Enjoy free and family-friendly events all month, and with your Downtown Passport, collecting stamps at participating businesses can get you entered in a drawing for prizes. Grand prize is a Hotel ZaZa staycation package, and others include gift cards and even a ukulele!
The holiday tradition at COTA is back and bigger than ever, with tons of fun for the family to be enjoyed from the car or at Peppermint Plaza. There's a mile of immersive displays, millions of lights, dancing elves, and race fans will enjoy taking a lap around the F1 track.
"Snow Close, Yet Snow Far Out" is the theme for this festive series of holiday happenings. Enjoy the neon rainbow decor, seasonal bevvies and treats, and fun activities, including photos with Santa on Friday and carols with Mrs. Claus on Saturday.
Through Dec. 26. Donations for Council on At-Risk Youth suggested.
Austin Pets Alive! has some adorable items in the online shop and proceeds benefit animals in need. Find ornaments, toys, collars, cards, and more for any animal-lover on your list.
The drive-through format for the trail means the fam can take in the magic of the beautiful light displays while you play holiday tunes and enjoy Christmas cookies.
They're open 9am-10pm daily (1-10pm Wednesdays) to receive monetary and other donations for its shelter and service center for immigrants and asylum seekers.
Blood donations are especially needed around the holidays, so We Are Blood is offering a prize drawing with very special gifts for three lucky donors: a Playstation 5, an Ooni pizza oven, or an Apple Watch 7. Schedule an appointment online or by calling 512/206-1266.
The "Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas" is merry and bright for the season, lit with tens of thousands of bulbs. Shop the square for a perfect gift and warm up with some hot cocoa as you take in the sights.
Experience the beauty of the Texas Hill Country infused with sparkling lights and holiday cheer, then end your walk down the trail with a family-friendly game of glow-in-the-dark miniature golf at Santa's Magical Toy Shop.
Austin Tinplate Trackers put on an exhibit twice as large as the last one, found at Kalahari's Tom Foolerys Adventure Park & Arcade, offering tons of family fun!
William Beckmann and Max Stalling provide a family-friendly country music performance to support Foundation for the Homeless, nonprofit that provides stable housing for families with children experiencing homelessness. There will also be a silent auction and raffle including autographed items.
Austin's fave Christmas cocktail pop-up is back with a dizzying menu of creative concoctions. Grab a Dasher Pass to skip the outside line, and to-go orders can be taken online. A portion of proceeds from to-go sales will go to Austin Pets Alive! and the Austin Children's Shelter.
Alex Coke (flutes, saxophone) and Elaine Barber (harp) offer you a musical calendar to mark the days of Advent, with a new song via mp3 each day covering various styles.
Pick up Austin Parks Foundation merch at the newly renovated Zilker Eagle Depot, with purchases supporting the org's work on parks, trails, and greenspace across Austin.
"Best of Austin" winners Get It Gals are back with tons of trivia nights planned for y'all, with several based on TV programs you may have binged over the last year for some reason. Stay tuned on their socials because they are all over the place.
A great way to give back as you do holiday shopping is to stop by a blood drive at the mall. Get the full schedule and location details online or call 512/206-1266.
The YMCA of Austin is hosting a friendly competition to see which branch can collect the most blood for We Are Blood, and participants get a 50% discount on a YMCA program. Get details online or call 512/206-1266.