St. George Christmas Lights and Holiday Events 2026: Dates, Prices and Tips

On Monday, Nov. 30, 2026, three Washington County cities switch on their Christmas trees at the same hour. St. George, Washington City and Hurricane all start at 6 p.m., so a household can only make one. That is the planning problem with the holidays in Utah's southwest corner: the season is short, most of it is free, and the best nights overlap.

This calendar covers the St. George area only, with dates, hours and prices taken from each organizer's 2026 listing. For Temple Square, Luminaria, Ogden's Christmas Village and the rest of the state, see the statewide holiday lights roundup by region.

Southern Utah Holiday Events at a Glance

None of the confirmed 2026 events in the area is a drive-through display. Every one involves parking and walking, which matters for strollers, wheelchairs and anyone who does not want to be on their feet for long.

Light Displays That Run for Weeks

Holiday Lights at Red Hills Desert Garden

The longest-running display in St. George is also free. The 2026 listing for Red Hills Desert Garden, at 375 E. Red Hills Parkway, describes thousands of lights and displays along the garden paths, on nightly until 10 p.m. from Nov. 25 through Dec. 31. Opening night starts at 5 p.m. Because it runs through New Year's Eve, it is the one stop that still works for visitors who arrive after Christmas.

Christmas in the Canyon at Tuacahn

Tuacahn, at 1100 Tuacahn Drive in Ivins, lights its red rock canyon from Nov. 27 through Dec. 23. The 2026 calendar shows Monday through Saturday nights only, with no Sunday dates. According to event listings published by The Salt Lake Tribune in November 2026, the grounds are free to walk, train rides cost $3 and Live Nativity admission runs $5 to $7, with performances at 7 and 8 p.m.

The venue's listing adds a few details worth knowing before the drive out:

• Santa is on site Monday through Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m.
• The train ride lasts about seven minutes and boards first come, first served. No time slot can be reserved.
• The Live Nativity runs about 20 minutes in the outdoor amphitheatre, with live animals that include camels, donkeys and sheep.
• Snow falls on the plaza every 15 minutes, by the venue's description.

North Pole Express at Thunder Junction

The City of St. George turns Thunder Junction All Abilities Park, inside Tonaquint Park, into a ticketed holiday night nine times in December 2026: Dec. 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19 and 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets cost $12 per person, and children 2 and under are free. A ticket covers a ride on the park's train, a visit with Santa, cookie decorating, hot cocoa and crafts.

This is the event most likely to sell out. The city describes it as limited availability, advance purchase only, with no refunds. Tickets go on sale Nov. 16 through the city's North Pole Express page.

One Night, Three Tree Lightings: Monday, Nov. 30

Each of these cities holds its lighting on the Monday after Thanksgiving, so they land on the same evening every year.

• St. George, Kickoff to Christmas. Town Square, 50 S. Main St., 6 to 8 p.m. The city lists it as free, with Santa photos, local choirs, hot chocolate and cookies while supplies last, and extended hours at the St. George Children's Museum. Carousel rides charge the standard fee. The square sits in the middle of historic downtown St. George, so dinner on Main Street is a short walk.
• Washington City, Christmas in Dixie. Veterans Park, 75 E. Telegraph St. in Washington, 6 to 8 p.m., with free hot chocolate and doughnuts and Santa visits in Heritage Hall.
• Hurricane Valley Christmas Tree Lighting. Community Center Park, 63 S. 100 West in Hurricane, 6 p.m. The listing promises free hot cocoa and doughnuts, Santa, carriage rides and a live Nativity.

Households that miss all three get another chance that Friday. La Verkin holds its "L" and tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. on Dec. 4.

Indoor Festivals at the Dixie Convention Center

Two indoor holiday festivals share one building at 1835 Convention Center Drive in St. George, two weeks apart. Both are good answers for a windy or rainy night.

Jubilee of Trees, Nov. 18 to 21

Intermountain Health Foundation's fundraiser for St. George Regional Hospital fills the hall with decorated trees and wreaths that are auctioned off, plus live local entertainment. It has run since 1981, and the foundation says the previous year's event raised $1.5 million. Public hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Friday closes at 2 p.m. for the gala dinner. Admission is ticketed. The foundation's page did not show a general admission price when it was checked, but it does offer a printable coloring page that gets one child, ages 2 to 17, in free at the box office.

Dickens' Christmas Festival, Dec. 2 to 5

The festival turns the hall into a Victorian London street of costumed merchants and handpicked vendors, Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The organizer lists 2026 admission at $12 for adults and $10 for seniors 65 and older and children 5 to 12. Children 4 and under are free, and a four-day pass sold on site costs $20.

Small-Town Celebrations East of St. George

La Verkin Winterfest, Dec. 4 and 5

La Verkin packs a full festival into two days around 111 S. Main St. Friday runs 5 to 8:30 p.m. and opens with the "L" and tree lighting. Saturday opens at 11 a.m. with vendors and a winter carnival, live Nativity programs at 1:30 and 4 p.m., a light parade down the length of Main Street at 6 p.m., a concert at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks from the La Verkin Overlook at about 7 p.m.

In the festival's schedule and road closure notice, the organizers warn that there is no street parking on Main Street or 100 South from 12:30 p.m. Friday through Saturday, and that cars left on the parade route between 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday will be towed. They also ask residents to bring pets inside before the fireworks.

Hurricane Valley Christmas Tree Festival, Dec. 10 to 12

Hurricane's community center hosts decorated trees for auction, nativity displays, Christmas trains, a bake sale, vendors and live entertainment, starting at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10. Proceeds go to the Hurricane Police Department's Shop with a Cop program.

What Was Not Confirmed for 2026

Two events that locals may expect are missing from the table because no 2026 date could be verified with the organizer at the time of writing, Nov. 11:

• Cedar City's downtown lighting ceremony, which was held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2025.
• Christmas at The Farm in Hurricane. The farm's website says holiday bookings are open and online only, but it showed no dates on its home page.

The Greater Zion tourism office keeps a running events calendar on its website, where late additions tend to show up.

Tips for Tickets, Weather and Parking

1. Buy the limited tickets first. North Pole Express is advance purchase only. Everything else on the list can be decided the same day.
2. Bring small bills or a card to the free events. Tuacahn's grounds cost nothing, but the train and the Live Nativity are paid separately, and the Town Square carousel charges its normal fare.
3. Dress for the desert after dark. St. George afternoons in December can feel mild, but every event here except the two convention center festivals is outdoors and at night. The site's guide to winter in St. George explains what the season is like.
4. Check the day of the week. Tuacahn's listing shows no Sunday nights, and North Pole Express runs only on select Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Red Hills Desert Garden is the only display listed for every night.
5. Arrive early on Nov. 30 and Dec. 5. Tree lightings draw a crowd into a few downtown blocks, and La Verkin closes its parade route to parking hours ahead.
6. Pair stops by location. Red Hills Desert Garden, Town Square and Thunder Junction are all in St. George. Tuacahn is its own trip to Ivins. La Verkin and Hurricane sit next to each other on the east side of the county.

Getting to Know the Towns Behind the Lights

Holiday events are a useful way to see how a town works when residents turn out. A tree lighting shows the downtown, the parking and how long the drive home takes in the dark. That is worth something to anyone thinking about a move to the area.

The three largest markets on this list differ more than their short distances suggest. The median sale price is $502,500 in St. George, $540,000 in Washington and $536,900 in Hurricane, and homes take a median of 40 days, 50 days and 74 days to sell. Those figures come from the latest full month of MLS data and update automatically. Listings for every town named here are searchable at Best Utah Real Estate.

Homeowners planning their own display can start with the guide to the best time to hang Christmas lights.

Sources: City of St. George, Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office event listings, Intermountain Health Foundation, Dickens' Christmas Festival, La Verkin Winterfest, Hurricane City Recreation, KSL events, The Salt Lake Tribune.