Marshall Wonderland of Lights 2026: Dates, Hours and Special Events
Ryan Nichols shares the official 2026 Wonderland of Lights dates, hours and special events in downtown Marshall, plus tips for East Texas families.
By Ryan Nichols
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Every year around Thanksgiving, downtown Marshall lights up.
Wonderland of Lights is one of the best things East Texas does for families, and the 2026 dates are out. Here is what the official Visit Marshall Texas Wonderland of Lights 2026 page says, so you can plan before the calendar fills up.
What it is
According to Visit Marshall's Annual Events page, Wonderland of Lights is a festival conceived nearly 35 years ago. It fills downtown Marshall with millions of twinkling lights on the Historic 1901 Courthouse, plus carriage rides, an ice rink, Santa's Village, train rides and weekend events all season.
The City of Marshall's own home page points visitors to Visit Marshall Texas for events like this one.
The special events
The 2026 page lists these, all marked subject to change:
- Outdoor Christmas Market on Main Street: Saturday, November 21, 9:00 am
- Courthouse Lighting Ceremony: Wednesday, November 25, 5:45 pm
- Wassail Walk on Main Street: Saturday, November 28, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
- Tigers on Ice: Sunday, November 29, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
- Wonderland at the Museum: Friday, December 4, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
- Christmas Parade: Saturday, December 5, 6:00 pm
- Christmas Car Show: Saturday, December 12, 5:00 to 9:00 pm
The same page says tickets are on sale and links to where to buy them.
How to make it a good night
A few plain tips for families:
- Check the page before you drive. The site says plainly that all times can change with weather. A quick look saves a wasted trip.
- Pick your night. Saturdays and Sundays open at 4:00 pm, which works better for little ones. Thursdays and Fridays start at 6:00 pm.
- Thanksgiving week is a natural fit. The lighting is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the Wassail Walk is that Saturday. If family is in town, that is a full weekend.
- Dress for the evening. Downtown after dark in late November can turn cold fast.
Bring somebody along
Here is the part I hope you will do.
Think of one person who would love to see those lights and probably will not get there on their own. A widow from church. An older veteran down the road. A single mom working doubles. A neighbor who does not drive at night anymore.
Offer them a seat in your truck.
The lights are beautiful. Seeing them with somebody who thought they were going to spend the season alone is better.
Sharing this is the biggest help. Put it in front of one more person.
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