Holiday Fun Around Dallas-Fort Worth: 2026

The holidays are one of the best times of year in Dallas-Fort Worth. From drive-through light shows to parades and ice sculptures, there’s something for every budget. Here’s what’s happening this season, with 2026 dates. Some events are free and some charge admission, so check the details before you go.

Lights and displays

• Prairie Lights, Lynn Creek Park, 5610 Lake Ridge Parkway, Grand Prairie. Nightly, November 26 through December 31, 6 to 10 p.m. A two-mile drive through about 4 million lights, right on Joe Pool Lake. Halfway through, you can park and stroll the Holiday Village, with rides, treats, and a walk-through forest of lights. It’s also a great chance to visit with Santa, who’s usually there nightly in the weeks leading up to Christmas (photos are extra). Admission is per car; buy tickets ahead at prairielights.org.
• Holiday at the Arboretum, Dallas Arboretum. November 11, 2026, through January 3, 2027, with daytime and evening admission. This is the last year for the 12 Days of Christmas gazebos, a favorite since 2014, so this is the year to see them.
• ice! at Gaylord Texan Resort, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine. November 13, 2026, through January 3, 2027. This year’s ice sculptures feature Harry Potter, carved from more than two million pounds of colored ice. Bring a jacket, because it’s freezing inside. Afterward, warm up with cookies, hot cocoa, and other holiday treats sold around the resort. Even if you skip the ice! exhibit, the resort’s elaborate decorations are worth a stroll, and it only costs the price of parking.
• Holiday in the Park, Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington. Select days, November 22 through December 30. Rides plus a park decked out in holiday lights.
• Dallas Zoo Lights, Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Fwy., Dallas. Select nights, November 13, 2026, through January 3, 2027. Millions of lights and glowing animal-shaped lanterns. Come during the day to see the animals, then stay for the lights.

Parades and events

GM Financial Parade of Lights, downtown Fort Worth. Sunday, November 22, at 6 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Legacy of Lights,” celebrating more than 40 years of the parade. Free to watch along the route.

Grand Prairie

• Prairie Lights Sneak-A-Peek, November 21 and 22 at 6 p.m., Lynn Creek Park. Walk, jog, or run the light route before it opens to cars.
• Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting and Lighted Holiday Parade, downtown Grand Prairie, Saturday, December 5, 5 to 9 p.m. Free.

At Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark (EpicCentral):

• Epic Tree Lighting Celebration, Saturday, November 28. Entertainment, family activities, and giveaways.
• Breakfast with Santa, December 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20. Breakfast, a craft, Santa story time, and a family photo, with all-day waterpark admission included.
• Slides & Carols, Saturdays in December. Live holiday music from local musicians and choirs.
• Surfin’ with Santa, Saturday, December 19, noon to 2 p.m. A holiday surf party with a group photo and a contest for the most festive swimsuit.
• Epic Family New Year, December 31. Waterpark fun and kid-friendly countdowns to 2027.

The Fort Worth Stockyards

The Stockyards goes all out with a Western twist from November 17 through January 3.

• Million Dollar Mile of Lights, all season along Exchange Avenue and Mule Alley. Free to stroll.
• Stockyards Rodeo Rink, November 17 through January 3. Outdoor ice skating, timed so you can watch the cattle drive at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets required.
• Cowboy Santa’s Grand Arrival Parade and Tree Lighting, Friday, November 27. Parade at 11:30 a.m. on East Exchange Avenue and tree lighting at 6 p.m. on the Livestock Exchange lawn. Free.
• Photos with Cowboy Santa, November 27 through 29 and December 1 through 24, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (until 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve). Tickets required.
• Mrs. Claus Story Time, select Fridays through Sundays in November and December, inside Cowboy Santa’s Workshop. Free.
• Christmas in the Stockyards, Saturday, December 5, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A full day of music, reindeer games, photos, and a 4 p.m. parade. Free.
• Buckin’ New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31, at 8 p.m., Cowtown Coliseum. A rodeo and live music. Tickets required.

Downtown Dallas and Fort Worth

• Klyde Warren Park Tree Lighting, Dallas, Saturday, December 5, 4 to 7 p.m. An afternoon of activities ending with the lighting of the Mayor’s Tree. Free.
• Dallas Holiday Parade, downtown Dallas, starting at Commerce and Houston streets. It’s held the first Saturday in December, which would be December 5 this year. Watch for the official date and time.
• The Nutcracker, Texas Ballet Theater. In Dallas at the Winspear Opera House, November 27 through December 6, and in Fort Worth, December 11 through 27. Tickets required.
• SNOWDAY and Santaland, Galleria Dallas, November 13 through January 3. Holiday decor and visits with Santa at the mall.

Grapevine, the “Christmas Capital of Texas”

Grapevine packs a lot into one Main Street.

• Carol of Lights, Monday, November 23, 4 to 8 p.m., Historic Main Street. The official kickoff, with bounce houses and a snow hill for kids.
• Parade of Lights, Thursday, December 3, at 7 p.m., Historic Main Street. More than 100 lighted floats and marching bands.
• Merry & Bright Drone Show, Monday, December 7, at 7 p.m., Historic Main Street. Six hundred drones light up the sky.
• Santa’s North Pole Express, 705 S. Main St. November 27 through December 30 (closed December 3, 24, and 25). A train ride to visit Santa, with singalongs along the way. Tickets sell out, so book early.
• Peace Plaza Ice Rink, 815 S. Main St. November 21 through January 5, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
• Grapevine Christmas Market, Cotton Belt Depot District. November 27 through December 30, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, closed December 24 and 25.

Dates and times can change, so double-check with each event before you head out. If you’d rather keep the season inexpensive, I also put together a free advent calendar with one no-cost activity for every day in December.

If you’re thinking about a move to Dallas-Fort Worth, I’m happy to help.

Sources

• City of Grand Prairie, Prairie Lights 2026
• Dallas Arboretum, Holiday at the Arboretum
• Grapevine Visitors Bureau, 2026 reference guide to the Christmas Capital of Texas
• Six Flags Over Texas events
• Visit Dallas, Dallas Zoo Lights
• Visit Fort Worth, GM Financial Parade of Lights 2026
• Epic Waters special events
• City of Grand Prairie, special events
• Klyde Warren Park signature events
• Visit Dallas, Dallas Holiday Parade