12 Best DFW Christmas Events of 2023
Find Your New Favorite Christmas Tradition in DFW
In the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season, it’s easy to forget to allow ourselves to unplug and enjoy the magic. This year, permit yourself to take a pause. After all, DFW boasts enough holiday lights, sounds, and historic locations to rival any Hallmark Christmas movie. So, round up the family for some epic holiday adventures: Inhale the crisp December air and tour our beautifully decked-out botanic gardens. Heat up a batch of hot cocoa and drive through your favorite neighborhoods for our infamous DFW Christmas light displays. Host a date night or group outing to attend one of this season’s spectacular holiday-themed performances. Or, bring out your inner child and hit the ice! Enjoy our carefully curated, comprehensive collection of unique, cultural, and entertaining DFW Christmas events for 2023:
Dallas Christmas Experiences
Holiday at the Arboretum
November 9 – January 5 | Dallas Arboretum
In Dallas, Christmas isn’t complete without an annual visit to Holiday at the Arboretum. As you drive past White Rock Lake past dusk, you can’t help but notice the glistening trees of the Dallas Arboretum, but you have to see it for yourself to believe it. The tradition returns with a spectacular display of lights and foliage, including the beloved Christmas Village, the 12 Days of Christmas, and the Dazzling Musical Tree! This year, check out the historic DeGolyer House, decorated by renowned designer Michael Hamilton, featuring a brand new collection of 600 nutcrackers!
Highland Park Village Holiday Lights
Since 1951, Highland Park Village’s Christmas lights have been dazzling shoppers and tourists alike with their gloriously wrapped trees. Catch a carriage ride and cover up with a cozy blanket as you cruise through the streets of Highland Park to bask in some of DFW’s most decadently decorated homes.
Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland
December 22 & 23 | Winspear Opera House
If you’re searching for that Christmas magic, the Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland will usher in your imagination and bring out your inner child. Visit the Winspear Opera House to enter a fantastic land filled with breathtaking aerialists and acrobats, holiday hijinx from celebrated comedians, and music of Christmas classics in this jaw-dropping holiday circus for the whole family.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra Presents: Christmas Pops
December 1-10 | Meyerson Symphony Center
Gather your loved ones for a Christmas music extravaganza for all ages, as Lawrence Loh conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus performing classic holiday favorites, sing-along carols, and awestriking anthems. You might even witness a special appearance by Mr. Chris Kringle himself!
Ricki Derek’s Merry Little Christmas Show
December 16 | Granada Theater
Ricki Derek’s “A Merry Little Christmas Show” is a Dallas Christmas staple. Take a journey back in time with Christmas favorites from Frank Sinatra, The Rat Pack, Dean Martin, and more. Sorry, folks, tickets to the nostalgic Scat Jazz Lounge speakeasy shows have already sold out, but you can still enjoy his classic Christmas crooning and clever chortles at the iconic Granada Theatre on December 16.
A Christmas Carol
Nov 30 – Dec 30 |Wyly Theatre
Bid “Bah Humbugh” goodbye! Kevin Moriarty brings a fresh twist to Charles Dickens’ classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghostly journey from selfish pessimism toward the spirit of goodwill. The whole family will enjoy this musical rendition of this 90-minute Christmas favorite.
Visit Grapevine: The Christmas Capital of Texas®
Sometimes it’s easy to get stuck in our neighborhood microcosms. However, while making your list of DFW Christmas events, you’d be remiss not to include a visit to Grapevine. After all, it’s been dubbed the Christmas Capital of Texas® for good reason. Featuring a decked-out historic downtown Main Street, plus the largest of all DFW Christmas events, with over 1400 activities, a trip to magical Grapevine this holiday season is a must.
Gaylord Texan’s Lone Star Christmas
November 10 – December 31 | Gaylord Texan
Adults and children alike come from all over to marvel at the Gaylord Texan’s ICE! display. This year’s fabulously frigid ice sculptures showcase the theme, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Plus, marvel at the acres of festive lights at the #LIT light show, slide down slippery snow tubes with real snow, perform a holiday heist in the escape room, cap it off with a cool cocktail at the Ice Bar, and much more at this spectacular spectacle.
Peace Plaza Ice Skating
November 20 – January 7 | Grapevine Main Peace Plaza
Ice skating in Texas? Yes, the city of Grapevine plans to rival the nostalgia of Rockefeller Center at Peace Plaza with the largest outdoor ice rink in Texas. Presented by Champion Energy Services, this Texas-sized 4,500-square-foot outdoor ice-skating rink on Historic Main Street features a 60-foot Christmas tree that beckons you to lace up your skates like it’s actually winter. Curious how it’s built? Watch this.
Winter Wonderland Bubbles
November 17 – February 14 | Hotel Vin
Break out the mistletoe and encapsulate yourself in a romantic Christmas bubble—literally. Hotel Vin’s stunning Winter Wonderland Bubbles are back and better than ever. These ski lodge-themed, illuminated globes come packed with fur blankets, heaters, and decadent treats. Reserve one for date night or gather a group and enjoy a cozy fondue and wine pairing for up to 6 people.
Fort Worth Christmas Adventures
LIGHTSCAPE
November 17 – January 1 | Fort Worth Botanic
LIGHTSCAPE returns radically reimagined to delight audiences for its second year. Immerse yourself in an entanglement of nature and light. This year’s installation also features a Christmas Village complete with cozy fire pits, S’mores stations, a hot cocoa bar, holiday music, and photo opportunities with the man in the red suit!
The Nutcracker
December 8-24 | Bass Performance Hall
If you missed this season’s earlier performances at the Winspear, there’s still time to revel in the romantic Christmas symphony of sweets as The Texas Ballet Theater presents the beloved ballet, “The Nutcracker” at Fort Worth’s Bass Performance Hall. Enjoy artistic choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. set to the legendary music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Scoop up your favorite sugar plum fairy for this iconic Christmas classic.
Christmas in the Stockyards
December 2 – January 7 | Fort Worth Stockyards
Those who have never visited Texas tend to have a preconceived notion that all Texans are cowboys, so why not indulge that fallacy with a family photo with Cowboy Santa? Try out your best triple axle at the 4000-square-foot Stockyards Rodeo Rink and warm up with a visit to the (hot) Cocoa Corral. Enjoy live music and holiday-themed programs all country Christmas season long.
Events At Your Home
After all your winter wonderland adventures are through, it’s time to recline in sublime relaxation in your personal sanctuary. You may have already decked the halls, trimmed the tree, and poured the bubbly to toast ’tis the season to be jolly, but is your estate’s landscape singing a Christmas tune? Contact us for a winter maintenance spruce-up and color installation to wow your guests and local light spectators this holiday season.
— by Tammy Dalke Vanderkolk
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