Tivoli switches on one million lights: Aiming to create one of the world’s best Christmas markets and expecting one million visits

On Friday 13 November at 16:30, Father Christmas will switch on the lights on Tivoli’s largest Christmas tree and officially open the 33rd Christmas season.

Quite simply, standing in the darkness and watching the large Christmas tree with its almost 50,000 lights being switched on is a very special moment that stays with you. That is why many visitors have made a tradition of coming to Tivoli for the lighting of the Christmas tree. The excitement can be seen in their faces and heard in the spontaneous applause that follows. This year’s Christmas season continues into the New Year, until 3 January 2027.

On the opening day itself, Father Christmas and Tivoli employees, flags in hand, will welcome guests when the gates open at 11:00. At 16:30, as dusk falls, vocal ensemble UngKlang will perform, among other songs, Juletræet med sin pynt, a traditional Danish Christmas song, before joining Pierrot, Rasmus Klump, Flora and the guests in counting down to the moment when Father Christmas switches on the lights of the large Christmas tree.

Tivoli’s special Christmas lights

Snow is guaranteed when Christmas arrives at Tivoli. One million lights throughout the Gardens, 80,000 Christmas baubles, a Christmas market, an ice rink, the aroma of Christmas food and Father Christmas’s House all contribute to the classic Christmas experience in the historic Gardens.

Guests can experience Tivoli’s Christmas illuminations and lighting designs, which have been described internationally as world-class. More than a thousand Christmas trees decorate the Gardens, while highlights include more than 50 kilometres of illuminated light strings and Christmas trees covered in lights. The Glass Hall Theatre alone is decorated with 10,000 lights.

With thousands of lights illuminating its façade, Nimb is one of the most popular selfie spots in Tivoli, alongside the ice rink and the willow trees by Tivoli Lake.

Programme for 13 November 2026

11:00: Opening of Christmas in Tivoli with live jazz and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Father Christmas
12:00–22:00: Visit Father Christmas on the Open-Air Stage
13:00: Fish feeding at the Aquarium
16:30: Pierrot, Rasmus Klump and Flora welcome in the Christmas season and light the 13-metre-high Christmas tree together with UngKlang and Father Christmas
16:30: Tivoli’s Magical Christmas Animation, a spectacular light projection show on the façade of Nimb
16:30: Fireflies, an enchanting light installation in front of Nimb
16:30: Planet Christmas Baubles, an impressive light installation between the Glass Hall Theatre and the Open-Air Stage
19:30: The Julekalender at the Glass Hall Theatre
19:30, 20:30, 21:30 and 22:30: Tivoli Christmas Illuminations, Tivoli Lake

A classic Christmas market

Tivoli’s Christmas market stretches throughout the Gardens with arts and crafts, Nordic Christmas decorations, jewellery and Christmas gifts. Guests can find everything from children’s clothing, jumpers, scarves and gloves to mechanical Christmas elves and music boxes, while roasted almonds and traditional Danish æbleskiver add the flavours of Christmas to the experience. Products come from several regions of Denmark, and every year the market attracts both Danish and international visitors.

Tivoli’s new Hikari meets a Danish Christmas

The new Hikari area is a Japanese-inspired world of rides and attractions featuring architecture, street food, original Japanese art and shops. It is home to The Demon as well as two new attractions, Hotel Hikari and Eye of the Typhoon. The Japanese-inspired gardens and distinctive lighting create a winter experience where, for the first time, Danish winter traditions meet Japanese aesthetics.

Gastronomy: Knystaforsen in the Japanese Tower

Danish star chef Nicolai Tram and the team from Michelin-starred restaurant Knystaforsen are once again taking over the Japanese Tower with a gastronomic experience inspired by Swedish nature.

Guests can look forward to Swedish ingredients cooked over an open fire and dishes including grilled leek with lumpfish roe, game with forest berries and pike-perch smoked with juniper.

The Nutcracker, a Christmas ballet for the whole family

Tivoli Concert Hall welcomes back The Nutcracker in the year marking the 250th anniversary of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s birth. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe created the sets and costumes, Peter Bo Bendixen created the choreography, and Tchaikovsky’s music is performed by Copenhagen Phil.

This is the seventh time that Tivoli’s 2012 production of The Nutcracker has been staged at Tivoli Concert Hall.

CEO of Tivoli, Susanne Mørch Koch, says:

“We are proud that our Christmas market is often ranked among the best in the world. Tivoli’s historic surroundings, Danish Christmas traditions and cultural programme combine to create something truly special in Copenhagen.

“The Christmas season brings generations together and has become a tradition for both Danish and international guests. Every year, we invest in developing the season further, respecting what our guests already love while also giving them something new to enjoy.

“The season also helps strengthen Copenhagen as a travel destination and attracts many visitors well into the New Year.”

Highlights during Christmas in Tivoli

• 13 November: Tivoli opens at 11:00. Lighting of Tivoli’s Christmas tree at 16:30
• 13 November–20 December: Michelin-starred restaurant Knystaforsen at the Pagoda
• 13–15 November: The Julekalender at the Glass Hall Theatre (separate ticket required)
• 19 November–19 December: Musical Titanique at the Glass Hall Theatre (separate ticket required)
• 26 November–20 December: The Nutcracker at Tivoli Concert Hall (separate ticket required)
• 1 and 2 December: Gregory Porter’s Christmas Wish at Tivoli Concert Hall (separate ticket required)
• 13 December: Tivoli’s traditional Saint Lucia procession, beginning at 17:30
• 25 and 26 December: Fireworks shows between Christmas and New Year, both starting at 20:45
• 30 and 31 December: New Year concerts with Tivoli Copenhagen Phil (separate ticket required)
• 31 December: Tivoli’s spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display at 23:00

Opening hours

Monday–Thursday and Sundays: 11:00–22:00
Fridays and Saturdays: 11:00–23:00

Christmas in Tivoli runs from 13 November 2026 until 3 January 2027 inclusive.