The Ultimate Guide To Holiday Events In San Antonio (2024)

By Sara Branstetter | November 1, 2024

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Well, Halloween is over, and that means it is now time to turn our attention to the holiday season (at least according to all the television commercials). To reinforce that notion, as if by some magical force, the seasonal store displays made the overnight change from spooky to Santa and jack o’lanterns to jolly. Just. Like. That. And so, we’re rounding up a list of some of the best and most exciting holiday events in San Antonio for you.

If the sudden Halloween to Christmas-whiplash finds you feeling more humbug than happy, there are a number of events happening over the next two months that are sure to stoke the holiday spirit fires.

We have compiled a list of some of the best Christmas and holiday events in and around the Alamo city, so throw on your ugly Christmas sweaters, gorge yourselves on some cookies (you know, for sustenance and all), and head out to an event that will make your season bright. Happy holidays, San Antonio!

*If holiday lights are your jam, we have dedicated an entire post to all the great places to check out lights in SA. Take a look at our map of San Antonio Christmas lights which includes favorites like Zoo Lights at the San Antonio Zoo, Light the Way at the University of the Incarnate Word, and many more!*

Christmas lights on the San Antonio River Walk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelsey Kennedy is a local Texas author, photographer, blogger, and native Texan who is fully obsessed with all things local San Antonio. She has written on her travel sites for more than 12 million readers across 38 countries who are looking for cool things to do in the hottest cities in Texas.

Holiday Events In San Antonio

Ford Holiday River Parade and Lighting Ceremony

Photo Credit: San Antonio River Walk Division

This is one of the BIGGEST holiday events in San Antonio. Every year on the Friday after Thanksgiving, San Antonio’s holiday celebrations begin with the annual river parade and lighting of the River Walk. This year, SA will be celebrating the 43rd Ford Holiday River Parade on November 29 which will feature 27 illuminated riverboats.

The parade kicks off at 6 pm and is followed at 7 pm by the ceremonial lighting of San Antonio’s River Walk when the 100,000 lights that fill the trees along the SA river will come blazing to life in an explosion of “Clark Griswold-esque” glory. It’s truly a sight to behold – though probably not visible from space.

As you can imagine, this event is extremely popular and requires some forethought for those who plan to attend. Here is some basic information:

The River Walk will close to the general public beginning at 4 pm in preparation for the parade.
If you want to attend, you can either purchase tickets in advance online for a seat ($12.50-$40), or you can choose to set up shop in a free viewing area along the river (bring your own chair). If you choose the free route, plan to get there EARLY, well before the River Walk closes, to ensure your spot. Maps and info on tickets and seating are available on the website.
Many restaurants along the River Walk will be offering special dining packages with views of the parade. To access the list of restaurants and packages, click here.
Plan on parking being on the difficult side. If you arrive early, there will be options in garages and surface lots, but assume that they will be asking top dollar. And as with any downtown event, it is likely that certain streets will be closed to through traffic, so anticipate travel time taking longer than usual.

*If all of this just sounds beyond painful to deal with but you are still interested in catching the parade, we have some good news for you. The parade will be televised on a local station from 7 pm to 8 pm so you can enjoy the festivities from the comfort of your own couch.

WEBSITE

Holiday Boat Caroling Along the River Walk

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear! If Buddy the Elf is right about this one, then San Antonio has a great way to accomplish said cheer spreading – Ford Holiday Boat Caroling.

From December 4 through December 23rd, groups of up to 12 can rent a river boat and do a little caroling as they float peacefully through downtown on the San Antonio river.

Prices range from $175-$200 for a one hour private boat rental and include the lighted boat, driver, songbook folders, and a USB preloaded with popular holiday music. Boats must be reserved in advance online.

WEBSITE | 203 S. St. Mary's St., San Antonio, TX 78205

SeaWorld Christmas Celebration

One of the best things to do in San Antonio, also happens to be one of the best places to celebrate the holidays!

Beginning November 14, SeaWorld takes their South Texas aquatic park to the North Pole for a fun Christmas event in San Antonio. Visitors to SeaWorld will be treated to the typical SeaWorld offerings as well as a number of holiday-themed events, shows, and attractions, as well as the purported "largest light display in Texas."

The park will be divided into different holiday lands, each with its own lighting displays and festive food offerings. Be sure not to miss the Merry Mariachis, O Wondrous Night, or the Sesame Street Christmas Parade. Tickets are available online or at the gate.

WEBSITE | 10500 Seaworld Dr., San Antonio, TX 78251

Six Flags Fiesta Texas Holiday in the Park

Photo Credit: Facebook Six Flags Fiesta Texas

From November 18 through January 7, Six Flags Fiesta Texas will transform into a Christmas wonderland with spectacular lights, a variety of holiday shows, food tents, and the rethemed Holiday Express Train.

Be sure not to miss the locally renowned show, the Majesty of Christmas, which delivers a live reenactment of the Nativity complete with live animals, flying angels, and stunning vocal performances. Standard tickets to Fiesta Texas will give you access to both the holiday events and roller coaster thrills.

*Bonus - Avoid the typical Six Flags eateries and instead hit up the food tents for holiday specialty foods. Prices are cheaper, and the quality is 1000% better than the standard offerings.

WEBSITE | 17000 IH-10 West, San Antonio, TX 78257

Photos with Santa Claus

No San Antonio Christmas is complete without that perfect photo commemorating your kid’s total sobbing meltdown while seated on Santa’s lap. There are quite a few places around the city to meet Santa and petition for that perfect gift, but a few of our favorites are the SA Bass Pro Shop, North Star Mall, and the Shops at La Cantera.

Christmas at the Caverns

Photo Credit: Natural Bridge Caverns

Come celebrate the season at a San Antonio Christmas event that happens underground - at Natural Bridge Caverns, the holidays are celebrated both above and below ground.

Purchase your special “Christmas Addition Plus” tickets and head underground for some caroling in the caverns. You will enjoy the beautiful Christmas music as it reverberates off the stunning cave formations.

Back at ground level, you can enjoy the 30 ft. Christmas tree, stroll the lighted trails, roast some s’mores, listen to stories with Mrs. Claus, and more.

WEBSITE | 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd., San Antonio, TX 78266

Dickens on Main

Just 17 miles northwest of San Antonio lies the charming town of Boerne, TX. Every year right after Thanksgiving, Boerne plays host to Dickens on Main, a HUGELY popular holiday celebration that takes place all throughout this quaint little town. Lights, photo ops, food, parades, entertainment, and Santa Claus himself - Dickens on Main has it all!

As Dickens on Main takes place…on Main, Main Street in Boerne will be closed to traffic on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 from 4pm to 10pm. Parking will be available in a few small public lots as well as street parking in surrounding neighborhoods and business parks, but it will fill up quickly. Plan to arrive early or be willing to walk quite a ways.

And if you can't get enough small town holiday celebrating, Boerne continues the holiday fun after Dickens on Main ends by hosting a Christmas event each weekend leading up to Christmas. Weihnacht's weekend, a Toast to Old Town in Boerne, and Kinder Fest keep the feelings merry throughout the month of December.

WEBSITE | 100 N. Main St., Boerne, TX 78006

Gruene Christmas Market Days

Head to lovely Gruene, TX on December 7 and 8 for their annual Christmas Market Days. Get some holiday shopping done as you browse for unique gifts and decor at the nearly 100 vintage, local, and artisan street merchants that line the main road in Gruene.

In addition, guests can watch the 23rd annual Gruene Pony Express Ride, enjoy some live music, and schedule a photo op with Cowboy Kringle (must reserve in advance online).

WEBSITE | 1281 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130

The Nutcracker Ballet

Tchaikovsky’s brilliant suite of music, the Nutcracker, is a modern holiday classic. Just a few notes from the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” is enough to instantaneously transport most people directly into a state of “Christmas spirit.” Given this familiarity, it is no wonder that the Nutcracker Ballet is one of, if not THE, most performed ballets in the world, as well as one of the most popular holiday activities in San Antonio.

Ballet lovers have a few options when it comes to viewing a performance of the Nutcracker in San Antonio. The most well-known one is performed annually by Ballet San Antonio at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (December 6-8 and 13-15). Additional performances have been scheduled at the Brauntex Theatre, the Lila Cockrell Theatre, the Aztec Theater, and the Majestic Theatre.

Cirque du Soleil

This year, San Antonio plays host to two Cirque holiday performances - the Magical Cirque Christmas by Cirque du Soleil variety show and Cirque Musica. Both shows combine acrobatics and traditional circus performances with artistic lights and music to create unique holiday circus experiences.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Photo Credit: Facebook Trans-Siberian Orchestra

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra returns to San Antonio to perform their world famous Christmas rock opera. Accompanied by a dramatic laser lights display, TSO’s The Lost Christmas Eve is a wonder for the eyes and the ears. Two performances will be held on December 27 at the Frost Bank Center. Tickets can be purchased from Ticketmaster

WEBSITE | 1 Frost Bank Center Dr., San Antonio, TX 78219

Tamales

It’s not just the Christmas season, it’s tamale season. The tradition of making tamales at Christmas hails from Mexico where tamales are made to celebrate and remember las posadas, or Mary’s and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus.

Today, the tradition of making Christmas tamales is widespread across San Antonio as families gather together to learn from their abuelas just how to prepare these delicious, corn husk-wrapped pieces of heaven. We can confidently say that enjoying tamales is one of the BEST holiday events in San Antonio.

If you aren’t up for making tamales (it is a somewhat time-consuming and tedious process) but still want the pleasure of eating them, there are a number of restaurants around town that specialize in these holiday favorites. A few local picks include SA Tamale Boy, Ruben’s Homemade Tamales, Delia’s, and Delicious Tamales. Be sure to place your order well ahead of time at any of these locations and schedule a pickup; otherwise, you’ll get to experience the not-so-festive, holiday tamale queues.

Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park

Ice Skating Rink in San Antonio Travis Park

From November 15 to January 5, visitors to San Antonio will have the unusual opportunity to ice skate downtown in Travis Park. With temperatures still likely to be in the 70s, this is a unique way to ring in the holidays in a city that is not quite known for its access to winter sports.

While waiting for an entry time to the ice rink, guests can take advantage of all the other holiday offerings in Travis Park including the 50 ft. lighted tree, ice sculpting, live music, and food vendors. Tickets and reservations must be purchased online in advance.

WEBSITE | 301 E. Travis St., San Antonio, TX 78205

ICE! at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa

One of San Antonio’s grandest hotels will undergo a full Christmas makeover from November 23 through January 5, 2025. Guests to the JW Marriott can make reservations now to stay in special Christmas-themed suites and take advantage of a host of holiday activities the hotel is offering.

This year's event is all about ICE! The JW will be trucking in 2 million pounds of ice to create one of the most festive celebrations in the whole of San Antonio. And at the center of the celebration - the grump himself, Mr. Grinch.

Special events will include ice sculptures, tubing, and snowball making - which are relative rarities given the area’s usual lack of snow, and are a great way to expose kids to some of the fun of actual winter wonderlands.

Other events to check out are storytime with Mrs. Claus, a Santa scavenger hunt, gingerbread decorating, and of course, pictures with Kris Kringle.

Tickets can be purchased on an individual basis for each activity or as a package deal.

For a complete rundown on my visit to ICE!, click here.

WEBSITE | 23808 Resort Pkwy., San Antonio, TX 78261

Holidays on Houston Street

Now in its second year, Holidays on Houston Street is one of the best holiday events in San Antonio.

This local event takes place from November 29 to January 2, and covers five blocks of Houston Street in the downtown area. Visitors to Houston Street will find beautiful lights, festive entertainment, decorations, and all the holiday themed shopping and dining they could ever want.

Special market days will be held December 13-15 that will add extra cheer to Holidays on Houston with vendors, carolers, and local artists.

WEBSITE | 513 E. Houston St., San Antonio, TX 78205

Coca Cola Classic Christmas

University of the Incarnate Word Christmas Lights in San Antonio

Brand new this year to SA is the Coca Cola Classic Christmas celebration at Toyota Field. Running from November 22 to December 29, Classic Christmas promises that traditional Christmas experience for its guests.

Lights, ice skating, Santa, carols, festive treats, and more will be available at Classic Christmas and will provide families with a great new way to ring in the season.

*Bonus - Classic Christmas will be running theme nights throughout their tenure and November 24 will be all about the kids. During the "Kids Light Up the Night" event, families can bet up to two free children's tickets with the purchase of one adult ticket. If you're looking to save a little cash and still enjoy an evening out, this is your best bet.

WEBSITE | 5106 David Edwards Dr., San Antonio, TX 78233

Winterfest at the Rock at La Cantera

This FREE event at the all-new Rock at La Cantera is a great place to gather with your family for some outdoor Christmas fun. With holiday vendors, ice skating (while skating is free, there is a small fee for skate rental), food trucks, basketball, a giant screen presenting family-friendly Christmas movies, and holiday sing-a-longs, this may be the city's newest GO-TO place to celebrate the season.

After all the holiday fun, if you need a place to take a load off and enjoy a great meal, check out Roca & Martillo, one of San Antonio's best new restaurants at the Rock at La Cantera.

WEBSITE | 1 Spurs Way, San Antonio, TX 78256

Additional December Events In San Antonio

Strictly speaking, these last two events aren’t holiday specific, but they are both extremely popular and occur smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, so they’re worth a mention.

San Antonio Rock N’ Roll Marathon

Photo Credit: Facebook Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio

Held this year on December 7-8, the Rock N’ Roll Marathon is the perfect way for fitness buffs, runners, music lovers, and anyone who doesn’t mind breaking a sweat to experience downtown San Antonio and the River Walk without the bothers of traffic, tourists, or pedestrians.

Participants can choose from 4 different races – 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon – while enjoying live music and entertainment at each mile marker. Those who cross the finish line will be greeted by the sounds artist Tom Yankton.

Race registration is open online now.

WEBSITE | 100 Military Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205

Valero Alamo Bowl

The NCAA Division I Alamo Bowl is hosted annually at San Antonio’s Alamodome. This year’s game is set for Saturday, December 28, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30pm. The Alamo Bowl pits one of the top teams from the Big 12 conference against a top team from the Pac-12 in what is always a thrilling and fun event.

While the teams have not yet been announced, you can purchase tickets online at Ticketmaster via the Alamo Bowl’s website.

WEBSITE | 100 Montana St., San Antonio, TX 78203