Quick Summary
Christmas in Branson, Missouri runs from late October 2026 into the first days of January 2027. Dolly Parton’s Stampede begins its daily Christmas show on October 29, An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City opens on November 7, and the Adoration Parade runs through downtown Branson on Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 5 p.m. Silver Dollar City is closed on December 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 24 and 25, so check the park calendar before fixing your dates. VacationStar stays of at least three nights include two free tickets to a select list of over 40 shows and attractions, with restrictions that apply.
Last Updated: October 2026
Table of Contents
When Does Christmas Start in Branson in 2026?
What Is New at Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas in 2026?
Which Christmas Shows and Dinner Cruises Run in Branson This Year?
Where Can You See Christmas Lights From Your Car Near Branson?
Which Community Christmas Events Happen in Branson in 2026?
What Else Fits Into a Branson Christmas Trip?
Where Should You Stay for Christmas in Branson in 2026?
Frequently Asked Questions
A Branson Christmas trip in 2026 can combine four things: An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City, a Christmas show or holiday cruise, a drive-thru light display and a community event such as the Adoration Parade. VacationStar adds two free tickets to a select list of over 40 shows and attractions when you stay three nights or more (restrictions apply), and its lake condos and lodges are one option for a trip that includes a Showboat Branson Belle cruise on Table Rock Lake.
Every date in this guide was checked on the operator’s own website in October 2026. Pair the events below with a Branson vacation rental and a December trip can mix evening light displays with Christmas shows and the Christkindlmarkt.
When Does Christmas Start in Branson in 2026?
Branson’s 2026 Christmas season starts on October 29, when Dolly Parton’s Stampede begins its daily Christmas show, and builds through November as the light displays open. Lights of Joy opens November 1, the Trail of Lights and the Showboat Christmas cruise follow on November 6, and Silver Dollar City lights up on November 7, 2026.
The table lists the main Branson Christmas events by start date, with the dates and prices each operator publishes. Where an operator prints no year, the dates are shown as the operator lists them for the current season.
Event | Season dates | Where | Listed price |
|---|---|---|---|
Dolly Parton’s Stampede Christmas Show | Daily, October 29 through January 3 | 1525 W 76 Country Blvd | Ticketed |
Lights of Joy drive-thru | Nightly, November 1 to January 3, 5 to 11 p.m. | Branson | $30 per car Tuesday to Sunday, $25 most Mondays, tax included |
Sight & Sound, Miracle of Christmas | November 3 to December 31, 2026 | Branson | Ticketed |
Christmas Show cruise, Showboat Branson Belle | November 6 to December 23, 2026 | 4800 Historic State Hwy. 165 | Ticketed |
The Trail of Lights, Shepherd of the Hills | November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027 | Shepherd of the Hills | $30 to $35 per carload |
An Old Time Christmas, Silver Dollar City | November 7, 2026 to January 2, 2027 (closed some days, see below) | Silver Dollar City | Park ticket |
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Branson Landing | Listed for November 7 on the Landing events calendar | Branson Landing | See the Landing calendar |
THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride | Select dates, November 12 to January 2 | Departs downtown Branson | $39 to $94 plus tax by class and date |
Branson Christkindlmarkt | November 27 to 29 and December 3 to 6, 10 to 13 and 17 to 23, 2026 | 4562 Gretna Road | Free admission |
Santa’s Pancakes & PJs, Showboat Branson Belle | December 5 to December 23, 2026 | 4800 Historic State Hwy. 165 | Ticketed |
Adoration Parade | Sunday, December 6, 2026, 5 p.m. | Convention Center south lot to Branson Landing Boulevard | Not listed |
Prices can change, so check with each attraction to confirm the price before you go.
What Is New at Silver Dollar City’s An Old Time Christmas in 2026?
Silver Dollar City lists a new Stars, Lights & Christmas Nights Parade for its 2026 festival, which it describes as double in length, with new floats, characters and costumes. An Old Time Christmas runs from November 7, 2026 to January 2, 2027 at Silver Dollar City in Branson.
Silver Dollar City says the festival features over 6.5 million lights, and the park quotes The Travel Channel calling it “The Most Illuminated Park On Earth.” Joy On Town Square stars an 8-story animated tree synchronized with music and lights, Christmas In Midtown adds 1.5 million lights on towering structures and light tunnels, and the Grand Fir in the Plaza is a real tree lit in a Rockefeller-style ceremony. The park also bills itself as an 8-time winner of America’s Best Holiday Event.
Plan around the days the park is closed. The Silver Dollar City 2026 operating calendar shows these December patterns:
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, December 1 and 2, December 8 and 9, and December 15 and 16
Closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25
Open every day from December 17 to 23 and from December 26 to 31, with December 31 hours of 1 to 9 p.m.
Merry Mondays: a one-day visit on November 9, 16, 23 or 30 is listed at $79 plus tax
Prices can change, so check with Silver Dollar City to confirm the ticket price before you go.
Which Christmas Shows and Dinner Cruises Run in Branson This Year?
Three Christmas productions with published dates are the Dolly Parton’s Stampede Christmas Show from October 29, Sight & Sound’s Miracle of Christmas from November 3 to December 31, 2026, and the Christmas Show cruise aboard the Showboat Branson Belle on Table Rock Lake from November 6 to December 23, 2026.
Dolly Parton’s Stampede, 1525 W 76 Country Blvd. The Christmas show includes horse-riding stunts and a holiday feast, plus special segments such as Elegance on Ice, the Magic of Toys and a live Nativity scene, with 32 horses, a North Pole and South Pole rivalry, and an appearance by Santa Claus in his horse-drawn sleigh. Shows run daily October 29 through January 3.
Showboat Branson Belle, 4800 Historic State Hwy. 165. Silver Dollar City’s Showboat sails its Christmas Show from November 6 to December 23, 2026, and Santa’s Pancakes & PJs, which the park calls fun for the whole family, runs from December 5 to December 23, 2026. The Showboat accepts only electronic payments such as debit cards, credit cards and mobile payments.
Sight & Sound Theatres. Miracle of Christmas plays in Branson from November 3 to December 31, 2026.
For more Christmas shows, Branson Show Tickets has a guide to the best Branson Christmas shows of 2026. The current show and attraction specials include a Popular Shows Package covering more than 30 Branson shows and entertainment attractions.
Where Can You See Christmas Lights From Your Car Near Branson?
Two drive-thru light displays run through the Branson Christmas season: Lights of Joy, open every night from November 1 to January 3, and the Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills, open from November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027. Both price by the vehicle rather than by the person.
Lights of Joy runs from 5 to 11 p.m. nightly and lists its price at $30 per car Tuesday to Sunday and $25 on most Mondays, tax included. The Trail of Lights lists $30 to $35 per carload, with the price varying. Lights of Joy says one price covers everyone in your vehicle. There is more on both in our guide to the best drive-thru Christmas lights in Branson.
Prices can change, so check with each light display to confirm the price before you go.
Which Community Christmas Events Happen in Branson in 2026?
Outside the theaters and parks, Branson’s 2026 Christmas calendar includes the Branson Christkindlmarkt, a European-style market with free admission on 18 market days from November 27 to December 23, and the Adoration Parade on Sunday, December 6, 2026, which the Branson Chamber calls Branson’s longest running annual tradition.
Branson Landing Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. The Branson Landing events calendar lists the ceremony for November 7.
Branson Christkindlmarkt, 4562 Gretna Road, just off the Branson Strip. The market opens Friday, November 27 at 4 p.m. and runs November 27 to 29 and December 3 to 6, 10 to 13 and 17 to 23, 2026. Admission and parking are free, and the market offers free tickets to help it manage traffic.
Adoration Parade. The parade starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 6, 2026 in the Branson Convention Center south parking lot, runs through Historic Downtown Branson and finishes along Branson Landing Boulevard.
Our guide to visiting Branson in December has more on the month.
What Else Fits Into a Branson Christmas Trip?
Two more Branson stops round out a Christmas trip: THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride from downtown Branson, which runs on select dates from November 12 to January 2, and the Titanic Museum Attraction on 76 Country Blvd, which is open daily with seasonal hours and takes about an hour and a half to two hours to tour.
The Branson Scenic Railway lists Polar Express seats from $39 to $94 plus tax depending on class and date, and says tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so book it early. There is more on the ride in our Polar Express in Branson guide.
Prices can change, so check with the Branson Scenic Railway to confirm the price before you go.
The Titanic Museum Attraction at 3235 W 76 Country Blvd and Highway 165 is open daily, though hours are seasonal and capacity is limited, and reservations are required to secure a preferred date and time. Before you pack, read up on whether it snows in Branson at Christmas, and the wider list of year-round Branson attractions fills any free afternoon.
Where Should You Stay for Christmas in Branson in 2026?
Book your Christmas rental early and choose a base that suits the events you plan to see. VacationStar rents cabins, golf condos, lake condos, lodges and townhouses in Branson, and a stay of three nights or more includes two free tickets to a select list of over 40 shows and attractions, with restrictions that apply.
Groups who want a cabin can start with the cabins in Branson, and the Branson rentals search lets you search by arrival and departure dates, guests and features such as a hot tub.
Our advice on when to book Branson for Christmas 2026 covers timing, and the Branson vacation planner walks through choosing a rental, picking activities and locking in the lowest price guarantee, and lists a BOGO50 offer on over 20 shows and attractions while it lasts.
Please note: the prices in this guide are estimates taken from each operator’s own website in October 2026. They can change with your dates, seat class and vehicle, so confirm current prices with each operator before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silver Dollar City open on Christmas Day 2026?
No. The 2026 Silver Dollar City operating calendar shows the park closed on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, 2026, and open again on Saturday, December 26.
What time is the Adoration Parade in Branson in 2026?
The Branson Chamber lists the Adoration Parade for Sunday, December 6, 2026 at 5:00 p.m., starting in the Branson Convention Center south parking lot and finishing along Branson Landing Boulevard.
Is the Branson Christkindlmarkt free to visit?
Yes. Admission to the Branson Christkindlmarkt at 4562 Gretna Road is free on all 2026 market days, which run November 27 to 29 and December 3 to 6, 10 to 13 and 17 to 23.
How late in the season can you see Christmas lights in Branson?
Lights of Joy runs through January 3, while the Trail of Lights at Shepherd of the Hills and An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City both run through January 2, 2027.
When should you book the Polar Express in Branson?
Book as early as you can. The Branson Scenic Railway runs THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride on select dates from November 12 to January 2 and says tickets are expected to sell out quickly.
Do Branson vacation rentals come with show tickets?
Stays of at least three nights with VacationStar include two free tickets to a select list of over 40 shows and attractions, with restrictions that apply.
Ready to plan your Branson Christmas? Check dates across cabins, condos and lodges, send us your Christmas dates, or call (877) 495-4991 to plan your stay. VacationStar provides a lowest price guarantee on all of its products, and stays of three nights or more come with two free tickets to a select list of over 40 shows and attractions (restrictions apply).