Chula Vista’s best-known holiday lights are a neighborhood tradition, not a ticketed show: residents decorate their own homes and yards, and visitors come by on foot or by car. This guide covers displays that have returned in past years, so check before you go. A 2026 date appears here only after the City or local news posts one.
Christmas Circle
Where: the circle at Whitney and Mankato streets, between First and Second avenues, off H Street, in western Chula Vista · Cost: free, as the City has described it
The homes around the circle are decorated by the people who live there, and the City of Chula Vista has invited visitors to drive or walk through. The City counted 2022 as the display’s 65th year and 2023 as its 66th, so the tradition is more than six decades old.
In past years: December 10 to 26, 2022 (City listing, 2022) and December 9 to 26, 2023 (City listing, 2023), both from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.
2026: Not announced yet when we last checked (October 31, 2026). We look again in the first week of December and in mid-December, since the circle opened on December 9 or 10 in those City listings.
- The City has asked visitors to be good neighbors: do not leave any trash, do not touch the displays (City of Chula Vista).
- In 2017 The Star News reported that the City made Mankato and Whitney a one-way street while the lights were up, with the City helping with traffic (The Star News).
- The same Star News story passed along a long-time neighbor’s advice: walk the circle twice, once on the inside and once on the outside.
Lit-up evenings with set dates near EastLake
If you would like a show with a schedule, two December events close to EastLake have posted their 2026 dates.
Snowfall and light show at Village Walk
When: Opens Sunday, November 29, then Fridays to Sundays through December 20, at 6 and 7 p.m. · Where: Village Walk at EastLake, 884 Eastlake Parkway
Music-synced lights and falling snow for about 15 minutes, twice a night, outside the shops off Eastlake Parkway. The center lists the shows as free. Village Walk events.
62nd Annual Starlight Parade and Festival
When: Saturday, December 5, 2026 · Where: Third Avenue, downtown Chula Vista
The City’s holiday parade and festival on Third Avenue. Start times had not been posted on the parade site when we checked; we add them once they appear. Starlight Parade.
For everything else on the calendar, see our EastLake fall and holiday events guide. Our Rancho Del Rey sister site sorts the season’s tree lightings and light shows by distance in its holiday calendar.
Planning a lights night
- Go on a weeknight if you can; it is usually easier to find a spot to park and walk.
- December evenings cool off quickly after sunset, so bring a jacket for the walk.
- Open the linked source page the day you go, in case dates or hours have changed.
Christmas Circle questions
Is Christmas Circle free?
Yes. The City of Chula Vista has described Christmas Circle as a free display, put on by the residents around the circle.
When does Christmas Circle open?
According to the City, it ran December 10 to 26, 2022 and December 9 to 26, 2023, both from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly. Dates for 2026 had not been announced when we last checked.
Can you drive through Christmas Circle?
The City has invited visitors to drive or walk through. Walking lets you take each yard at your own pace.
Where is Christmas Circle in Chula Vista?
At Whitney and Mankato streets, between First and Second avenues, off H Street, in western Chula Vista.
Sources, checked Oct 31, 2026: City of Chula Vista calendar, Christmas Circle (2023); City of Chula Vista calendar, Christmas Circle (2015); City of Chula Vista calendar, Christmas Circle (2022); City of Chula Vista calendar; The Star News, Dec 14, 2017; Village Walk at EastLake; Starlight Parade (City of Chula Vista).
These displays are created by residents and local groups, and this site is not affiliated with any of them. Places and dates were checked on October 31, 2026 on the pages linked above. Please enjoy the lights from the street or sidewalk.
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