Last December, Fantasy of Lights at Vasona Lake County Park ran 23 nights. This December it runs four. Santa Clara County Parks has dropped the drive-through route and made the event walk-through only. Every guest needs a ticket, bought ahead of time. Walk-through nights are December 5, 6, 12 and 13, and tickets go on sale in three phases, two of which open in the next few days. For a tradition you could once fit into any weeknight in December, the planning now happens in November.
Twenty-three nights became four
The 2025 season had two parts. The walk-through ran two nights, December 6 and 7. The drive-through ran every night from December 9 through December 30, 6 to 10 p.m., closed only on Christmas. That's 21 nights of rolling 1.5 miles past the Dinosaur Den, the pirate cannons and the 90-foot tree with holiday music on the car radio.
The 2026 schedule from Santa Clara County Parks keeps only the walking part and spreads it over two weekends:
- Saturday, December 5, 4 to 9 p.m.
- Sunday, December 6, 4 to 9 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12, 4 to 9 p.m.
- Sunday, December 13, 4 to 9 p.m.
There are no weeknights left. Starting at 4 p.m. means early arrivals see the displays at dusk, which the old 6 p.m. drive-through start didn't allow. The event runs rain or shine. The County also lists drone light shows on all four nights, weather permitting, plus expanded family engagement zones, photo spots, live entertainment and a wider choice of food around the park.
Why the County made the change
The County gave its reasons to NBC Bay Area in October. Audrey Ann Díaz, the County's acting senior communications officer, told the station:
"Like many beloved community traditions, Fantasy of Lights has faced rising operational costs over the years."
She also said "we did not make this decision lightly." NBC Bay Area reported that she called past walk-through nights "wildly successful." The 2025 numbers show what she meant. The two walk-through nights were the only part of last year's event with per-person pricing, and the County's own listing for them reads "SOLD OUT." The format that sold out over two nights now has four.
What a family of four pays now
The move from per-car to per-person pricing makes the biggest difference for households. Last year a regular vehicle cost $30 for up to 12 passengers. Walk-through tickets were priced per person, and those prices went up for 2026 too.
Here's how it works out for two adults and two children ages 4 to 12:
| Option | Pricing | Family of four |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 drive-through | $30 per regular vehicle | $30 |
| 2025 walk-through | $17 adult, $8 youth | $50 |
| 2026 walk-through | $25 adult, $10 youth | $70 |
Children 3 and under are still free. The County says each person still needs a ticket, "even those little ones 3 and under." If you're bringing a toddler or an infant in a stroller, add a free ticket for them to your order. Entry is guaranteed only with a pre-paid ticket.
The old car rate covered a full minivan of grandparents and cousins for one price. Under per-person pricing, a group of eight adults visiting for the holidays costs $200. That's worth knowing before you promise out-of-town guests an evening at Vasona.
The ticket calendar
The County is selling tickets in three phases instead of one release:
- Phase 1: Sunday, November 1, 8 a.m., already open
- Phase 2: Friday, November 6, 6 p.m.
- Phase 3: Monday, November 9, noon
All sales go through the County's Fantasy of Lights 2026 walk-thru ticket page, which is linked from parkhere.org. Phase 2 opens Friday evening at the end of the work week. Phase 3 opens at midday on a Monday, so set a reminder if you'll be at your desk.
Getting to the park has changed too. Parking and shuttles are free from the Netflix campus at 121 Albright Way, Los Gatos. With no drive-through, cars stay at Albright Way and everyone else rides the shuttle in or walks.
If you need an accessibility accommodation, the County asks you to email [email protected] at least 48 hours before your night.
December 5 is now parade day and opening night
Fewer nights put opening night on a busy date. Saturday, December 5 is also the day of the 70th Annual Children's Christmas/Holidays Parade, sponsored by the Los Gatos Lions Club and LGS Recreation with the Town of Los Gatos and Los Gatos High School.
Downtown, the day runs like this:
- By 7:30 a.m.: trucks, vans and floats are in the staging area
- By 9:00 a.m.: access streets close and entries are in position
- 11:00 a.m.: the parade starts at Almendra Avenue and North Santa Cruz Avenue, heads south on North Santa Cruz to Main Street, then east on Main to Church Street
The parade runs rain or shine, and parking is not allowed in the staging area or along the route. Five hours after it starts, the first walk-through night opens at Vasona. If your family wants both, you can watch from a curb on Santa Cruz Avenue in the morning and walk under the lights that evening, all on one Saturday. Choose your Fantasy of Lights night with that in mind. December 5 makes for a full day, and December 6, 12 and 13 leave the weekend less crowded.
The Saturdays before then have downtown events of their own. Muse Markets is holding Los Gatos holiday markets at Town Plaza Park and Montebello Way on November 14 and November 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each one lists 45-plus local artists, makers and businesses.
The holiday ritual that still takes walk-ups
When Fantasy of Lights closes on December 13, the evening activity at the lake moves next door to Oak Meadow Park. The County points families to the Billy Jones Holiday Night Train and Carousel as the next event of the season. The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad lists these details:
- Dates: December 14 through 23, plus December 26 and 27
- Hours: 6 to 9 p.m., with the Oak Meadow gate and ticket sales closing at 8:45 p.m., weather permitting
- Prices: $10 for the train, $6 for the carousel, $15 for a combo with one ride on each, and children under 2 ride free with a paid adult
- Tickets: sold at the railroad ticket booth during event hours, with no advance sales or reservations
The holiday train has none of the ticket-phase planning that Fantasy of Lights now needs. You can decide that afternoon and buy at the booth, much like the drive-through used to work. That gives it a different role in the season. Fantasy of Lights is the one to book now. The train covers the weeknights before Christmas, school break and the days after Christmas, when guests are in town and the lights at Vasona have already been packed away.
We've lived through a lot of Los Gatos Decembers as a family, and this one asks for more planning up front than most. If you're working out which Fantasy of Lights night fits your family, or you'd like help choosing a night for visiting relatives, Mark Chiavetta and our team are happy to share what we know about the season in town. If a move is part of your family's plans for the new year, we'd also be glad to start the conversation early with a free home valuation.
