Austin shines during the holiday season, so make the most of it by packing your calendar with festive events. | Photo by ATXtoday
Get your fuzzy socks and hot cocoa ready, Austin. From light displays to holiday performances and festive parties, this is by far the coziest season in the Capital City.
Gather the family and friends to celebrate what makes the holiday season special with our guide featuring30 winter events happening between December and February.
Driskill Tree Lighting, The Driskill Hotel | Friday, Dec. 6 In addition to the tree lighting ceremony, the historic hotel will offer cocktails and live music.
Holiday Sing-Along & Stroll 2024, Congress Avenue | Saturday, Dec. 7 Kick off the “y’alliday” season with this sing-along event, which also features the Capitol Tree Lighting, a vendor market, and performances by The Tiarras.
Austin Trail of Lights Fun Run, Zilker Park | Saturday, Dec. 7 This two-mile race starts at the Zilker Holiday Tree and ends with a finish line festival that includes a DJ performance, holiday photo ops, carnival rides, and food + drinks.
Movie in the Park: “The Grinch” | 4:30-8 p.m. | Balcones District Park | Cost of purchase | Cozy up with hot chocolate and popcorn to watch the film, meet adoptable puppies from the Austin Humane Society, and make Grinch-inspired art.
Friday, Dec. 6
Walker Lukens’ “The Last Walt II” | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre | $22+ | Join Austin songwriter Walker Lukens + a lineup of guests for a night celebrating music and comedy.
“Beatles For Sale” 60th Anniversary | 8-10 p.m. | Central Machine Works | Free | Local tribute band The Riff and Chips will perform the album in full to celebrate six decades since its release.
Saturday, Dec. 7
Humanities Texas Holiday Book Fair | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Humanities Texas | Cost of purchase | Shop for discounted books and meet Texas authors at this annual event benefiting libraries statewide.
Eighth Anniversary Party | 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | St. Elmo Brewing Company | Cost of purchase | Celebrate the brewery’s birthday with food specials, live music, and special brews on tap throughout the day.
Sunday, Dec. 8
Christmas Tree Lighting | 5-7 p.m. | Hotel Viata, West Lake Hills | Cost of purchase | Catch a live choir performance, shop a holiday market, meet Santa, and see the illumination of a grand Christmas tree.
Check out holiday-themed floats and an appearance from Santa at the parade. | Photo via Visit Conroe
Weekend getaway, anyone?
Kick off the holiday festivities with a trip to Conroe (~three hours away) for the Toby Powell Conroe Christmas Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Heritage Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pvolve is coming to Austin. The fitness franchise will open its first studio in the Capital City on Friday, Jan. 17 at 312 Congress Ave. Locations in Bee Cave and Westlake will open later in 2025. (Community Impact)
Try This
East Austin just got a ‘tini bit better. Holiday on 7th’s Espresso Martini Week kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 7 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 14. Patrons can order espresso martinis at 11 participating local bars, get a passport stamped at each location, and win prizes.
Traffic
Drivers on the MoPac Express toll lane will see higher rates starting on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The base rate will increase from $0.57 for each segment to $0.65, according to a spokesperson for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority. (KXAN)
Regional
Pflugerville officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s Downtown East project this week. The 29-acre mixed-use development — which should be complete by fall 2026 — will feature a new community plaza, city hall building, parking garage, and recreation center. (Austin Business Journal)
Arts
Want to see your art in a gallery? The Dougherty Art Center’s Julia C. Butridge Gallery is currently accepting exhibit proposals for next year. Applications are free to submit and will be accepted through Sunday, Jan. 26.
Ranked
Austin is home to a lot of happy employees, according to a new report by Resume.io. The Capital City landed the No. 3 spot on a list of US cities with the happiest hires, which ranked job satisfaction by examining 3,000 workers around the country.
Sports
The 2024 football season is over for the Aggies, but they just landed five-star receiver Jerome Myles. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Texas A&M Aggies with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Wellness
Have someone on your list who loves wellness or could use a reset after the holidays? We’ve got the ultimate gift that sleighs:A visit to Miraval Austin. Explore treatment options and snag exclusive deals during their Cyber Sale happening now through Dec. 9.*
Finance
If holiday shopping — on top of your outstanding debt — is weighing on you this season, find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. Here are hands down some of the best.*
Category
Biz
🛒 Aisles of smiles
“Here, everything’s better” has never rung more true. | Photos by ATXtoday
There’s a new H-E-B on the block — of South Congress Avenue and West Oltorf Street, that is.
After nearly three years of construction, the new 145,000-sqft grocery store opened at 2400 S. Congress Ave. on Wednesday, Dec. 4. It replaced the city’s first-ever H-E-B location, which opened in 1957 at just 25,000 sqft.
Hundreds of Austinites flocked inside at 6 a.m. for its grand opening, which featured a performance by UT Austin cheerleaders, confetti, live music, and giveaways.
Here’s what’s in store (literally):
A True Texas barbecue restaurant with indoor + outdoor dining
The largest selection of wine in any H-E-B store
A heart-shaped H-E-B sign made with the old store’s outdoor sign
Live cooking demonstrations + samplings
Tons of local artwork celebrating the spirit of south Austin
That’s not all — learn more about the newest H-E-B.
The Buy
The Buy
Champagne bottle savers. They fit all standard bottle necks to keep your sparkling wine from going flat — the perfect hack for upcoming holiday events and New Year’s Eve parties.
Your ATXtoday City Editors visited the new H-E-B this week, and although we loved it all, we spent the most time in the grocer’s holiday decor section. Go pick up some $5 Texas-themed ornaments and thank me later.
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