Photos by Cheryl Landes

Updated November 29, 2019

Santa is busy in Spanaway Park from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. He flies a plane. He sails a tall ship with Rudolph, his lead reindeer. He shoots gifts from a cannon across the road into a giant bag. He has a great aim—every present lands in the bag.

Other reindeer jump across the road while penguins slide down an igloo. A dinosaur pushes its baby in a buggy.

There are fields of candy canes, a giant red teddy bear, glittering snowflakes and lanterns, owls and birds perched in trees, and snow children playing. And a giant dog wagging its tail.

That’s a tiny sampling of Fantasy Lights, the largest drive-through light show in the Pacific Northwest, with more than 300 displays and thousands of sparking lights on a two-mile route through Spanaway Park. Pierce County Parks and Recreation hosts the event, which began in 1995.

While you’re driving through the park, listen to holiday music to enhance your experience by dialing your radio to 93.3 FM.

Local high school and college students help parks personnel assemble and install the light displays every year. They get work experience while giving back to the community.

Fantasy Lights is open every night from Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day at Spanaway Park, 14905 Bresemann Blvd. S. in Spanaway, 18 miles southeast of Tacoma (get directions).

Admission is $15 per car or minivan with up to 24 passengers and $45 for larger vehicles. Special half-price nights are scheduled during the season. Buy tickets at the gate.

For more information, visit the Fantasy Lights website or call (253) 798-4199.

Watch this video to learn more about the Fantasy Lights experience:

Get a behind-the-scenes peek at what’s involved in setting up every light display at Fantasy Lights: