Christmas at Schnepf Farms opens Friday, Nov. 27, 2026, at 24810 S. Rittenhouse Road in Queen Creek and runs select evenings through Dec. 27. Two new experiences — Cookies & Carolers and baby Highland cow encounters — have limited availability and are already the fastest tickets to go. General Admission starts at $25.95; children two and under are free.
Your budget and your calendar, before anything else
If you have kids in Queen Creek or anywhere in the East Valley, this event is a fixture. More than 60,000 guests come through each season, which means popular Saturday nights genuinely sell out. The sooner you pick your date, the better your choices.
Here is what admission costs on a typical weeknight or Sunday. General Admission (ages 3 and up) starts at $25.95 per person. Twilight Admission — entry from 7:30 to 10 p.m. — starts at $19.95. A Family 4 Pack cuts 20% off those rates. Opening night (Nov. 27) prices are slightly higher: $27.95 for GA and $21.95 for Twilight, with the Family 4 Pack GA rate at $22.35 per ticket and the Family 4 Pack Twilight at $17.55 per ticket. Children two and under are always free.
Military and veteran tickets are $15 and must be bought on-site. On sold-out dates, the military ticket is only available if the rest of the family has already purchased at regular price.
A family of four using GA on a non-opening Friday or Saturday pays roughly $103.80 with the Family 4 Pack rate ($25.95 × 0.80 × 4). Switching to Twilight drops that to about $63.84. Add Cookies & Carolers at the Family Table rate ($55) and the Twilight evening runs about $119 total before the train ride. The World of Illumination Express train is a ticketed add-on at $10 per ride — it is not included in admission.
What’s new in 2026: Cookies & Carolers and baby Highland cow encounters
Two new experiences headline 2026, and both have limited slots.
Cookies & Carolers combines cookie decorating and live holiday music on the farm’s bakery patio. Carolers greet guests at the entrance starting at 4:30 p.m., then move to the patio at 5 p.m. The experience runs Friday and Saturday evenings only — that is 10 nights total this season.
A child seat is $24 and covers one child with a cookie-decorating kit and hot chocolate. A Family Table is $55 for up to four people. It includes two cookie-decorating kits, four Ghirardelli hot chocolates, and a holiday coloring placemat. Parents sitting with a child who bought a child seat do not receive a designated seat of their own. Reservations are required and seating is limited — book this before you book anything else.
The World of Illumination Express train ride is a ticketed add-on at $10 per ride, synchronized to holiday music. (Schnepf Farms)
Baby Highland cow encounters offer two formats: a 10-minute cuddle session and a 20-minute bottle-feeding. Only one bottle-feeding slot is available per evening. The press release uses explicit language that availability is limited and reservations are expected to fill quickly. If bottle-feeding is on your list, reserve it the moment tickets go live for your date.
“Christmas at Schnepf Farms has been part of so many East Valley families’ holidays, and every year we look for new ways to make it feel special,” said Callie Rezzonico, an organizer of Christmas at Schnepf Farms.
2026 full operating calendar
The event runs Thursdays through Sundays from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20, then opens daily Monday through Sunday Dec. 21–27, with one exception: the farm is closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. on every operating night.
That means open dates during Christmas week are Dec. 21 (Monday), Dec. 22 (Tuesday), Dec. 23 (Wednesday), Dec. 24 (Wednesday evening), Dec. 26 (Saturday), and Dec. 27 (Sunday). If your family travels over the holiday, the weekday dates in that final stretch tend to draw smaller crowds than the flanking weekends.
Everything included with admission — and what costs extra
General Admission covers a lot. Returning favorites this year include visits with Santa, ice skating, a Christmas-themed obstacle course, hayrides to feed the reindeer, bonfires with s’mores, and the Beer and Wine Garden with live music.
What is not included: the World of Illumination Express train ride ($10 per ride), Cookies & Carolers ($24 child / $55 Family Table), and baby Highland cow encounter reservations. If you want to do it all, budget accordingly before you arrive.
A Season Pass for unlimited nightly visits starts at $95.95 per person — worth running the math on if you plan to come more than three or four times.
A holiday trolley decorated with a large Christmas wreath and string lights at Christmas at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek. (Schnepf Farms)
When to go — and when to book
Popular Saturday dates can sell out. That is not marketing language — it is a practical limit when 60,000 people spread across roughly 25 operating nights. If a Saturday in December is your first choice, buy tickets now. Weeknights and Sundays give you more room, and the weekday dates in Christmas week (Dec. 21–23) are your best bet for a less-crowded visit.
Cookies & Carolers runs Friday and Saturday only. If you want that experience, pick one of those 10 nights and reserve the table the same day you buy admission tickets. Carolers start at the entrance at 4:30 p.m., so plan to arrive before the gate opens if you want that moment.
Schnepf Farms is at 24810 S. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek, AZ 85142. Tickets are at schnepfchristmas.com.
