The 35-foot tree, built from more than 366,000 bricks, lights up 11 days earlier than last year. Christmas Bricktacular starts the next day with a Yeti, a reindeer barn and a holiday rap battle.
Legoland California will light its giant LEGO Christmas tree on Friday, Nov. 20, Laughing Place reported Wednesday. The park's holiday event, Christmas Bricktacular, opens the next day, Saturday, Nov. 21.
That's 11 days earlier than last year's ceremony on Dec. 1, and more than two weeks earlier than 2024's on Dec. 6. By our count, it's the tree's 24th annual lighting. This time it beats Thanksgiving by six days.
The tree is three stories, or 35 feet, tall. It's made of more than 366,000 LEGO and DUPLO bricks, with 500 LED lights and 40 LEGO candles. Legoland's Master Model Builders spent 3,000 hours on it, the park said last year.
Laughing Place said the lighting will be followed by the season's first evening fireworks. Legoland hasn't posted a start time yet. Last year's ceremony began at 5:45 p.m., with Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel as host. This year's guest hasn't been named.
Here's Legoland California's teaser for the tree lighting:
What's new at Legoland California's Christmas Bricktacular?
Most of the new stuff is hands-on, which tracks for a park built for kids ages 2 to 12.
Reindeer Refuel: A LEGO reindeer barn where kids build "Magic Carrots" to fuel Santa's flight.
Yeti: A new holiday character with his own meet-and-greet. Kids build LEGO snowflakes to keep his house cold.
Gingerbread Station: Digital prompts walk kids through a recipe that sets off lights, sounds and a gingerbread smell.
Holiday Lights and Frosty Footprints: A trail of lit pathways and displays through the park.
Elf Choir: A LEGO musical machine along that light trail.
Brickmas (W)rap Battle: A new show at Fun Town Stage where wrapping presents turns into a rap battle. The pun is doing a lot of work.
Galacticoaster Holiday Spaceship: The LEGO Galaxy coaster gets holiday pieces riders can customize, like it did for Halloween.
Returning favorites include the Once Upon a Brickmas show, the Nutcracker Marching Band, Santa, Gingerbread Guy and Reindeer Girl.
When is Christmas Bricktacular 2026?
Select dates from Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, Legoland's website says:
November: 21 to 29
December: 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 to 31
January: 1 to 3
La Jolla Mom reported that event days run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., stretching to 7 p.m. from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2. Check the park calendar before you go, since some weekdays in between are closed.
When are the Legoland California holiday fireworks?
Christmas Bricktacular Fireworks run Dec. 5 and 12, then nightly from Dec. 19 to 31. That's on top of the tree lighting show.
Dec. 31 is Kids' New Year's Eve, with a countdown to "midnight" at 6:45 p.m. Special 3D glasses make the fireworks look like exploding LEGO bricks. The kids get a countdown, and the parents get to bed by 9. Everybody wins.
How much are Legoland California holiday tickets?
There's no separate holiday ticket. Christmas Bricktacular is included with park admission and select passes.
Online tickets: from $69
Front gate: $139, or about double, so buy ahead
Hotel package: Stays at the Legoland Hotel or Castle Hotel with hopper tickets start at $169 per person, per night, with kids' tickets from $39 a day. That offer ends Nov. 17.
Standard annual passholders are blocked out Nov. 21 to 30, Dec. 19 and 20, and Dec. 26 to 31, La Jolla Mom reported. Premium and Preferred passes work all season.
What else is happening at Legoland California?
It's been a big year in Carlsbad. LEGO Galaxy, the new space land, opened this year with the Galacticoaster, the park's first new coaster in about 20 years.
The business side has been rougher. We reported in October that Merlin Entertainments, which runs every Legoland, lost 406 million pounds in 2025. Visits to its North American parks fell 6.2%, mostly at the California and Florida Legolands.
So a 35-foot tree, a Yeti and a rap battle have a job to do this year. No pressure, Yeti.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Laughing Place (Nov. 4, 2026), the Nov. 20 tree lighting date, tree specs and first fireworks
Merlin Entertainments (Sept. 30, 2026), the new holiday experiences, fireworks schedule and Kids' New Year's Eve
Laughing Place (Sept. 29, 2026), the new and returning holiday lineup
Legoland California (Nov. 4, 2026), event dates, fireworks dates, ticket prices and the hotel offer
La Jolla Mom (Oct. 26, 2026), event-day hours and annual pass blockouts
Legoland California (Nov. 13, 2025), last year's Dec. 1 ceremony, start time, Danielle Fishel and the tree's 3,000 build hours
Merlin Entertainments (Nov. 2024), the 22nd annual ceremony on Dec. 6, 2024
Patch (Dec. 2, 2025), LEGO Galaxy and the Galacticoaster
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