Christmas 2026 in Sandy Springs: Sparkle Village lights Nov. 26 to Jan. 1, the parade and menorah lighting Dec. 6, The Nutcracker and Garden Lights.

Last checked Oct. 5, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Dates come from each organizer’s own page, linked below. The Sparkle parade, tree lighting, road closures and parking have their own page: Christmas parade and tree lighting.

The holidays in Sandy Springs center on City Springs. The lit houses of Sparkle Village go up on Thanksgiving Day, Sparkle Sandy Springs brings the parade and the Christmas tree and menorah lighting on Sunday, Dec. 6, and the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center fills December with holiday shows.

Dates Event Place
Nov. 14 to Jan. 10 Garden Lights, Holiday Nights Atlanta Botanical Garden
Saturday, Nov. 21 A Magical Cirque Christmas, 8 p.m. Sandy Springs PAC
Nov. 26 to Jan. 1 Sparkle Village City Springs
Nov. 27 to Dec. 6 The Nutcracker Sandy Springs PAC
Wednesday, Dec. 2 Snow Day Movie Matinee, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Heritage Building
Sunday, Dec. 6 Sparkle parade, tree and menorah lighting City Springs
Sunday, Dec. 13 Holiday Jazz Brunch, 11 a.m. Sandy Springs PAC

Who to call

  • City events: City of Sandy Springs, 770-730-5600 (24 hours)
  • Shows at the Sandy Springs PAC: tickets at SandySpringsPAC.com
  • Emergency: 911

Light displays

Sparkle Village, Nov. 26 to Jan. 1, City Springs. Six-foot holiday houses lit and decorated by local schools, nonprofits, businesses and community groups. Walk through and vote for a favorite; winners are named at Sparkle before the tree lighting. Free. Source: the city’s Sparkle Village page.

The City Springs tree and menorah. Both are lit at the end of the Sparkle parade on Dec. 6 and stay lit through the season, near City Hall, 1 Galambos Way.

Sparkle Wonderland, Dec. 6. On parade day, the stretch of Mount Vernon Highway near Sandy Springs United Methodist Church fills with inflatables up to 18 feet tall, including Rudolph, Frosty and the Dreidel Polar Bears, plus snow machines and carolers from North Atlanta Voices Community Chorus, the city’s Sparkle Wonderland page says.

Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, Nov. 14 to Jan. 10, Atlanta Botanical Garden. The garden’s ticketed light show runs nightly, with expanded displays along Flower Walk and new choreography for Nature’s Wonders, which the garden calls the world’s largest curtain of light and sound. Members preview it Nov. 12. Source: the garden’s Garden Lights page.

Skate City Springs. The city’s holiday ice rink on City Green has run from Thanksgiving weekend through mid-January in past seasons, the city said in 2023. The city has not posted 2026 dates or prices yet; its skate page says details are coming.

Santa visits

  • Sparkle parade, Dec. 6: Santa Claus rides at the end of the city’s Sparkle Parade.
  • Perimeter Mall: the mall had not posted 2026 Santa photo dates on its events page as of Oct. 5. Call 770-395-5860.

Know of a Santa breakfast or visit in Sandy Springs? Send it to us.

Hanukkah

The city lights its menorah with the Christmas tree at Sparkle on Dec. 6, and the Dreidel Polar Bears are among the Sparkle Wonderland inflatables. We will add community menorah lightings as their organizers post them.

Holiday shows and outings

A Magical Cirque Christmas, Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Acrobatics, strength acts, comedy and magic set to modern holiday hits at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $62.50 to $84, the city’s event page says.

The Nutcracker, Nov. 27 to Dec. 6. Roswell Dance Theatre’s 10-performance run, with four character meet and greets and a Nutcracker gift boutique. Tickets $30 to $55 (event page).

Snow Day Movie Matinee, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. An inclusive pajama party for people with disabilities and their families, with a showing of Frozen, characters, hot chocolate and goody bags, at the Heritage Building, 6110 Blue Stone Road. Register every family member on the city’s event page.

Toast and Jam Holiday Jazz Brunch, Sunday, Dec. 13, 11 a.m. Pianist Joe Alterman’s monthly jazz brunch, with trumpeter and singer Joe Gransden as December’s guest. Tickets $30 to $80 (event page).

Holiday closures

The Fulton County Library System is closed Dec. 24-26 and Dec. 31, according to its 2026 holiday calendar (PDF). Fulton County Schools’ winter break is Dec. 21 to Jan. 1, per the district calendar (PDF).

The Sandy Springs Fire Department’s holiday safety tips for decorating: keep the tree at least 3 feet from any heat source, never put lit candles on it, hang lights with clips instead of nails, and turn off lights before bed.

Frequently asked questions

When does Sparkle Village light up in Sandy Springs? Sparkle Village, the display of lit six-foot holiday houses at City Springs, is up from Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day. That is Nov. 26, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2027.

Where is the menorah lighting in Sandy Springs? The city lights its menorah, with the Christmas tree, near City Hall at the end of the Sparkle parade on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026. Both stay lit through the season.

Where can I see Christmas lights near Sandy Springs? Sparkle Village at City Springs is free to walk through from Nov. 26. The Atlanta Botanical Garden’s ticketed Garden Lights, Holiday Nights runs nightly Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027.

Where can kids see Santa in Sandy Springs? Santa Claus rides in the Sparkle parade on Dec. 6. Perimeter Mall had not posted 2026 Santa photo dates as of Oct. 5; we will add them when it does.

When is The Nutcracker in Sandy Springs? Roswell Dance Theatre performs The Nutcracker at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center from Nov. 27 to Dec. 6, 2026.

What this means for you

  • Sparkle Village is free and open from Thanksgiving Day: an easy evening walk.
  • Sunday, Dec. 6 is the big night; plan around road closures from 3 p.m.
  • Book Nutcracker and Garden Lights tickets early.

Related: Christmas parade and tree lighting, Black Friday and holiday shopping, New Year’s Eve and things to do this month.