Texas towns big and small are aglow with holiday cheer this time of year. From twinkling town squares and holiday-themed festivities to Santa sightings and tree lightings, here’s Austin Travels Magazine’s alphabetized guide to finding yuletide throughout the Lone Star State.
BASTROP
Small town traditions are big in Bastrop. From soaking in the sparkling sights along the Bastrop River of Lights –– a free, family-friendly lighting event running nightly from Nov. 29 to Jan. 5 –– to the Lost Pines Christmas Lighted Parade taking place on Dec. 14 when 130 floats set downtown Main Street aglow, Bastrop shines brighter than ever this time of year. Find the full calendar of holiday events at lostpineschristmas.com.
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The holidays are full of Christmas-y excitement in Boerne. Credit J.Repak
BOERNE
Boerne brims with festive cheer during four holiday-themed weekends stretching from Thanksgiving weekend through late December. Kick off the season in Boerne at Dickens on Main (Nov. 29-Nov. 30) which transforms the quaint town’s historic Hill Country Mile into a vintage holiday wonderland. Mark your calendar for Weihnachts Weekend (Dec. 6-7) when downtown will light up with nearly 100 floats spreading holiday cheer along Boerne’s Main Street. Don’t miss A Toast to Olde Town (Dec. 13-15) filled with live music, Christmas-y beverages, and strolling carolers. The whole family can get wrapped up in the holiday magic at Kinder Fest in Boerne (Dec. 20-22) –– a full weekend of child-friendly Christmas fun complete with a cookie crawl, Santa scavenger hunt and Father Christmas. More at www.holidaysinboerne.com.
BUDA
Make a beeline to Buda for the 44th annual Budafest –– Buda’s family-friendly holiday festival featuring three days of holiday cheer. Santa comes to down on Dec. 6, don’t miss the Budafest Lighted Parade topped off with fireworks on Dec. 7, and shop at one of the largest holiday markets sought after by vendors all over Texas on Dec. 7-8. More at www.budafest.org.
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COMFORT
Celebrate the 38th annual Christmas in Comfort –– a beloved Texas Hill Country holiday tradition renowned for its holiday shopping and family-friendly festivities. The annual extravaganza has grown from its humble beginnings and now features more than 130 vendors showcasing arts, crafts, and delightful food offerings. The day’s festivities unfold from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 30, with the lighted night parade set to steal the show at 7 p.m.
The German-themed holiday celebration in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg will kick off Thanksgiving week. Credit Jason Risner.
FREDERICKSBURG
Named one of “The Best Small Towns for Christmas in the South” by Southern Living, Fredericksburg resembles a scene out of a holiday Hallmark movie this time of year. During Weihnachtszeit (the Christmas season) in Fredericksburg, folks can marvel at the German town’s 30-foot Christmas tree and authentic German Christmas pyramid every evening and shop for gifts while enjoying Hill Country sips along a decked-out Main Street each day. Fredericksburg’s Christmas Nights of Lights runs from Nov. 26-Jan. 6 at Marktplatz, featuring a 10-minute audio presentation of the town’s German heritage, holiday carols and a countdown to the lighting of Marktplatz. Follow that with a family spin around Eisbahn, the town’s only outdoor ice skating rink. Find Fredericksburg’s full lineup of festive fun at www.visitfredericksburgtx.com/events/holiday.
This year marks Galveston’s 51st annual Dickens on the Strand taking place Dec. 6-8. Credit Visit Galveston
GALVESTON
Travel back in time as Galveston’s Strand Street is transformed to 19th-century Victorian London at the 51st annual Dickens on the Strand taking place Dec. 6-8. Climb aboard the Polar Express at the vintage Galveston Railroad Museum, which whisks passengers off to the North Pole on family-friendly, holiday-themed train ride Nov. 8-Dec. 23. Stick around town for Holiday in the Gardens at Moody Gardens, featuring a mile-long trail of illuminated holiday displays, ICE LAND, an ice skating rink, holiday films and more Nov. 23-Jan. 1. More at www.visitgalveston.com/blog/holidays.
Climb aboard Santa’s North Pole Express in the heart of Grapevine, where the Historic Cotton Belt District is transformed into the charming Grapevine Christmas Village.
GRAPEVINE
Officially declared as the “Christmas Capital of Texas” by the Senate of the State of Texas, Grapevine boasts more than 1,400 festive Christmas events taking place over 40 days. Go to Grapevine to experience millions of dazzling lights, larger-than-life decorations, photo ops with Santa, ice skating at Peace Plaza Ice Rink, or a magical holiday-themed stay at Gaylord Texan’s Lone Star Christmas or Snowland at Great Wolf Lodge. Find more Christmas-themed events to check off your list at www.grapevinetexasusa.com/christmas-capital-of-texas.
Head to Gruene on Dec. 7 for the annual town lighting and to see Cowboy Kringle ride into town on horseback and hand out candy canes to the kids. Credit Dan Tharp
GRUENE
Historic Gruene puts its own signature twist on the holidays each year, starting with the 23rd annual Gruene Pony Express Ride at 10 a.m. followed by the Gruene Town Lighting at 5 p.m. Dec. 7. Shop for holiday gifts at Gruene Christmas Market Days (Dec. 7-8). Pose the kids for photos with Cowboy Kringle, Gruene’s own brand of Santa, on weekends throughout the season (Nov. 16-17, 23-24, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22). Or boot scoot over to Gruene Hall as Two Tons of Steel puts on their annual holiday show on Dec. 17. More at www.gruenetexas.com/holidays.
Lights Spectacular takes place around downtown Johnson City, TX including the Blanco County Courthouse and Memorial Park. Credit Ralph Arvesen
JOHNSON CITY
Take the less-than-hour-long road trip to the “Twinkliest Town in Texas” to experience Johnson City’s annual Lights Spectacular –– a display so bright that NASA has reported seeing it from the International Space Station. This free holiday lighting event featuring millions of lights begins Nov. 29 and runs through Jan. 5 from dusk until midnight. More at https://www.lightsspectacular.com/.
MARBLE FALLS
Make the hour-long drive to experience magic of Marble Falls during the holidays. This year marks the 34th annual Walkway of Lights, the free nightly event featuring 2 million lights and more than 350 lighted sculptures in Lakeside Park from Nov. 22 to Jan. 4. Santa will be present and accepting Christmas wishes every Friday through Sunday until Christmas. More at www.visitmarblefalls.org/christmas-in-marble-falls.
