Fiesta of Lights Hastings: Tickets, Dates for 2025-26
For 27 years, Tōmoana Showgrounds has transformed into a starlit garden of colour every December — and the Fiesta of Lights in Hastings remains Hawke’s Bay’s most accessible family light trail at just $7 per person. Here is everything you need to plan your visit.
Dates: 13 Dec 2025 – 4 Jan 2026 · Tickets: $7 general admission · Location: Tōmoana Showgrounds, Hastings · Hours: 9pm–11pm nightly · Edition: 27th annual
Quick snapshot
The official Fiesta of Lights site confirms the key facts, pricing, and entry logistics for the 27th annual Hastings Christmas light festival.
- 27th annual Hastings Christmas light festival (Fiesta of Lights Official Site)
- Takes place nightly 9pm–11pm, rain or shine (Fiesta of Lights Official Site)
- Entry fee $7 adults, under 3 free (Fiesta of Lights Official Site)
- Exact fireworks timing on regular nights
- Whether a 2026 edition will mirror 2025 programme
- Opens 13 Dec 2025 → daily to 4 Jan 2026 → NYE celebration 31 Dec 2025 → next edition likely 12 Dec 2026 (Fiesta of Lights Official Site)
- 2026 edition confirmed for 12 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027, including Christmas Day (Fiesta of Lights Official Site)
The event basics, pricing structure, and access details are well documented across the official Fiesta of Lights site and event listings.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name | Fiesta of Lights |
| Location | Tōmoana Showgrounds, Hastings |
| Dates 2025–26 | 13 Dec 2025 – 4 Jan 2026 |
| Hours | 9pm–11pm nightly |
| Tickets | $7 adults, under 3 free |
| Entry Gates | Gate 3 Kenilworth Rd, Gate 4 Karamu Rd/SH51 |
| Parking | Free on-site (Gate 3 & Gate 4) |
| Payment at gate | Cash, eftpos, paywave, credit cards — no surcharges |
Fiesta of Lights Hastings tickets
Getting a spot at the Fiesta of Lights is refreshingly straightforward, with options to book ahead or pay on the gate.
Ticket prices
General admission costs $7 per person. Children under 3 enter free, making it an affordable evening out for families with toddlers. The official Fiesta of Lights website notes that gate sales accept cash, eftpos, paywave and credit cards with no surcharges, so you will not face any unexpected fees on arrival (Fiesta of Lights Official Site).
How to buy
Online tickets are recommended, though not strictly required. The venue asks visitors to screenshot their confirmation and keep it on their phone rather than printing a physical copy (Fiesta of Lights Official Site). Booking ahead means you can head straight to the entry gate on the night without queuing for a ticket. Bookings open from 8.30pm each evening, with the main lights countdown beginning at 9pm.
Age policies
The event welcomes all ages. Under-3s go free, and there is no upper age limit. The light trail is designed as a family experience, with enough variety to hold the attention of younger children while older visitors can take their time wandering the illuminated displays.
At $7 per head with under-3s free, the Fiesta of Lights costs a family of four roughly $28 — a fraction of what a comparable amusement park or cinema outing would charge for the same time window.
Fiesta of Lights Hastings 2026
The 2025–26 season runs from mid-December through early January, and the next edition is already confirmed for late 2026.
Confirmed dates
This season opens on Saturday 13 December 2025 and runs every night through Sunday 4 January 2026. The official Fiesta of Lights site confirms that the event operates rain or shine, with late summer darkness allowing the lights to shine from 9pm to 11pm each evening (Fiesta of Lights Official Site).
Looking ahead, the next edition is already scheduled for Saturday 12 December 2026 through Sunday 3 January 2027, including Christmas Day (Fiesta of Lights Official Site). The venue appears to be setting up the Fiesta of Lights as a dependable annual tradition rather than a one-off event.
Schedule changes
While the standard nightly schedule is 9pm to 11pm, New Year’s Eve follows a slightly different format. On Thursday 31 December 2025, the event runs its annual New Year’s Eve programme, which typically extends the evening’s activities and draws a larger crowd (Fiesta of Lights Official Site).
Tomoana Showgrounds Fiesta of Lights Hastings
The Fiesta of Lights has called Tōmoana Showgrounds home for nearly three decades. The large, open setting gives the light displays room to breathe, but it also means a few logistics to sort before you arrive.
Venue details
The venue is Tōmoana Showgrounds in Hastings, a purpose-built event space that handles the festival’s size comfortably. Toilets are available at the entry gate and next to the Glow in the Dark zone inside the Exhibition Hall (Fiesta of Lights Official Site). The ground is largely flat grass, which is manageable for prams and wheelchairs but can get muddy in summer thunderstorms.
Parking and entry
Free parking is available on-site via two gates: Gate 3 on Kenilworth Road and Gate 4 on Karamu Road (SH51). There is no need to book parking in advance for regular nights — just turn up from 8.30pm onwards (Fiesta of Lights Official Site).
The entry protocol on normal nights is simple: arrive any time from 8.30pm, join the 9pm countdown when the lights come on, and stay as long as you like within the 9pm–11pm window.
New Year’s Eve specifics
The one exception is New Year’s Eve. On 31 December 2025, parking is restricted to online ticket holders only at Gate 1, Kenilworth Road. Those with online tickets should park behind the grandstand and exit via Gate 13, Elwood Road (Fiesta of Lights Official Site). If you plan to ring in the new year at the Fiesta, buy your ticket online before the event — gate sales for NYE are not available.
The NYE ticketing rule is the one situation where spontaneous gate sales are unavailable. If the new year is your target date, lock in your booking early — the event draws its largest crowd of the season that night.
Fiesta of Lights fireworks
Light displays are the star of the show, but fireworks and special programming add extra draw on certain nights.
Fireworks schedule
The Fiesta of Lights official site confirms a New Year’s Eve programme on 31 December 2025 that typically includes a fireworks display as part of the midnight celebration. The schedule for fireworks on regular nights is less clearly documented — visitors checking the official Facebook page for the latest updates before each visit is the most reliable approach (Fiesta of Lights Official Site).
New Year’s Eve
The NYE programme is the biggest single night of the Fiesta calendar. Because parking is restricted to pre-booked ticket holders only, the event can manage crowd numbers without the overflow issues that sometimes affect smaller Hawke’s Bay events on New Year’s Eve.
Christmas lights Hastings
While Hastings has a handful of residential Christmas light displays worth driving past, the Fiesta of Lights is the organised, purpose-built option for visitors who want a dedicated trail of illuminated installations under the stars.
Light trail features
The Fiesta of Lights is described by the official site as a “magical light trail under the stars” — a curated pathway through illuminated displays rather than a street-by-street crawl. The Tōmoana Showgrounds setting allows for larger installations than you would see in residential areas, including tunnels, themed zones and interactive elements like the Glow in the Dark area in the Exhibition Hall.
Family experience
The event is consistently marketed as family-friendly, with pricing that makes it accessible for households on a budget. The 9pm start time suits families with school-age children who can stay up late during the summer holidays, and the two-hour window gives plenty of time to wander without rushing. The flat terrain of the showgrounds is generally manageable for prams and young children.
The Fiesta of Lights trades the scale of larger city Christmas light festivals for Hawke’s Bay intimacy — fewer crowds, easier parking and a local event you can visit on a whim rather than booking weeks ahead.
Fiesta of Lights Hastings timeline
Two editions of the Fiesta of Lights are confirmed in the public record — the current 27th annual and the already-scheduled 28th edition.
Key dates span the 2025–26 season through to the start of the 2026–27 season, with the New Year’s Eve programme marking the busiest single night each year.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 13 Dec 2025 | 27th annual opens at 9pm |
| Daily to 4 Jan 2026 | Light trail runs nightly 9pm–11pm |
| 31 Dec 2025 | New Year’s Eve programme — fireworks, NYE ticketing required |
| 4 Jan 2026 | 27th annual closes |
| 12 Dec 2026 | 28th annual opens |
| 3 Jan 2027 | 28th annual closes |
The jump from a 27-year run to a 28th already-confirmed edition signals real staying power for a regional New Zealand light festival — a category where many events are one-off or depend on council goodwill that can shift between election cycles.
What we know and what we do not
Confirmed
- Dates, ticket prices, hours and gate locations from the official Fiesta of Lights website
- Free parking at Gate 3 and Gate 4 on regular nights
- NYE parking restricted to online ticket holders at Gate 1
- Under-3s free admission policy
- No surcharges on card payments at the gate
- Next edition confirmed for 12 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027
Unclear
- Specific fireworks timing on non-NYE nights
- Whether the 2026 programme will introduce new light installations or repeat prior designs
- Whether dog-friendly policies differ from standard showgrounds rules
What they say
Open rain or shine from 9pm to 11pm nightly due to late summer darkness.
— Fiesta of Lights Official Site
Check Facebook page for latest updates on Fiesta of Lights.
— Fiesta of Lights Official Site
The pattern that emerges from the official Fiesta of Lights site is clear: this is a low-friction, low-cost event designed to be accessible to Hastings families without the advance planning required by larger festivals. The only night where advance booking genuinely matters is New Year’s Eve.
Related reading: Kerikeri Half Marathon 2025: Dates, Route, Entry Info
pgparks.com, thelightsfest.com, nightlightsevent.com, rockthecountry.com, ticketsource.com, prairieloft.org, skiddle.com
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Fiesta of Lights Hastings start?
Gates open from 8.30pm each evening. The main lights countdown happens at 9pm, and the event runs until 11pm. Arrive any time within that window — there is no hard cut-off once you are inside.
Is parking free at Fiesta of Lights?
Yes. Free parking is available on-site via Gate 3 (Kenilworth Road) and Gate 4 (Karamu Road/SH51) on regular nights. Note that New Year’s Eve (31 Dec 2025) requires an online ticket for parking — gate sales do not include NYE parking access.
Can I bring food to Fiesta of Lights?
Standard showgrounds policy applies — food and non-alcoholic beverages are generally permitted. Visitors should check the official Fiesta of Lights Facebook page for the most current guidance before each visit.
Are dogs allowed at Fiesta of Lights Hastings?
The showgrounds setting means leashed, well-behaved dogs are likely permitted on grassed areas, but specific pet policies are not prominently documented on the official site. Confirm by checking the Fiesta of Lights Facebook page or contacting the event organiser directly before bringing your dog.
What happens if it rains?
The Fiesta of Lights runs rain or shine, using late summer darkness to create the light display effect. Wet grass is the main consideration — wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for the grounds to be muddy after heavy rain.
How long is the light trail?
The trail loops through the showgrounds and typically takes 30–60 minutes to walk at a leisurely pace, depending on how long you spend at each display. With a two-hour window (9pm–11pm), there is no need to rush.
Any accessibility features?
The showgrounds terrain is largely flat grass, which is manageable for wheelchairs and prams, though it can be uneven in places and muddy after rain. Toilets are available at the entry gate and next to the Glow in the Dark zone inside the Exhibition Hall.
For Hawke’s Bay families, the Fiesta of Lights has survived 27 years by staying simple and affordable. The implication is straightforward: this is not trying to be a Auckland or Wellington-scale light festival with fireworks every night and carnival rides. It is a local field of lights, priced for a regional budget, open for six weeks each summer. That is precisely what makes it worth attending — and worth planning your trip around the specific dates and gate rules that keep it running smoothly.
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