New SJ DOCA Festival Brings Community Together with Holiday Light Display Inspired by Children's Art
A new holiday light display has arrived in San Jose, California, as the South Bay welcomes its first-ever DOCA Festival of Holiday Lights. The festival, which officially opened on Friday night and will run through January 4, 2026, features five glowing acres, six magical zones, and over 40 handmade attractions to explore.
The brainchild of co-founders Wan Zhao and Yixin, the festival is designed to be a community-driven experience that celebrates the spirit of the holiday season. "We came up with one simple question: how can we bring stories, art, and families together to have an immersive experience?" said Zhao in a statement. "And here we are."
The festival's unique twist is its reliance on local children's artwork, which was showcased through an online contest. The winning designs were brought to life by the festival team, who created physical structures within the festival grounds.
"It's very magical to see that happen and see the kids' creativity shine," said Zhao, adding that the experience reminds her to "bring my inner-child out." Yixin echoed this sentiment, stating that the festival aims to reconnect people with their inner-children through stories, art, and curiosity.
Visitors can enjoy larger-than-life characters in Discovery Meadow, creating a different holiday experience for families in San Jose. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's events planned throughout the holiday season, there's something for everyone at the DOCA Festival.
Not to be confused with another holiday light display also opening in the South Bay this weekend, Christmas in the Park's Blinky's Drive Thru has already opened to the public at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds.
A new holiday light display has arrived in San Jose, California, as the South Bay welcomes its first-ever DOCA Festival of Holiday Lights. The festival, which officially opened on Friday night and will run through January 4, 2026, features five glowing acres, six magical zones, and over 40 handmade attractions to explore.
The brainchild of co-founders Wan Zhao and Yixin, the festival is designed to be a community-driven experience that celebrates the spirit of the holiday season. "We came up with one simple question: how can we bring stories, art, and families together to have an immersive experience?" said Zhao in a statement. "And here we are."
The festival's unique twist is its reliance on local children's artwork, which was showcased through an online contest. The winning designs were brought to life by the festival team, who created physical structures within the festival grounds.
"It's very magical to see that happen and see the kids' creativity shine," said Zhao, adding that the experience reminds her to "bring my inner-child out." Yixin echoed this sentiment, stating that the festival aims to reconnect people with their inner-children through stories, art, and curiosity.
Visitors can enjoy larger-than-life characters in Discovery Meadow, creating a different holiday experience for families in San Jose. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's events planned throughout the holiday season, there's something for everyone at the DOCA Festival.
Not to be confused with another holiday light display also opening in the South Bay this weekend, Christmas in the Park's Blinky's Drive Thru has already opened to the public at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds.
!! a festival that brings together community and showcases kids' art is literally everything i need for the holiday season 
! who wouldn't want to see their childhood dreams come to life in all their glowing glory? 
i'm also loving the idea of reconnecting with our inner-child, it's like, totally necessary during this time of year 
. and can we talk about how magical it is that kids' art got to be a part of this? 
it's such a great way to celebrate the creativity and imagination of our youth 
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it's so cool that kids got to create their own art and see it come to life in real life, can't wait to visit with my fam this season! 
the magical zones sound amazing too, hope they have some good snacks and hot cocoa on hand 
the way they used local artwork is so cool, I mean who wouldn't want to see their drawings come to life in front of them?! 
it's great that they're bringing people together and celebrating the holiday season with all its magic 
and I love that they have different zones and attractions to explore, it's like a winter wonderland 
can't wait to check it out this weekend with my fam!
. I mean, who wouldn't want to bring out their inner child and have fun with family and friends during the holidays? 
The festival's attention to detail is already giving me major holiday spirit 
. Can't wait to check it out!
. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a good light display as much as the next person 
. And what's with all these fake zones? Can't we just stick to the basics? A nice, old-fashioned Christmas tree in the park or something 
. My little ones are always fascinated by light displays and I can already imagine how magical it'll be to see their artwork come alive in person 
. Can't wait to take my kiddos to explore the festival with them, it's gonna be such a special experience for us as a family 
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I mean, who wouldn't want to see their kids' artwork come to life in a holiday light display?! It's like something out of a kid's dream! I'm totally down for a night out with the fam to check it out. And can we talk about how magical it is that local kids got to share their creativity and help make this happen? 
. I'm thinking of taking my fam there ASAP to see the magical zones and explore the attractions. It sounds like a super fun event that'll bring some joy to people's lives, especially with families and little ones in tow 
and that the whole thing is community-driven, not just some big corporate event... it feels really special. i've been to christmas in the park's blinky's drive thru already and while it's fun, there's something so charming about this doca festival. my fave part is discovery meadow - my kiddo would freak out seeing all these giant characters! 
but anyway i think its so cool that they're highlighting local kids' artwork like that! its amazing how something as simple as a design can come to life in such a magical way 
i love that the festival is all about bringing people together and having fun with their inner child too. it sounds like such a special experience for families 
I think it's so cool that they used actual kids' artwork for the festival lights! It adds such a personal touch and makes you feel like you're part of something special. I also love how the creators are all about bringing people together and celebrating the magic of childhood. It's exactly what we need more of - community and joy!