Jefferson Candlelight Tour of Homes 2026: Dates, Tickets and the Thanksgiving Deadline

If you have lived in East Texas long, somebody has probably told you to go see Jefferson at Christmas.

This year is the 44th Jefferson Candlelight Tour of Homes, and there is one date worth putting on your calendar right now: Thanksgiving. That is when the advance ticket price ends.

Here is what the people who run it have posted, so you can plan it once and enjoy it.

Who puts it on

The tour is a fundraiser. The Historic Jefferson Foundation produces, hosts and directs it. The foundation describes itself as a group of over one hundred citizens dedicated to preserving the history of Jefferson and Marion County.

That matters. When you buy a ticket, you are helping a small town in Marion County keep its old homes standing and its story told.

Dates and times

The tour runs the first two weekends of December, according to the official tour site:

• Thursday, Dec. 3: 3 pm to 7 pm
• Friday, Dec. 4: 4 pm to 8 pm
• Saturday, Dec. 5: 4 pm to 8 pm
• Thursday, Dec. 10: 3 pm to 7 pm
• Friday, Dec. 11: 4 pm to 8 pm
• Saturday, Dec. 12: 4 pm to 8 pm

Your ticket is good for any tour date, and you can see the homes in any order.

Tickets, and the Thanksgiving deadline

Adult ticket price, 2026 Candlelight Tour

Source: Jefferson Candlelight Tour of Homes, Ticket Info ↗

A few things the ticket page asks you to know:

• No tickets are mailed and there is no will call. Print or screenshot your receipt and bring it to any tour home or the headquarters to get your printed tickets.
• Headquarters is the Port Jefferson Outpost at 220 N. Polk St. in Jefferson. It opens two hours before the tour starts each day, and there is extra parking at the corner of Polk and Henderson.
• Tickets are not refundable, because the event is a fundraiser for the foundation.
• At the event, you can also buy tickets at any tour home, cash only.

What you will see

The 2026 tour homes are four historic properties in Jefferson: the Dotson-King House, the Beard House, the Schluter House and the Old Mulberry Inn. The tour site says the Schluter House was built between 1850 and 1856 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Volunteer docents take guests through in small groups.

There is also a free stop. The Enchanted Forest at Lions Park, 502 E. Jefferson Street, has 115 decorated and lighted Christmas trees, put up by individuals, families, businesses and organizations in support of the Jefferson Lions Club. No charge.

Plan it so it is a good night

The tour's own FAQ gives some honest advice:

• Plan about 30 minutes per home and about 15 minutes between homes.
• Saturday nights are busiest. Lines to get into a home can run 15 to 30 minutes.
• Not every home is fully accessible. The FAQ says some homes are more accessible than others. If you are bringing a grandparent with a walker or a wheelchair, call ahead using the contact page.

A way to serve while you go

This is a good one to share with somebody.

Think about the widow at church, the neighbor who does not drive at night anymore, or the veteran down the road who has not been out much this year. Kids 12 and under are free. Offer a ride. Buy one extra advance ticket before Thanksgiving and give it away.

Jefferson keeps its history alive because a hundred or so people decided it was worth the work. We can at least show up.