Christmas Festivals, Shows, Lights & Family Fun… Things to Do in Houston for the Holidays 2020, with Kids!

Happy Holidays, Houston!

Here are all the Houston holiday festivals, shows and Christmas lights for November 1, 2020 through January 5, 2021.

As events change and pop up, we’ll update the list… and since this year is weird and 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!

Quick Links:

• Full list of things to do in Houston, with kids, November 1 – January 5
• All the events for this week
• Drive through the St. Thomas Lights
• Enjoy the Christmas Light Trail and Christmas Fairy Trail in Friendswood
• Go see the Sugar Land Holiday Lights
• Float through the lazy river lights at the Marriott Marquis Houston in Downtown Houston!
• Rudolph’s Lightshow Coupon Code
• Christmas trains! Trains Over Texas is open again at Houston Museum of Natural Science!

Christmas Lights Near Me:

• Rudolph’s Lightshow – November 1, 2020 – January 3, 2021 – 19623 Bauer Road, Hockley, TX (See our 2020 post HERE)
• The Light Park – November 5, 2020-December 31, 2020 – Splashtown
• Virtual Holiday Lights Countdown – November 13, 2020 – Memorial City Online (with lights up all season!)
• Santa’s Wonderland – November 13, 2020-December 30, 2020 – College Station
• Galaxy Lights – November 14, 2020 – January 3, 2021 – Space Center Houston
• Zoo Lights – November 14, 2020 – January 10, 2021 – Houston Zoo
• Texas Winter Lights – November 20, 2020–January 3, 2021 – Marriott Marquis (Open to the public on weekdays)
• Sugar Land Holiday Lights – November 20, 2020 – January 3, 2021 – Constellation Field (See our 2020 review HERE!)
• Festival of Lights – November 21, 2020  – January 2, 2021 – Moody Gardens
• Trail of Lights – November 27, 2020 – December 27, 2020 – Dewberry Farm (See our 2019 post HERE)
• Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail – November 27, 2020 – January 1, 2021 – Stevenson Park (See our 2020 post HERE)
• Christmas Nights of Hope and Joy – December 1, 2020 – January 6, 2021 – University of St. Thomas (Yoakum Blvd)
• Magical Winter Lights – Cancelled for 2020

Houston Holiday Shows & Concerts:

Most shows have been cancelled or re-imaged this year. As shows/concerts pop up, I’ll add them.

• Virtual & Free: A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas – November 15 – December 29, 2019 – Alley Theatre Online (See our 2019 review HERE!)
• Houston Symphony: A Baroque Christmas – December 4, 5, 6, 2020 – Jones Hall Online or In-person
• Houston Symphony: Very Merry POPS – December 11-20, 2020 – Jones Hall Online or In-person

Houston Holiday Festivals & Family Fun:

• Texas Renaissance Festival – Weekends, through November 29, 2020 – Todd Mission, Texas 
  • The world’s largest Renaissance Festival has themes that change each weekend.
  • Ticket deals can usually be found on coupon websites. Kids are free on Sundays.
• Virtual: Frostival – November 12, 2020 – Discovery Green – 1500 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77010  
  • This annual event is virtual this year!
• Polar Express Train Ride – November 13, 2020 – December 27, 2020 – 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!
• Santa’s Wonderland – November 13, 2020-December 30, 2020 – 18898 Hwy 6 South, College Station, 77845 
  • Biggest Christmas attraction in the state of Texas! Several ticket options are available.
• ICE at Discovery Green – November 13, 2020, to January 30, 2021 – Discovery Green – 1500 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77010  
  • All ages are invited to skate at Discovery Green. There is usually a small toddler rink for the littlest ones to practice.
• Home for the Holidays – November 14, 2020 – December 25, 2020 – Old Town Spring
  • Every weekend from November 14, 2020 to Christmas. (But you could see the decorations/lights any day.)
  • The hometown holiday festival features a spectacular display of twinkling holiday lights, entertainment, family-friendly activities and photos with Santa every weekend!
  • A “Texas-style winter wonderland” featuring hassle-free holiday shopping along with unique gift ideas, hand-made and locally sourced products and more.
• Zoo Lights – November 14, 2020 – January 10, 2021 – Houston Zoo  – 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, Texas 77030
  • Tour the Zoo after dark! The Zoo closes at 5:00pm and reopens at 5:30pm for this event.
  • Check their website for “light” nights because the tickets are cheaper and the zoo is less busy.
• Trains Over Texas – November 20, 2020 – January 3, 2021– Houston Museum of Natural Science
  • Create holiday memories by travelling across Texas by model railroad in this scratch built “O” scale model. (See our 2020 post HERE.)
• Texas Winter Lights – November 20, 2020–January 3, 2021 – Marriott Marquis
  • Open to the public on weekdays. Float for walk through the lights!
  • Movies nights included with admission. All movies will have two showings at 6pm + 7:40pm.
    • Monday, Dec 21st – How the Grinch Stole Christmas
    • Tuesday, Dec 22nd – The Santa Clause
    • Wednesday, Dec 23rd – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
    • Thursday, Dec 24th – The Polar Express
• Holiday in the Gardens – November 21, 2020  – January 2, 2021 – Moody Gardens  – 1 Hope Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77554
  • Festival of Lights · Holiday 3D Films · Rudolph 4D · Arctic Slide · Train Rides · Star: the Dancing Tree of Light
• Christmas Train – November 27, 2020 – December 23, 2020 – 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 3/4 mile track.
• Christmas in the Country – November 27, 2020 – December 27, 2020 – Dewberry Farm – Morrison Road and, FM 362, Brookshire, TX 77423
  • Dewberry Farm is transformed into a whimsical Christmas Village, with twinkling lights, garland, ribbons and tinsel.
  • Hop a wagon for a merry ride across the prairie to experience the magic of over one million lights, fantasy displays and holiday music! Enjoy 40+ attractions … including the Dewville Express Train, all included in the price of admission! (See our 2019 post HERE.)
• Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail – November 27, 2020 – January 1, 2021 – Stevenson Park 1100 S Friendswood Dr, Friendswood, TX 77546
  • Stevenson Park has transformed for the holidays… and families can enjoy the FREE Lighted Christmas Trail and the FREE Christmas Fairy Trail!
  • The Friendswood Christmas Trail includes different themes of lights every evening, 5:30pm-11:00pm, through New Year’s Day. On Saturday nights, the park also features holiday music and food vendors.
  • 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.
• Hou-Ville – December 1-23, 2020 – Downtown Houston
  • Hou-Ville is a brand-new immersive holiday exhibit that puts a H-Town spin on Dr. Seuss’ iconic Christmas village of “Whoville”, in Downtown Houston this holiday season!
  • The new holiday experience will transform Live Nation’s 40 Below, into a real-life Houston version of “Whoville” where kids and adults are transported to a life-size whimsical Holiday City.
• Home for the Holidays: Christmas Festival – December 4 & 5, 2020 – Alvin
  • Pet pictures with Santa, the Christmas market to help everyone with holiday shopping, snow activities and the World’s Largest Snowman!
• Dickens on the Strand – December 5&6, 2020 – Galveston – Strand National Historic Landmark District
  • Victorian holiday festival!
  • Six 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.
• Stearman Santa Fly-In – December 5-19, 2020 – Lone Star Flight Museum – 11551 Aerospace Ave, Houston, TX 77034
  • 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!
• Breakfast with Santa – December 12, 2020 – Margaritaville Lake Conroe – 600 Margaritaville, Park Way, Montgomery, TX 77356
  • Sailing in from the North Pole for a socially distanced breakfast, Santa Claus is coming to town!
  • Be sure to bring your wish list and a smile to get your picture taken with Santa.
  • Reservations are required and may be made by calling 936.448.4400, Option #3, or 936.448.3224. You do not need to be a guest at the resort.
• Christmas Boat Parade – December 12, 2020 – Kemah Boardwalk – 215 Kipp Ave, Kemah, TX 77565
  • Boats cruise along Galveston Bay.
• Make A HOLIDAY of It! Teddy Bear Bike Ride – December 12, 2020 – Health Museum – 1515 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77004
  • This year the annual Teddy Bear Check up will be outside.
  • There will be outdoor check-up stations where young children can perform medical examinations on teddy bears, followed by a bike ride and picnic in the park.
• Movie in the Lawn: The Muppet Christmas Carol – December 16, 2020 – Market Square Park – 301 Milam St, Houston, TX 77002
• Surfing Santas at Surfside Beach – December 1, 2020 – Surfside Pedestrian Beach – Beach Dr & Whelk St, Surfside Beach, TX 77541
  • Head to the beach for this fun with Santa! Great for all ages.
  • The event is at Pedestrian Beach, at Whelk and Beach Drive.
• New Year’s Noon Celebration – December 31, 2020 – Children’s Museum Facebook Live
• High Noon Countdown – December 31, 2020 – The Woodlands Children’s Museum
• Mayor’s Holiday Celebration – TBD – City Hall – 901 Bagby Street, Houston, Texas 77002
  • Tree lighting to be reimaged for 2020.
• HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade – Cancelled for 2020
• Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival – Cancelled for 2020