To get tickets to one of the Wilmington area’s most popular annual holiday attractions, you’ve got to plan early.
In other words, if you sleep on getting tickets to Enchanted Airlie you probably won’t be going, as the event sells out every year.
The spectacular display of holiday lights in Wilmington’s gorgeous, historic Airlie Gardens includes seasonal music, hot beverages and more.
It’s also the biggest annual fundraiser for Airlie Gardens, and the New Hanover County-owned attraction uses money generated from Enchanted Airlie ticket sales to manage the millions of gallons of stormwater that enter the gardens each year.
Here’s what you need to know about getting tickets to Enchanted Airlie for 2026.
Event dates and times
Enchanted Airlie is scheduled to be held Nov. 27-28 and Dec. 1-21, with four reservation times per night: 5:30-6:30 p.m., 6:30-7:30 p.m., 7:30-8:30 p.m. and 8:30-9:30 p.m.
Memberships
A key thing to know when scoring tickets to Enchanted Airlie is that garden members get first dibs during this year’s pre-sales, but only if their membership was active by Oct. 1.
Members can purchase additional tickets when they go on sale to the public. Once the event is sold out, member tickets are no longer available.
On-sale dates
All ticket sales are online at Etix.com and in-person only. No phone sales.
Airlie Gardens recommends buying tickets only through their official ticket provider. If you buy an invalid knock-off ticket from a non-approved site, it won’t be accepted.
Enchanted Airlie tickets go on sale to azalea, camellia and magnolia members 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14.
Tickets go on sale to family and individual members 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Tickets go on sale to the general public 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Ticket levels and prices
“Carload” tickets are $35. This includes cars, trucks, SUVs and mini-vans that can fit in a normal parking space.
“XL van” tickets are $65. This includes vans that fit up to 11 passengers.
Group tickets for vehicles that fit 12 or more people are $85 for non-profit organizations and $125 for others. These tickets are limited and require a special reservation.
Everyone must enter Enchanted Airlie via car or other vehicle. Neither walk-ins nor bikes are permitted.
Tips for getting tickets
Based on high ticket demand from past years, Airlie Gardens has developed a helpful list of tips. Suggestions include:
- Having your member number and/or credit card ready;
- Having at least one back-up date and time if your preferred time is sold out;
- Coordinating plans with friends and family early;
- If buying online, accessing the website on different browsers simultaneously to increase the chance of landing a spot in the virtual queue;
- Using a stable internet connection and not refreshing the site too often, as refreshing without being prompted can knock you out of the queue;
- Buying tickets at Airlie in person if you’re not computer- or smartphone-savvy, and getting in line well before 9 a.m.
Reporting by John Staton, Wilmington StarNews / Wilmington StarNews
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
