Hanukkah 2026 runs Dec. 4-12. Sandy Springs lights its menorah at about 6:50 p.m. Dec. 6 at Sparkle, and the MJCCA in Dunwoody lights candles nightly Dec. 4-10.
Last checked Nov. 1, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. We add synagogue and community events as their organizers post 2026 details.
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4, and ends at nightfall Saturday, Dec. 12, according to Hebcal. The City of Sandy Springs lights its public menorah at Sparkle Sandy Springs on Sunday, Dec. 6, the third night, and the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta in nearby Dunwoody holds a free candle lighting every evening of the first week.
Who to call
- City of Sandy Springs: 770-730-5600 (24 hours)
- Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA): 678-812-4000
- Emergency: 911
| Date | Event | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Dec. 4 | First candle; Hanukkah begins at sundown | Sundown | |
| Dec. 4-10 | MJCCA Hanukkah Candle Lighting, every evening | 5:15 to 5:30 p.m. | Zaban Park, Dunwoody |
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | City menorah and tree lighting at Sparkle Sandy Springs | About 6:50 p.m. | City Springs |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Hanukkah ends at nightfall |
The city menorah at Sparkle, Sunday, Dec. 6
The city lights its menorah together with the Christmas tree near City Hall, 1 Galambos Way, at the end of the Sparkle Sandy Springs parade. The city’s schedule puts the lighting at about 6:50 p.m. Sparkle opens at 4 p.m., and the parade steps off at 6 p.m. After the lighting, the menorah is lit each night of Hanukkah, following the Hebrew calendar, the city’s Sparkle page says. The event is free.
The menorah has been part of the celebration since 2019, when Sparkle moved to City Green and added the menorah lighting and the parade, according to the city’s Sparkle history page. On parade day, the Dreidel Polar Bears are among the giant inflatables in Sparkle Wonderland on Mount Vernon Highway.
Road closures and parking. Roads around City Springs close from 3 p.m. Dec. 6 and reopen by 9 p.m. The closures, the shuttle and ADA parking are on our Christmas parade and tree lighting page and our getting around guide. Lane closures elsewhere are on our road construction and closures page.
MJCCA candle lighting, Dec. 4-10, Dunwoody
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta holds a communal Hanukkah Candle Lighting from 5:15 to 5:30 p.m. every evening from Friday, Dec. 4, to Thursday, Dec. 10, seven sessions in all, at its Zaban Park campus, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, about three miles east. People light a hanukkiah, sing Hanukkah songs and say the blessings. It is free, open to the community, and needs no registration, according to the MJCCA’s program page.
Synagogue and community events
Sandy Springs congregations and Jewish organizations usually hold their own candle lightings and Hanukkah parties. We had not found 2026 details on their own websites as of Nov. 1 and will add each one with a link when it is posted. Running a Hanukkah event in Sandy Springs? Send it to us.
School and closures
Hanukkah is not a city or school holiday. Fulton County Schools are in session Dec. 4-12; the district’s winter break is Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, according to its 2026-27 calendar (PDF). Sandy Springs City Hall keeps normal hours, per the city’s 2026 holiday schedule (PDF).
The Sandy Springs Fire Department’s holiday safety tips say to keep lit candles away from decorations and anything that can burn, watch children and pets around them, and put candles out before leaving home or going to bed.
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah 2026? Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown Friday, Dec. 4, when the first candle is lit, and ends at nightfall Saturday, Dec. 12.
When is the Sandy Springs menorah lighting? The city lights its menorah, with the Christmas tree, at about 6:50 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, near City Hall at the end of the Sparkle Sandy Springs parade. Dec. 6 is the third night of Hanukkah. The city says the menorah is then lit each night of the holiday.
Is the Sandy Springs menorah lighting free? Yes. Sparkle Sandy Springs is free to attend. Food, gifts and ice skating cost extra.
Where else can I see a menorah lit near Sandy Springs? The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta holds a free communal candle lighting at 5:15 p.m. each evening from Friday, Dec. 4, to Thursday, Dec. 10, at Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. No registration is needed.
What this means for you
- The city lighting is part of Sparkle on Sunday, Dec. 6; roads close from 3 p.m.
- For a short, quiet lighting, the MJCCA gathers at 5:15 p.m. each night Dec. 4-10.
- Kids have school all of Hanukkah week this year.
Related: holiday lights and Christmas events, things to do this month and New Year’s Eve.
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