San Jose Welcomes New Holiday Light Display Inspired by Local Children's Drawings
The South Bay is aglow with the arrival of a brand new holiday light display, the DOCA Festival, which officially kicked off on Friday night and will run through January 4, 2026. This immersive festival features five glowing acres, six magical zones, and over 40 handmade attractions that are sure to delight both children and adults.
The festival's vision is simple yet powerful: to bring people together by seeing the world through the eyes of their inner-children. According to Co-founder Wan Zhao, this idea was sparked by an art contest held among local kids, which helped design some of the artwork on display at the festival. "We came up with one simple question: how can we bring stories, art and families together to have an immersive experience? And here we are," Zhao said.
The festival's creative team also drew inspiration from children's creativity, creating larger-than-life characters in Discovery Meadow that will surely captivate families in San Jose. Co-founder Yixin emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with our inner-child, saying "We want to make people reconnect through stories, art and curiosity."
With a wide range of activities planned throughout the holiday season, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's events, this festival is set to become a beloved tradition in the Bay Area. As Co-founder Wan Zhao noted, "We created the San Jose Holiday Lights for the city and for the Bay Area families to come, explore, get together and create some memorable moments together that can last."
For those looking for another festive light display option, Christmas in the Park's Blinky's Drive Thru is also now open at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds. The walk-thru Christmas in the Park opens just down the street on November 28.
Visit the festival website for specific details on ticket prices and requirements, as this immersive holiday experience promises to be one to remember.
The South Bay is aglow with the arrival of a brand new holiday light display, the DOCA Festival, which officially kicked off on Friday night and will run through January 4, 2026. This immersive festival features five glowing acres, six magical zones, and over 40 handmade attractions that are sure to delight both children and adults.
The festival's vision is simple yet powerful: to bring people together by seeing the world through the eyes of their inner-children. According to Co-founder Wan Zhao, this idea was sparked by an art contest held among local kids, which helped design some of the artwork on display at the festival. "We came up with one simple question: how can we bring stories, art and families together to have an immersive experience? And here we are," Zhao said.
The festival's creative team also drew inspiration from children's creativity, creating larger-than-life characters in Discovery Meadow that will surely captivate families in San Jose. Co-founder Yixin emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with our inner-child, saying "We want to make people reconnect through stories, art and curiosity."
With a wide range of activities planned throughout the holiday season, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's events, this festival is set to become a beloved tradition in the Bay Area. As Co-founder Wan Zhao noted, "We created the San Jose Holiday Lights for the city and for the Bay Area families to come, explore, get together and create some memorable moments together that can last."
For those looking for another festive light display option, Christmas in the Park's Blinky's Drive Thru is also now open at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds. The walk-thru Christmas in the Park opens just down the street on November 28.
Visit the festival website for specific details on ticket prices and requirements, as this immersive holiday experience promises to be one to remember.
... I mean, who wouldn't want to relive their inner-child's imagination in a sprawling light display? it's like they took all the sparkles from elementary school art projects and turned them into an entire festival 
... and I'm sure it'll be a huge hit with the parents who just want to relive their own childhood through their kids' eyes 
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... sounds like the perfect way to get out of the house and away from all the adulting responsibilities for a bit 
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. Like, can we just say it's Christmas and leave the creative team alone? 
But seriously, I love that they're using local kids' art to design the festival – it's actually really cool. And who knows, maybe seeing the world through their inner-teenager will make me less grumpy about adulting 
. It's like a holiday miracle! 
. The fact that they drew inspiration from kids' creativity is so cool! 
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. And, honestly, who wouldn't want to walk through six magical zones with 40 handmade attractions? It sounds like an epic winter wonderland experience 
! Let's hope they make this a yearly thing so we can all come back and relive the magic 
) and just have a chill time. 40+ handmade attractions? That's like, whoa! They must've put some serious thought into this one 
. gotta try de walk-thru Christmas in the park 2, sound like so much fun with blinky's drive thru 
! san jose is always doin somethin new & exciting, cant wait to see what other festivities de bay area has in store 
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. And speaking of fun, did you know that there's this one coffee shop in San Jose that has the most adorable cat cafe? You can just sit and drink your coffee while playing with these adorable little furballs 
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And it's not just about the lights, they're also doing all these other cool activities and events throughout the holiday season. It's like a big party for the whole family.