McKinney Christmas: Holiday Pop-Up
FREE Downtown McKinney’s annual street festival will be spread across a month instead of a single weekend. View the city’s 35-foot-tall blue spruce Christmas tree, take photos with Santa on Nov. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., shop items from local artisans on Nov. 29 and ride the holiday carousel for $3.Nov. 27-Dec. 24 on select days around the downtown square, at West Virginia and North Kentucky streets, McKinney. mckinneytexas.org.
Made Fresh and Local: A Garland Christmas
FREE To replace its Christmas on the Square festival, Garland will host four airings of virtual events. Log on to watch a virtual tree lighting ceremony followed by 30 minutes of holiday piano music by Bobby Orozco. The concert portion will be on Dec. 25 at 7 p.m. On Dec. 24 at 7 p.m., Orozco will perform 60 minutes of holiday music on piano play holiday music for 60 minutes. christmasonthesquare.com.
Reliant Lights Your Holidays
FREE Stroll the campus of the AT&T Performing Arts Center to view 550,000 LED lights illuminating the Winspear Opera House, the Wyly Theatre and the trees in Sammons Park on select nights in December. Look for festive projections and family photo ops, and on some Fridays and Saturdays there will be pop-up performances from local groups, including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and Texas Ballet Theater on Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. Dec. 4-20 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Sammons Park, 2403 Flora St., Dallas. attpac.org.
Tree Lighting Celebrations
FREE Visit Klyde Warren Park to see Santa Claus light the Christmas tree and hear carols sung by students from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Select nights will include additional performances such as readings of The Nutcracker by Texas Ballet Theater and concerts by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Concert Truck. Dec. 6, 11-13 and 18-20 at 6 p.m. at Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas. Free admission; parking is $10 at several nearby lots. klydewarrenpark.org.
A Texas Prairie Christmas
Enjoy a holiday experience reminiscent of Christmases in days gone by at the Heritage Farmstead Museum. The grounds will be aglow in lights and lanterns. There will be tours of the Farrell Wilson House adorned with vintage decorations, visits with Santa Claus in the pole barn, live longhorns in the meadow, rides on the mule wagon and more. Dec. 10-12 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 W. 15th St., Plano. $30. heritagefarmstead.org.
Hanukkah Menorah Lighting
FREE A candle on the Galleria’s large-scale menorah will be lit each night of Hanukkah. Dec. 10-18 at 6 p.m. on Level 1 (near Guest Reception) at Galleria Dallas, 13350 Dallas Parkway, Dallas. Free. galleriadallas.com.
Intown Chabad Menorah Lighting
FREE Each night of Hanukkah, Klyde Warren Park will have a ceremonial lighting of a candle on the large menorah in Moody Plaza. Dec. 10-18 at 6 p.m. at Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas. Free admission; parking is $10 at several nearby lots. klydewarrenpark.org.
Holiday in the Garden
Spend the day at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden with several events. Activities include a free Holiday Sip and Shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with artisan vendors, concessions and entertainment including caroling by Fort Worth Opera singers. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there’ll be free visits with Santa, Mrs. Claus and elves, with photos available for $10. There will also be holiday teas for $45 per person. Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. Garden admission is free from 3 to 5 p.m. Admission from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is $12, $10 for seniors 65 and up, $6 for ages 6-15, free for ages 5 and under. Not all events require garden admission. fwbg.org.