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đŸ„‚ Sip through the season

Your ultimate guide to holiday pop-up bars in Austin
A festive Christmas-themed bar with vibrant holiday decorations, including wrapped gift boxes hanging from the ceiling, colorful string lights, garlands, and ornaments. The bar counter features red and white candy cane stripes, surrounded by warm white lights. A neon sign glows in the background, and a nutcracker figure stands to the side.
Stroll into Miracle on 5th Street to try a variety of holiday-themed cocktails in festive, photo-worthy cups. | Photo by Robert Lerma
Now that it’s December, ‘tis officially the season, Austin.

Trees are going up, holiday lights are turning on, and local bars are decking themselves out in red and green. If you’re anything like us, we know you’ll want to make the most of the month, so we’ve got you covered with the ultimate guide to holiday pop-up bars in ATX. Happy sipping.

🏙 Rooftops

Fairmont Austin | 101 Red River St. | This ski lounge-inspired space includes igloos, fire pits, and a light show — all with skyline views, no less.

Edge Rooftop’s “Snow Much Fun” | 110 E. 2nd St. | It “snows” every hour at this rooftop bar, which also serves seasonal drinks and s’mores boards.

A map of holiday pop up bars around the city

Do you know a holiday pop-up bar that’s not on our list? Add it to our interactive map.

Map by ATXtoday

🎄 Jaw-dropping decor

Miracle on 5th Street | 307 W. 5th St. | In December, the Eleanor transforms into a winter bar decked out wall-to-wall in Christmas decor. Pro tip: Get there early, as this spot often has a line out the door.

⛾ Exciting activities

Four Seasons Hotel’s “Ice Rodeo” | 98 San Jacinto Blvd. | Yes, you read that right. The downtown hotel’s winter pop-up has a skating rink overlooking Lady Bird Lake, a 30-ft Christmas tree, and a life-sized gingerbread Airstream trailer.

Austin Motel’s “Winter Wanderland” | 1220 S. Congress Ave. | Sip seasonal drinks while floating in the hotel pool, watch holiday films, go caroling, and take photos with “Hunky Santa” at this month-long lineup of events.

ATX_Miracleon5thdrinks

Seasonal drinks just taste better when they come inside a Santa T-Rex.

Photo by ATXtoday

đŸ„‚ Seasonal drinks

Kitty Cohen’s “It’s Lit” Hanukkah Pop-Up | 2211 Webberville Rd. | This Hanukkah-themed pop-up — which involves blue and gold decor, an inflatable menorah, and a themed menu — opens today.

đŸȘ” Cozy vibes

Donn’s Depot | 1600 W. 5th St. | Be prepared to dance all night — Donn’s is known for regulars who show off their two-steppin’ skills.
12 MORE POP-UPS
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Thursday, Dec. 1
  • Other Worlds Film Festival | Now-Sunday, Dec. 4 | 7:45 p.m. | Galaxy Theatres Austin, 6700 Middle Fiskville Rd., Austin | $15+ | Tune in for panels, Q+As, and screenings of shorts and feature-length films at this sci-fi film festival.
  • Driskill Grand Lobby Tree Lighting | Thursday, Dec. 1 | 6 p.m. | The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St., Austin | Free | In addition to the tree lighting ceremony, the historic hotel will offer cocktails and live music.
Friday, Dec. 2
  • Elvis Costello + Friends | Friday, Dec. 2 | 7 p.m. | ACL Live at The Moody Theater, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin | $189+ | This star-studded concert will be accompanied by a benefit auction, with items like a guitar signed by The Rolling Stones and VIP Bruce Springsteen tickets up for grabs.
  • Mozart’s Annual Light Show | Now-Friday, Jan. 6 | Times vary | Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, 3825 Lake Austin Blvd., Austin | Free+ | This holiday tradition includes a Bavarian-style marketplace, holiday treats, and a new addition: a dance floor with a silent disco.
Saturday, Dec. 3
  • Downtown Holiday Stroll | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 5-10 p.m. | Congress Avenue, Austin | Free | Kick off the “y’alliday” season with this sing-along event, also featuring the Capitol Tree Lighting and performances by local artists.
  • 2022 Austin Trail of Lights Fun Run | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 5:45-10 p.m. | Zilker Park, 2207 Lou Neff Rd., Austin | $35+ | This 2.1 mile race starts at the Zilker Holiday Tree and ends with a finish line festival that includes a dance party, holiday photo ops, carnival rides, food and drink, and a costume contest.
Sunday, Dec. 4
  • Ballet Austin’s “The Nutcracker” | Saturday, Dec. 3-Friday, Dec. 23 | Times vary | The Long Center for the Performing Arts, 701 W. Riverside Dr., Austin | $38+ | Ballet Austin is celebrating 60 years of its “Nutcracker” performance.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS
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Weather
  • 54Âș | Partly cloudy | 5% chance of rain
State
  • A new assessment of Texas’ power grid predicts a smooth, hiccup-free winter, with one caveat: if the conditions of 2021’s Winter Storm Uri are repeated, ERCOT may carry out controlled blackouts. Read the full report. (KUT)
Ranking
  • Hye-based William Chris Vineyards is the 56th-best vineyard in the world, according to a new ranking by World’s Best Vineyards. The Hill Country winery is the first and only Texas winery on the list — just six other US vineyards were represented. đŸ·
  • Is Austin the best college town in the US? WalletHub certainly thinks so. Out of 400 cities, the personal finance site ranked ATX in the top spot due to its social environment and academic and economic opportunities.
Coming Soon
  • Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de ChĂŁo will open this month on the ground floor of The Austonian at 200 Congress Ave. The restaurant is expected to be 7,000 sqft and feature an open-air churrasco grill in the dining area. đŸ„© (Austin Business Journal)
Development
  • New Braunfels’ downtown may soon be transformed by a 2.5-acre mixed use development called the Co-Op Marketplace. The new space is slated to include a biergarten, restaurants, retail, and a stage for live music. 🏗 (CultureMap Austin)
Community
  • More than 18,200 South Austin residents — including seven school campuses — lost power yesterday morning due to an equipment failure. Austin Energy restored power within a few hours. (Austin American-Statesman)
Award
  • Enotech Engineering CEO Ali Khataw is the recipient of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce. See the full list of other local business leaders being recognized. 🏆 (Austin Business Journal)
Real Estate
  • Ever wondered what a TV star’s house looks like? Peek inside the Austin home of Jared and Genevieve Padalecki, known for their roles in “Supernatural.” (Austin Home)
Shop
  • If you work from home like us, you’ve likely become accustomed to having stiff muscles at the end of a workday due to prolonged sitting. Combat this with a little office upgrade — an electric standing desk paired with a sleek under desk treadmill. Oh, and don’t forget to stay hydrated.*
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Drumroll, please...
The outside of the Moody Center
This month, it was announced the Moody Center will host next year’s CMT Music Awards. Do you know at which concert that news broke? | Photo by ATXtoday
With the end of November comes the end of another month of news, and you know what that means: we’re going to quiz you.

Do you know

🏆 How many Grammy Awards Willie Nelson has under his belt?
đŸ„– Which beloved local restaurant recently reopened?
⚜ The World Cup match that Austinites got really into?

We write about almost 200 pieces of news each month at ATXtoday. Take our news quiz to find out how many of those fun facts you remember, and we’ll give high-scorers a shoutout in an upcoming newsletter.
GET QUIZZIN'
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by London.

Editor’s pick: Last week, we gave you the breakdown on major changes coming to Zilker Park with the park’s new master plan. As it turns out, y’all had some interesting ideas of your own.

Jen S. suggested a safety patrol around the park during peak times, and Amanda W. thought lights would be a good addition for the park at nighttime.

Caitlin G. thinks more trees and grasses would provide shade and absorption, and Ann B. would like to see more maintenance on the trails in the late spring.

🌳 What do you think? Let us know.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Find out where to shop waste-free in Austin, here.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Laura Figi, London Gibson, Dayten Rose, Josh Kranzberg, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Camille McLeod | Advertise with us.

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