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The biggest Christmas lights show in Sussex County, NJ is the drive-through Christmas Light Show at Skylands Stadium in Augusta, open on select nights from Saturday, Nov. 21, through Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2026. Around it, the county lights up with the Festival of Lights in Newton on Saturday, Nov. 14, plus tree lightings, a lantern-lit German Christmas Market and a few smaller glowing evenings our team rounded up below.
Every date, time and price on this page comes from the organizer’s own website. If you are planning a whole season of holiday outings, start with our Christmas events in Sussex County NJ guide, then come back here for the lights.
Christmas Lights in Sussex County at a Glance
- What: Drive-through light show, hospital tree lighting with fireworks, village and camp tree lightings, and a German Christmas Market open after dark
- Where: Augusta, Newton, Lafayette and Stillwater
- When: Nov. 14 through Dec. 30, 2026
- Cost: Skylands Stadium light show $29 per carload standard or $79 VIP; Skylands Christmas Village free to enter; German Christmas Market $10 for adults
- Main link: Skylands Stadium Light Show and Christmas Village
1. Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show and Village, Augusta
The Skylands Stadium Light Show and Christmas Village at 94 Championship Place in Augusta is the one Sussex County families circle on the calendar. The stadium describes a mile-long drive-through with more than two million lights, and the drive itself takes about 30 minutes. You stay in your car for the lights, which makes it an easy outing with toddlers, grandparents or anyone who would rather not stand in the cold.
2026 Light Show Dates
The show is not open every night. The stadium’s official 2026 schedule lists these dates:
- November: Saturday, Nov. 21, and Sunday, Nov. 22, then Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, Nov. 27, through Sunday, Nov. 29
- Early December: Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, and Thursday, Dec. 10, through Sunday, Dec. 13
- Holiday stretch: Tuesday, Dec. 15, through Wednesday, Dec. 23
- After Christmas: Saturday, Dec. 26, through Wednesday, Dec. 30
The calendar shows the show dark on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, along with the other unlisted nights.
Tickets
- Standard: $29 per carload, single entry, reserved for a set date and time slot
- VIP: $79 per carload, single entry, with express lane access, entry on any operating date and time with no reservation, and two holiday novelty toys
- Parking: Free
Tickets must be bought online in advance. The stadium’s ticket system only shows dates and time slots that are still available, so if the night you want is missing, it has sold out. Exchanges to another date are possible at least 72 hours ahead for a $2 per ticket fee by calling 973-383-7644.
The Christmas Village
Entry to the Christmas Village is free and needs no ticket. The stadium lists holiday vendors, a walk-through light tunnel, photos with Santa (schedule to be announced), s’mores over a fire pit, hot cocoa and coffee, ice cream and a Winter Beer Garden for adults, plus dinner and drinks at The Barnyard restaurant on site. Food and Santa photos cost extra. The stadium suggests planning at least two hours if you want to do both the drive and the village. The event runs in all weather, and only service animals are allowed.
For the full rundown, see our Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show 2026 guide.
2. Festival of Lights at Newton Medical Center (Nov. 14)
The season’s first big glow happens on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, when the C. Edward McCracken Festival of Lights returns to Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center at 175 High Street in Newton. Presented by the Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center Foundation, the evening runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m.:
- 4:30 p.m.: Community reception
- 5:30 p.m.: Tree lighting and fireworks
The foundation calls it a festive, heartwarming event where the hospital community gathers to usher in the holiday season. Registration and ways to honor loved ones are on the event page. Our Festival of Lights 2026 guide covers this year’s honorees and where to eat in Newton afterward.
3. Town Tree Lightings Around the County
Tree lightings are the most neighborly way to see Christmas lights in Sussex County, and they bring whole towns out together. Our tree lighting guide for Sussex County NJ collects the town ceremonies as dates are confirmed. Two that fall right in the light show season:
Christmas Village Tree Lighting, Lafayette (Nov. 28)
On Saturday, Nov. 28, The Shoppes at Lafayette, 75 Route 15, hosts its Christmas Village and Small Business Saturday celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Shoppes’ events calendar lists photos with Santa from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and the lighting at 5 p.m., with local vendors, food, a cocktail garden and live music through the day. Our Lafayette Christmas Village 2026 post has the details.
Fairview Lake YMCA Tree Lighting, Stillwater (Dec. 4)
Fairview Lake YMCA Camps holds its annual holiday tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. The camp promises festive songs, a seasonal craft, indoor camp activities and a visit from St. Nick, a cozy small-scale alternative to the bigger crowds.
4. German Christmas Market After Dark, Augusta (Dec. 4 to 6)
The German Christmas Market of NJ marks its 25th market at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, 37 Plains Road in Augusta, from Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $10 for ages 13 and up, $7 for seniors 65 and up, and free for veterans with ID and children 12 and under.
It is not a light show, but the Friday and Saturday evening hours let you walk the wooden huts after sunset, when the market glows. The fairgrounds sit a few minutes from Skylands Stadium, and the light show is open all three of those nights, so a market afternoon followed by a drive through the lights makes a full holiday evening. Read more in our German Christmas Market NJ 2026 guide.
How to Plan a Christmas Lights Night
- Book Skylands first. December weekends are the busiest nights, so reserve your time slot as soon as you pick a date.
- Weeknights are calmer. The Dec. 15 to 23 stretch includes Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, which tend to be easier for families with flexible schedules.
- Stack your outings. Nov. 28 pairs the morning Newton Holiday Parade with the Lafayette lighting at 5 p.m. and a light show slot that night.
- Add Santa. Santa is part of the Skylands village and the Lafayette Christmas Village, and our where to see Santa in Sussex County guide lists more visits.
- Grab the tree on the way. Several farms in our Christmas tree farms in Sussex County guide are close to Augusta and Lafayette.
A tip from our team: before you pull into the Skylands drive-through, dim your dashboard, wipe the inside of the windows, and switch the radio to holiday music. Kids in the back seat see far more of the lights, and the half hour feels like its own little show.
Coming from out of town? Our hotels in Sussex County NJ guide makes it easy to turn a light show night into a weekend, and our Christmas markets in Sussex County guide fills the daytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best drive-through Christmas light show in Sussex County, NJ?
The Skylands Stadium Christmas Light Show at 94 Championship Place in Augusta is the county’s drive-through display, a mile-long route with more than two million lights, open on select nights from Nov. 21 through Dec. 30, 2026.
How much are Skylands Stadium light show tickets in 2026?
Standard tickets are $29 per carload for a reserved date and time slot. VIP tickets are $79 per carload and include express lane access, entry on any operating date and time, and two holiday novelty toys. Parking is free, and the Christmas Village is free to enter.
Is the Skylands light show open on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve?
No. The 2026 schedule skips Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Dec. 31. The last nights after Christmas are Saturday, Dec. 26, through Wednesday, Dec. 30.
When is the Festival of Lights in Newton?
The Festival of Lights at Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center is Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, with a community reception at 4:30 p.m. and the tree lighting and fireworks at 5:30 p.m.
Are there free Christmas lights events in Sussex County?
Yes. The Skylands Christmas Village is free to walk in with no ticket needed, and the Lafayette Christmas Village lighting on Nov. 28 and the Fairview Lake YMCA tree lighting on Dec. 4 list no admission fee on their event pages.
Primary Sources
Dates, prices and times come from the Skylands Stadium Light Show page and its 2026 schedule, the Atlantic Health Festival of Lights event page, The Shoppes at Lafayette, the Fairview Lake YMCA Camps community events page and the German Christmas Market of NJ.
Featured photo: Skylands Stadium via skylandsstadium.com.
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