Winter Lights Asheville 2026: dates, $45 to $75 car tickets

Yes, Winter Lights is on this year. The North Carolina Arboretum’s walk-through holiday light show runs every night from Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, to Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, from 6 p.m., with the last entry at 9 p.m., according to the arboretum. Tickets are on sale now and are priced per car: $45, $60 or $75, depending on the night.

Last checked Oct. 16, 2026. Dates, prices and rules come from the arboretum’s own Winter Lights page, ticket page and price calendar, frequently asked questions and trolley page. We update this page as opening night approaches.

What this means for you

• Buy ahead for a weekend. The arboretum says peak dates sell out. Gate tickets, if any are left, cost $10 more and go on sale only from 7 to 9 p.m.
• One ticket covers the car. Everyone in a personal vehicle up to 20 feet long gets in on one ticket. Rideshare drivers also need a personal vehicle ticket to enter.
• Pick a value night to save $30. Most weeknights in mid-November and early December are $45, against $75 on the peak nights around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Arrive after 7:30 p.m. on busy nights. The arboretum recommends it to avoid the line at the gate.

Dates and prices

Winter Lights is open every night of its run, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day included. The arboretum sorts the nights into three price tiers on its 2026 price calendar:

• Large vehicles with 9 to 14 seats are $85, $110 or $135 by tier.
• Buses and motorcoaches with 15 or more seats are $400, $500 or $600, sold by phone at 828-412-8570.
• Arboretum members get $5 off advance tickets for any vehicle size, with a promo code by email. The discount does not apply at the gate.
• Gate tickets cost $10 more than advance tickets and are sold from 7 to 9 p.m. only if space allows; the arboretum says cars without a ticket may be turned away.
• Advance tickets are sold online through Eventbrite until 6 p.m. on the night, unless the night sells out first. From Nov. 1 they are also sold at the arboretum’s gatehouse, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets are not refundable unless the arboretum cancels the night.

What you will see

Winter Lights is a one-mile walking trail through the arboretum’s gardens lit with more than one million lights, with live local music, cocoa and s’mores along the way, according to the arboretum. New for 2026, the arboretum lists three scenes: “Forest Floor,” with mushrooms covering the ground; “Beneath the Riverbed,” below lily pads; and “Between Water and Woods,” with giant dragonflies.

Allow at least an hour. Anyone under 16 must come with an adult.

Getting there and parking

The arboretum is at 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville. Your ticket is your parking: you drive in, park and walk the trail. There is no separate parking charge.

• Accessible parking is set aside near the gardens. When it is full, drivers may drop off in front of the buildings, the arboretum says.
• Wheelchairs: the displays are best seen from the paved paths, and a limited number of wheelchairs are lent first come, first served. Bring your own if you can.
• Busy nights: the arboretum suggests arriving after 7:30 p.m. to avoid the line.

For road work on the way, see our road construction and closures page. For parking downtown and across the city, see getting around Asheville.

The Winter Lights Trolley

To skip the drive, the Winter Lights Trolley runs on nine nights: Nov. 27-28, Dec. 4-5, Dec. 11-12, Dec. 18-19 and Saturday, Dec. 26, according to the arboretum’s trolley calendar.

• From: in front of Mosaic Cafe, 1 Town Square Blvd., Biltmore Park Town Square. Parking in the Town Square garages is free.
• When: every 30 minutes from 5:30 to 8 p.m.; return trolleys leave the Baker Visitor Center every 30 minutes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Miss the last one and you find your own way back.
• Price: $50 a person, including Winter Lights admission and a gift bag with a coin for a free cocoa. Children 4 and under ride free on a lap.

Book online in advance; sales close 30 minutes before each departure, or sooner if a trolley sells out.

Weather, pets and rules

• Rain or shine. Winter Lights runs in the rain. If the arboretum closes a night for weather, it announces it by 3 p.m. on its website and Facebook page and refunds every ticket for that night.
• No pets. Service animals are welcome.
• Questions: winterlights@ncarboretum.org or 828-412-8570.

More holiday events

Winter Lights is one of three big light displays around Asheville this season. See Christmas at Biltmore, holiday lights and Christmas events, the Asheville Holiday Parade on Saturday, Nov. 21, and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is Winter Lights in Asheville in 2026?

Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum runs every night from Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, to Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, according to the arboretum’s 2026 price calendar, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the last entry is 9 p.m.

How much are Winter Lights tickets?

Tickets are sold per car, not per person. A personal vehicle up to 20 feet long is $45 on value nights, $60 on standard nights and $75 on peak nights. Tickets bought at the gate cost $10 more, and arboretum members get $5 off advance tickets.

Which Winter Lights nights are the busiest?

The arboretum prices Nov. 25, Nov. 27, Nov. 28 and Dec. 18-26 as peak nights, at $75 a car, and says peak dates sell out. Weeknights in mid-November and early December are the $45 value nights.

Is Winter Lights a drive-through?

No. Winter Lights is a walk-through display on a one-mile trail through the gardens; you park and walk. The arboretum provides no shuttles or trams on the trail and suggests allowing at least an hour.

Can I take my dog to Winter Lights?

No. Pets are not permitted at Winter Lights; service animals are welcome, according to the arboretum.