Holiday Happenings

Holiday cheer is in the air. If you’re sticking around Houston this month – and looking for ways to spend time with family members – there are tons of festive events going on around town. 

City of Bellaire’s Holiday in the Park Thurs., Nov. 30, 6-8:30 p.m.
Bellaire Town Square, 7008 S. Rice Ave.
Admission: Free The City of Bellaire hosts its annual Holiday in the Park, including school choir performances, snow slides, food, a petting zoo, pony rides, and more. 

Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park, presented by Crossbell Ventures, will mark the official kickoff to Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights, featuring beautiful new lighting features, including a 26-foot holiday tree on Bowden Terrace lit against Hines Lake, inside Clay Family Eastern Glades. Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights will remain lit for the public through early January 2024.

Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park & Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights
Fri., Dec. 1, 2023, 5 p.m.; Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights will remain lit for the public through early Jan. 2024. 
Memorial Park’s Clay Family Eastern Glades, 7575 N. Picnic Ln. 
Admission: Free Memorial Park Conservancy’s 2023 Deck the Park, presented by Crossbell Ventures, will mark the official kickoff to Memorial Park’s Holiday Lights, featuring a 26-foot holiday tree on Bowden Terrace lit against Hines Lake. Holiday activities include arts and crafts for kids, cookie-decorating, and letters to Santa. There will be music, food trucks on site for purchase, festive photo opps, and a Holiday Village. The Dec. 1 event starts at 5 p.m. with the tree lighting at 6 p.m. and an outdoor movie (Home Alone 2) at 6:45 p.m. 

Southside Place Winter Wonderland Carnival
Sat., Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 
Southside Clubhouse and surrounding fields 
Admission: $25/each for individuals over 2 years old; meal tickets: $8; drink tickets: $2 The annual Southside Place Winter Wonderland Carnival will include carnival games, inflatables, a holiday market, face painting, food and drinks, Santa, and a huge pile of snow.

The Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular, headlined by American Idol star and Grammy nominee, Jordin Sparks, includes live music, dance performances, the lighting of the holiday tree, and a fireworks show.

Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular
Sat., Dec. 2, 6-8 p.m.
City Hall, 901 Bagby St.
Admission: Free Mayor Sylvester Turner will kick off the holiday season at the annual event, which includes live music, dance performances, and the lighting of the holiday tree. American Idol star and Grammy nominee, Jordin Sparks, will headline the event. The event finale will feature the lighting of the tree and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah orchestrated and timed with the fireworks. Santa will be on-site for free photos.

Levy Park Holiday Festival
Dec. 2-3, 12-5 p.m. 
Levy Park, 3801 Eastside St.
Admission: Free The sixth annual Levy Park Holiday Festival is a two-day festival featuring a holiday market, craft station, live music performances throughout the park, a special performance by River Oaks Dance, a free photo booth with Santa, and food and drink concessions. 

West U Christmas Tree Lighting Mon., Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.
West U Community Building and Senior Center, 6104 Auden St.
Admission: Free The City of West University Place welcomes the holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas tree. Also, in celebration of West University Place Centennial, the City’s Centennial logo will be unveiled. Take home a special commemorative ornament to add a piece of local history to your Christmas tree.

Discover an immersive holiday experience at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens during Christmas Village at Bayou Bend, Dec. 8-30. (Photo courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston)

Christmas Village at Bayou Bend
Dec. 8-30; closed Dec. 11, 18, 24-25. Open 5:30-9 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. (except Dec. 26); Open 5:30-10 p.m. Fri., Sat., and Tues., Dec. 26.
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, 6003 Memorial Dr.
Admission: General Admission: $18 adult and youth (ages 13+); $12 child (ages 5-12); free for children ages 4 and younger. Premium Nights (Dec. 8-9, 15-16, 22, 23, 26, 29, 30) are $21/adult and youth (ages 13+); $14 child (ages 5-12) Discover an immersive holiday experience at Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens during Christmas Village at Bayou Bend, presented by Texas Children’s. A dazzling bridge transports visitors into a winter wonderland featuring thousands of lights throughout the 14-acre estate. Sled down a faux-snow slide; toss around cotton snowballs; watch a handcrafted model train circle the beautiful Christmas tree; enjoy games for all ages; enjoy a 3D video animation; listen to music from carolers and play holiday tunes at music-bell stations. Tour the first floor of Ima Hogg’s historic house to see live actors, theatrical effects, and beautiful Christmas decorations ($5). Photos with Santa ($10) are available through Dec. 23. A variety of food and drinks will be available for purchase.  

AIA Gingerbread Build-Off
Sat., Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Levy Park, 3801 Eastside St.
Admission: Free to spectate Architecture Center Houston hosts the 14th Annual Gingerbread Build-Off in which competing teams will create their masterpieces using 100 percent edible materials. Cheer on the teams, play in the kids’ construction zone, participate in the kids’ scavenger hunt, and take a photo with Santa. 

CAROLS ON THE GREEN Houston Grand Opera hosts the seventh annual Carols on the Green showcase and sing-along, in partnership with Discovery Green, on Sat., Dec. 9. The family-friendly evening will feature music celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah. Ugly sweaters encouraged. (Photo: LaTroya Brooks)

Carols on the Green
Sat., Dec. 9, 7-8:30 p.m.
Discovery Green, Anheuser-Busch Stage, 1500 McKinney St. 
Admission: Free Houston Grand Opera hosts the seventh annual Carols on the Green showcase and sing-along, in partnership with Discovery Green. The family-friendly evening will feature music celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah performed by singers from HGO community partners, plus interactive activities for attendees of all ages. Guests are invited to wear festive holiday attire (ugly sweaters encouraged).

PJ Library’s Chanukah Celebrations at Children’s Museum Houston
Sun., Dec. 10, 1-5:30 p.m.; Thurs., Dec. 14, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. 
Children’s Museum Houston, 1500 Binz St. 
Admission: General admission, Dec. 10; Free, Dec. 14 (Free Admission Day) PJ Library is bringing Chanukah to the Children’s Museum. On Sun., Dec. 10, PJ Library will be set up at the Museum from 1-5:30 p.m., with Chanukah-themed craft tables, story times each hour, Chanukah singalongs, book tables, giveaways, and special guests.  On Thursday, Dec. 14, PJ Library is hosting Carla Friend, a Jewish children’s musician from New York, who will give Chanukah-themed performances at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. There will be a hall full of tables with Chanukah books, arts and crafts, and giveaways.  

Bellaire Chanukah Festival
Sun., Dec. 10, 4 p.m. 
Bellaire Town Square, 7008 S. Rice Ave. 
Admission: Adult: $10; Child: $8; Family (dinner included): $36. RSVP: jewishbellaire.com/chanukah The Shul of Bellaire hosts the 2023 Bellaire Chanukah Festival featuring a giant menorah lighting, a fire show, Chanukah crafts, face painting, inflatables, a dinner buffet including latkes and donuts, and a Chanukah gelt and parachute drop. 

Champagne and Candy Canes Market
Thurs., Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Evelyn’s Park Event Center, 4400 Bellaire Blvd.
Admission: Free; $3 mimosas Shop crafts and gifts from local vendors at a holiday-themed market held at Evelyn’s Park Event Center. Santa will make an appearance, 5-7 p.m.

The Memorial Villages’ Twinkle Light Parade
Thurs., Dec. 14, 6 p.m. 
Starts at Frostwood Elementary School, 12214 Memorial Dr.
Admission: Free The parade departs from Frostwood Elementary at 6 and will end in the parking lot of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC). Festivities at MDPC will include hot chocolate, a holiday-cookie decorating station, snow, holiday music, and photo opps with Santa. 

Family Movie Night: The Polar Express 
Fri., Dec. 22, 7 p.m. (rescheduled from Fri, Dec. 15)
Levy Park, 3801 Eastside St.
Admission: Free  Wear pajamas and enjoy a free screening of classic holiday movie The Polar Express (G) presented by Texas Children’s. Outdoor furniture is not permitted; blankets or the park’s chairs can be used. 

Visit Winter Wonderlawn at POST to take in beautifully illuminated holiday lights and festive decor, with the downtown Houston skyline as the backdrop. (Photo courtesy of POST) 

Winter Wonderlawn at POST  Through Dec. 31, starting at 6 p.m. every night 
POST, 401 Franklin St. 
Admission: $15; kids 5 and under are free POST's five-acre rooftop garden, Skylawn, is decked out with thousands of beautifully illuminated holiday lights and festive decor, including a 25-foot Christmas tree and multiple holiday-themed activations, with the downtown Houston skyline as the backdrop. 

Uptown Houston Holiday Lights
Through New Years 2024 
Uptown Houston, Post Oak Blvd., between San Felipe and Westheimer
Admission: Free This year, the 300 dazzling 20 ft. holiday trees along Post Oak Boulevard will be illuminated through New Years. (The Uptown Holiday Lighting event will no longer take place.) In addition to the two-mile light show, Uptown is decorated with more than 1,000 twinkling stars and festive pageantry. Visitors can enjoy the holiday tree light show synced to festive music by downloading the Uptown Radio app, available on the Apple App Store and Google App Store.

Buffalo Bayou Cistern will light up for the holidays with Cistern Illuminated, a winter light installation, Nov. 25, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Partnership)

Cistern Illuminated
Through Jan. 7; Weds.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (30-minute tours) 
Buffalo Bayou Cistern, 105b Sabine St.
Admission: $12 Buffalo Bayou Cistern will light up for the holidays with Cistern Illuminated, a winter light installation. It’s the second year the cistern has hosted Houston artist/engineer Kelly O’Brien; this year will include new audio and visual elements to create a more immersive experience. In addition to tours, the cistern will host Schola Cantorum of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, who will perform on select dates alongside the backdrop of the light installation. Children ages 9+ only. 

The 8th annual Magical Winter Lights features thousands of intricately designed lanterns, illuminated tunnels, interactive exhibits, music, and entertainment.

Magical Winter Lights
Through Jan. 7, 2024; Sun.-Thurs: 5-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat: 5-11 p.m.; Extended Hours: Dec. 24-Jan. 1. 
Katy Mills Mall, 5000 Katy Mills Mall Circle
Admission: Adult: $25; Family 4-pack: $88; senior (65+)/child (3-12): $18  This dazzling festival features thousands of intricately designed lanterns in various themes, shapes, and sizes. Walk through illuminated tunnels, view towering sculptures, take part in interactive exhibits, and enjoy music and entertainment.

THE ICE Skate around The Ice at Discovery Green this winter. The annual Frostival event on Nov. 17 (rescheduled from Nov. 10) kicks off the season. (Photo: Lawrence Elizabeth Knox, courtesy of Discovery Green)

The ICE at Discovery Green
Through Jan. 28; times vary each day.   
Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St.
Admission to The Ice: $17, plus tax, including skate rentals  Skate around the ice rink at Discovery Green, Houston’s only outdoor skating rink. Throughout the Ice season, there will be special events and happenings at The Ice, including Skate with Santa, Skating Stars, DJs, and more.  

More than 50 larger-than-life Chinese lantern installations come to life in stunning displays at Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden. (Photo: Tianyu Arts & Culture)

Radiant Nature at Houston Botanic Garden    Through Feb. 25; open Fridays-Sundays; open certain weeknights around the holidays. See the website for specific dates. Timed entry is offered at 30-minute intervals from 6-8:30 p.m. each night the show is open. Last entry is 9 p.m. Radiant Nature closes at 10 p.m. 
Houston Botanic Garden, 1 Botanic Ln.
Admission: $28/person. Children ages 3 and under are free. More than 50 large Chinese lantern installations come to life in stunning displays that showcase the beauty of nature and celebrate the Lunar New Year. View a majestic 200-foot-long dragon, a soaring 12-foot-tall peacock with a fan that gracefully unfurls, and more. Explore an interactive zone buzzing with illuminated swings, whimsical seesaws, a digital kaleidoscope you can step inside, and other immersive features. Vendors will be on site selling festive food and drinks.

ZOO LIGHTS The Houston Zoo is transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland during the annual Zoo Lights event. (Photo: Houston Zoo)

Houston Zoo Lights
Through Jan. 7, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Last entry at 9:30 p.m.
Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Dr. 
Admission: Adult/child (ages 3+): Starts at $22.95 The Houston Zoo will be transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland at the annual Zoo Lights presented by TXU Energy. Enjoy a “snowy” scene featuring ski lifts; life-sized animal lanterns along the Zoo Lights path; an illuminated, interactive dance floor; a new, colorful holiday light tunnel.  

Worth the Drive 

Dickens on the Strand   Dec. 1-3 
The Strand, Galveston
Admission: Adults: $20 in advance; youth: $15 in advance. Separate tickets for special events. Travel back in time during the 50th Annual Dickens on The Strand, a holiday street festival that turns The Strand into the Victorian London of Charles Dickens. The festival includes costumed characters, street performers and vendors, parades, holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired crafts and more. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period costumes.  

Polar Express Train Ride  Through Dec. 23, weekends and select dates
Galveston Railroad Museum, 123 25th St. 
Admission: Adult tickets start at $39; child tickets (3-12) start at $34.  Set to the soundtrack of the motion picture, The Polar Express is theatrically recreated to immerse passengers in the sights and sounds of the classic children’s tale while they travel for a magical one-hour trip to meet Santa. Meet many of the characters from the film. Come dressed in PJs and enjoy cookies and hot chocolate served by singing chefs. The train ride consists of six separate cars pulled by vintage locomotives from the Galveston Railroad Museum’s collection.

Santa’s Wonderland  Through Dec. 30, every evening, including major holidays. Hours vary. 
Santa’s Wonderland grounds, 188898 Hwy 6, College Station 
Admission: Tickets range depending on date. Onsite adult admission is $54.95; children $49.95. Discounted tickets in advance online. Some activities are excluded from general admission.  Santa’s Wonderland, located in College Station, Texas, features a multitude of festive, family-friendly holiday attractions spread across acres of wonderland. Activities include Santa's Hayride Tour, Meet Texas Santa (who will be clad in cowboy boots and hat), Snow Tubing, Snow Playground, Walkable Trail of Lights, Christmas Shopping, Santa Barnyard (including a petting zoo and pony rides), campfires, live music, Christmas movies, and more.

The 10th annual Sugar Land Holiday Lights presented by Houston Methodist features 3.5 million lights, themed displays, Santa, and more holiday fun. (Photo courtesy of Sugar Land Space Cowboys) 

Sugar Land Holiday Lights
Through Jan. 1; Sun.-Thurs., 6-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday and holidays, 6-10 p.m. 
Constellation Field, 1 Stadium Dr., Sugar Land 
Admission: Varies by event date. No ticket needed for kids 3 and younger.  The 10th annual Sugar Land Holiday Lights presented by Houston Methodist features 3.5 million lights, Santa Claus (until Dec. 23), a dazzling 40 ft. lit-up tree, light shows, numerous themed displays, plus holiday vendors offering gifts to browse and great food.  

Holiday in the Gardens  Through Jan. 6
Moody Gardens, Galveston, 1 Hope Blvd. 
Admission: Ice Land: Starts at $29 for adults; $24 for kids/seniors; Festival of Lights: Starts at $25 for adults, $21 for kids/senior. Holiday Pass and other packages available.  Moody Gardens transforms into Holiday in the Gardens, offering festive, family-friendly attractions include Ice Land, Festival of Lights – a mile-long walking trail decked out with two million lights and filled with sound-enhanced, lighted, and animated displays themed to holiday music – an outdoor ice rink, an Arctic Slide, train rides, holiday 3D and 4D films, and more.  

GALAXY LIGHTS Visit Space Center Houston for an out-of-this-world holiday experience. (Photo courtesy of Space Center Houston)

Space Center Houston’s Galaxy Lights    Through Jan. 7, 6-10 p.m.; closed Dec. 7, Dec. 24-25
Space Center Houston, 1601 E NASA Pkwy.
Admission: $19.95-27.95; kids 3 and younger are free Galaxy Lights, presented by Reliant, is a space-themed holiday light show. Light displays give a nod to Houston and our city’s role in the history of space exploration. Enjoy festive treats and cozy bonfires, including make-your-own s’mores, and hot cocoa. 

Find more events here.