The Best Christmas & Holiday Events in Dallas for 2026
Christmas in Dallas is one of our favorite times of the year. By November, there is something happening almost every weekend, from huge light displays and Christmas markets to concerts, Santa visits and traditions we've been doing with the boys for years.
We first put this guide together because there are so many Christmas events in Dallas and across DFW that it can be hard to figure out which ones are actually worth putting on the calendar. This isn't meant to include every tree lighting or holiday pop-up in North Texas. These are the events we would choose ourselves.
There are also some good reasons to revisit the favorites in 2026. The Dallas Arboretum is celebrating the final season of The 12 Days of Christmas, Gaylord Texan has an entirely new ICE! theme, and we've added Grapevine's Christmas Capital of Texas to our list for the first time.
Whether you're looking for Dallas Christmas lights, family Christmas activities, a holiday date night or things to do in Dallas during December, these are the events we'd start with.
Holiday at the Dallas Arboretum
Location: Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX 75218
Dates: 2026 holiday season
Price: Holiday at Night admission currently ranges from $19 for select Night Owl admission to $39 walk-up general admission; prices vary by ticket type
Website: Holiday at the Dallas Arboretum
Holiday at the Arboretum is always our unofficial start to the Christmas season, but there is a particularly good reason to visit in 2026.
This is the farewell season for The 12 Days of Christmas after a 12-year run at the Arboretum. The elaborate Victorian-style gazebos have become such a familiar part of Christmas in Dallas that it is strange to think this will be the last year to see them.
The European-inspired Christmas Village also returns, and we always prefer visiting after dark when the gardens are illuminated and everything feels completely different from a normal day at the Arboretum.
If you've been saying for years that you need to go back, 2026 is probably the year to do it.
What's new for 2026
This is the final season of The 12 Days of Christmas. We'd expect the closer you get to Christmas, the busier those evening dates will become.
Dallas Zoo Lights
Location: Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas, TX 75203
Dates: November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Price: 2026 pricing TBA - Tickets on sale October 15, 2026
Website: Dallas Zoo Lights
Dallas Zoo Lights was a relatively recent addition to our own Christmas calendar, and it quickly became one we wanted to do again.
After the regular zoo day ends, the grounds are transformed with more than two million lights, illuminated displays, holiday photo stops, music, seasonal food and Santa.
What we like about Zoo Lights is that there is actually plenty to walk around and see. With older kids, that matters. You aren't simply standing in a line for one attraction before heading home.
ICE! at Gaylord Texan
Location: Gaylord Texan Resort, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, TX 76051
Dates: November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Price: Varies by date and activity
Website: Christmas at Gaylord Texan
If you went to ICE! last year, there's a very good reason to go back.
For 2026, ICE! at Gaylord Texan is themed around Harry Potter.
The enormous frozen attraction is created using roughly two million pounds of ice, with scenes inspired by the Harry Potter films, along with the giant ice slides that have become part of the experience.
And yes, it really is cold. The attraction stays at around 9°F. Gaylord gives everyone one of those giant blue parkas, but we'd still wear something warm underneath.
There is also much more happening around the resort. Christmas at Gaylord Texan includes ice skating, snow tubing, gingerbread decorating, a Christmas carousel and other activities, so you can easily spend several hours there.
What's new for 2026
Harry Potter is the new ICE! theme, replacing Elf from 2025. This will probably be one of the biggest Dallas-Fort Worth Christmas attractions of the year.
Christmas Capital of Texas in Grapevine
Location: Historic Downtown Grapevine and locations throughout the city
Dates: Holiday season 2026; Santa's North Pole Express runs November 27 to December 30, 2026
Price: Many events are free; ticketed experiences vary
Website: Christmas Capital of Texas
We've included Gaylord Texan in this guide for years, but in 2026 we're finally giving Grapevine's Christmas Capital of Texas its own spot. And it probably deserves it.
Grapevine was officially designated the Christmas Capital of Texas by the Texas State Senate in 2009. The city now welcomes more than two million visitors during the season and hosts more than 1,400 Christmas events over 40 days.
Historic Main Street is where we'd start. You don't necessarily need tickets to enjoy Grapevine at Christmas. The downtown area is decorated throughout the season, with restaurants, shops, markets and events that make it easy to turn a visit into an entire evening.
One of the biggest attractions is Santa's North Pole Express aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. For 2026, trains begin November 27 and operate on most days through December 30. Tickets go on sale October 1.
North Pole Express tickets are sold by the two-seat bench, with 2026 prices currently ranging from $90 to $100 per bench depending on the departure.
There is also the Peace Plaza Ice Rink, Christmas events at the Historic Palace Theatre and plenty happening around downtown.
New to our guide for 2026
We've always thought of Grapevine at Christmas primarily in connection with Gaylord Texan. There is enough going on throughout the rest of the city that we're finally separating the two.
Dallas Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza at The Star
Location: Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star, Frisco
Dates: Fridays and Saturdays, November 22, 2026 to December 21, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Price: Free
Website: Christmas at The Star
The Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza is one of our favorite free Christmas events in Frisco.
The show takes place outside at The Star and combines performances from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and other Cowboys performers with Santa, Rowdy and the lighting of the huge 67-foot LED Christmas tree.
We normally make an evening of it and have dinner at The Star before or afterward. There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance, which makes this an especially easy Christmas outing.
The event itself is free, and parking has traditionally been free as well.
Home on The Range for The Holidays at PGA Frisco
Location: Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa and the PGA District, Frisco
Dates: November 28, December 5, December 12, December 19, 2026 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Price: Some activities are free; others are ticketed
Website: Holidays at Omni PGA Frisco
PGA Frisco has become another good option when we're looking for Christmas activities closer to home rather than driving all the way into Dallas.
Home on The Range for The Holidays returns for 2026 with seasonal events and experiences spread across Omni PGA Frisco and the surrounding PGA District. Omni is also bringing back Santa's Landing, which turns a stay at the resort into a full Christmas experience.
What we like about PGA Frisco is that you don't necessarily need one big attraction to justify going. You can have dinner, walk around the district, see the lights and add one of the paid activities if you want.
We'll update the specific event dates and pricing when PGA Frisco releases its complete 2026 schedule.
Holidays with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Location: Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Dates: December 11 to December 20, 2026
Price: From $58 per person
Website: Holidays with the DSO
For something completely different from light displays and Santa attractions, we love adding the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to the Christmas calendar.
Holidays with the DSO brings the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Symphony Chorus together at the Meyerson for a program of Christmas and seasonal music. Dallas native Josefina Maldonado joins as vocalist, and the performances end with snowfall inside the concert hall.
There is also Family Holidays with the DSO on December 12. It's a one-hour performance specifically designed for families, including Santa, a sing-along and the same indoor snowfall finale. Tickets for that performance start at $48.
Whether we go as a family or make it a date night, the Meyerson always feels like a very different way to celebrate Christmas in Dallas.
What's different for 2026
The main holiday concert is now billed as Holidays with the DSO, rather than the Christmas Pops name many Dallas families will remember.
SNOWDAY and Santaland at Galleria Dallas
Location: Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, TX 75240
Dates: SNOWDAY November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027; Santaland November 13 to December 24, 2026
Price: Ticket prices vary by experience
Website: Holidays at Galleria Dallas
Galleria Dallas has one of those Christmas trees that still makes you stop and look no matter how many times you've seen it.
The enormous tree above the ice rink is the centerpiece, but there is much more happening around the Galleria during the holidays.
SNOWDAY returns from November 13 through January 3. It's an immersive indoor experience made up of different rooms, installations and photo opportunities.
Next door, Santaland runs from November 13 through Christmas Eve and turns the traditional mall Santa photo into a much bigger experience.
Galleria Dallas also hosts skating performances, holiday entertainment and events around the Christmas tree throughout the season.
And because it's all indoors, this is also a good option for those December days when Dallas can't decide whether it's winter or 75 degrees outside.
Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Texas
Location: Six Flags Over Texas, 2201 E. Road to Six Flags Street, Arlington, TX 76011
Dates: November 21 to December 30, 2026
Price: Varies by date and ticket type
Website: Holiday in the Park
Holiday in the Park is another Christmas event we've done with the boys over the years.
What makes it different is obvious. You can spend the evening surrounded by Christmas lights and decorations and still get on a roller coaster five minutes later.
For 2026, Holiday in the Park runs from November 21 through December 30, with new seasonal entertainment planned for select dates as part of Six Flags Over Texas' 65th anniversary season.
The park adds Christmas shows, seasonal food and decorated areas throughout the grounds while many of the regular attractions continue operating.
Definitely check the operating calendar before going. Holiday in the Park doesn't necessarily operate every night.
The Trains at NorthPark
Location: NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas, TX 75225
Dates: November 14, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Price: $7 for kids and $10 for adults
Website: The Trains at NorthPark
The Trains at NorthPark is one of those Dallas Christmas traditions that takes us straight back to when the boys were little.
We first brought them when they were around four, and they could have stood there forever watching the trains go past.
In 2026, The Trains at NorthPark celebrates its 39th year benefiting Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. The huge miniature railway display winds through recreations of cities, landscapes and familiar landmarks across more than 1,600 feet of track.
We'd combine it with lunch or dinner at NorthPark rather than making a separate trip just for the trains, especially now that the boys are older.
Holidays at The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas
Location: The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas, 4150 N. MacArthur Boulevard, Irving, TX 75038
Dates: November 6 to December 26, 2026
Price: Varies by experience
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas gives us a very different type of Christmas option.
Its holiday programming includes experiences such as Holiday Tea with Santa, gingerbread decorating, Christmas dining and the Ritz Alpine Escape, which combines outdoor firepits, s'mores and Champagne.
It's a good option when you want something a little more special than another evening walking around a light display, particularly for a holiday lunch or afternoon with the family.
At the time we're publishing this guide, the complete 2026 event calendar and individual prices haven't yet been released. We'll update this section once reservations open.
Dallas Holiday Parade
Location: Downtown Dallas
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM
Price: Free; reserved seating may also be available
Website: Dallas Holiday Parade
The Dallas Holiday Parade is one of those events that feels completely different when you're actually standing downtown watching it rather than seeing clips afterward.
The streets fill with marching bands, dancers, floats, giant balloons, holiday characters and eventually Santa.
We have attended this event for the last two years, and we also joined the pre-event at The Adolphus before heading outside for the parade.
The 39th annual Dallas Holiday Parade is scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026 at 9:00 AM. General viewing along the route is free.
Our biggest advice is to arrive early. Between parking, street closures and finding somewhere with a decent view, this isn't an event where we'd plan to turn up five minutes beforehand.
And if you're already downtown, there's another reason to stick around.
Tree Lighting Celebration at Klyde Warren Park
Location: Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX 75201
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Price: Free
Klyde Warren Park's Tree Lighting Celebration falls on the same day as the Dallas Holiday Parade again this year, which makes it easy to turn December 5 into an entire Christmas day downtown.
The free event runs from 4:00 to 7:00 PM and includes photos with Santa, story time with Mrs. Claus, face painting, dance performances, Frosty, Rudolph, stilt walkers and music before the Mayor's Tree is illuminated.
We love Klyde Warren throughout the year anyway, so seeing the park dressed for Christmas is an easy addition to the calendar.
If you're going to the parade that morning, we'd stay downtown, get lunch and then make our way over rather than driving into Dallas twice.
BONUS: Winter Village at The Adolphus
Location: The Adolphus, 1321 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202
Dates: November 13, 2026 to January 31, 2027
Price: Varies by experience
Website: Holidays at The Adolphus
We always like having at least one option on this list that feels more date night than family outing.
The Winter Village at The Adolphus returns November 13, transforming the rooftop into a Christmas setting with private chalets, curling and tableside s'mores.
It's also a good reason to spend an evening downtown in December rather than simply driving in for one attraction and leaving.
The Adolphus will hold its Great Tree Lighting on December 4, illuminating what the hotel describes as Dallas' tallest indoor real Christmas tree.
For the Winter Village itself, we'd make a reservation ahead of time, especially for a Friday or Saturday night.
Planning Christmas in Dallas in 2026
One of the things we love about Christmas in Dallas is that the events don't all feel the same.
You can walk through the Arboretum lights one night, take the boys to the DSO another, head to Grapevine for dinner and Christmas lights, or catch a completely free show at The Star.
If your priority is Christmas lights in Dallas, we'd start with the Dallas Arboretum, Dallas Zoo Lights or Holiday in the Park.
For a big family Christmas experience, ICE! at Gaylord Texan is an obvious choice, particularly with Harry Potter as the theme this year.
For a free Christmas outing, look at the Cowboys Christmas Extravaganza, Klyde Warren Park or simply walking around Historic Downtown Grapevine.
And if you want something a little more dressed up, we'd choose Holidays with the DSO, The Ritz-Carlton or an evening at The Adolphus.
But the one we'd make sure to see in 2026 is Holiday at the Dallas Arboretum. Knowing this is the final season of The 12 Days of Christmas makes it one of those Dallas traditions worth seeing one more time before it's gone.
We'll continue updating this guide as the remaining Dallas Christmas events for 2026 release their final dates and ticket prices.
What is your favorite Christmas event in Dallas? And is there one we should have on this list?
