Candlelight Tours at the Governor's Mansion
Every December the governor lights the Mansion's tree and the house opens its decorated first floor to anyone, by candlelight, for free.
- When
- Early December: the Friday of the tree lighting, and again the following Monday evening.
- Where
- Missouri Governor's Mansion, 100 Madison Street. Enter through the Madison Street gate.
- Cost
- Free
- Who hosts it
- The Governor's Mansion, with the governor and first lady
Friday, December 4 and Monday, December 7, 2026
Date confirmed by: Missouri Governor's Mansion.
Candlelight Tours of the Missouri Governors MansionFriday, December 4, 2026 · Missouri Governor's MansionSee the listing →
Picture from the listing on visitjeffersoncity.com.
What it is
Every December the Governor's Mansion lights its Christmas tree and opens its decorated first floor for candlelight tours, free and open to the public. The tree lighting is on a Friday evening, and the tours run that night and again the following Monday.
The 2025 lighting put a 36-foot tree on the Mansion lawn and a 28-foot tree in the Governor's Gardens, with ten seven-foot Norway spruces from Pea Ridge Forest near Hermann lining the brick walk.
Missouri's governors have been entertaining in the Mansion for 150 years, and this is the night to see it dressed for the season.
What to expect
The governor and first lady light the tree, and the candlelight tours follow until 8 p.m.
Each year has a theme; in 2025 it was Saint Nicholas: A Season of Giving.
Santa and Mrs. Claus greet families at the Maus House, 115 Jefferson Street, on tour nights and several other December evenings.
Toys for Tots collects new, unwrapped toys and donations at the tours.
Good to know
- Enter through the Madison Street gate.
- The Mansion has an elevator and a ramp.
- Living Windows is downtown the same Friday night, so you can do both.
Past years
- 2025Friday, December 5, 2025Tree lighting at 6 p.m.; tours again Monday, December 8.
- 2024Friday, December 6, 2024Tree lighting at 5:30 p.m., tours until 8.
- 2023Friday, December 1, 2023Tours on December 1 and 4.
Official information
Schedules, maps and changes come from the people who run it.
Missouri Governor's Mansion: plan your visit ↗Questions people ask
When are the Governor's Mansion candlelight tours?
In early December. The Mansion lists the 2026 tours for Friday, December 4 and Monday, December 7.
Do the candlelight tours cost anything?
No. They are free and open to the public.
Where do I go in?
Through the Madison Street gate at the Mansion, 100 Madison Street.
Can I tour the Governor's Mansion the rest of the year?
Yes. Volunteer docents give free guided tours; the fall 2026 season ran September 15 to October 29, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
More every year in Jefferson City
- Porchfest JCMOMay & October · First Sundays in May and October, 1 to 4 p.m.
- Juneteenth Heritage FestivalJune · A Saturday in mid-June
- Salute to AmericaJuly · July 4, fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
- Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County FairJuly · Monday to Saturday at the end of July, 5 to 11 p.m.
Where this comes from: 5 sources, checked October 18, 2026
- Plan your visit: Candlelight Tours, December 4 and 7 Missouri Governor's Mansion
- Missouri Governor's Mansion to host tree lighting ceremony and candlelight tours (Nov 21, 2025) Office of Missouri Governor
- Governor and First Lady Parson invite families to candlelight tours, annual tree lighting (Nov 22, 2024) Office of Missouri Governor
- Experience holiday joy in Jefferson City (Nov 1, 2023) Missouri Life
- Living Windows and candlelight tours at Governor's Mansion will draw thousands to downtown Jefferson City on Friday night (Dec 5, 2025) 93.9 The Eagle
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