Virginia Beach's Oceanfront lights move to the Virginia Aquarium as a walking Holiday Trail of Lights, Nov. 20 to Jan. 3. Parade date not yet set.

Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. This page is updated each year as dates are announced. Facts come from Beach Events VB, the City of Virginia Beach’s events program, and Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation. Questions: Parks and Recreation special events, 757-385-2990.

The biggest change to the Virginia Beach holidays this year: the Oceanfront light show is moving. After 31 years on the Boardwalk, Virginia Beach Events and the city are replacing it with the walkable Holiday Trail of Lights at the Virginia Aquarium. The Holiday Parade at the Beach date for 2026 had not been announced when we checked; we will add it here as soon as it is.

Holiday Trail of Lights

  • When: Friday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027
  • Where: Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Blvd. Enter from the North Building or the South Building.
  • Tickets: $19 to $22 for adults and $12 to $15 for children, with military family pricing on Monday nights and discounts for Aquarium members. Entry is timed, tickets are limited and they must be bought online.
  • The walk: 1.1 miles round trip, flat and accessible to wheelchairs and scooters, through seven themed areas including a 35-foot-high canopy of lights, a Dickens-style village with carolers and a laser-lit forest.
  • Santa: in the Glowing Grove area, with photos sold on site.
  • Food: concessions in both buildings and along the trail, with limited alcohol for guests 21 and over.

If weather cancels a night, unused tickets can be redeemed for another night of equal or lesser value at the box office.

Holiday Parade at the Beach

The parade fills Atlantic Avenue at the Oceanfront with more than 100 parade units, and Santa makes an appearance, according to its title sponsor, BayPort Credit Union. Watch Beach Events VB for the 2026 date, route and road closures.

Santa at the Oceanfront

Santa’s Seaside Cinema, 31st Street Park, noon to 4 p.m., movies start at 1:30 p.m. Free, with live entertainment, visits with Santa, holiday shopping, a snack and cocoa bar, face painting and balloon art.

  • Saturday, Nov. 21
  • Saturday, Nov. 28
  • Saturday, Dec. 12
  • Saturday, Dec. 19

Fear No Ice, Saturday, Nov. 21, 31st Street Park: ice sculptors work with chain saws and chisels in two 30-minute shows, at 6 and 7 p.m. Free.

Craft bazaar

Santa’s Stocking Old Fashioned Craft Bazaar, now in its 48th year, runs Nov. 14-15 at Princess Anne Recreation Center and Nov. 21-22 at Kempsville Recreation Center, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Admission and parking are free, per Parks and Recreation.

Tree lighting

We have not found a city-announced Christmas tree lighting for 2026 yet. If your neighborhood, church or shopping center is holding one, send us the details.

New Year’s Eve

Last Night on the Town, the free New Year’s Eve celebration at Town Center created by the Central Business District Association, is in its 11th year, with Big Boi headlining, according to Beach Events VB. Paid VIP options are at lastnightonthetown.com.

City services over the holidays

Curbside trash pickup moves from Friday, Dec. 25, to Saturday, Dec. 26, and from Friday, Jan. 1, to Saturday, Jan. 2. City offices close Dec. 24 and 25 and Jan. 1. See our trash and recycling guide.

What this means for you

  • Book Holiday Trail of Lights tickets early; entry is timed and limited.
  • The Boardwalk drive-through lights are gone this year.
  • Check back for the parade date and road closures.

Related: things to do this month, getting around Virginia Beach and parks and trails.

More December events, Santa visits and Hanukkah: holiday lights and Christmas events and New Year’s Eve in Virginia Beach.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Virginia Beach Christmas parade in 2026?

The 2026 date for the Holiday Parade at the Beach had not been announced when we checked on Oct. 18. The parade runs on Atlantic Avenue at the Oceanfront with more than 100 parade units and Santa, according to its sponsor.

Is Holiday Lights at the Beach still on the Boardwalk?

No. After 31 years on the Oceanfront, the light show becomes the walkable Holiday Trail of Lights at the Virginia Aquarium, 717 General Booth Blvd., from Friday, Nov. 20, through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027.

How much are Holiday Trail of Lights tickets?

$19 to $22 for adults and $12 to $15 for children, with military family pricing on Monday nights and discounts for Aquarium members. Tickets are timed and must be bought online.

Where can kids see Santa at the Oceanfront?

At Santa’s Seaside Cinema, 31st Street Park, noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 21, Nov. 28, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, with movies at 1:30 p.m. It is free.