Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Ticketing Questions:
November 23-December 31
Monday-Wednesday – Drive Thru Only, 6-9pm; Thursday – 6-9pm; Friday-Saturday – 6-10pm, Sunday – 6-9pm. The village is open 1 hour after gates.
THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR
215 Sydney Washer Road Dover, FL 33527
We are just east of Brandon off of Highway 60.
$25 Per Car
Admits One Carload (up to 8 persons)
Infants, age 2 and under are free and do not need a ticket.
Tickets are per car up to 8 people, you do NOT need a ticket for each passenger. Drive Thru only, tickets are $20, Drive Thru and Santa’s Village, tickets are $25. Season tickets are $60. Bus passes are available. For group rates, please contact Hillsborough County Fair at 813-737-3247 or Strawhouse Ticketing/Sarasota Box Office at 941-870-7444.
Yes, you can! Tickets are available for purchase at the gate at time of entry and cash or card is accepted at the gate.
No, purchasing a ticket online does not allow you to skip the entry line.
No, your ticket is only good for 1 entry, unless you purchase a season pass.
Yes, as long as your ticket has not been scanned/used, you can use it another day.
We prefer that you DO NOT PRINT tickets. Please present your tickets for scanning on your mobile device.
Weather may cause a delay or postponement of our opening. In the event of a postponement, tickets will be honored at subsequent days. Weather announcements will be posted to our Social Media page. Light rain will not impact our ability to open the festival.
Please be patient, we do everything that we can to help with traffic flow. If you are in line, we will do everything possible to get you into the gates in a timely manner. We work closely with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol to help with traffic concerns. Please be aware that the Tampa Bay Festival of Lights and Santa’s Village is a high demand event. Weekends are very high traffic times, so please plan accordingly.
Yes, we accept credit cards at the festival entrance and some vendor stands.
Our ticketing solution provider, Sarasota Box Office, strives to keep these fees as low as possible.
The prices advertised by Hillsborough County Fair represent the exact amount the company charges. Anything above the advertised price goes to a third party provider.
Our goal is to provide our patrons with safety, security and the best possible ticket buying experience.
These Fees / Surcharges are consumed at the time of purchase and can not be refunded.
Tickets are not refundable.
If you are unable to attend, you may transfer your tickets to another person.
Service Fees, internet convenience fees or any other fees associated with the purchase of tickets are consumed at the time of transaction and can not be refunded for any reason.
Don’t see your question here? Please Contact Us
General Questions:
Can I get out of my vehicle? No, for safety reasons you must stay in your vehicle through the drive thru portion of the light show. At the end of the drive thru, on applicable days, you may park and get out and walk thru Santa’s Village.
Entrance tickets can only be used once.
A standard vehicle is a SUV with a maximum of 8 people.
Vehicles of more than 8 people require special ticketing and planning – please contact us for larger groups.
Please use caution while driving through the display. Do not tailgate the cars in front of you leaving a safe space for sudden stops.
Once on site to enter the Festival of Lights, you may ride in the back of trucks and on trailers AT THE OWNER’S DISCRETION.
Yes, there is a grassy area near the ticketing booth where you can pull off and get into 1 vehicle. Each ticket is for 1 vehicle for up to 8 people.
Yes, once you exit Santa’s Village, you can follow the signage to drive thru again. (*Available only on applicable days. Subject to change.)
Yes, most vendors accept credit cards as well as ATM’s being on site.
Yes, our designer Brandano Displays Inc. has designed a one of the kind original display for us and upgraded from last year.
You may consume outside food before exiting your vehicle.
Santa is on site and available for pictures days Santa’s Village is open from 6-10pm. Please see the schedule for days of availability.
No, we ask out of respect for other patrons to not bring your pet with you. There is a special “Paws & Claus” night that will be open for guests to bring their well-behaved pets. Please see the schedule of events.
Yes, there are specific nights scheduled for discounted rates for law enforcement, military (active & retired), and first responders. Please see the schedule of events for those nights as those discounts are not valid every night.
No, we ask that no motorhomes/RV’s/5th wheels do not drive through the event. There are arches and things you drive under and are not accessible with large vehicles.
The Holiday Market will be open every night Santa’s Village is open with an array of different vendors. Please see the schedule of events.
There are craft stations for the little ones, firepits to cozy around and make smores, interactive animal areas, Christmas themed rides, games, and so much more!!
There are options from tacos and quesadillas, to corndogs, pizza, burgers, and much more!
This area in Santa’s Village features local vendors with their products to sell, from boutiques to spices and seasonings, to gifts for all ages.
Food prices vary and crafts, rides, and other activities are very affordable ranging from $2-$20. Please see the pricing list.
The light drive thru portion of the event takes about 15-20 minutes depending on your pace, though we do ask to continue to move so traffic does not stop. In the village you can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours, depending on what you partake in.
We will have live entertainment on site during festival hours. Please see the schedule of events.
Don’t see your question here? Please Contact Us
Price List:
*subject to change
Entrance into Santa’s Village – FREE with Festival of Lights Entrance Fee
FREE Events in Santa’s Village:
- Walk-thru experience into Hometown Hillsborough Historical Village
- Walk-thru light tunnel
- Photo opportunities
- Firepits & eating areas
FREE Entertainment on Select Nights – Local Music and Entertainment on Santa’s Stage
Holiday Treats – at our Food Stations – $5-$20
Camel Ride -$15 each
Petting Zoo – FREE entrance. Feed Cups $5
LED light up toys souvenirs $10 – $20
Santa’s Photos – $5 (take with your own device) $10 (Printed Photo)
Crafts – $2 per craft
Hayrides – $4 per person or a family pack (4 people) for $12
Smores – $3
Holiday Market – Individual Craft Vendors with Items for Sale
Santa’s Carnival Rides
Rides will be 1 ticket ea
$5 per ride ticket
$40 for 10x ticket book
*all prices subject to change*
