’Tis the season for hot chocolate, garland, mistletoe and—of course—Christmas lights! We’ve rounded up the best festive displays across the Metroplex, sure to bring that extra dose of cheer to this winter. Gather the family and enjoy these light shows and exhibits below, listed in order of their openings.
*Editor’s Picks
(Top image of Lightscape, courtesy of Fort Worth Botanic Garden)
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Walk-Thru Christmas Lights
Tianyu Lights Festival
Where: Texas Trust CU Theatre, Grand Prairie
When: Nov. 8, 2024–Jan. 19, 2025
What to know: Chinese lantern festivals are back. This lighted exhibit open after dark recreates a magical rainforest of animals. Take a walk through the nearly 20 scenes of lanterns, created from metal and LED lights wrapped in colorful fabric, plus acrobatic performances. Kids wagons are welcome, if it’s easier to pull your little ones. They’ll have plenty of room to run around in the interactive playground for kids. Want to stay as long as possible? Get your timed tickets for the 5:30pm slot and stay until close.
Tickets: Admission from $16. Learn more
*Holiday at the Arboretum
Where: Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas
When: Nov. 13, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025
What to know: This is one of the few times a year you can come to the Arboretum after dark, and it’s well worth the evening outing to see it lit up in a blaze of Christmas glory. The arboretum is bringing back its enormous German Christmas Pyramid in the cute-as-can-be German village, and the 12 Days of Christmas gazebos, and of course the opportunity to see Santa.
Tickets: Daytime and nighttime admission available. Tickets from $13; under 2 free. Learn more here
*ICE!
Where: Gaylord Texan Resort, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine
When: Nov. 15, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025
What to know: In addition to the twinkle lights all around the Gaylord and in the Atrium, the real show is inside ICE! Throw on a provided parka and walk through this massive ice exhibit of Christmas scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer carved from colorful ice blocks. It’s as cool as it is literally freezing—and that’s just the start of the resort’s festivities. Tickets are sold separately for the ice slides, carousel and photos with Santa.
Tickets: Prices vary by activity, but the ICE! starts at $19.99, depending on the day. Bundles available. Overnight guests get extra perks. Learn more here
Coca-Cola Classic Christmas
Where: Choctaw Stadium, 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington
When: Nov. 22.–Dec. 29, 2024
What to know: You’ve got to give it to Coke, their history of branding had a big hand in shaping our image of the modern-day image of Santa. And at this lights festival (with ice skating, snow tubing and lights maze), you can also meet Santa for photos and join Mrs. Claus for story readings, and also snap photos with the classic Coca-Cola polar bear.
Tickets: Admission from $21; children 3 and under free. Learn more here
*Dallas Zoo Lights
Where: Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas
When: Nov. 22, 2024–Jan. 4, 2025
What to know: Glowing silk lanterns in the shape of all sorts of animals—including dinosaurs in Dino Lumina: A Jurassic Adventure—light up much of the zoo during these nightly open hours. Reserve your timed admission and come say hello to Santa too. Add-ons are available for gift packages with cocoa and for a virtual reality show starring Santa’s elves.
Tickets: Admission from $16; under 3 free. Discount for zoo members. Learn more here
Lightscape
Where: Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard, Fort Worth
When: Nov. 22, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025
What to know: These gardens are getting the holiday treatment. Come after dark to see them lit up with everything from oversized and illuminated flowers, to giant cowboy nutcrackers and a water fountain show. Santa will be there on select nights too.
Tickets: Pricing from $12; under 3 free. Anytime tickets. Learn more here
Lights on the Farm
Where: Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 West 15th Street, Plano
When: Nov. 22–Dec. 28, 2024
What to know: Visit with Santa Claus and make your own s’mores at this historic farm’s annual holiday fest—made more festive with themed nights every Saturday. Expect to see the Grinch, for example, on December 8 and lots of princesses and princes on December 22.
Tickets: Online in advance: $15 adults; $10 children; under 3 free. At the door: $18 adults; $12 children. Learn more here
Vitruvian Lights
Where: Vitruvian Park, 3875 Ponte Avenue, Addison
When: Nov. 23, 2024–Jan. 1, 2025
What to know: Stroll or drive through 12 acres of colorful trees at Vitruvian Park’s annual free holiday light display of more than 500 trees in multicolored LEDs. You can visit any night but the best time to come is opening night, when Santa flips the switch. Stay for free photos with Santa, live reindeer, and holiday performers.
Tickets: Free admission. Learn more here
Merry & Bright Drone Show
Where: Grapevine Main Station & City Hall
When: Mondays, December 2 & 9, 2024
What to know: No, it’s not a shooting star but a fleet of 400 drones (double the number from 2023). Gather in the plaza below to watch the show for free, or for an even better view, get tickets ($25) to watch the show from the Grapevine Observation Tower 12 stories up. It’ll be a short show, so stay afterward to ice-skate the Peace Plaza Skating Rink, open through January 7.
Tickets: Free to watch drone show. Learn more here
Drive-Thru-Only Christmas Lights
The Light Park
Where: Hurricane Harbor Arlington, 1800 E Lamar Blvd., Arlington; and Riders Field, 7300 Rough Riders Trail, Frisco
When: Nov. 1, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025
What to know: OK, this drive-thru lights show is giving “Griswold family Christmas” on the go. Fair warning: You will be sitting in the car for a bit, so either bring snacks for the kids or upgrade to a pre-paid snack package to pick up on-site. It includes items like popcorn, drinks and even 3D glasses to make all the lights shine even brighter.
Tickets: General admission starts at $29 per car, depending on the day. Learn more here
Prairie Lights
Where: Lynn Creek Park at Joe Pool Lake, 5610 Lake Ridge Parkway, Grand Prairie
When: Nov. 28–Dec. 31, 2024
What to know: Halfway through this drive-thru lights show along the Joe Pool Lake shores, hop out of the car and stretch your legs with a stroll through the forest, where Santa and snacks await, and go for a spin on carnival rides.
Tickets are $50 for a regular car pass. Fast passes allow you to select your arrival time and skip the line. Learn more here
Gift of Lights
Where: Texas Motor Speedway, 3545 Lone Star Circle, Fort Worth
When: Nov. 28, 2024–Jan. 5, 2025
What to know: On the same raceway where Nascar drives push it to the max, you can take it slow and enjoy the ride as your family cruises through Fort Worth’s Gift of Lights, a 2-mile light park with millions (yes, millions) of shining bulbs.
Tickets: Tickets start at $35 per car. Learn more here
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Lighted Christmas Parades
GM Financial Parade of Lights
Where: Downtown Fort Worth, parade begins at the intersection of Weatherford and Throckmorton Streets and ends on Third Street. See the complete route information and a full map here.
When: Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 (the Sunday before Thanksgiving) from 6–8pm
What to know:Christmas comes early via this 42nd annual nighttime parade through the downtown streets, and every year the revelers who create these floats try to outdo themselves. See what 2024 has in store by lining up on the sidewalks along the downtown streets (free) or reserving street seats. To kill some time in downtown before the parade, take the kids to the Sid Richardson Museum for a Pre-Parade Family Day for art activities from 1–5pm.
Tickets: See from the sidewalk sidelines for free or reserve a street seat, starting at $$17.50 for adults and $15 for children. Learn more here
Parade of Lights
Where: Historic Main Street Grapevine, 636 S. Main St., Grapevine
When: Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024 at 7pm
What to know: Here at the Christmas Capital of Texas, more than 100 lighted floats strut down Main Street—with Santa waving from the caboose. And speaking of trains, the 2025 theme is “Toys, Trains & Candy Canes.” And of course there’s lots more to do and see at this holiday hotspot, like the Peace Plaza Skating Rink, an outdoor ice rink open through January 7.
Tickets: Free to watch parade. Learn more here
Arlington Holiday Lights Parade
Where: Downtown Arlington, Levitt Pavilion, 100 W. Abram Street, Arlington
When: Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 from 6–8pm
What to know: The Christmas parade steps off at 6pm and through downtown and University district. Follow the parade to Founders Plaza, where the mayor is expected to flip the switch on the Christmas tree. Come early for “reindeer games” and activities from 2–6pm inside George W. Hawkes Arlington Public Library and outside (weather permitting) around Arlington City Hall.
Tickets: Free. Learn more here
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Top image of Holiday at the Arboretum, photo courtesy of Dallas Arboretum
