The short version
Laurie is the place to start. The Enchanted Village of Lights at the fairgrounds and the Festival of Lights at the National Shrine of Mary are a couple of miles apart, both free, and both drive-throughs. Go on a weeknight if you can.
Dates marked confirmed come from the organizer for 2026. Everything else shows last year's pattern until this year's dates are posted, and we update this page as they come in.
Light displays
| Display | Where | 2026 dates | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Village of Lights | Laurie Fairgrounds | Confirmed: Nov 20 to Jan 2 | Last year: 5 to 9 p.m., 10 p.m. Fri and Sat | Free, donations welcome |
| Festival of Lights, National Shrine of Mary | Laurie | Nov 26 to Jan 10 (visitors bureau listing) | 5 to 10 p.m. | Free |
| Osage Beach City Park lights | 950 Hatchery Rd., Osage Beach | Confirmed: Dec 1 to Dec 31 | 5 to 9 p.m., weather permitting | Free |
| Unity Circle of Lights | Versailles City Park | Not posted yet. Last year: Nov 27 to Jan 1 | Last year: dusk to midnight | Free |
| Capital City Festival of Lights | Binder Park, Jefferson City | Confirmed: Dec 4 to Dec 26 | 6 to 9 p.m., closed Mondays | $20 per car |
Enchanted Village of Lights
The City of Laurie's light park fills the 27-acre fairgrounds at 269 Fairgrounds Drive with more than 100 displays you drive through. It's free, and the city asks for donations on the way out.
Festival of Lights at the Shrine
The National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church, at 176 Marian Drive in Laurie, has put up its lights for about four decades. You can drive the loop or park and walk the grounds. Last year there was free hot cocoa on Friday nights, and LakeExpo lists the Friday nights again for 2026. The Shrine's O Holy Night, with a live nativity, is listed for Sunday, December 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Osage Beach City Park
The city dropped its park display in 2024 and moved the lights out along Osage Beach Parkway. The aldermen voted this year to buy new equipment, and the park display is back: nightly December 1 to 31, 5 to 9 p.m., at 950 Hatchery Road. It's a short drive-through, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Worth the drive
The Unity Circle of Lights in Versailles is small and free. The Capital City Festival of Lights in Jefferson City, about an hour from the lake, is the big one: a two-mile drive along a wooded road through Binder Park, run as a charity fundraiser.
Parades
| Parade | Where | 2026 date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake West Chamber Lighted Christmas Parade | Main Street, Laurie | Confirmed: Sat, Nov 28 | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Lake of the Ozarks Christmas Parade (42nd) | Bagnell Dam Strip | Sat, Dec 12 (event listings) | 1 p.m. |
| Camdenton Christmas on the Square and reverse parade | Courthouse square, Camdenton | Fri, Dec 4 (event listing) | Parade 6:30 to 8 p.m. |
| Eldon Lighted Christmas Parade | Downtown Eldon | Not posted yet. Last year: Dec 6 | Last year: 5:30 p.m. |
Camdenton's reverse parade flips the usual setup: the floats stay parked and you drive past them.
Questions
When does the Enchanted Village of Lights open in 2026?
The City of Laurie lists November 20, 2026 through January 2, 2027. It's free, with donations welcome.
Is the Festival of Lights at the Shrine in Laurie free?
Yes. The Lake of the Ozarks visitors bureau lists it nightly from November 26, 2026 to January 10, 2027, 5 to 10 p.m. The Shrine's own page still shows last season, so we'll confirm when it updates.
When is the Lake Ozark Christmas parade on the Strip?
Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 1 p.m. on the Bagnell Dam Strip. That's the 42nd annual parade, per the LakeExpo and Lake.com listings.
Are the Osage Beach City Park lights back in 2026?
Yes. The city lists the Holiday Lights at Osage Beach City Park nightly December 1 to 31, 5 to 9 p.m., weather permitting. It's free.
Sources
- City of Laurie: Enchanted Village of Lights, checked Oct 31, 2026
- National Shrine of Mary, Mother of the Church: Festival of Lights (2025 listing), checked Oct 31, 2026
- City of Osage Beach: Holiday Lights at City Park, checked Nov 9, 2026
- Jefferson City Parks: Capital City Festival of Lights 2026, checked Nov 9, 2026
- Lake of the Ozarks CVB (FunLake): November 2026 events flier, checked Nov 9, 2026
- LakeExpo events calendar (2026 listings), checked Nov 9, 2026
- Lake West Chamber: events calendar, checked Nov 9, 2026
- LakeExpo: Osage Beach Christmas lights are back, checked Oct 31, 2026
- LakeExpo: Versailles Unity Circle of Lights (2025 listing), checked Oct 31, 2026
- VisitMO: Capital City Festival of Lights (2025 listing), checked Oct 31, 2026
- LakeExpo: 25th Lake West Chamber Lighted Christmas Parade, checked Oct 31, 2026
- Lake.com: Lake Ozark Christmas Parade, checked Oct 31, 2026
- LakeExpo: Where to see Christmas lights and parades (2025 roundup), checked Oct 31, 2026
Something out of date? Please let us know and we'll recheck it.
