Las Vegas Holiday Season 2026: Thanksgiving to New Year's

The Las Vegas holiday season runs from Thanksgiving weekend to the first days of January. Casinos, most resort restaurants and most shows keep going through every holiday, the light displays open in November, and the season ends with fireworks over the Strip at midnight on New Year's Eve. This guide covers the whole stretch: what's on, what's open, and how to plan around the busiest and most expensive dates.

How the dates in this guide work: this guide was checked on September 27, 2026. We give a 2026 date only when the organizer has published it. Several regular events, including the resort displays, ice rinks and Fremont Street's holiday program, had not announced their 2026 plans yet. Look again in November, when most schedules are confirmed.

Key Dates for the 2026 Season

For the full list of Christmas lights, concerts and events, with hours and prices, see our Christmas in Las Vegas guide.

Thanksgiving in Las Vegas

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. It is one of the busiest weekends of the fall, so book your room, flights and any holiday meal early.

• Holiday meals: many resort restaurants and buffets serve a Thanksgiving menu at a set price. Menus and prices are usually posted only a few weeks before the holiday, so check the restaurant's own page and reserve as soon as bookings open. Our holiday buffets guide covers the buffets that are open.
• Shows: resident shows generally keep performing over the holiday weekend, but some go dark on Thanksgiving Day or change their times. Check the show's own calendar for your dates.
• After dinner: Ethel M's cactus garden lights are already on by Thanksgiving (5–10 p.m. nightly in November), and Magical Forest opens the next day, Friday, November 27.
• Black Friday: the malls and outlets run holiday hours over the weekend. Hours change year to year, so check each center's website.

Lights and Resort Displays

Most of the season's light shows are off the Strip, so you'll need a car or rideshare. The resort displays are free to walk through.

• Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden Lights (Henderson): November 5, 2026 to January 3, 2027, closed Christmas Day. Entry is $3 per person; children under 2 and seniors 65+ are free.
• Magical Forest (Opportunity Village, west of the Strip): a holiday park with a lights path, the Forest Express train, rides, mini golf and Santa. Tickets are date-specific for 2026; prices had not been published when this guide was checked.
• Glittering Lights (Las Vegas Motor Speedway): a drive-through light show. Its 2026 dates had not been announced; the 2025–26 season ran from early November to early January.
• Bellagio Conservatory: Bellagio's botanical garden changes its display with the seasons and has a holiday display in winter. It is free to visit. Bellagio's site blocks our automated checks, so confirm the dates there.
• The Venetian and The Palazzo: The Venetian's Christmas page describes a large gold snowflake tree surrounded by giant golden snowflakes in the Waterfall Atrium at The Palazzo.
• Fremont Street Experience: downtown decorates under its LED canopy each year, and entry to the street is free on normal nights. The 2026 program had not been announced.

A free evening on the Strip: walk between the resorts in the center of the Strip, from the Bellagio Conservatory north to the Palazzo atrium, and stop for the Fountains of Bellagio on the way. It's about a mile and a half; allow a couple of hours with stops.

Ice rinks are seasonal and announce late. See our ice skating guide for what was confirmed when it was last checked.

Hanukkah

In 2026, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends on Saturday, December 12, so the first candle falls on the eve of Shabbat.

• Chabad of Southern Nevada: the Las Vegas branch of Chabad-Lubavitch, based at 1261 Arville Street. Chabad centers around the valley usually hold public menorah lightings during the holiday; locations and times change each year, so check chabadlv.org in late November.
• Temple Beth Sholom: a Conservative congregation in Summerlin with a full calendar of services and events. Visitors should check its website for Hanukkah programming and service times.
• Kosher food: kosher restaurants in Las Vegas are off the Strip and open and close fairly often. Confirm current supervision and hours before you go, and ask your hotel in advance if you need a kosher meal delivered.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday. Las Vegas doesn't close: casinos on the Strip and downtown stay open around the clock, and resort restaurants serve holiday meals. Many other places do change their hours.

• Closed on December 25: Ethel M's cactus garden (open 5–8 p.m. on Christmas Eve) and Magical Forest.
• Holiday meals: book Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners as soon as reservations open, and confirm the price and seating times with the restaurant.
• Shows: some resident shows take dark days around Christmas; Mystère at Treasure Island, for example, lists a dark date on December 22, 2026. See our holiday shows guide.
• Shops, pharmacies and attractions: off-Strip stores often close or open late on Christmas Day, and museums and attractions change their hours. Pick up what you need on the 24th.
• Church services: churches across the valley hold Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services; check the parish or church website for times.

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is the busiest night of the season on the Strip, and the one that needs the most planning.

• Fireworks: the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority lists America's Party on December 31, 2026 as free. It describes an eight-minute show by Fireworks by Grucci, launched at midnight from ten hotel-casinos along the Strip: MGM Grand, ARIA, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, The Venetian, The STRAT, Resorts World, Palms and Fontainebleau.
• Fremont Street: the downtown party is a ticketed, 21-and-over event. The most recent party listed tickets at $65 including taxes; the 2026 details had not been posted.
• Roads and transit: the Strip gets extremely crowded, and Clark County and the RTC announce road closures and transit changes in December. Expect to walk.
• Rooms: Strip hotels for December 31 book up and price up early, and many require a minimum stay. Reserve as soon as your plans are firm.

For parties, clubs, dinners and where to watch, see our New Year's Eve guide.

What's Open on the Holidays

Public transit runs on the holidays, but the RTC can change schedules for them and for New Year's Eve. Check rtcsnv.com for the dates you're traveling.

Keeping Costs Down

Hotel rates across the season depend heavily on the date. The weekends around Thanksgiving, Christmas and above all New Year's Eve are the most expensive, while the weekdays of early and mid-December are usually the quietest part of the season.

• Move your dates. Visiting between Thanksgiving weekend and mid-December gets you the lights and decorations without the Christmas and New Year's crowds. Compare a few date ranges before you book.
• Stay downtown or off the Strip. Downtown hotels such as Circa, Golden Nugget and The D, and off-Strip resorts, usually cost less than the central Strip. Our hotel pages list each property's typical seasonal rates and fees.
• Budget for fees. Most Strip resorts add a nightly resort fee, and many charge for parking. Check both before you compare prices.
• Use the free things. The resort displays, the Bellagio Conservatory and fountains, and Fremont Street on a normal night cost nothing. Ethel M's lights are $3.
• Pick one big meal. Holiday set menus are priced above normal menus. Book one special dinner and eat casually the rest of the trip.
• Book shows early. Holiday weeks sell out first, especially weekend evenings. Buy from the show's own box office or site.

Planning Tips

• Pack for cold evenings. Days are mild in November and December, but nights get cold and most light displays are outdoors. Check the forecast before you leave.
• Plan around the fixed dates. The Nutcracker, the Santa Run and the light displays run on set dates; build the trip around the ones you care about most.
• Rent a car for the lights. Ethel M (Henderson), Magical Forest (west Las Vegas) and Glittering Lights (the Motor Speedway, north-east) are all well off the Strip.
• Check again in November. Resort displays, ice rinks and downtown events announce their dates late.

Visiting outside the holidays too? See our Las Vegas winter guide.