Roll the dice with Oogie Boogie on a fun night at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, as the botanical garden and Texas Performing Arts bring Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail to Austin – the show’s first U.S. location outside of New York. Credit: Photo by Avery Brunkus

Halloween Town comes to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as it opens its gates for a special new yuletide event with presented with Texas Performing Arts: Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail.

Courtesy of the Wildflower Center and Texas Performing Arts, Austinites will get the chance to share the night with 8,300 square feet of light installations, statues, and interactive video projection bringing the magic of the 1993 stop-motion masterpiece to one of Austin’s most beloved outdoor destinations. Plus you’ll be able to stock up on not-so-scary Christmas presents with exclusive merch, including t-shirts, water bottles, bags, and more.

The immersive trail is a collaboration between Adventurelive and Madrid’s LETSGO (the company behind Tim Burton’s Labyrinth, and Naturaleza Encendida at Royal Alcázar of Seville) and is presented by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical. Wildflower Center Executive Director Lee Clippard said he was “excited” to partner with TPA in this event. “It’s going to be incredibly fun to share this fantastical experience with our community.”

The Mayor of Halloween Town comes to Austin: Join Jack and Sally at Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. Credit: Photo by Avery Brunkus
The Wildflower Center had hosted its own Christmas lights for 19 years, as well as special illuminated installations like Bruce Munro’s Field of Light. Now it’s the latest stop for an immersive experience that was previously hosted at the São Paulo Botanical Garden, and is returning to the New York Botanical Gardens for its second season.

TPA Executive & Artistic Director Bob Bursey said, “I’m thrilled for Austin to be the first U.S. city outside New York to host this immersive event. Texas Performing Arts is always working to bring new creative experiences to our city, whether in the theater or beyond.”

“Following the overwhelming success of the light trail in New York City we’re thrilled to bring this extraordinary experience to Austin, Texas,” said LETSGO Founder Iñaki Fernández. “Now more people than ever will have the chance to step into the spellbinding world of Tim Burton.”

The show marks the latest collaboration between TPA and AdventureLive, the company behind Broadway’s Hamilton. Bursey added, “We’re excited to offer Austin a new must-see fall experience by continuing our relationship with [AdventureLive] after three remarkable productions at Bass Concert Hall, while working for the first time with our UT colleagues at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.”

The path to Halloweentown will be open Wednesday-Sunday, Sept. 25-Nov. 30, starting at dusk. Tickets for Austin go on sale Aug. 15 at texasperformingarts.org.

This article appears in August 8 • 2025.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.