Fantasy of Lights Is Four Nights on Foot This Year, and Vasona's December Has a New Schedule

Last December, Fantasy of Lights was open at Vasona Lake County Park on 23 nights. It ran two walk-through evenings on Dec. 6 and 7, then a drive-through from Dec. 9 to Dec. 30 that closed only on Christmas Day. This December it runs on four nights, and you'll walk all of them.

Santa Clara County Parks first presented the show in 1999, and for most of its history it was a car tradition. NBC Bay Area reported in October that the event "used to be exclusively a drive-through," with families driving the 1.5-mile route through the park, and that walk-through days were added only in recent years. For 2026 the county is going fully walk-through, with all four nights running 4 to 9 p.m.

So the lights are no longer something that runs in the background of three weeks of Los Gatos evenings. They're now a ticketed event you plan around, held across two weekends. That affects what you pay, how you get there, and what the rest of the month looks like on Blossom Hill Road.

Why the county cut it to four nights

The county's reason is cost. NBC Bay Area quoted Audrey Ann Díaz, Acting Senior Communications Officer for Santa Clara County:

"Like many beloved community traditions, Fantasy of Lights has faced rising operational costs over the years."

In the same report, Díaz said the decision was "not made lightly." She also said past walk-through nights had been "wildly successful," with a drone show, live entertainment and more food options. The county's own FAQ describes the change as an addition. It says the walking-only format "and the addition of a second weekend" reflect the department's commitment to preserving the event.

The walk-through went from two nights in 2025 to four in 2026. The drive-through, which made up most of the season, is gone. The county is putting more into the walking nights, with expanded family engagement zones and photo spots, live entertainment, more food options throughout the park, and drone light displays on all four nights, weather permitting.

What a household pays now

Under the old pricing, a full car paid one fee. A standard vehicle carrying up to 12 people cost $30 in 2025. Now every person pays, and every person needs their own ticket, toddlers included.

Even next to last year's walking nights, the per-person price went up. Adult tickets rose from $17 to $25 and youth tickets from $8 to $10. Bigger groups feel the change most. A carload of grandparents, cousins and visiting friends used to cost one fee. Now it costs one fee per person.

To offset the price, the county's Jingle Pass Program is giving away 4,000 tickets to the walk-through nights to families in need.

Tickets went on sale in three phases: Sunday, Nov. 1 at 8 a.m., Friday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m., and Monday, Nov. 9 at noon. The third and final phase opened on Nov. 9. Each ticket is good for one date, sales are final, and the show goes on rain or shine. You get a refund only if County Parks closes the event for extremely harsh weather or unsafe conditions. Availability for each night is on the county's ticket page.

How you get in

A drive-through brought cars into the park. This year nobody parks inside Vasona. The county says there is no event parking in the park and street parking is very limited. The FAQ lays out three ways in:

1. The Netflix shuttle. Parking is free at Netflix, 121 Albright Way. Shuttles to the event leave from 3:45 to 8:15 p.m., and return shuttles run until about 9:15 p.m. You redeem your tickets at Netflix before you board.
2. Rideshare. The drop-off point is across Blossom Hill Road from the park entrance, on the southeast side of the Blossom Hill and Roberts Road intersection. Pickup is on University Avenue south of the exit, at University and Cooper Court. The county will email a map before the event.
3. Walking in. If you live close enough to walk, you scan your ticket at the main entrance, 333 Blossom Hill Road.

The route runs one way for one mile, from the single entrance on Blossom Hill Road to an exit on University Avenue. There's an extra ADA exit at Blossom Hill Road. All other trails and park entrances are closed for the event. The entrance is open from 4 to 8:30 p.m., and everyone has to be out by 9. If you start the walk at 8:25, you'll be walking a mile at a fairly quick pace.

The walkways are paved, and strollers are welcome. Pets aren't allowed, except service animals. Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates also stay home. ADA shuttles run at both the entrance and the exit. The event also has a low-sensory zone and sensory bags you can borrow. Accommodation requests go to [email protected] at least 48 hours ahead. The county also asks visitors not to block driveways or business lots, which matters most to people who live on the streets around the park.

Blossom Hill Road's December, compressed

Traffic around Vasona during the drive-through was a long-running problem. In December 2025, The Mercury News described the event's popularity causing major queues on Blossom Hill Road, Lark Avenue and University Avenue, sometimes with waits of an hour or more.

In 2026, event traffic is limited to two Saturdays and two Sundays, and the event itself sends drivers to a lot outside the park. If you drive Blossom Hill or University on a December weeknight, the drive-through lines are gone this year. On Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13, expect the busiest spots to be the rideshare points at Blossom Hill and Roberts and at University and Cooper Court, plus the walk-in crowd at the main gate from 4 p.m. on.

The night after the lights go dark, the train starts

The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad's Holiday Night Train begins on Monday, Dec. 14, the evening after the last Fantasy of Lights night. It runs through Dec. 23, then again Dec. 26 and 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. It's closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The ride goes through a grove of lit trees, and the W.E. Bill Mason Carousel runs as a sleigh ride, with hot chocolate at the Snack Shack.

The train works more like the old drive-through did than the new walk-through does:

• No advance tickets. You buy at the railroad ticket booth during operating hours. A train ride is $10, the carousel is $6, and a combo is $15. Children 2 and under ride free with a paid adult. Regular daytime tickets aren't valid for the night event.
• A hard cutoff. The Oak Meadow Park gate, ticket sales and train line all close at 8:45 p.m.
• Parking in Oak Meadow's lot. The Town of Los Gatos may charge a fee, but if no attendant is there, parking is free. Overflow parking is on University Avenue. The railroad suggests taking Los Gatos Boulevard to Blossom Hill Road and turning right into Oak Meadow Park.

The railroad also notes that the Vasona lights will not be visible from the train this year. Riding the train and the lights in one outing isn't possible this year. You'll need two separate December evenings.

Before you walk the park any other day

Outside event nights, part of Vasona is closed for unrelated reasons. A trail section is closed from the fishing-dock area to the junction nearest Circle Group Area because of a failed culvert. The Los Gatos Creek Trail through the county park has a short detour around a 100-foot section. The county's closures and alerts page was last updated Oct. 28. For the latest trail status, County Parks lists (408) 355-2200, option 3.

If your family has a December routine around Vasona and Oak Meadow, this year it fits on one page. The lights run Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13, with tickets bought in advance and the shuttle from Netflix. The train runs Dec. 14 through 23 and Dec. 26 and 27, with tickets bought at the booth.

Small changes to local traditions like this are part of what Jerylann Mateo tracks across Los Gatos and the South Bay all year. If you're hosting family this December and want a hand planning the local stops around these new dates, or you have other questions about life in Los Gatos, let's connect.