Festival FAQs

No. Tickets are required to be purchased in advance, online. We limit the number of tickets sold each night.

Your tickets are emailed to you from ticketing@ecfair.org. Be sure to check your junk folder. If you cannot locate the email, you can use the FIND MY ORDER function on the Festival website. You will need to enter in your email address as well as the last 4 digits of the card that was used to purchase the ticket.

The Drive-Thru Only is available on select nights, and only includes the drive-thru light displays . Drive-Thru Only dates are December 4, 11, 15-17 and 26-30. The Full Experience allows you to drive-thru the light displays, park your car and experience the walk around activities . Activities include visiting Santa, rides, a pixel show, Santa's Barnyard, holiday food, drink and shopping and more! Full Experience dates are November 28-30, December 5-7, 12-14 and 18-23.

Yes. Tickets are only available online.

Yes! Pack the car as one ticket is good for the entire carload. A carload is good for one vehicle and its passengers. There are two types of carloads: a standard carload is a vehicle with up to 8 seats and a XL Carload is a vehicle with 9 or more seats.

If your vehicle has seats for 9 or more people, you are required to purchase the XL Carload Pass. Pricing is dependent on the night you wish to come and ranges from $39.55-$73.45.

We do not offer refunds at the gate or online; however, you can email your ticket to a friend or family member to enjoy.

Date exchanges of equal or greater value may be offered. Call the Fairgrounds Main Office at 716-649-3900 or email ticketing@ecfair.org with your first and last name on the order as well as what night you want to change your ticket to.

Main Office Hours are M-F 8:30am-4:30pm. If you call after hours, please leave a voicemail.

Enter off of McKinley Parkway, the entrance closest to Clark Street. If using a GPS, enter 5600 McKinley Parkway, Hamburg, NY 14075.
If using Google Maps or Waze, you can enter “Festival of Lights” to arrive at the exact entrance. The entrance is near Ginger & Garlic Restaurant and Yankee BBQ Smokehouse Tavern.

On Drive-Thru only nights, December 4, 11, 15-17, & 26-30, gates are open 5:00-9:00pm.
On Full Experience nights, November 28-30, December 5-7, 12-14, & 18-23, the Drive-thru gate is open 5:00-9:00pm* and the buildings and walk around portion is open 5:00-10:00pm*

*On November 30, December 7 and December 14, the drive-thru gate is open 5:00-8:00pm. Buildings and walk around portion is open 5:00-9:00pm.

As you drive through the light displays, you must stay inside your vehicle. For Full Experience nights, there are outdoor activities, such as The Whoville Express Train Ride, the Rockin’ Christmas Pixel Show, Selfie Park and food, drink and market vendors.. However, there are also indoor activities such as, Santa and his Barnyard, Cookie Decorating, Kiddie Rides, Christmas Tree Comedy Jamboree Show, Food and Shopping Vendors, Kids Craft and Letters to Santa and Veterans. Please dress accordingly.

Santa will be at the Festival each Full Experience night; November 28-30, December 5-7, 12-14, & 18-23.

No, please leave your furry friends at home.

Service animals ARE allowed, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), therapy dogs, and pets are NOT allowed on the Fairgrounds. This policy is for the safety of our guests and their animal.

Please do not tailgate the vehicle in front of you. Keep a safe distance, as cars in front of you may stop suddenly. Be alert of slow or stopped vehicles.

Yes, there are portable bathrooms located at the beginning and end of the drive-thru route.

Yes! To enter the walk around portion first, you can enter the grounds off of South Park (use 5820 South Park to help guide you) and head past Hamburg Gaming and the Event Center to park. You will park your car and head in through the red arch. Have your ticket ready!

The drive-thru entrance is off of McKinley Parkway. So, once done with the walk around portion, get back into your vehicle and drive to McKinley Parkway. Use 5600 McKinley Parkway to help guide you to the entrance. Your ticket will be scanned again.

Remember the drive-thru gate closes at 9:00pm except for on November 30, December 7 and December 14 where it closes at 8:00pm.

Ticket Terms of Use
Please be sure you select the correct event and location (we are in Hamburg, NY) and the correct number of tickets before completing your purchase. The code on each ticket allows redemption of the item described, and it will be scanned for authenticity. Do not make additional copies of your ticket(s); duplicates will be rejected. Please be aware that SaffireTix is our exclusive ticket sales vendor. Tickets obtained from unauthorized sources may be invalid, lost, stolen or counterfeit. The Erie County Agricultural Society is not responsible for any losses resulting from counterfeit tickets, third party vendors or ticket aftermarket/re-sales. The ticket holder agrees to comply with all venue policies and protocols including health, safety and security in place. You voluntarily assume all risks whether occurring prior to, during or after the event. You agree to release the Erie County Agricultural Society, as well as Saffire and their respective affiliates and representatives from responsibility and claims in any way related to the purchase and use of your ticket. You grant the Erie County Agricultural Society, as well as Saffire and their respective affiliates, with an unrestricted license to use your image or likeness in photograph or video.

Refunds & Cancellations
By proceeding with a purchase, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by the terms outlined in this disclosure regarding refunds.

Please note that all sales are final, and we do not offer refunds.

We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise that prevent you from attending an event. However, due to the nature of event planning and logistics, we are unable to accommodate refund requests, including but not limited to:
• Change in personal plans
• Travel disruptions
• Inclement weather
• Date exchanges of equal or greater value may be offered for The Festival of Lights.

In the event of a cancellation or rescheduling of the event, ticket holders will be notified promptly, and alternative arrangements or refunds may be offered at our discretion.

Service Animals
Service animals ARE allowed, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), therapy dogs, and pets are NOT allowed on the Fairgrounds. This policy is for the safety of our guests and the animal.

Contacting Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy or need assistance with your ticket purchase, please don't hesitate to contact us at (716) 649-3900.

Effective Date and Changes
The Erie County Agricultural Society reserves the right to modify the terms of this policy at any time and in our sole discretion, by posting a change notice to this page.

This policy was last modified on October 2, 2024.