Christmas in Las Vegas 2026: holiday shows, light displays, and what is actually open
By the ThingsVegas Editorial Team | Published 2026-10-21 | Last reviewed October 2026
Las Vegas does Christmas the way it does everything else: bigger, brighter, and open all night. December brings a free holiday display at the Bellagio Conservatory that runs around the clock, two purpose-built Christmas residencies, The Nutcracker at The Smith Center, a city-wide light season, and the National Finals Rodeo packing the first half of the month. It also brings the cheapest hotel stretch of the year, if you time it right. This guide covers the confirmed 2026 dates, the shows worth booking, where to stay, and what is actually open on Christmas Day, which falls on Friday, December 25, 2026.
The headline display: Bellagio Conservatory
The one thing every Christmas visitor should see is the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens holiday display, which runs November 14, 2026 through January 2, 2027. It is free, it is open 24 hours a day, and it stays up straight through Christmas Day and into New Year's week. One planning note: the Conservatory closes November 8-13, 2026 for the changeover from the fall display, so if your trip starts early in November, schedule this for the end of your stay. Staying at Bellagio itself makes the display a lobby walk; check Bellagio rates on Expedia if you want to build the trip around it.
Christmas light displays around the city
- Enchant Christmas: the walk-through light maze and Christmas market opens November 20, 2026. It is the biggest dedicated light experience in the city and the easiest sell for families and couples alike.
- Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden: a decorated cactus garden strung with lights in Henderson, unlike anything else on this list. Santa photos run through December 23, and the garden is closed on Christmas Day.
- Opportunity Village Magical Forest: a long-running Las Vegas holiday tradition with rides, lights, and Santa visits through Christmas Eve. Also closed on Christmas Day.
- Glittering Lights: the drive-through display at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with a Santa Tram offered as a separate ticket if you would rather ride than drive.
- Las Vegas Christmas Light Tour: prefer to let someone else drive? This guided tour covers the city's displays in about 1 hour 45 minutes with pickup offered. Check the Las Vegas Christmas Light Tour on Viator
Holiday shows worth booking
December is stacked with one-off and short-run holiday programming on top of the year-round residencies. The confirmed 2026 lineup:
| Show | Venue | 2026 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Stirling: Snow Waltz | Venetian Theatre | Dec 16, 18, 19 (7 PM) |
| Barry Manilow: A Very Barry Christmas | Westgate | Dec 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 |
| The Nutcracker (Nevada Ballet Theatre) | The Smith Center | Dec 12-27 |
| Las Vegas Philharmonic: A Very Vegas Christmas | The Smith Center | Dec 5-6 |
| Eagles | Sphere | Dec 4, 5, 11, 12 |
| Clay Aiken: A Joyful Noise | Harrah's Showroom | Dec 23 |
| Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays | BleauLive Theater, Fontainebleau | Dec 29 |
| Backstreet Boys: Into the Millennium | Sphere | Dec 26, 27 (then New Year's Eve) |
Lindsey Stirling is the season's headline holiday booking: three nights of her Snow Waltz Christmas show at the Venetian Theatre, each at 7 PM, with tickets starting at $65 plus fees and VIP packages that include a meet-and-greet. Prices last checked: October 21, 2026. The Venetian puts you mid-Strip for the rest of the light season; check Venetian rates on Expedia.
Barry Manilow plays the longest holiday run in town: nine December dates of A Very Barry Christmas at Westgate, split across three weekends (December 3-5, 10-12, and 17-19). Westgate sits just off the Strip on the Monorail line, which makes it an easy in-and-out on busy nights.
The Nutcracker is the classic pick. Nevada Ballet Theatre performs George Balanchine's production at The Smith Center from December 12-27, with 2 PM and 7:30 PM performances, and the Las Vegas Philharmonic plays live for the December 12-13 performances. The Philharmonic also has its own holiday program, A Very Vegas Christmas, at The Smith Center on December 5-6.
For families: The Magic of Christmas Show at the Las Vegas Magic Theater is a Christmas-themed magic show downtown, runs about 1 hour 10 minutes, is built for all ages, and includes beverages and popcorn. Check The Magic of Christmas Show on Viator and see current pricing
The year-round Cirque du Soleil productions (O, Mystere, KA) also continue through December with extra performances around Christmas and New Year's. Browse the full calendar in our best shows in Las Vegas guide, or browse Las Vegas shows on Viator.
NFR week: December 3-12
The first half of December belongs to the rodeo. The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo runs December 3-12, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center, ten nights of performances starting at 5:45 PM, in its 41st year in Las Vegas with a record purse of over $14.2 million. The companion Cowboy Christmas gift show runs the same dates at the Las Vegas Convention Center South Halls, 9 AM to 4 PM daily, with free admission and more than 375 exhibitors selling western wear, boots, jewelry, and art. NFR week also stacks the concert calendar with country headliners across the resorts. What it means for a Christmas trip: hotels are full and prices are up until December 12, then the city exhales into the cheapest stretch of the year.
Where to stay in December
Timing beats location in December. December 13-23 is one of the cheapest stretches of the entire Vegas year, with low rates and thin crowds. Before December 12 you are competing with the rodeo, and from December 26 the city builds daily toward New Year's Eve, the most expensive night of the year (our New Year's Eve in Las Vegas guide covers that end of the calendar).
- Bellagio: the Conservatory is in the lobby, and the fountains wear the season well. Check Bellagio rates on Expedia
- Venetian: home of the Lindsey Stirling shows and some of the most decorated public spaces on the Strip. Check Venetian rates on Expedia
- Wynn: the most polished holiday decor on the north Strip. Check Wynn rates on Expedia
- Caesars Palace: dead center of the Strip, an easy walk to the Conservatory and most holiday programming. Check Caesars Palace rates on Expedia
- Fontainebleau: the newest luxury option, home of Derek Hough's holiday show on December 29. Check Fontainebleau rates on Expedia
Christmas Day: what is open
Almost everything. The casinos never close, most restaurants, bars, and big production shows run normally on December 25, many with special holiday menus, and the Bellagio Conservatory stays open around the clock, free. Christmas dinner is a real occasion here, so book it by mid-December rather than walking in. The exceptions to know: the Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden and the Magical Forest are closed on Christmas Day, outlet malls generally run reduced hours, and some headliners take December 24-25 off, so confirm your specific show before you build Christmas night around it. Crowds stay light until December 26, when the build toward New Year's begins.
December weather
Expect daytime highs of 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit early in the month, sliding to the mid-50s by Christmas, with overnight lows around 39-40 and a handful of nights at or below freezing. Rain is rare and daylight is short. Pack a genuine jacket for evenings on the Strip. For actual snow, Mount Charleston is about 45 minutes northwest of the city and has a small ski area, an easy half-day escape from the neon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Las Vegas open on Christmas Day?
Yes. Las Vegas never really closes. On Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026, the casinos, most restaurants and bars, and the big production shows run as normal, and the Bellagio Conservatory holiday display stays open 24 hours, free. A few off-Strip attractions keep reduced hours or close for the day, including the Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden and Opportunity Village's Magical Forest, and some headliners take December 24-25 off, so check your specific show before you plan around it.
When is the Bellagio Conservatory Christmas display in 2026?
The Bellagio Conservatory holiday display runs November 14, 2026 through January 2, 2027. It is free and open 24 hours a day. The Conservatory closes November 8-13, 2026 for the changeover from the fall display, so plan your visit for November 14 or later.
What is the best Christmas show in Las Vegas in 2026?
For a purpose-built holiday production, Lindsey Stirling's Snow Waltz at the Venetian Theatre (December 16, 18, and 19) and Barry Manilow's A Very Barry Christmas at Westgate (nine December dates) are the headline picks. For a classic, Nevada Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker at The Smith Center runs December 12-27. Families with younger kids should look at The Magic of Christmas Show at the Las Vegas Magic Theater.
Is December a cheap time to visit Las Vegas?
Partly. The stretch from December 13-23 is one of the cheapest of the entire Vegas year, with low room rates and thin crowds. The exceptions are the first half of the month, when the National Finals Rodeo fills the city December 3-12, and the run from December 26 into New Year's Eve, when prices climb every day. If your dates are flexible, the week before Christmas is the value window.
What is the weather like in Las Vegas at Christmas?
Expect daytime highs in the mid to upper 50s Fahrenheit, falling to the mid-50s by late December, and overnight lows around 39-40 degrees, with a handful of nights at or below freezing. Rain is rare. Pack a real jacket for the evenings. If you want actual snow, Mount Charleston, about 45 minutes northwest of the city, has it, along with a small ski area.
When is the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in 2026?
The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo runs December 3-12, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center, with performances at 5:45 PM nightly. The Cowboy Christmas gift show runs the same dates at the Las Vegas Convention Center South Halls, 9 AM to 4 PM daily, with free admission. Hotels fill up and western wear takes over the Strip for those ten days.
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