Houston Christmas Festivals, Shows, Lights & Family Fun

Happy Holidays, Houston! Here are all the Houston holiday festivals, shows and Christmas lights for November 1, 2023 through January 7, 2024.

As events change and pop up, we’ll update the list… and since things can change quickly, be sure to click the links and check before you head out to each venue.

If you want this list emailed to you each week, sign up for the free newsletter HERE. And if you know of more events, let us know!

Jump to:

• Quick Links
• Christmas Lights Near You
• Houston Holiday Shows & Concerts
• Houston Holiday Festivals & Family Fun

Quick Links

• All the events for the current week

Christmas Lights Near You

• The Light Park - November 3, 2023-January 1, 2024 - Hurricane Harbor & Typhoon Texas Parking Lot
• Texas Winter Lights - TBD for 2023 - Marriott Marquis (Open to the public on weekdays. Open to hotel guests only on the weekends.)
• Christmas Nights of Hope and Joy - TBD - University of St. Thomas (Yoakum Blvd)
• Santa’s Wonderland – November 10, 2023-December 30, 2023 – College Station
• Galaxy Lights – November 11, 2023 – January 7, 2024 – Space Center Houston
• Dasher's Lightshow - November 17, 2023 - December 31, 2023 - Sam Houston Race Park and New Caney (New locations this year)
• Zoo Lights – November 17, 2023 - January 7, 2024 – Houston Zoo
• Sugar Land Holiday Lights – November 17, 2023-January 1, 2024 – Constellation Field
• Winter Wanderland - Opens November 17 - Downtown Houston, between Lamar and Franklin Street
• Radiant Nature - November 17, 2023-December 31, 2023 - Houston Botanic Garden
• Magical Winter Lights – November 17, 2023-January 7, 2024 - Katy Mills (New location this year)
• Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail - TBD- Stevenson Park
• Festival of Lights – November 18, 2023  – January 6, 2024 – Moody Gardens
• Cistern Illuminated - November 25, 2023-January 7, 2024 - Buffalo Bayou Cistern (Ages 9+)
• Dickinson Festival of Lights - TBD (Usually Thanksgiving to Christmas) - John Hopkins Park
• Christmas Village - December 8-30, 2023- Bayou Bend

Houston Holiday Shows & Concerts

• A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas – November 17 – December 30, 2023– Alley Theatre
• Houston Ballet Nutcracker - November 24 - December 27, 2023 - Wortham Theater
• Hansel and Gretel - December 1-9, 2023 - Opera in the Heights
• Nightmare Before Christmas - Film with Live Orchestra - December 9, 10, 2023 - Jones Hall
• A Charlie Brown Christmas - December 14-23, 2023 - Queensbury Theatre
• Handel's Messiah - December 15, 16, 17, 2023 - Jones Hall
• Visions of Christmas - December 16, 17, 2023 - Second Baptist Church Woodway
• Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol - December 16-19, 2023 - Rise at The Warehouse
• Very Merry Pops - December 20-23, 2023 Jones Hall

Houston Holiday Festivals & Family Fun

• Texas Renaissance Festival – Weekends through November 26, 2023 – Todd Mission, Texas 
  • The world’s largest Renaissance Festival has themes that change each weekend.
• Texas Winter Lights - TBD for 2023 - Marriott Marquis
  • Open to the public on weekdays, with ticket. Float for walk through the lights!
• Trains Over Texas – TBD for 2023 - Houston Museum of Natural Science
• Create holiday memories by travelling across Texas by model railroad in this scratch built “O” scale model. (See our past post HERE.)
• Frostival – November 10, 2023 – Discovery Green
  • Ice skating and real snow.
• ICE at Discovery Green– Opens November 10, 2023 – Discovery Green
  • All ages are invited to skate at Discovery Green.
• Santa’s Wonderland – November 10, 2023-December 30, 2023 – College Station
  • Biggest Christmas attraction in the state of Texas! Several ticket options are available.
• Polar Express Train Rides - November 10-December 23, 2023 - Galveston Train Museum
  • The adventure comes to life when the train departs for a round-trip journey to the North Pole led by a cast of talented actors.
  • Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the classic story as they are whisked away on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ for a one-hour trip to meet Santa.
• Home for the Holidays - Opens November 11, 2023 - Old Town Spring
  • Every weekend from mid November to Christmas. (But you could see the decorations/lights any day.)
• Zoo Lights – November 17, 2023 - January 7, 2024 – Houston Zoo
  • Tour the Zoo after dark! The Zoo closes at 5:00pm and reopens at 5:30pm for this event.
• Polar Express Train Ride – November 17, 2023 - December 27, 2023 – 789 Park Road 70, Palestine, Texas 75801
  • Ride on the Polar Express! Find the best pricing in November and early December… and book all tickets before they sell out!
• Magical Winter Lights – November 17, 2023-January 7, 2024 - Katy Mills
  • This lantern festival is one of my favorite light shows around Houston!
  • There are seven themed displays, with more than six million lights.
• Gingerbread Lane - November 17, 2023-January 14, 2024 - Houston Farmers Market
  • In addition to viewing the beautiful gingerbread village, guests are invited to build their own whimsical gingerbread creations at the GingerBread Lane workshops on select dates.
• Holiday in the Gardens – November 18, 2023 - January 6, 2024 – Moody Gardens
  • Ice Land, Festival of Lights, Ice Skating Rink, Holiday 3D Films, Rudolph 4D, Arctic Slide, Train Rides, Cirque Joyeux Holiday Show, New Year's Palooza
• HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade – November 23, 2023 - Downtown Houston
• Lone Star Lights - November 24-December 22, 2023 - Caroline Creek
  • Lone Star Lights offers a-17 acre park with 8 immersive thematic zones complete with incredible photo opportunities, engaging interactions, and over a million lights.
• Christmas Train – November 24-December 23, 2023 – 1407 Victory Lane, Alvin, Texas 775711
  • Old-fashioned train ride through our winter wonderland of lights and religious scenery.
  • Over 300,000 lights sparkle along the ¾ mile track.
• Cistern Illuminated - November 25, 2023-January 7, 2024 - Buffalo Bayou Cistern (Ages 9+)
  • Must be 9+ years old.
  • On certain days, Cistern Illuminated will also be the venue for special performances by the Schola Cantorum of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
• Dickens on the Strand – December 1-3, 2023 – Galveston –Strand National Historic Landmark District
  • Victorian holiday festival!
  • Multiple stages, strolling carolers, musicians, bagpipers, jugglers and  even more entertainers. Costumed vendors peddle their wares from street stalls and rolling carts laden with holiday food and drink, Victorian-inspired gifts.
• Mayor's Holiday Spectacular- December 2, 2023 - City Hall
  • The Reliant Lights Mayor’s Holiday Spectacular will ring in the Holiday season with live music and the lighting of the official holiday tree.
• Story Time at the Trains - December 4, 11, 18, 22, 2023 - Second Baptist Woodway
  • Storytime begins in the Atrium with train displays and scavenger hunt.
  • Next you move to the new Children's Building for themed story times, train rides, treats and more!
• Stearman Santa Fly-In– December 9, 16, 2023 – Lone Star Flight Museum
  • Santa flies in to the Lone Star Flight Museum!
  • After you watch him land, you can meet him, do some activities and explore the museum!
• Christmas Village - December 8-30, 2023- Bayou Bend
  • Immersive Christmas experience at the beautiful Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens.
• Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival – December 8-10, 2023 - Tomball
• Christmas Boat Parade – December 9, 2023 – Kemah Boardwalk
  • Boats cruise along Galveston Bay.
• Breakfast with Santa–TBD –Lone Star Flight Museum
  • This event starts with seeing St. Nick arrive in the vintage PT-17 Stearman plane!
• Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail - TBD- Stevenson Park
  • Stevenson Park has transformed for the holidays… and families can enjoy the FREE Lighted Christmas Trail and the FREE Christmas Fairy Trail!
  • The Fairy Trail has been dressed up the holidays. The Christmas Fairy Trail is a daytime hunt for Christmas related fairies. Find the new Christmas fairies hidden along the new lighted Christmas trail.
• Christmas Trains - TBD - Second Baptist Woodway
  • All aboard! Experience childhood nostalgia with delightful train displays that will capture the imagination of all ages. Miniature trains will wind their way through enchanting town centers and villages all month long. The trains will run from 10AM-2PM Monday-Saturday and 30 minutes before and after each Worship service.
• Family Celebration - December 31, 2023 – Kemah Boardwalk
  • Fireworks at 10:00pm.
• New Year Palooza - December 31, 2023 - Moody Gardens
• New Year's Noon Celebration - December 31, 2023 - Children's Museum of Houston
  • Details still coming.
• High Noon Countdown - December 31, 2023 - The Woodlands Children's Museum
  • Details still coming.