Christmas Lights 2026

Christmas Lights 2026 will run in four-day blocks from Friday 4 to Monday 21 December 2026.  
 
The event dates are:  

Week 1: Fri 4 - Mon 7 December 

Week 2: Fri 11 - Mon 14 December 

Week 3: Fri 18 - Mon 21 December

Christmas Lights takes place at MOTAT Great North Road under the big Christmas tree, te rākau Kirihimete nui. The entry is via Gate D on Stadium Road, Western Springs.  

Note: No activity will take place at our Motions Road (Aviation Hall) location. No tram service will run from the Aviation Hall, Motions Road Corner, nor Zoo stops during the event. 

Tickets are $10 for adults and seniors, $5 for children (aged 5-15), and even though under 5s are free they still need a booked ticket. Tickets can be purchased here.     

Note: Gifted General Admission passes (including family passes) or purchasing a General Admission ticket to the museum does not entitle you to entry to the event. You need a Christmas Lights ticket valid for the date of your night visit.  

Gates open at 8pm and close at 11pm. The last admission time is 10:45pm.

Car parking in the surrounding area is limited at this popular event. We recommend planning in advance and using other modes of travel. 
 
There is limited parking along Great North Road, with the closest at 790 Great North Road to the right of the Caltex service station. The Western Springs Outer Fields are not to be used for private vehicle parking.    

Please bear in mind, that there are certain nights that will be particularly busy due to neighbouring events. Make sure to plan your trip in advance as there will be increased traffic which may delay your journey. 

There are 155 car parking spaces at MOTAT Aviation Hall on Motions Road and is a 20-25 minute walk through the Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Ōrea Park to Stadium Road. No tram service will run between the locations. 

Other parking can be found on Motions Road in the areas near Auckland Zoo. 

For pedestrian safety, Stadium Road will be closed for the event. There will be no parking for the public. Mobility parking can be booked in advance and is on a first-come, first-served basis, for those with a valid mobility parking permit. 

Events at MOTAT are very rarely cancelled and go-ahead rain or shine. For updates, please check your email that’s registered to your ticket. You can check our website, follow our Facebook account @MOTATNZ or Instagram MOTAT.NZ for updates as well. 

Many of MOTAT’s public spaces are accessible, but as we are an operational museum spread over a large area with varying terrain, unfortunately not all areas are suitable for wheelchair access. The outdoor areas have small sections of tram lines to navigate which are wheelchair accessible with the help of another person.   

MOTAT has a small number of wheelchairs on site for public use, please talk to our friendly MOTAT team at the information tent inside the entry gate. 

Please email us ahead of time if you need support or assistance with accessibility, this information can be linked to your tickets to ensure your evening runs smoothly.   

Accessible toilet facilities and locations are shown on the map.  

Visitors who are sensitive to light and sound may wish to wear tinted glasses and/or headphones. We also 100% support using earmuffs for visitors who need to reduce sound overall.    

Immunocompromised people can be assured that the MOTAT Team support the use of face masks, and our cleaning team will ensure in-depth cleaning takes place.  

If you would like help with access, please communicate this information to our friendly trained team who can help you to get the most from your experience. We do have a dedicated accessible entry gate.  
 
MOTAT recognises users of the Hāpai Access card.    

Strollers cannot be carried on trams at this time of year, due to a high volume of passengers, safety and space constraints. We do operate a secure stroller check in at the Information Tent inside the entry gate and encourage visitors to use this. There will be short-term stroller parking available closer to the trams, however, we take no responsibility for the safety of your belongings. The alternative is to nominate a member of your group to stay with your belongings. Refer to our terms and conditions for the fine print. 

Yes, a range of food and non-alcoholic beverages will be available from food trucks catering for a variety of dietary requirements. If you have specific food requirements, you are welcome to bring your own kai too. Drinking fountains around the venue are also available.  

Food and drink cannot be consumed on MOTAT heritage trams. 

This is an alcohol-free event. To foster a safe community atmosphere, there is no alcohol for sale or allowed through the gates at Christmas Lights.  

MOTAT is a smokefree venue, so vaping or smoking of any kind is also not part of the Christmas Lights experience. 

Yes, you are welcome to bring along kai to eat at Christmas Lights.   

There will also be local food vendors inside the venue where you can buy food and non-alcoholic drinks between 8pm-11pm, and plenty of places to sit and eat.  

Food and drink cannot be consumed on MOTAT heritage trams.

Only service dogs are welcome at MOTAT. No dogs or other pets or animals are permitted.

Yes of course! We would love to put on your Christmas best and get involved. Feel free to come dressed however you feel most comfortable; many of our team will be in costumes. 

Please note that the ground at MOTAT can be uneven and the weather unpredictable, so we recommend a sturdy choice of footwear.   

Christmas Lights does not currently have a quiet, low-sensory hour.

If you or your loved ones need respite from the noise, sights, smells and stimulation we have a low-sensory space set up in Willow Cottage every night.  

The last hour is the best lighting experience once nightfall has settled in and the crowds have tapered off a little.   

Weeknights and early in the season tend to be less busy, so these are a good choice if you want to avoid the crowds.   

The nature of this event means there are bright lights, loud noises and big crowds that can overwhelm young or sensitive children.  

At opening time (8pm), our collection operators will sound their horns and whistles. We recommend wearing ear defenders or covering ears just before 8pm until they stop.  

Loud noises from operating collections, big crowds, food trucks, and live entertainment may also happen on schedule or unexpectedly throughout the night.  

If this is of concern, please bring along your own pair of ear defenders. If you want to borrow a pair on the night, please talk to our friendly MOTAT team at the information tent inside the entry gate.  

Unfortunately, bright lights and big crowds are unavoidable. This is why we have set up a low-sensory space in Willow Cottage for anyone who needs to take a break.   

If you need assistance, please approach any of our friendly MOTAT team. 

Yes, strollers/prams are permitted at this event. However, you won’t be able to take it on the tram ride or into smaller capacity spaces. While practical, they can create a health and safety risk and will reduce the capacity which adds to wait times and impacts the experience for others. 

We recommend using a baby carrier, sling or backpack while attending this event with young children. You may find these more suitable for navigating the busy crowds as well. 

We operate a secure stroller check in at the Information Tent inside the entry gate and encourage visitors to use this for larger strollers/prams/trolleys. 

There will be short-term stroller parking available closer to the trams, however, we take no responsibility for the safety of your belongings. Refer to our terms and conditions for the fine print. The alternative is to nominate a member of your group to stay with your belongings. 

If you have any questions relating to booking tickets for Christmas Lights, please email us at tickets@motat.org.nz. 

We will respond to queries between 10am and 3pm Monday - Sunday. 

Mates can access their Christmas Lights tickets via their my.motat account, at my.motat.nz/account/login. Even if you are a Mate, if Christmas Lights is sold out and you have not secured Christmas Lights tickets for your chosen date, you will not be admitted entry. So, make sure you confirm your tickets early.  

Purchasing a MOTAT Mates membership over November-December does not in and of itself entitle you entry to this event, especially if event tickets are already sold out.   

Login to your my.motat account, accessible on the MOTAT.NZ website. If you need support with logging in, please email our Mates Team at tickets@motat.org.nz and they will get back to you within 48 hours.  

If your membership has expired, no fear! You can renew it via this website or by coming into one of our two shops at Great North Road or the Aviation Hall.   

Even if you are a Mate, if Christmas Lights is sold out and you have not secured Christmas Lights for your chosen date, you will not be admitted entry. So, make sure you confirm your tickets early. 

The free entry offer for Mates is for one visit only. Mates will be allocated one ticket for each person on their membership. If you wish to come for multiple nights, you will need to pay for additional tickets. 

Car parking in the surrounding area is limited at this popular event. We recommend planning in advance and using other modes of travel. 
 
There is limited parking along Great North Road, with the closest at 790 Great North Road to the right of the Caltex service station. The Western Springs Outer Fields are not to be used for private vehicle parking.    

Please bear in mind, that there are certain nights that will be particularly busy due to neighbouring events. Make sure to plan your trip in advance as there will be increased traffic which may delay your journey. 

There are 155 car parking spaces at MOTAT Aviation Hall on Motions Road and is a 20-25 minute walk through the Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Ōrea Park to Stadium Road. No tram service will run between the locations. 

Other parking can be found on Motions Road in the areas near Auckland Zoo. 

For pedestrian safety, Stadium Road will be closed for the event. There will be no parking for the public. Mobility parking can be booked in advance and is on a first-come, first-served basis, for those with a valid mobility parking permit. 

There is often high demand for mobility parking at Christmas Lights, so it's best to check your parking options early, and allow yourself plenty of time to get to MOTAT Great North Road. 

We have a limited number of nearby carparks designated specifically for mobility pass holders. These spaces are free but must be pre-booked, and they fill up quickly. Spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis and can be reserved once you have your event ticket. 

Once you have purchased your tickets, the easiest way to request to book a mobility parking spot is by emailing us at enquiries@motat.org.nz with the below details: 

First Name:  
Surname:  
Phone Number:  
Car Registration Number:  
Mobility Card Pass Number: 
Event:  
Date of Event (as shown on your ticket):  
Any extra information: 

We will email you within 48 hours as soon as we have confirmed your mobility parking spot reservation. 

If all of our mobility parks are fully allocated, you will be able to drop off members of your group at Stadium Road, but you’ll need to park elsewhere as this is a drop off/pick up bay only. 

For any enquiries, please contact us via email, well before your event date. 

Normal bus fares will apply. We expect buses and trains will be running their usual timetable and fares during Christmas Lights, see AT Journey Planner for more information.  We do recommend choosing these sustainable travel modes.

You can catch any rideshare service to Christmas Lights, however, if possible, it will be best to set your drop-off point further away from our entrance to avoid waiting in traffic. For people who need to be dropped closer, rideshares may drop off passengers at the turnaround bay on Stadium Road. This is a drop-off point only, and drivers will be asked to move along. 

Trams will not be running for this event. 

Trams will run only as short entertainment rides during this year's Christmas Lights. They are not available as transport from MOTAT Aviation Hall to MOTAT Great North Road. If you park at MOTAT Aviation Hall, you will need to make your own way to the Christmas Lights entrance on Stadium Road. 

You can cycle or scoot to Christmas Lights, but you will need to lock up your transport as you cannot ride your wheels onsite during the event.

Options include: 

Securing your ride with the bike valet service run by Bike Auckland. This service is available every night from 7:30pm-11pm, located on Stadium Road. This valet service is free and secure for riders on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

There are 10 Locky Dock stations available on Stadium Road to securely park bicycles, but please note that the entry line may hamper access at times. 

For smaller wheels, you can also utilise the stroller check in at the Information Tent inside the entry gate. 

Depending on availability, we may be able to help. Please contact the MOTAT team by email enquiries@motat.org.nz with your request ahead of your chosen night. 

If you or someone else is injured, please alert a MOTAT Team Member or go to the Information Tent at the event entry gate and request first aid assistance. 

If you or someone in your group is lost, please alert a MOTAT Team Member or go to the Information Tent at the event entry gate, on your right as you enter. We recommend telling your friends or whānau to go to this point if they get separated for any reason, so we can help reunite you quickly.

Your child can approach any MOTAT Team member to ask for help. All team members are trained on what to do and will take any lost children to the Information Tent to wait to reunite with their caring adult. 

MOTAT does its best to reduce the chances of antisocial behaviour by creating a calm and happy environment. On the off-chance this does happen, we will have mental health first-aiders and security on-site to de-escalate and keep the persons involved and the rest of the visitors safe.  

Vaping and smoking are not permitted anywhere on MOTAT grounds.   

The event is alcohol free.  

MOTAT does not encourage hawkers or street vendors outside our gates at the Christmas Lights experience. We have carefully selected and screened our event vendors onsite to ensure your experience is a positive and safe one. 

With several scanners and help desks on the night, MOTAT has significantly reduced wait times at the entry gate from previous years.   

Once a safe capacity on site has been reached, we may pause entry briefly until we can ensure safe movement is maintained at any one time. If you have a valid ticket for that night, you will be allowed entry, but we ask for your patience and understanding if we ask you to wait a short time as we manage attendance numbers.   

Please be kind to our team at the entrance gate, we are working to keep event attendees safe and make sure you all have an enjoyable experience.   

We do ask our visitors to watch their tamariki (children) and exercise a safety-first mindset with any queues that run parallel to tram lines or a busy main road (Great North Road). 

Please contact the MOTAT team by email enquiries@motat.org.nz with details of your lost item and they will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively, call MOTAT on 09 815 5800 between 8.30am - 5pm. 

All tickets are non-refundable, and date exchanges cannot be given. Please select your tickets and dates carefully at the time of booking. See the event terms and conditions for all information. 

There are no door sales at Christmas Lights. Please do not turn up without a ticket, you will not be allowed to enter the event unless you have a valid ticket for that date.

We will not be checking names on tickets at the gate. The best way to give your tickets to someone else is to forward your ticket confirmation email with the QR code attached to their email address. Alternatively, you can also print the tickets and physically give them to the person you want to pass them on to.   

Once the ticket has been used, it is no longer valid for re-entry. Speak to our team on the ground if you need a pass out of the gate to re-enter.