Moore County's New Million-Light Show Rewards the Wednesday Crowd
November 5, 2026
November 5, 2026
The Sandhills Garden of Lights is new this year. It opens Friday, Nov. 27, at the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens on Airport Road. The ticket price changes with demand, so two families walking the same 0.4-mile path on different nights can pay different amounts. Sandhills Community College says Wednesday tickets cost less than weekend tickets. It also says the 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. entry times are the cheapest, and that prices go up as tickets sell.
That changes how you plan. The cheapest visit isn't on opening weekend. It's on one of the Wednesdays when Santa is there, and there are several of those between now and January.
The college calls it the inaugural Sandhills Garden of Lights. The show has more than one million lights, interactive light orbs in the middle of the Gardens, and photo spots along the way. It ends with a giant walk-through mushroom, oversized flowers and a rainbow caterpillar. Concessions include hot chocolate, other drinks, and hot and cold adult drinks.
The idea came from the area's tourism bureau. Sandhills Sentinel reported that Visit Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen is running the show with the college. The Sentinel quoted President and CEO Phil Werz: "We approached the college with the idea and they loved it, so we appreciate the partnership to make this happen." The same report says the lights will cover about half of the Gardens' 34 acres. They're being built by Mosca Design of Youngsville, N.C., the company behind the holiday lights at Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville and Greensboro Science Center. If your family has already been to the Fayetteville show, you know the builder's work.
The walk only goes one way. It starts at the Ball Visitor Center and ends near Steed Hall. The show runs Wednesday through Sunday nights from Nov. 27 to Jan. 9, 5 to 10 p.m.
Tickets are sold only through the college's official Etix page. Each ticket has an entry time, and the college warns that time slots can sell out. The college doesn't post one flat price. It explains what makes the price go up or down, and those rules point to four ways to pay less:
There's a fifth option. The college says it will post coupon codes and short-term deals during the season on Instagram at @sandhillsgardenoflights and on its Sandhills Garden of Lights Facebook page.
Rule 3 matters most if you live nearby. Visitors from out of town have to pick a date and take what's left. A family in Southern Pines, Aberdeen or Whispering Pines can buy a cheap Wednesday ticket a few weeks out and skip the busy nights entirely.
Families with kids care about whether Santa will be there. The college's FAQ lists his nights, and four of them fall on Wednesdays.
| Date | Day | Santa's hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 27–29 | Friday–Sunday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 2 | Wednesday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 4 | Friday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 5–6 | Saturday–Sunday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 9–10 | Wednesday–Thursday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 12–13 | Saturday–Sunday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 18 | Friday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 19 | Saturday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 26–27 | Saturday–Sunday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 30 | Wednesday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 2–3 | Saturday–Sunday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 6–8 | Wednesday–Friday | 6:30–9:30 p.m. |
| Jan. 9 | Saturday | 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
On Wednesday Santa nights, he's there from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., so neither of the cheapest entry times lines up with his visit. A 5 p.m. entry puts you on a 0.4-mile walk that will probably be done before he arrives, and a 9:30 p.m. entry gets you in just as he leaves. If the Santa photo matters, book a Wednesday slot between 6:30 and 9:30. You'll still be paying the weeknight rate, just not the lowest time-slot price. If it doesn't matter, the 5 p.m. Wednesday entry is the cheapest way to see the lights.
The college also plans a sensory-friendly "Autism Hour," listed for Dec. 12 from 5 to 6 p.m. During that hour the show runs with no music or sound effects and with very little flashing. If you're planning around that hour, call 910-695-3884 to check the date before you buy.
The weekend after Thanksgiving was already full before the Garden of Lights was added. That's another reason not to rush out on night one. Here's what's on the county's calendars between now and the Southern Pines parade on Dec. 5:
| Date | Event | Where | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov. 18–21 | 30th Annual Festival of Trees | The Carolina Hotel, 80 Carolina Vista Drive, Pinehurst | Silent auction. Nov. 18 runs 10 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Nov. 21 | Third Annual Holiday Market | James Creek Cider House, 172 U.S. 1 Highway, Cameron | 3–8 p.m., local vendors, food, music, cider |
| Nov. 27 | Garden of Lights opens | Sandhills Horticultural Gardens, Pinehurst | Santa 5:30–8:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 27 | Festive in Flight | Pinehurst Resort | Event starts 5 p.m., drones fly at 7 p.m. |
| Nov. 28 | Southern Pines tree lighting | Sunrise Theater green, 250 NW Broad St. | Santa arrives 4:30 p.m., tree lit 6:15 p.m. |
| Dec. 4 | Pinehurst tree lighting | Tufts Memorial Park, 1 Village Green Road West | 5–7:30 p.m., tree lit 6:30 p.m. |
| Dec. 5 | Southern Pines Christmas Parade | Starts at Sunrise Theater | 11 a.m. |
Friday, Nov. 27, is the most crowded night. Pinehurst Resort's third annual Festive in Flight puts a 15-minute drone show over the Cradle course at 7 p.m. The evening also has Santa, stilt walkers, an 18-hole neon glow-putting course, a food truck and pop-up bars. You need a ticket. The Eventbrite listing shows prices starting at $47.64, with free entry for children 2 and under. The Garden of Lights opens with Santa that same night, a few miles away on Airport Road.
The Southern Pines Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5, leaves from Sunrise Theater at 11 a.m. It goes south on Broad Street to Massachusetts Avenue, then comes back north and ends at Connecticut Avenue. Santa is at the Gardens from 5:30 to 8:30 that evening, so you can do the parade and the lights on the same day. Wednesday, Dec. 2, falls between the two tree lightings and doesn't overlap either one.
The college's FAQ sets clear rules. Most of them affect what you pack:
Local clubs and nonprofits can help run the show and raise money for themselves. Sandhills Sentinel reported that a group bringing 20 or more volunteers for an assigned night earns a $1,000 donation, and 40 or more earns $2,500. Volunteers greet guests, help with parking and directions, support ticketing and staff activity areas. For a booster club or civic group, one cold December evening of work can bring in that donation.
If you're making plans for December, include family and friends in the decision. HIVE Realty Group helps military families and longtime residents across the Sandhills, and we're glad to share what we know about the area, from where to park to how a light show sells its tickets. If you're curious what your Moore County home is worth before the new year, ask us about a home value report and we'll take care of it.
