The Best Holiday Events To Do In Fort Worth, TX

The holiday season is in full swing here in Fort Worth, Texas. At Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth, we absolutely delight in taking advantage of all this area has to offer for Christmas events and seasonal activities. We’ve created this guide of the top holiday activities in Fort Worth so you can make memories with family and friends this Christmas season. View our new inventory today, or If you have any questions give us a call at (817) 663-7404.

Holiday at the Arboretum

Image via Pixabay by JillWellington | License

One of the most popular holiday traditions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is Holiday at the Arboretum. With over a million lights, a dazzling Christmas village, engaging children’s activities, and live music and entertainment, you will certainly be in the holiday spirit when you visit this annual winter celebration.

Upon entering the gardens, you’ll see the 25-foot-tall, ornately decorated Victorian-style gazebos that are filled with well-known characters from the “12 Days of Christmas” holiday carol. Each gazebo is enclosed in glass and covered with Christmas decor from top to bottom. You and your family will marvel at this three-dimensional experience, complete with moving mechanical parts and festive music that brings this Christmas carol to life. Every evening, the garden becomes a new experience when the holiday display lights up with over 1 million lights.

Along with the Christmas Village, you can also spend time Christmas shopping, enjoying the various food and beverage options, and visiting Santa Claus. New for 2021 is a 50-foot-tall Dazzling Musical Tree with 42,000 holiday lights and Christmas songs playing. Holiday at the Arboretum runs from November 10 through December 31. Ticket prices range from $10 for children to $35 for adults, and members are free.

Panther Island Ice

Panther Island Ice, Fort Worth’s outdoor skating rink, is returning once again for the holiday season. Located at Coyote Drive-In, public skating begins on November 19 and runs through January 17, seven days a week. It’s even open on all the major holidays during this time. The rink is made of real ice and is operated under a large pavilion. There is plenty of parking and several other amenities as well, such as covered seating, restrooms, and gas heaters.

Plan on enjoying the delicious seasonal food and beverages, along with Coyote Drive-In’s full menu, when visiting the ice rink. Discount tickets are available at $10 each for military personnel, Tarrant County College students and faculty, and Tarleton State University students and faculty. General admission tickets are $13 and also include a skate rental.

Gift of Lights at the Texas Motor Speedway

The Texas Motor Speedway is hosting its annual Gift of Lights. This drive-thru park is a massive 22,000 square feet, full of sparkling and colorful holiday light displays. Along with the light show, you can also walk through Santa’s Village, where there will be food and beverages available, a miniature train display, and photo opportunities with Father Christmas himself.

While driving time varies, plan on at least 45 minutes to one hour to gaze at the complete light display. There are also several special events scheduled throughout the light show, such as Crazy PJ’s Night, Crazy Sweater Night, Decorate Your Vehicle Night, and Dress Up Your Pet Night. Yes, they welcome all of your four-legged friends any night you wish to attend. On special nights like these, you will receive a $5 discount on tickets if you join in on the fun.

Gift of Lights is open every night from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., November 26 through January 3. Ticket prices are per vehicle and are $30 each night during the week and $35 each night on the weekends.

North Pole Express

The North Pole Express, at Grapevine Vintage Railroad in Grapevine, Texas, will delight any children in your family who still believe in the magic of Christmas. You and your family or friends will join Mrs. Claus on a 45-minute holiday train adventure. During the train ride, you will receive a cookie baked at the North Pole Kitchen, a “We Believe” bell, and a glass of Santa’s Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk, which is served in a keepsake mug.

Children of all ages can enjoy the journey in their comfortable and warm pajamas while they anticipate a visit from Santa Claus himself. When you arrive at your destination, plan on taking a stroll through the Christmas Village Forest, where you can snag a picture or two of your family along the way. You will be more than glad you chose to be a part of the North Pole Express. It’s a unique holiday event that you and your family will remember for years to come.

Depending on which package you choose, tickets are either $35 or $40 per person.

Texas Christkindl Market

Creation of the Texas Christkindl Market was inspired by the 70-year relationship between Arlington and its sister city Bad Königshofen in Germany. This open-air market was formed in 2011 and provides a family-friendly holiday shopping experience for all ages. The market hosts several handmade and unique shops, but you can also view the bright holiday decorations, taste some authentic German cuisine, enjoy the live entertainment, and let your kids have some fun with the included children’s activities.

If you’re looking for traditional German gifts or decor, be sure to stop by Käthe Wohlfahrt of America, which features German-inspired and finely crafted seasonal decor items. For more handmade creations, visit Wood Art by Don and Sandi for their wooden animal portraits, military emblems, and other wood carved items; M-Kenya Designs for crocheted hats, ponchos, and gloves; and Stratus Boutique for natural silk pashmina shawls that are made by an artisan community that lives and works in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains.

There are many more vendors to shop from where you can find just the right Christmas gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list. The market is free to attend and is open from November 29 through December 22. It is held at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which is less than 20 miles from Fort Worth.

Spend This Holiday Season In Fort Worth, TX

Now that you have an idea of just a few of the Christmas activities in the Fort Worth area, are there any on this list you’re planning to attend? Do you have a favorite annual holiday event you bring your family to each year? If so, we’d love to hear about it! Simply contact us and we’d be happy to add it to this list.