101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Austin - 2023
The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. And, of course, please be aware that these days events are being canceled last-minute, so ALWAYS check before heading out.
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for Austin, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2023!
Santa Sightings
| Nov 5- Dec 24, 2022 | Santa's Wonderland- Bass Pro Shops |
| Nov 10- Dec 24, 2022 | Photos with Santa- Barton Creek Square |
| Nov 11-Dec 24, 2022 | Photos with Santa- Lakeline Mall |
| Nov 17- Dec 24, 2022 | Photos with Santa- The Domain |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Downtown Lighting & Santa's Arrival- New Braunfels |
| Nov 19, 2022 | Santa Breakfast- Killeen Mall |
| Nov 18- Dec 24, 2022 | Santa at Killeen Mall |
| Nov 24-26, 2023 | Angels & Mistletoe Holiday Market- San Marcos |
| Nov 25- Dec 24, 2022 | Christmas at The Farm Santa and Live Reindeer- Sweet Eats Fruit Farm |
| Nov 25- Dec 17, 2023 | North Pole Flyer ™ |
| Nov 26, 2022 | Downtown Tree Lighting- Hutto |
| Dec 1, 2023 | Tree Lighting & Santa's Workshop- Cedar Park |
| Dec 1-3, 2023 | Budafest |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Home for the Holidays & Hot Cocoa Stroll- Elgin |
| Dec 2, 2022 | Light the Night Christmas Parade- Fredericksburg |
| Dec 2-3, 2022 | Holiday Under the Stars- Killeen |
| Dec 1-2, 2023 | Christmas Stroll- Georgetown |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Christmas on Mercer Street |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Old Town Christmas Festival- Leander |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Christmas at The Caswell House: Milk & Cookies with Santa |
| Dec 3, 2022 | Breakfast with Santa- Bethany United Methodist Church |
| Dec 3- 23, 2022 | Breakfast with Santa- Santa's Jingle House |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Liberty Hill Christmas Festival |
| Dec 10, 2022 | Photos with Santa with Elgin Parks & Recreation |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Christmas On The Square- Burnet |
| Dec 16, 2022 | Santa is Coming- Playland Skate Center |
Old Time Christmas
| Nov 18, 2023 | 64th Historic Home Tour and Holiday Market |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Deck the Halls- Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park |
| Dec 1-2, 2023 | A Dickens Christmas in Lockhart |
| Dec 3, 2022 | Kinderfest- Pioneer Museum |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Christmas at Old Fort Croghan |
Light Displays
| Nov 10, 2022- Jan 6, 2023 | Mozart's Annual Christmas Light Show |
| Nov 3- Dec 31, 2023 | Santa's Ranch- New Braunfels |
| Nov 18- Dec 31, 2022 | The Walkway of Lights- Marble Falls |
| Nov 22, 2022- Jan 6, 2023 | 55 Nights of Fredericksburg Lights |
| Nov 24, 2023- Jan 6, 2024 | Luminations- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center |
| Nov 24- Dec 31, 2022 | Bastrop River of Lights |
| Nov 24- Dec 28, 2022 | Maywald Christmas Lights |
| Nov 25- Dec 30, 2022 | Peppermint Parkway- Circuit of The Americas |
| Nov 24, 2023- Jan 8, 2024 | Lights Spectacular- Johnson City |
| Nov 25, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Georgetown Square |
| Nov 25, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Burnet Trail of Lights |
| Nov 28, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Zilker Holiday Tree |
| Dec 1-2, 2023 | Light Up the Lake- Round Rock |
| Dec 1, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Trail of Lights in Lakeway |
| Dec 2-26, 2023 | Trail of Lights- The EmilyAnn |
| Dec 8-23, 2022 | Austin Trail of Lights |
| Dec 8- 21, 2022 | Annual Trail of Lights- Historic Stagecoach Park in Buda |
| Dec 17,22,23, 2022 | Capital of Texas Zoo Presents: Zoo Lights |
Living Nativities
| Dec 1-2, 2023 | Bethlehem Village- Georgetown |
| Dec 1-3 and 8-10, 2023 | Main Street Bethlehem- Burnet |
| Dec 7-9, 2023 | Follow the Star- Good Shepherd Lutheran Church |
| Dec 17, 2023 | 54th Annual Tree Lighting- Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 10-26, 2023 | Elf the Musical Jr.- The CYT Blackbox |
| Nov 17- Dec 31, 2023 | A Christmas Carol- Zach Theatre |
| Nov 24- Dec 30, 2023 | A Christmas Carol- The Georgetown Palace Theatre |
| Dec 1, 2023 | Christmas Traditions- Designed to Dance Company |
| Dec 1-17, 2023 | It’s A Wonderful Life – Live Radio Play- Bastrop Opera House |
| Dec 1-2, 2023 | A Tuna Christmas- Brauntex Theatre |
| Dec 2-17, 2022 | A Broken Badge Christmas |
| Dec 3, 2022 | Balance Dance Studios presents 'The Nutcracker' |
| Dec 2, 2023 | DbD Christmas Festival- New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center |
| Dec 2-23, 2023 | The Nutcracker- Ballet Austin |
| Dec 8-30, 2023 | Sorry! Wrong Chimey!- The Georgetown Palace Theatre |
| Dec 9 and 16, 2023 | Una Noche Buena- Zach Theatre |
| Dec 14, 2023 | Ballet Texas Presents – The Nutty Nutcracker |
| Dec 14- 17, 2023 | The Nutcracker- Texas Metropolitan Ballet |
| Dec 15-17, 2023 | The Nutcracker- Brauntex Theatre |
| Dec 17, 2022 | Polar Express in Landa Park |
| Dec 18- 23, 2022 | Journey to Bethlehem |
| Dec 24, 2023 | Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland- H-E-B Center |
Holiday Concerts
| Dec 2, 2023 | A Charlie Brown Christmas |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Christmas Concert- Austin Saengerrunde |
| Dec 5, 2023 | Handel's Messiah- Austin Symphony |
| Dec 8-31, 2023 | Pop!- Zach Theatre |
| Dec 9-10, 2022 | Holly's Jolly Christmas Concert - The Beltonian Theatre |
| Dec 10-11, 2022 | Music Celebration- New Hope |
| Dec 11, 2022 | Austin's Jingle Jam ft. Ja Rule & Ashanti |
| Dec 14, 2023 | Home Alone- Austin Symphony |
| Dec 22, 2023 | A Joyous Christmas- Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for Performing Arts |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Opens Nov 17, 2022 | Papa Noel Trees |
| Opens Nov 20, 2022 | Brungot Farms |
| Opens Nov 25, 2022 | Round Rock Sertoma Christmas Tree Sale |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Elgin Christmas Tree Farm |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Evergreen Farms |
| Abrameit's Tree Farm |
Ice Skating
| Nov 4, 2022- Jan 2, 2023 | Bee Cave on Ice |
| Nov 18- Dec 31, 2022 | Winter Ice Skating Rink in Downtown Marble Falls |
| Opens Nov 19, 2022 | Eisbahn Outdoor Ice Skating Rink |
| Dec 3, 2022 | Liberty Hill Christmas Festival |
| Chaparral Ice |
Hanukkah
| Dec 6, 2022 | Hanukkah Celebration- Twin Oaks Branch |
| Dec 10, 2022 | Holiday Hoopla- Northwest Family YMCA |
| Dec 12, 2022 | Hanukkah Celebration- Hampton Branch at Oak Hill |
| Dec 18, 2022 | Grand Menorah Lighting- Chabad Plaza |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 11, 2023 | Holiday Bazaar Arts and Crafts Show- Round Rock |
| Nov 15-19, 2023 | A Christmas Affair |
| Nov 17- Dec 24, 2023 | The Blue Genie Art Bazaar |
| Nov 17-19, 2023 | Weihnachtsmarkt- Sophienburg Museum and Archives |
| Dec 1-3, 2023 | Vintage Market Days of Greater Austin- Holiday Event |
| Dec 2, 2023 | German-Texan Annual Christmas Market |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Christmas on Mercer Street |
| Dec 10, 2022 | Downtown Christmas Fair- Hutto |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 29, 2022 | New Years Eve Party- Foodie Kids |
| Dec 31, 2022 | Noon Year's Eve- Yarborough Branch |
| Dec 31, 2022 | New Years Balloon Drop- Playland Skate Center |
| Dec 31, 2022 | Noon Year's Eve Party- My Gym- Austin |
| Dec 31, 2022 | Glowing into 2023- Elgin VFW Post 6115 |
Miscellaneous
| Dec 1-16, 2023 | Scream Hollow -Twisted Christmas |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Rudolph Run- Old Town Leander |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Jingle Bell Dash 5K- Killeen |
| Dec 2-22, 2023 | Christmas at Tejas! |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Austin Jingle Bell 5K |
| Dec 9-22, 2023 | Gingerbread House Workshop- Foodie Kids |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Breakfast with the Grinch |
| Dec 4, 2022 | Keepsake Ceramic Gingerbread House Workshop- Art Barn ATX |
| Dec 16, 2023 | Sugar Plum Tea - Texas Metropolitan Ballet |
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
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