Christmas Lights in NZ 2026: 34 Places in 17 Towns and Cities

What's there

• ★Tree in the middle of the Octagon
• ★Civic lighting-of-the-tree event with a performance
• ★Santa arrives after the tree goes up in November

Getting there and parking

• The Octagon is the city's central plaza, on foot from everywhere in the CBD.

Worth knowing

• A performer's event page lists the 2026 lighting for Saturday 28 November, with the show at 8.30pm - confirm with Dunedin City Council.
• Reported height varies by source (around 10 m).

What's there

• ★Light trail through tree-lined grounds (59 displays in 2022)
• ★Toyland display
• ★Glow-in-the-dark zone in the Exhibition Hall
• ★Open every night including Christmas Day

Getting there and parking

• Free parking at the showgrounds via Gate 3 (Kenilworth Road) or Gate 4 (Karamu Road/SH51). New Year's Eve parking for online ticket holders only, using Gate 1 with exit via Gate 13.

Worth knowing

• Book online or buy at the gate from 8.30pm nightly.
• Cash, EFTPOS, Paywave and credit cards are accepted without a surcharge; tickets can be shown on a screenshot.

What's there

• ★Community-entered home displays across the city
• ★Map and winners listed on What's On Invers

Getting there and parking

• Use the community showcase map; entrants are scattered around the city.

Worth knowing

• Addresses change each year - use the current map.
• A separate Southland Christmas Lights Facebook page also lists the houses.

What's there

• ★Official map for the whole coast
• ★Homes, businesses and events

Getting there and parking

• Use the Visit Kāpiti map for the current address list.

Worth knowing

• Registrations close before the trail opens each year.

What's there

• ★Separate maps for Napier/Taradale and Hastings/Havelock North
• ★Bus tours departing from Napier, Taradale, Hastings and Havelock North

Getting there and parking

• Download the trail map from Tremains; each map covers one pair of towns.

Worth knowing

• Bus-tour tickets are sold on Eventbrite by Tremains.

What's there

• ★Over 70 trees inside the cathedral
• ★Light Up service to open the festival

Getting there and parking

• Nelson Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, at the top of Trafalgar Street.

Worth knowing

• Nelson Bay's Apex Park Christmas trees were lit on Monday 1 December 2025 from 5pm to 9.30pm (Instagram post).

What's there

• ★World-class lighting installations around the park lakes
• ★Live music and whanau-friendly entertainment
• ★Runs for five weeks over the summer holidays
• ★Free entry

Getting there and parking

• Pukekura Park, New Plymouth city centre; check the festival site for parking and shuttle details.

Worth knowing

• The festival starts only a few days before Christmas, so it is not a pre-Christmas option.
• Entertainment line-up is published each year around late November.

What's there

• ★Ten-year community tradition
• ★Light displays all along the street
• ★Families walk or drive past

Getting there and parking

• JFK Drive, Palmerston North; see the display's Facebook page.

Worth knowing

• The 2025 run was short (opening night 15 December and a final-night post around 19-20 December).

What's there

• ★Epic home light displays
• ★Candy cane hunts and Santa appearances
• ★Horse rides in the 12-day programme

Getting there and parking

• Paerata Rise, Pukekohe - drive from Auckland; see the organisers' site for the schedule.

Worth knowing

• The full schedule of events is on paeratarise.co.nz.

What's there

• ★20 properties across the city
• ★Self-guided, in your own car or on foot
• ★Map published on the EVES website

Getting there and parking

• Use the trail map on eves.co.nz/christmaslights.

Worth knowing

• Trail lights are on from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

What's there

• ★Council-listed trail
• ★Extended tour held on 22 December 2025

Getting there and parking

• Use the full list on the Stratford District Council page.

Worth knowing

• An extended tour ran on 22 December 2025.

What's there

• ★Interactive map of decorated homes
• ★Hot-chocolate drive-through launch in Johnsonville

Getting there and parking

• Use the map; drive the northern suburbs loop from Johnsonville.

Worth knowing

• Pick up the map via the Johnsonville Ray White office or its social pages.

What's there

• ★More than 140 listed displays
• ★Matching playlist on 88fm
• ★Totara Parklands display won the 2025 Christmas Lights Challenge

Getting there and parking

• Use the Facebook group's map.

Worth knowing

• Council's Christmas Festival runs 28 November to 25 December 2026.