At 20800 Marine Drive, the lights go up across 15 acres at Warm Beach Camp, and starting November 27 most guests will see them on foot again. This is the event's 30th season. Walking tickets come in six price tiers depending on the night you pick, so a family that books Thanksgiving weekend can pay a lot less than one that goes the weekend before Christmas.
Tickets for the 2026 season are only sold online and in advance, with a set number per hour. Choosing your night is the first decision, and it's worth making before the dates you want sell out.
How a winter event at a camp started on foot
Warm Beach Camp staff came up with a holiday light festival in the summer of 1996, mainly to bring in business during the camp's winter off-season. The Stanwood Camano News history of the event says Opryland's Christmas in the Park was the inspiration. The same paper reports that the first season in 1997 ran six nights and drew more than 20,000 people. According to the camp, it has had more than 1.5 million visitors since then.
For most of that time it was a walk-through. In 2020, as The Everett Herald reported, staff converted it to a drive-through so it could go ahead during COVID-19, and organizers said the drive-through also needed fewer workers during the labor shortage. The Herald also reported that it stayed a drive-through in 2021. The event's own press archive describes the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons as drive-through as well.
That makes the 2026 change a return to the original format. Anyone with children who first saw the lights through a car window may be walking the grounds for the first time.
The new price list, read like a calendar
In 2021, the Herald reported drive-thru prices of $25 per car Sunday through Thursday and $30 on Fridays, Saturdays and during Christmas week. The 2026 walking event goes further, with six date tiers, and the price per person rises as Christmas gets closer.
| Walking dates, 2026 | Adults, 13+ | Children, 3–12 | Two adults + two kids |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 27–29, Fri–Sun | $25 | $16 | $82 |
| Dec 4–6, Fri–Sun | $27 | $18 | $90 |
| Dec 11 and 13, Fri and Sun | $30 | $20 | $100 |
| Dec 12, Sat | $35 | $25 | $120 |
| Dec 18–23, Fri–Wed | $35 | $25 | $120 |
| Dec 26–28, Sat–Mon | $27 | $18 | $90 |
Children under 3 get in free but still need a ticket bought in advance. The camp also sells 9 p.m. walking tickets at a lower rate, with details on the ticketing site.
Three things in this table matter for planning.
Thanksgiving weekend is the cheapest stretch. A family of four pays $82 that weekend and $120 the week before Christmas. That's a $38 difference for the same 15 acres. Because the season opens the day after Thanksgiving, out-of-town guests who are already here can go at the lowest price.
December 12 costs more than the nights around it. Saturday the 12th is priced at the Christmas-week rate, while Friday the 11th and Sunday the 13th are $5 less per adult. Moving one night either way saves money.
The nights after Christmas cost less, and Santa isn't there. December 26 through 28 is back down to $27 for adults. The FAQ says Santa visits run only through December 23, which helps explain the lower price. Families with children who are past the Santa-photo stage can use these nights to see the lights for less.
The three Thursdays that are still drive-thru
The drive-thru continues on three Thursdays: December 3, 10 and 17. It costs $20 per car, SUV or truck carrying one to twelve people, or $40 for a minibus or limo. The camp describes it as a 30-minute ride through the lights.
For a large group in one vehicle, this is the cheapest option of the season. A carload of six on December 17 pays $20 total. Walking that same week would cost $35 for each adult.
You give up a lot for that price. The admission page says the drive-thru has no activity stops. The route runs one way, and there's no parking apart from limited short-term restroom parking at the end. Thursdays work for people who mainly want the displays, for older relatives who would rather stay warm in the car, and for anyone who misses the old format.
What the walking ticket gets you
The walking format comes with the extras the drive-thru doesn't have. The FAQ lists the Christmas Market, Bruce-the-Spruce the talking tree, cookie decorating at Mrs. Claus's Bake Shop run by Merry Little Baker, Frosty, Rudolph and Sprinkles in costume, toy making, a light maze, Penguin Putt, Candy Cane Express rides, the Food Village, photo spots and a prayer room. Santa visits are included in walking admission, and you can take your own photos or buy a professional one. Toy making and Penguin Putt cost extra.
New items for the 30th year include a candy parlour that sells candy by weight, a special anniversary donut at the Food Village, light displays you can only see from the train, an interactive Snowflake Wand, a new location for Santa's Village and a bigger Present Tower. The July announcement also mentions the Joyland performance stage and the large Nativity.
Walking also changes what to wear. You show your QR code to be directed to parking and then walk to admissions. The FAQ says the paths are paved or gravel, some routes can be uneven or muddy, and the walk from parking can be long. Carts may be available in some areas. Waterproof boots will be more useful than holiday shoes.
The official directions give two routes. From the north, take I-5 Exit 212, then Highway 532, 88th Avenue NW and Marine Drive. That's also the natural route from Camano. From the south, take Exit 206 at 172nd Street NE, then Highway 531, which is Lakewood Road, and Marine Drive.
Planning a lights night around the rest of December
The pricing tiers fall on the same weekends as Stanwood's other holiday events, so one evening can cover two of them.
- Saturday, November 21: Camano Center Holiday Craft and Gift Bazaar. It runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 606 Arrowhead Road and features more than 50 crafters, a bake sale and Hay Girl Coffee. Admission is free, according to the event listing. It's the Saturday before the lights open.
- Thanksgiving weekend, November 27–29: opening weekend at the lowest prices. These are the season's least expensive walking nights.
- Saturday, December 5: Light Up Your Holidays. The City of Stanwood calendar lists the tree lighting for 3 p.m. at 8727 271st Street NW. The city's vendor form describes a market tent on 271st Street with 12 vendor spaces, four more spaces in Depot Park and a separate food area. That Saturday is also a $27 walking night at Warm Beach, so you can do the downtown afternoon and the camp in the evening.
- Saturday, December 12: Big Rig Truck Lighted Cruise. The Stanwood Commerce Alliance lists its fourth annual cruise from 5 to 6 p.m., following the car-show route from the east end of Main Street to the west end. This is the same Saturday the lights are priced at the higher rate, so if your family wants both, the cruise on Saturday and the lights on Friday the 11th or Sunday the 13th saves $5 per adult.
The Lights of Christmas is a program of Warm Beach Camp, a nonprofit. Through its Lights of Christmas for All program, it works with churches and nonprofits to provide admission for families who might not otherwise be able to go. Volunteers handle the work from setup through teardown. Tickets, volunteer signups and the latest schedule are on The Lights of Christmas website.
Many of us host family between Thanksgiving and New Year's, and on an island where so much of December revolves around the water, the lights and the downtown events give guests something to do once the sun goes down. If you're thinking about how your home will work for hosting this season, or how it fits into longer-term plans, Julie Love is glad to talk it over. Book a private consultation and valuation whenever it suits you.
