Riverside’s Mission Inn Festival of Lights switches on Saturday, November 21, 2026, with a switch-on ceremony planned for 5 p.m. at Orange Street and Mission Inn Avenue, according to local news reports. This year’s festival arrives as the historic Mission Inn celebrates its 150th anniversary. The display includes millions of lights, and the lights have traditionally stayed on through the first week of January, so you have weeks to choose a good time to go.
Skip the Opening Night Crowd
The switch-on ceremony draws huge crowds, with fireworks and live performances. Some people love that energy. Others find opening night overwhelming, and that’s a perfectly good reason to wait. The festival runs for weeks, so a quieter weeknight visit can feel much more relaxed, with easier walking, shorter lines, and better views.
Planning a Comfortable Visit
Downtown Riverside will be busy and some streets close during the festival, so plan your parking and drop-off ahead of time. Aim for early evening, when the lights are on but the heaviest crowds haven’t arrived. Dress warmly, since evenings can be chilly, and wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
Bring a lightweight folding chair if the sidewalk allows, and take breaks. Seating along the route can fill up. A hot drink and a quiet bench can be part of the experience.
A Little Magic, Not a Marathon
Consider a family taking their mother, who lives in Senior Living, to see the lights on a Tuesday evening. They park nearby, walk slowly past the Mission Inn, stop for a hot chocolate, and are back in the car within an hour. She says the lights were even prettier than she remembered. This is a hypothetical, but a short, quiet visit can be just as memorable as a long one.
Confirming Details
Schedules and street closures can change, so check the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa’s website for current information before you go.
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