Winter Lights runs 20 November to 3 January. Saver nights are from £11.50, the week before Christmas is Premium from £20.50. Every date band and what's on.
The Alnwick Garden’s Winter Lights trail returns from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, and this year one ticket covers both the Garden’s light trail and the lights around Lilidorei next door. The price depends only on the date: a quiet Monday in late November costs from £11.50, a night in the week before Christmas from £20.50.
The quick answer
- Dates: 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, evenings from 4.30pm.
- Prices: Saver from £11.50, Standard from £18, Premium from £20.50. It is the same show on every date.
- Cheapest nights: Mondays to Wednesdays in late November and early December, and 2 and 3 January.
Which nights cost what
From the Garden’s Winter Lights booking page:
| Band | From | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Saver | £11.50 | 23 to 25 Nov; 30 Nov; 1, 2 Dec; 7 to 10 Dec; 2, 3 Jan |
| Standard | £18.00 | 20 to 22 Nov; 27 to 29 Nov; 4 to 6 Dec; 14 to 17 Dec; 26 to 31 Dec; 1 Jan |
| Premium | £20.50 | 11 to 13 Dec; 18 to 24 Dec |
The Garden says the difference between the tickets “are simply the dates”. Your ticket carries an entry time for the Garden trail; Lilidorei can be visited any time after 4.30pm, before or after that slot. The events listing gives the evening as 4.30pm to 9pm. Three nights appear in no band: Thursday 26 November, Thursday 3 December and Christmas Day.
Dogs are not allowed at Winter Lights, apart from assistance dogs.
Daytime at Christmas: A Lilidorei Christmas
In the day, A Lilidorei Christmas runs from 16 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, 10am to 3pm. Until 18 December it opens Thursday to Sunday only; from 19 December to 3 January it opens every day. It has a forest of 1,500 Christmas trees, a trail to find eight giant nutcrackers, elves, a new story from the Storyteller Elf and a £1 craft in the Elf Workshop. A day ticket covers Lilidorei and the Garden.
Father Christmas, fairs and markets at the Garden
- Meet Father Christmas at Lilidorei, 20 November to 24 December, £26.50 to £38 per child by date. Full dates are on our Santa grottos page.
- The Alnwick Garden Christmas Fair, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, 10.30am to 3.30pm, in The Pavilion. Free, no Garden ticket needed.
- Festive Alnwick Markets, indoors in The Pavilion on 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20 December, 10am to 3pm. Free. The market has moved there from the Market Place because of building work at Bailiffgate Museum.
- Festive afternoon tea (19 November to 28 December) and a festive menu at The Treehouse (18 November to 31 December), both listed on the Garden’s what’s on page.
Getting there
The Garden’s postcode for sat navs is NE66 3RA, which it says gives the right A1 turn-off; follow the brown signs from there. The admin address is Greenwell Road, Alnwick, NE66 1HB, and the phone number is 01665 511350. Town car parks and disc rules are on our parking page.
Frequently asked questions
When is Alnwick Garden Winter Lights 2026?
From Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, in the evenings from 4.30pm.
How much are Winter Lights tickets?
From £11.50 on saver dates, £18 on standard dates and £20.50 on premium dates. The Garden says the show is the same on every date; only the price changes.
Does a Winter Lights ticket include Lilidorei?
Yes. This year one ticket covers the Garden’s light trail and the lights around Lilidorei. You can go into Lilidorei any time after 4.30pm, before or after your Garden slot.
Can I take my dog to Winter Lights?
No. Dogs are not allowed at Winter Lights, apart from assistance dogs.
Is Winter Lights on Christmas Day?
No Christmas Day date appears in the Garden’s price bands, and nor do Thursday 26 November or Thursday 3 December.
Still to be confirmed
- Whether the trail opens on 26 November, 3 December or Christmas Day, none of which is listed.
- Full ticket prices: the Garden quotes only “from” prices for each band.
Alnwick’s own switch-on and the other towns’ lights are on the Christmas lights page, and Northumberland’s other markets on the Christmas markets page.
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