Marietta Christmas Lights 2026: Rockin' Christmas at Six Flags White Water

Most years, the best Christmas lights are the ones closest to home. The house down the street that goes all out. The neighbor who has strands up the week after Halloween. This season, the biggest display of Marietta Christmas lights will be at Six Flags White Water, right on Cobb Parkway, where World of Illumination brings Rockin' Christmas to town from November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027. It's a mile-long drive through light show set to music, and for Marietta and Cobb County families it's practically in the backyard.

It's only mid-September, so there's plenty of time to plan. Tickets aren't on sale yet, but the dates are set and the theme is announced. Here's what locals should know now.

Rockin' Christmas at a Glance

• Where: Six Flags White Water, 250 Cobb Pkwy N., Marietta, GA
• When: November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027, Tuesday through Sunday (closed Mondays)
• Hours: Gates open at 6:00 PM, last entry at 10:00 PM
• The route: About a mile long, roughly 20 to 30 minutes from your car
• Tickets: Coming soon. Online only, one ticket per car. Sign up on the Georgia tickets page for early-access news.
• Good to know: Open rain or shine. The soundtrack plays through your car's FM radio.

Marietta Christmas Lights in Your Own Backyard

A lot of holiday events ask you to build a whole day around them. You pick a weekend, plan the trip, and hope the kids hold out. A show at Six Flags White Water works differently when you live nearby. You can go after dinner on a Tuesday. You can go after the school concert. You can choose a quiet weeknight and still have everyone in pajamas at a decent hour, because the trip home is a short one.

That's the quiet perk of having a show like this in town. Visitors from farther away make a big outing of it. Locals get to treat it like part of the season. Go once with the kids. Go again when the in-laws arrive for Christmas week. Bring a friend who has never seen it. Since everyone stays in the car, the night works for toddlers in car seats, teenagers who want control of the volume, and grandparents who'd rather not walk a mile in December.

There's also something fun about watching a familiar place change for the holidays. The park you know as a summer water park turns into a mile of animated lights and music once the weather cools. Same address. Completely different night out.

Last Year Candy Rush, This Year a Concert

If you went last season, you saw Candy Rush fill the same park from November 14, 2025 through January 4, 2026. That show leaned sweet, with towering candy canes, swirling lollipops, and glowing gumdrops along the route. The Candy Rush season recap is a nice look back if you want to compare.

World of Illumination brings a new theme every season, so 2026 isn't a repeat. This year the show trades candy for music. Rockin' Christmas is built around holiday songs, and your host for the night is a character named MC Mic.

For returning families, that's the whole point. You already know how the night works: line up, tune in, and roll slowly through the lights. What changes is everything you see out the windows.

What's Waiting on the Route

Rockin' Christmas is billed as a full-throttle musical show, and the lineup of scenes backs that up. MC Mic leads cars through a mile of displays that pulse in sync with holiday tunes. Along the way you'll find:

• A tunnel of giant headphones you drive right through
• A jingle bells vortex
• Towering stacks of giant speakers
• Christmas tree guitars
• A retro Santa spinning records

The music comes through your own car stereo. As you near the front of the line, a park ambassador helps you tune in to the show's FM station, and there's signage to point the way. Do a quick check that your FM radio works before you leave the house. A show this music-heavy loses a lot on mute.

Little ones tend to love anything oversized, and headphones big enough to drive through fit the bill. A Santa working the turntables is hard to resist at any age.

Planning Your Night of Marietta Christmas Lights

Tickets for Rockin' Christmas aren't on sale yet. When they open, they'll be sold online only through the Marietta ticket page, and each ticket is good for the date you choose at checkout.

The easiest way to hear first is the "Be the First to Know" signup on the Georgia tickets page. Choose Georgia as your state and you'll get word about early-access ticket sales and new themes.

A few things worth knowing ahead of time:

• One ticket covers the whole car. Prices are per vehicle, not per person.
• Ride together from the start. If two households are going, meet up and pile into one car before you arrive. Cars can't be combined once you're inside the park.
• Check your ride. Standard passenger and cargo vans are generally fine, but buses, RVs, limos, trailers, and extended vans aren't allowed. Read the vehicle restrictions if you're bringing something big.
• Pick your night. The show is closed Mondays, and weeknights usually move faster than weekends.
• Pack snacks. There are no concessions, so bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks. Pets can come along as long as they stay in the vehicle.
• Don't sweat the forecast. The show runs rain or shine.

One local advantage: you don't have to fight for a Saturday right before Christmas. Living close gives you room to pick a weeknight in November, or one of the nights after the holiday, and keep the evening easy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I see Marietta Christmas lights this year?

World of Illumination's Rockin' Christmas runs at Six Flags White Water, 250 Cobb Pkwy N. in Marietta, from November 13, 2026 through January 3, 2027. It's a mile-long drive through light show you enjoy from your car.

When do Rockin' Christmas tickets go on sale?

Tickets haven't been released yet. Keep an eye on the Marietta ticket page and join the Georgia email list for early-access news. Tickets are sold online only, and one ticket covers the whole car.

Is this the same show as Candy Rush?

No. Candy Rush ran at Six Flags White Water last season. Rockin' Christmas is a new music theme for 2026, with its own scenes, host, and soundtrack.

What nights is the show open?

Tuesday through Sunday. Gates open at 6:00 PM and the last entry is at 10:00 PM. The show is closed on Mondays.

How long does the drive take?

Plan on about 20 to 30 minutes on the route, depending on how busy the night is. More answers are in the World of Illumination FAQ.

Christmas Lights Close to Home

The holiday lights you remember most usually turn into routine. The street you always drive down in December. The show you see every year with the same people in the car. For Marietta and the rest of Cobb County, Rockin' Christmas has a good shot at becoming that kind of habit, simply because it's right here.

Opening night is November 13. Until tickets drop, keep an eye on the Rockin' Christmas show page, get on the Georgia email list, and start deciding who's in charge of the volume knob.