Austin's Holiday Light Displays: Annual Ceremonies and State Capitol Lights

The holidays are finally here, and one of the best parts of the holiday season is getting to visit all of the great holiday light displays. So where are the best holiday light displays in Austin, Texas?:

Trail of Lights

The Trail of Lights is an annual holiday tradition that began in 1965, and is one of the most popular Holiday Light Displays in the country. It was originally known as Yule Fest. The Trail of Lights Festival is held in Zilker Metropolitan Park, located at 2100 Barton Springs Road. Today the Trail of Lights festival features a mile long display of over forty-three different lighted scenes. Among the scenes are the US Post Office, the Yule Log, an entertainment stage, and the Zilker Tree, which is one hundred and fifty-five feet tall, and one hundred and eighty feet in diameter, with 3,309 lighted bulbs on thirty-nine streamers.

Children in Austin participate in a Tree coloring contest where the winner of the Junior division gets to flip the switch to the Zilker Tree during the Tree Lighting Ceremony, and the winner of the Senior Division gets to assist in the ribbon cutting ceremony. In addition the three top pieces of artwork will be on display at Santa's House during the Festival of Lights.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony is held on the first Sunday of December and the Festival of Lights open on the second Sunday of December and runs through December 23^rd.

For more information on the Tree Lighting Ceremony you can visit the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department website.

Texas State Capitol

Austin is home to the Texas State Capital, and visitors can view the capital in all of its Christmas glory. The annual Christmas Tree lighting at the capital on December 1^st, and the ceremony will run from 6 PM to 7 PM. The Christmas Tree is located at the South (Main) Entrance of the Capital at 11^th Street and Congress Avenue. The ceremony will feature traditional Christmas Carols and activities will continue along Congress Avenue after the tree lighting ceremony with live entertainment, and the merchants in the area remaining open late.

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