy Aviary, 589 East 1300 South in Salt Lake City. Tracy Aviary lists November 20 to 26, November 28 to December 24, and December 26 to January 3. Entry runs 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and it closes at 9. Tickets are $17.95 for adults, $13.95 for children and free under 2.
3. ZooLights at Utah’s Hogle Zoo: the zoo after dark
ZooLights takes over Hogle Zoo at 2600 Sunnyside Avenue. The 2026 schedule wasn’t posted as of November 4, 2026. The Hogle Zoo ZooLights page still shows 2025: 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on select nights, November 28, 2025 to January 4, 2026. Posted prices are $19.95 for adults 13 and up and $16.95 for children 3 to 12.
4. Candlelight Christmas: a pioneer village by lantern light
Candlelight Christmas fills Heritage Village at 2601 East Sunnyside Avenue, just up the road from the zoo. This Is The Place Heritage Park lists December 11 to 23, 2026, Monday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Parking is free. The event page doesn’t state a ticket price, so check before you go.
5. Draper Park: three million lights, no ticket
Draper City says more than three million lights cover the trees in Draper Park. The free tree lighting is Monday, November 30, 2026 at 6 p.m. After that, lights run 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. nightly and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. in the mornings, through January 1. Our Draper neighborhood guide covers the area.
6. Gardner Village: Christmas in the Village in West Jordan
Gardner Village lists Christmas in the Village from November 21 to December 31, 2026. Admission and parking are free; some activities cost extra. Shops are open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. UTA’s station list puts the Historic Gardner stop at 1127 West 7800 South.
7. Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point: the big one in Lehi
Luminaria fills Ashton Gardens at 3900 North Garden Drive in Lehi. Thanksgiving Point lists November 12, 2026 to January 9, 2027, Monday through Saturday. It’s closed Sundays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Most nights open at 4 p.m. and close at 9 or 9:30. Prices vary by date, and tickets come in 15-minute time slots.
8. Festival of Lights: Spanish Fork’s drive-through
This one you see from your car at Canyon View Park. Spanish Fork City says it runs Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day. Advance tickets are required, none are sold at the gate, and sales start November 12. No 2026 price or hours were posted as of November 4, 2026.
9. Lights Before Christmas: Layton Commons Park
Layton Commons Park, 465 North Wasatch Drive, is the free Davis County pick. Layton City lists a kickoff on November 23, 2026 at 6 p.m. The display then stays open nightly through December 31, from dusk to 11 p.m. Admission is free.
10. Christmas Village: downtown Ogden’s free favorite
Ogden City lists Christmas Village from November 28, 2026 through January 1, 2027, free. Lights come on at 5 p.m. daily. They go off at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at midnight on weekends. Park on the street or in the Municipal Building lot at 2549 Washington Boulevard.
11. Red Hills Desert Garden: the St. George detour
Red Hills Desert Garden trades snow for cactus. The 2026 schedule wasn’t posted by the Washington County Water Conservancy District as of November 4, 2026. In 2025 it ran November 27 to December 31, with lights nightly until 10 p.m.
Which Christmas lights in Salt Lake City and Utah are free in 2026?
Draper, Layton, Ogden and Gardner Village post free admission for 2026, and Temple Square was free in 2025. The planning version:
| Display | City | Cost (as posted) | Dates (as posted) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Square | Salt Lake City | Free in 2025 | 2026 not posted |
| Tracy Aviary Lightwalk | Salt Lake City | $17.95 adult, $13.95 child | Nov 20, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 |
| ZooLights | Salt Lake City | $19.95 adult, $16.95 child (2025) | 2026 not posted |
| Candlelight Christmas | Salt Lake City | Not stated | Dec 11 to 23, 2026 |
| Draper Park | Draper | Free | Nov 30, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 |
| Gardner Village | West Jordan | Free admission | Nov 21 to Dec 31, 2026 |
| Luminaria | Lehi | Varies by date | Nov 12, 2026 to Jan 9, 2027 |
| Festival of Lights | Spanish Fork | Not yet posted | Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day |
| Lights Before Christmas | Layton | Free | Nov 23 to Dec 31, 2026 |
| Christmas Village | Ogden | Free | Nov 28, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 |
| Red Hills Desert Garden | St. George | Not stated | 2026 not posted |
How do you handle inversions, snow and parking on a lights night?
Check the air and roads first, and take TRAX downtown.
- Air: Inversions trap haze. The Utah Division of Air Quality posts readings and a daily action forecast.
- Roads: UDOT Traffic shows road weather and cameras.
- TRAX: UTA lists a Temple Square station at 155 West South Temple.
- Tickets: Luminaria and Spanish Fork sell timed tickets.
Bring gloves. Your phone will be out a while.
What does the holiday season mean for buying or selling on the Wasatch Front?
December is the slowest month for new listings around Salt Lake. Realtor.com data on FRED shows 722 new listings in the Salt Lake City metro in December 2025, versus 1,772 in April 2026. Median days on market reached 72 that December, per the FRED days-on-market series.
Buyers see fewer homes but less competition. Sellers face fewer rivals but a slower pace. Homie’s November 2026 market analysis found that listings priced correctly at launch averaged 34 days on market, compared with 101 days for listings that needed a reduction. Our guide to selling a house in winter in Utah covers the steps. A loan officer can tell you how current rates fit a holiday purchase.
A free home value report shows where you stand.
Quick answers
When do the Christmas lights turn on in Salt Lake City?
Most Salt Lake-area displays start in late November. Lightwalk opens November 20, 2026, Layton November 23, Ogden November 28 and Draper November 30. Temple Square and ZooLights hadn’t posted 2026 dates as of November 4, 2026. Both opened November 28 in 2025.
What is the biggest Christmas light display in Utah?
Draper Park posts the biggest count we found: more than three million lights, per Draper City. For season length, Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi leads this list. It runs November 12, 2026 to January 9, 2027, Monday through Saturday, with timed tickets.
Can you see Christmas lights in Utah from your car?
Yes. Spanish Fork’s Festival of Lights at Canyon View Park is a drive-through display. It runs Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day, and tickets are sold online only, starting November 12. Most other displays on this list are walk-through, so plan to park and stroll.
Are the Christmas lights open on Christmas Day?
Some are. Ogden City says Christmas Village lights stay on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s. Draper Park’s lights run nightly through January 1. Luminaria closes Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and Tracy Aviary’s 2026 dates skip December 25.
The bottom line
You can see great Christmas lights in Salt Lake City and up and down the Wasatch Front without spending a dollar. Save the ticketed nights for Luminaria, Lightwalk or ZooLights, buy ahead, and check the air first.
Wondering what your place is worth? Request a free home value report from a local Homie agent, or find one in the Homie agent directory. Whether you’re buying, selling, or doing both, Homie has your back.
— The Homie Team
*Examples are for illustrative purposes only. This article is general information, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice.
*Market data from Realtor.com via FRED, December 2025 and April 2026. All data obtained from sources deemed reliable but not verified. Information not guaranteed.