Big changes are in store this year for one of the South Bay’s biggest holiday attractions. Fantasy of Lights in Los Gatos will be cutting back the number of days it’s open significantly and switching from a mostly drive-through to an entirely walking format, the county confirmed.
The county also noted that rising costs played a role in these changes.
Fantasy of Lights is a county-run holiday light display that has been in existence since 1999. The event used to be exclusively a drive-through, where families would pack into their cars and drive through the 1.5-mile route at Vasona Lake County Park. But in recent years, organizers have added a couple of days when guests could walk the route.
This year, the county confirms the event will be an only walk-through event.
“We did not make this decision lightly,” said Audrey Ann Díaz, Acting Senior Communications Officer for Santa Clara County.
“Like many beloved community traditions, Fantasy of Lights has faced rising operational costs over the years,” Díaz explained.
She also noted that the walk-through events in the past have been “wildly successful,” complete with a drone show, live entertainment, and more food options.
The event will also only run for four days this year from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
This new schedule is substantially shorter. In the past, the event has been for several walk-through-only days, followed by more than two weeks of drive-through days.
It will be a noticeable change for families used to driving through the attraction, instead of paying for tickets per car, each person will need to purchase a ticket (tickets for those ages 13 and up are $25, tickets for youth ages 4-12 are $10, and tickets for children 3 and under are free). Tickets must be purchased in advance.
