Around the state, colorful lights twinkling in the dark means the holiday season is upon us, so we’ve compiled a handy guide to displays around Texas and neighboring states.
Jump to a region: | Gulf Coast | Hill Country | Panhandle | Piney Woods | Prairies & Lakes | South Texas | Out of State
GULF COAST
Magical Winter Lights
Nov. 15-Jan. 5, Rosenberg, magicalwinterlights.com
Light Up Lake Jackson
Nov. 20-Jan. 3, Lake Jackson, www.lakejackson-tx.gov/788/Light-Up-Lake-Jackson
Zoo Lights
Nov. 22-Jan. 5, Houston, www.houstonzoo.org
Holiday in the Garden
Nov. 23-Jan. 1, Galveston, www.moodygardens.com
Holly Days at the Garden
Nov. 29-30, Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, Corpus Christi, www.stxbot.org
History in Lights
Dec. 1-31, Goliad, tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/goliad
Christmas on the Beach
Dec. 5-31, Rockport, www.rockport-fulton.org/ChristmasontheBeach
Cistern Illuminated
Dec. 6-Jan. 26, Houston, buffalobayou.org
HILL COUNTRY
Holiday Lights Along the Llano
Nov. 1-Jan. 1, Junction, www.junctiontexas.com
Walkway of Lights
Nov. 22-Jan. 4, Marble Falls, visitmarblefalls.org
Christmas Nights of Lights
Nov. 23-Jan. 5, Fredericksburg, www.visitfredericksburgtx.com
Bandera Christmas Lights
Nov. 29-Jan. 3, Bandera, www.banderacowboycapital.com
Lighting of the Square
Nov. 29-Jan. 1, Georgetown, visit.georgetown.org
Lights Spectacular
Nov. 29-Jan. 5, Johnson City, www.lightsspectacular.com
PEC Holiday Lights
Nov. 29-Jan. 5, Johnson City, www.pec.coop
Trail of Lights
Nov. 30-Dec. 26, Wimberley, www.emilyann.org
Starry Starry Nights Lighted Christmas Park
Nov. 29-Dec. 31, Llano, www.llanostarrystarrynights.com
Trail of Lights
Dec. 10-23, Austin, www.austintrailoflights.org
Buda Trail of Lights
Dec. 11-14, 18-21, Buda, www.budatx.gov
Hometown Holidays
Dec. 14, San Marcos, sights-n-sounds.org
PANHANDLE
Amarillo Lights
Nov. 29-Dec. 23, Amarillo, www.maxwellspumpkinfarm.com/christmas
Comanche Trail Festival of Lights
Dec. 1-25, Big Spring, www.fb.com/comanchetrailfestivaloflights
Candlelight at the Ranch
Dec. 13-14, Lubbock, ranchingheritage.org
Concho Christmas Celebration
Dec. 6-31, San Angelo, www.conchochristmascelebration.com
Christmas at Old Fort Concho
Dec. 6-8, San Angelo, fortconcho.com
PINEY WOODS
Walk of Lights
Nov. 22-24, Dec. 1, 6-8, 13-15, 19-30, Palestine, www.visitpalestine.com/christmas
Market Street in Lights
Nov. 22-Dec. 31, The Woodlands, visitthewoodlands.com
Wonderland of Lights
Nov. 27-Dec. 29, Marshall, www.marshalltexas.net/483/Wonderland-of-Lights
PRAIRIES AND LAKES
Tianyu Lights Festival
Nov. 8-Jan. 19, Dallas, tianyuculture.us/dallas
Holiday at the Arboretum
Nov. 13-Jan. 5, Dallas, www.dallasarboretum.org
Luling Yule Trail
Nov. 29-Dec. 31, Luling, www.lulingmainstreet.com
Santa’s Wonderland
Nov. 15-Dec. 30, College Station, www.santas-wonderland.com
Lightscape
Nov. 22-Jan. 5, Fort Worth, fwbg.org/lightscape
MSU-Burns Fantasy of Lights
Nov. 25-Dec. 26, Wichita Falls, fol.msutexas.edu
Whistle Stop Christmas
Nov. 25-Jan. 5, Cleburne, www.whistlestopchristmas.com
Lights on the Farm
Nov. 22-Dec. 29, Plano, www.heritagefarmstead.org/event/lights-on-the-farm-2024
Christmas in the Park
Nov. 28-Jan. 1, College Station, visit.cstx.gov/events/christmas-in-the-park-lights-on
Wild Lights
Nov. 29-Dec. 31, Waco, www.cameronparkzoo.com
ElectriCritters! A Lighted Christmas Display
Nov. 29-Dec. 21, Wichita Falls, riverbendnaturecenter.org
River of Lights
Nov. 29-Jan. 6, Bastrop, www.visitbastrop.com/event/bastrop-river-of-lights/4/
Prairie Lights
Nov. 28-Dec. 31, Grand Prairie, prairielights.org
Christmas Spectacular
Dec. 7-Jan. 5, The Colony, www.thecolonytx.gov/834/Christmas-Spectacular
Trail of Lights
Dec. 13-22, La Grange, www.friendsofkbmh.org/TrailofLights
SOUTH TEXAS
Zoo Lights
Nov. 16-Dec. 31, San Antonio, sazoo.org
South Pole Illuminated Festival
Nov. 29-Jan. 1, McAllen, www.southpoleoftexas.com
Illuminate at the Botanical Gardens
Nov. 29-Jan. 12, San Antonio, www.sabot.org/illuminate
Holidays on Houston Street
Nov. 29-Jan. 2, San Antonio, www.visitsanantonio.com/holidays/holidays-on-houston
Holiday Lights on the River Walk
Nov. 30-Jan. 5, San Antonio, thesanantonioriverwalk.com
Windcrest Light-Up
Nov. 13-Dec. 31, Windcrest, www.windcrest-tx.gov/190/Windcrest-Light-Up
Hidalgo Festival of Lights
Dec. 7-Jan. 5, Hidalgo, www.hidalgofestivaloflights.com
Westover Field of Lights
Dec. 5-21, San Antonio, westoverlights.com
Ford Fiesta de las Luminarias
Dec. 6-22, San Antonio, www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com
Santa’s Railroad Wonderland
Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, San Antonio, www.txtransportationmuseum.org
OUT OF STATE
Farolito Season
The Farolito Season, when lanterns line the top of the walls of Santuario de Chimayo, begins on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28) and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus (Jan. 12, 2025, also when the Christmas season ends). In Spanish, the word farolito translates as “little lantern.” To the Spanish-speaking people of Northern New Mexico, luminaria means “bonfire,” and these lanterns are properly called farolitos, from the Spanish word for lantern, farol.
Nov. 28-Jan. 12, Chimayo, N.M., www.holychimayo.us
Winter Wonderlights
Nov. 23-Jan. 1, Loveland, Colo., visitloveland.com/winterwonderlights
Natchitoches Christmas Festival
Nov. 23-Jan. 6, Natchitoches, La., www.natchitocheschristmas.com
Holiday Lights
Nov. 29-Dec. 30, Scottsdale, Ariz., www.therailroadpark.com
Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights
Nov. 29-Jan. 1, Northern Louisiana, holidaytrailoflights.com
Gerald McLeod has been traveling around Texas and beyond for his “Day Trips” column for more than 25 years. Keep up to date with his journeys on his archive page and follow him on Facebook.
This article appears in November 22 • 2024.