The Best Holiday Events in North Texas (2023)

Don your favorite Christmas attire and head to one or all of these fun holiday events in Dallas and Fort Worth. No matter what side of the metroplex you are on, there are plenty of activities to enjoy for the entire family.

North Texas has no shortage of ways to celebrate this holiday season.

With everything from drive-through light displays, outdoor ice skating to photos with Santa, there is something fun happening every night from Thanksgiving to New Years.

Christmas Holiday Events in North Texas

The Best Dallas & Fort Worth Christmas Lights

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

Holiday at the Arboretum is Dallas’ favorite holiday tradition! Experience the 12 Days of Christmas November 9 – January 5. The garden has decorated Victorian-style gazebos that represent the 12 Days of Christmas.

There is over 1 million lights, entertainment, shopping, food and visits with Santa Claus. Timed tickets required.

Luminova Holidays

Sadly this event is not taking place in DFW. Hopefully it will come back next year!

Surrounded by millions of dazzling lights, Luminova will brighten up your holidays! Visit with jolly ol’ Saint Nick, glide on a 10,000 sqft outdoor ice-skating pond, snap great pictures with family and friends around our larger-than-life light displays, sip on hot cocoa, and enjoy yummy treats.

The Shops at Highland Village

Enjoy free horse drawn carriage rides around The Shops, and listen to the Living Christmas Card carolers on weekends and select dates from November 28 thru December 23.

Prairie Lights

Prairie Lights is the premier holiday light park in Texas located at Lynn Creek Park on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie, Texas.

You will be dazzled with 4 million lights set along 2 miles of path. Hundreds of ALL-NEW displays in shapes of all kinds line and arch over the roads.

Half way through your adventure you will have the opportunity to order treats and drinks in our new concessions drive-thru! Open each night from November 23 – December 31.

Daystar Christmas

Daystar Christmas is the annual holiday lights display at Daystar Television Network in Bedford, Texas. The event, taking place through January 3, features over 2 million lights, a life-sized Nativity, kid-friendly Christmas town, a newly added drive-through tunnel, and more.

This is by far one of the best places to see Christmas lights in Texas. It’s free and has so many cute photo opportunities scattered throughout the property.

Guests are welcome to drive through the property or get out and explore. Daystar’s Scratch Café will be open to the public and serving holiday treats from 6-10pm Fridays and Saturdays from December 4-19 and every day December 21-24.

Radiance at the Ranch

Radiance! A Holiday Light Spectacular is more than a mile long and will take about 20 to 30 minutes to drive through the entire experience.

A special Radiance! radio station frequency will be provided for guests to enjoy iconic holiday tunes as they experience the wonder which includes 160 feet of animated RGB light tunnels.

Food and beverages and special items, including hot chocolate, cookies, unique holiday treats, LED balloons, glow stick cotton candy and more, will be available for purchase from the comfort of the car.

The event is open from November 17 – December 30 in Weatherford.

Dallas Zoo Lights

The Dallas Zoo’s beloved holiday tradition has been reimagined as a socially distant drive-thru.

On select nights November 17 through January 2, cruise through a newly constructed pathway – and through familiar parts of the Dallas Zoo – while marveling at more than one million lights in elaborate displays, silk-covered animal lanterns depicting all your zoo favorites, an ice palace fit for a trio of penguins, and so much more along the way.

North Pole Express

Experience the magic of Christmas aboard Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s North Pole Express.

Guests are presented with a Souvenir Ticket as they begin their journey aboard the beautifully decorated Grapevine Vintage Railroad.

As guests board the train, Santa’s elves greet them with a Memory Mug of Santa’s special Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk. Train runs from November 4 – December 23.

SNOWDAY and SANTALAND

SNOWDAY is an immersive holiday photo experience for all-ages. Navigate your way through an imaginative wonderland of festive photo ops, enchanted rooms and notalgic moments.

SANTALAND is an immersive holiday photo experience with all things Santa.

Spots are limited, reserve your tickets today for a wonderfully safe and socially-distanced experience from November 23 – January 7.

Vitruvian Lights

The most dazzling and spectacular time of the year is here! Vitruvian Park transforms into a magical holiday wonderland during Vitruvian Lights; Friday, November 27, 2020 – Sunday, January 3, 2021.

Beginning November 18, tree lights will be on daily from 5:00pm – 11:00pm.

Trains at NorthPark

For the past 33 years, the Trains at NorthPark benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Dallas (RMHD), has delighted generations of Dallas families as one of our city’s premier holiday traditions.

Since 1987, the Trains have raised more than $13 million for RMHD allowing us to serve more than 39,000 families. The exhibit will be open from November 11 – January 1!

Ho Ho Ho Holidays in the Stockyards

Enjoy a Cowboy Christmas in the Fort Worth Stockyards, with thousands of twinkling lights, a 30-foot tree, strolling carolers, socially distanced Santa photos (online reservations recommended), a rodeo ticket giveaway and more.

Texas Motor Speedway presents Gift of Lights

The event has over two miles of light displays and almost 3 million lights. This drive-through experience allows guests to stay warm and cozy in their vehicle while listening to Christmas music on KLTY.

At the end of the driving experience, visitors can visit Santa’s Village on the inside track for photos with Santa, take a ride on the Reindeer Express miniature train and more. November 23 – January 7.

Light Show Spectacular

It’s no wonder that Grapevine is the Christmas capital of Texas. The popular Light Show Spectacular is a synchronized light and sound display at the Grapevine Christmas Tree.

It’s located next to the Town Square Gazebo along Main Street in historic downtown Grapevine, at the corner of Main and Dallas streets.

This free, fun-for-all-ages lights show is about 20 minutes long and runs continuously from 6-11 pm nightly through January 7.

Interlochen Holiday Lights

Arlington’s Interlochen neighborhood is on of the nations most spirited areas for Christmas lights. With over 200 homeowners decorating with extravagant lights and displays, it’s worth waiting in line to drive through the area.

This free event takes place every evening at 7 p.m. Visitors can enter at Westwood Drive and Randol Mill Road and wind their way through the neighborhood light display.

Be prepared for long lines at this holiday display.

Diamond Loch Christmas Lights Display

Visitors line up at the neighborhood entrance before sunset to be first in line to drive through the famous “Whoville” display that is synched to music.

Holiday Events Fort Worth

Sundance Square Place

After dining in downtown, head to the center of Sundance Square for photos next to the towering Christmas tree. This year’s tree is decked out with over 10,000 LED lights and ornaments.

You can even get your photo with Santa without even standing in line.

Thanks to Sundance Square’s virtual line system: simply check in at Santa’s Sleigh, provide a cellphone number, and you’ll receive a text confirming your time to see Santa.

Surrounding the tree are also large displays that are the perfect setting for photos with the family.

The Shops at Clearfork

The 500,000-square-foot, open-air shopping center gets decked for the holidays, with trees gleaming with lights and a spectacular Christmas tree in The Plaza.

Check the Clearfork social media pages for all of their holiday happenings, including horse-drawn carriage rides, photos with Santa, local choir performances, a holiday tea party with ballerinas from Texas Ballet Theater, and more through the season.

Candy Cane Lane

Located at the American Airlines Center, this multi-level display is a combination of holiday lights, classic holiday lantern characters and a wonderland of surprises.

Highland Park Village

Book a carriage ride and tour the beautiful light displays and homes of Highland Park. This will soon become your favorite holiday tradition.

Lightscape

Lightscape takes place at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. The 120-acre garden transforms into a magical winter wonderland.

Guests will enjoy walk a one-mile-long path with suspended strands and tunnels of light, a fire garden, undulating wave of bluebonnets, singing trees, treetop sculptures, and artistic installations, while toasting marshmallows over a fire and drinking hot chocolate and other seasonal drinks at stations along the trail.

The Light Park

Brighten your holiday season at the exciting and electrifying light show. The mile-long drive-thru features more than one million LED animated lights and the worlds largest synchronized LED light tunnel.

Guest can turn up the music on the radio and enjoy the synchronized music while being mesmerize by the endless amount of lights at the park.

The event runs November 4 – January 1 with prices starting at $29.

Sugar Lane Lights

This drive-thru light display features more than 1,200 props, a 25-foot tall gingerbread house, 16-foot tall snowflake, 50-foot tall Christmas tree that is decorated with more than 90,000 lights.

Guests can also purchase a battery-charged LED bracelet that is synced to the music of the light show. Runs from Nov. 10 – Dec. 31

Santa’s Country Christmas

This two-mile drive the light experience that features thousands of lights, music, Christmas village and animals.

Runs from Nov. 11 – January 1

Christmas Time in Texas

A drive through experience that features unique displays along the 1.5 mile path. Guests can also stop by the event tent for concessions, shopping and photos with Santa.

Event runs from Nov. 23 – Dec. 31

Christmas at Gaylord Texas

This is local favorite and holiday tradition for so many families. The theme for 2023 is Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Guests will enjoy larger-than-life sculptures, ice slides, fake snow, shopping and concessions.

Runs from Nov. 10 – Dec. 31

Christmas at Campo Verde Mexican Restaurant

To be honest, the food is mediocre. However, the decorations inside the restaurant are amazing! Every inch is decorated and is a winter wonderland. Complete with a model train that tracks cover the entire indoor space.

It’s a must visit restaurant this Christmas season. Be prepared to wait in line, unless you are there first thing for lunch.

Holiday in The Park at Six Flags Over Texas

Holiday in The Park is the perfect amusement park to celebrate at this winter. The park transforms into a festive wonderland with millions of lights, holiday sweet treats and holiday themed live music.

Happening from Nov. 19 – Dec. 31

Outdoor Ice Skating in North Texas

Fort Worth Stockyards Rodeo Rink

Nov. 20 – Jan.7, guets can purchase 90 minute skate sessions and includes the skate rentals.

Grapevine Peace Plaza Ice Rink

Each session lasts one hour. Guests can enjoy the 4,600 square foot ice-skating rink on Historic Main Street. Open from Nov. 20 – Jan. 7

More holiday events

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Hello! I'm Chastity.