Everything’s bigger in Texas and that includes our festivals! All across the state, folks are breaking out the Wassail, lighting up the city streets and putting on their elf hats to celebrate the Holiday season! Check out these festivals to make sure your December is filled with Christmas Cheer!
Enchant Christmas – Arlington, TX
Dale Klippenstein
Light up your Christmas season with this incredible lights display at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX from now until Dec. 30. It includes the World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze, where visitors can wander through a magical labyrinth to help Santa find his eight missing gifts, an ice skating rink and the authentic German ChristKindl Market filled with handmade crafts and German cuisine! Find more information here.
Santa’s Wonderland – College Station, TX
Have a Texas-sized Christmas at this Winter Wonderland in College Station where it SNOWS every night! There’s no shortage of countrified-holiday cheer from a hayride through dazzling lights and campfire stations for roasting s’mores to a Santa Mechanical Bull Ride and tons of shopping! The festival runs until Dec. 30 and you can purchase tickets here.
Main Street Bethlehem – Burnet, TX
First Baptist Church of Burnet
Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas at the annual live nativity scene put on by the First Baptist Church of Burnet. Wander the crowded streets of ancient Bethlehem, shop in the bustling marketplace and visit the cave where Christ was born to Mary and Joseph in a manger. The event truly brings the story of Christmas to life. Visit FBC Burnet’s website for details and dates.
Juice Consulting
“Yule” love this Yuletide event at Zilker Park, where you can wander through the 2 million lights strung across the 300+ acres of the park. Along the 1.25 mile trail are lights galore, gourmet food vendors, live music and more! The trail is open Dec. 10 – 23. Click here for more information.
© Stephanie Adams, Houston Zoo
Things get wild during the Holidays at the Houston Zoo. Each night, after the animals have gone to bed, the zoo comes alive with vibrant lights and Christmas cheer! As you explore, you’ll find all kinds of wonders like life-sized light-up giraffes and zebras, an enchanted forest and a train village! Zoo Lights is open until Jan. 13. Purchase tickets here.
Hidalgo Festival of Lights – Hidalgo, TX 
Throughout the month of December, the town of Hidalgo will have live music performances, Christmas fun, a carnival and even an ice skating rink! In addition to the Yuletide events, the Festival of Lights also features a nine-mile lights trail that you can explore by train, trolley or from your own car! See the full schedule here.
Christmas in the Gardens – Amarillo, TX
David Martinez, Creative Cannon
During the Christmas season, the Amarillo Botanical Gardens lights up with Holiday Spirit — and over 200,000 lights! Each section of the garden in transformed into a dazzling wonderland mixed with twinkling lights displays and beautiful flowers. Christmas in the Gardens lasts until Dec. 23.
Concho Christmas Celebration – San Angelo, TX
Concho Christmas Celebration
Along the banks of the Concho River in San Angelo is a 2.5 mile Tour of Lights with giant Christmas cards and Holiday scenes galore! The displays of over 3 million lights along the trail depict The Twelve Days of Christmas, a nativity scene, poinsettias and more at the Concho Christmas Celebration! The Tour of Lights lasts until Dec. 31.
Wonderland of Lights – Marshall, TX
Rachel Skowronek
Marshall, TX, is full of holiday magic at the Wonderland of Lights until Dec. 30. Glide on the outdoor skating rink, decorate cookies, take photos with Santa in his workshop, and hop on the carousel, horse-drawn carriages or Wonderland Express for a truly festive view of the glowing Square.
It’s Christmas in West Texas! Sure, there may not be snow…but there is an Ice Skating rink, a Winter Market where you can get your shopping done, and tons of Holiday events like Gingerbread House decorating contests, Christmas movies at the Plaza and Breakfast with Santa! The festival lasts until Jan. 6, so check it out here.
