It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and I’m getting calls asking for details about the Fab 40’s Christmas Lights!
The long holiday tradition of impressive light displays in the Fab 40’s is anticipated and enjoyed by so many neighbors as well as people that drive in from miles away to look at them.
Some home owners in the Fab 40’s have already started putting up their lights and and more will join the displays over the next couple weeks. By the end of next weekend the homes will be ablaze with dazzling displays.
You can drive up and down the streets (40th-49th, between J Street and Folsom Blvd.), wander at your leisure by foot or get extravagant and hire a horse-drawn carriage to enjoy the festive show the this amazing neighborhood puts on every year. Go on a weeknight an you won’t have quite as many people out at the same time or join the biggest gawking crowds possible on Christmas weekend.
Bundle up, bring your hot chocolate and get into the holiday spirit with another amazing year of the Fab 40’s Christmas lights!
– 2017 Christmas update based on all the past questions:
For all of those that want someone else to do the driving you have some options:
Top Hand Ranch does horse drawn hayrides through the Fab 40’s. You can call them at (916) 655-3444 to make a reservation. They often book up well in advance.
You can also take the Sac Brew Bike tour to see the lights and hit up some pubs as well. Call them at (916) 952-7973.
The lights usually start going up the first weekend after Thanksgiving, are in full force by the second weekend of December and start coming down the weekend after Christmas.
I am not affiliated with the hayride company or the brew bike company. The Christmas lights that the neighbors put up is not really an organized event. I am just an East Sac resident and real estate agent with Dunnigan Realtors who loves my neighborhood and blogging about different events in East Sac. I hope you find the information in this post and other parts of my blog helpful and enjoyable. Happy Holidays!
Morgan
Hi Nathan,
Do you know when all the lights will be officially up and lit? I was planning on having people over before we all walk around but am not sure exactly when they’ll be all up.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Morgan
Nathan Sherman
Since it is all based on individual home owners and not an organized event there is no “official” date that it will all be lit up. I drove by tonight (Tuesday November 29th) on my way to dinner and several of the streets and homes are already decorated but I would say that less than half of them are done. I would expect that most of the lights will be up by the end of this weekend and if you toured the Fab 40’s on Sunday evening (December 3rd) you would have a very good show.
Sydney
What are the times the lights are on ? Would I be able to go at any time of night ? Say after 11pm?
Nathan Sherman
Each home owner will turn their lights on and off when they feel it is appropriate. I would guess most of the homes are on a timer set to come on at dusk and turn off a set number of hours after that. I haven’t tested to see how much is still lit up as the evening progresses but I would guess that after 11:00pm many of homes will be turned off for the night.
Angelina
Can you tell me the best street to park at to get out and walk? Also, about how many hours does it take to walk all lighted streets?
Thank you.
Kristi
Hi Nathan, Do you have any close by locations where people can park and walk the Fab 40’s?
Susan
Hi Im wondering when does fab 40 christmas lights end? How long does this go until? Til News years eve or before?
Lynda Leonard
When is the last night the lights will be on?
Nathan Sherman
Most owners will probably be taking their lights down this weekend around New Years day if past years are an indication. I think you would still see a decent amount of lights on Thursday and Friday night with diminishing homes with lights up on both Saturday and Sunday leading into January 1st. After New Years Day I wouldn’t expect to see much.
Stacy
Do you know how to book a carriage ride to see the Fab 40’s lights?
Nathan Sherman
A couple years ago I did a hay ride with friends through the Fab 40’s holiday lights and we used Top Hand Ranch (916-655-3444). They did a great job for our group. I’m sure there are others out there and I’d be happy to have more than one company to refer, but this is the only one I know of at the moment.
John
thank you for your assistance.
do you have contact #s for carriage rides through the Fab 40s?
I’d sure love to do that for my family
Nathan Sherman
A couple years ago I did a hay ride with friends through the Fab 40’s holiday lights and we used Top Hand Ranch (916-655-3444). They did a great job for our group. I’m sure there are others out there and I’d be happy to have more than one company to refer, but this is the only one I know of at the moment. If anyone else has a recommendation I would be happy to pass them on as well, just let me know…
Becky
Is the neighborhood available for touring now?
Nathan Sherman
Yes it is. The lights are up on many of the homes so you can go just about any evening from now through the end of the year.
Patricia Maida
Today is 12/11/18. Is there something special going with the fabulous 40’s on 12/21/18. I was told that there is 1 night when everyone comes out, hot chocolate is served,some of the streets are closed to cars. If yes,what streets are they.
Thank you
Nathan Sherman
I’m not aware of any special events happening on the 21st.
I would expect that the streets will be packed this weekend and that from Friday December 21st through Christmas the traffic activity in the Fab 40’s will be packed so much that walking will often be a quicker and more pleasurable way to go.