The Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa 34th Annual
Festival of Lights
Switch-on Ceremony: Saturday, November 21, 2026 | Duration: Sunday, November 22 - December 31, 2026
Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas Day
Located in Downtown Riverside’s Arts and Culture District, the 2026 Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Festival of Lights returns this holiday season with a classic holiday look featuring warm lights illuminating trees along Main Street and festive red bows adorning downtown light poles. Enjoy millions of holiday lights at The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa (opens in a new tab) and experience the magic of the holiday season throughout downtown Riverside. New this year, Candy Land at Albert S. White Park offers a festive, ticketed holiday experience for visitors to enjoy.
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Switch-on Ceremony
November 21, 2026
Celebrate Festival of Lights with a performance by Gavin DeGraw, live entertainment, Santa and fireworks!
- Ceremony
- Arrive by 4:30 p.m.
Starts at 5:00 p.m.
Things to do
There are plenty of things to do at the Festival of Lights. Join us for live music, good eats and more!
Thursday–Sunday, 5PM–10PM
Located on Main St. between Mission Inn Ave. & University Ave. (opens in a new tab)
3737 Main St. #103a, Riverside, CA 92501 (opens in a new tab)
Open 5PM–10PM during Festival of Lights
Main St. between 6th St. and University Ave. (opens in a new tab)
Community Entertainment performs at the Benjamin Franklin Stage (opens in a new tab) at Main and Ninth Streets.
Entertainment begins on Friday, November 27, 2026.
Ticketed holiday experience at Albert S. White Park
November 27 – December 27, 2026 | Thurs–Sun
Candy Landat Albert S. White Park
Albert S. White Park
3936 Chestnut St., Riverside, CA 92501 (opens in a new tab)
November 27 – December 27, 2026 | Thurs–Sun
Closed Christmas Day
Candy Land is a ticketed Festival of Lights experience at Albert S. White Park featuring an immersive Holiday Light Maze, illuminated Holiday Photo Trail, local food and artisan vendors, wine, hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and interactive holiday experiences for all ages.
Explore the Holiday Games Village with oversized lawn games and holiday-themed activities. The Snowball Arena offers snow-free winter fun with soft snowballs and interactive challenges, while the Snowfall Lounge provides a festive place to relax and enjoy seasonal food and beverages.
The Holiday Art Trail features original illuminated installations commissioned from local artists. The Artisan Marketplace will showcase handcrafted goods from local artists and makers, and the Food & Beverage Area will offer food, wine, hot chocolate, hot apple cider and other seasonal treats.
General Admission
- Thursday, Friday & Sunday: $15
- Saturday: $20
- December 17–27: $20
- Children age 2 and under: Free
Riverside Resident Rate
Riverside residents may purchase admission for $13 on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, a $2 savings from regular admission.
The Riverside resident rate is available at the door with proof of residency. Regular admission pricing applies on Saturdays and December 17–27.
Family 4-Pack
- Thursday, Friday & Sunday: $50 for four admissions — $10 savings
- Saturday and December 17–27: $70 for four admissions — $10 savings
The Family 4-Pack may be used for any combination of four adults and/or children.
Please note: Discounts and packages cannot be combined. Food, beverages and artisan purchases are available separately.
Transportation & Safety
Riverside Transit (opens in a new tab)
Riverside Transit Agency can get you to the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa Festival of Lights without the hassles of traffic or parking.
Parking
Updated event parking information and maps will be posted here when they are available.
Map coming soon
Safety Tips (opens in a new tab)
See safety tips (opens in a new tab) to keep in mind during the Festival of Lights.
Riverside Alert (opens in a new tab)
Riverside Alert (opens in a new tab) is a mass notification service that allows us to alert you in the case of an emergency.
National recognition
Newsweek & USA Today honors
Voting is now underway in USA TODAY 10BEST’s latest set of Readers’ Choice Awards, and we are excited to announce that we have been nominated for two! Remember to vote daily.
Festival of Lights in the Media
Festival of Lights has been the talk of the town; read all about it in the media. All media inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Media
Downtown Businesses
Sponsorship 2026
Interested in being a sponsor? Contact us for more information on packages: [email protected]
Economic Impact
See the Economic Impact of Festival of Lights.
E-mail Updates
Sign up for e-mail updates.
Connect with Us
#RiversideFOL
Connect with us using #RiversideFOL to see all the updates during the event.
