Delights for the Eyes: Holiday Lights in Fort Worth, Texas

Sundance Square Parade of Lights

On November 23, in downtown Fort Worth, the official holiday season gets underway at Sundance Square. With a Parade of Lights and Tree Lighting event beginning at 6 pm, enjoy the music and fun of the parade. The parade starts at the intersection of Belknap Street and Taylor Street and travels to Commerce Street, around 6th Street to Houston Street and up Houston Street to Weatherford Street. Marching bands, equestrian shows, antique cars, and Santa, Mrs. Claus, and his elves arrive to the delight of young and old alike. At 7:30 on Main Street between Third and Fourth Streets, the 55' tree is lit - and is magnificent in its sparkling glory. For more information, see http://www.sundancesquare.com/events.

Candlelight Christmas Tour

Continue your holiday celebration with a spectacular event held three miles south of downtown Fort Worth in the historic neighborhood of Ryan Place. During the turn of the twentieth century, John Ryan, a visionary and neighborhood planner, built the first of many elegant mansions that fill the streets of this subdivision. In fact, Ryan Place is one of the forerunners of the suburb, and to assure people they were entering the neighborhood, an elaborate gate was erected at the entrance and stood for many years. By the end of World War II, many of the original settlers of Ryan's Place had moved away, and the progressives tore the gates down. However, the 150 homeowners that were left began a restoration project in 1969. The gates went back up and the mansions have been renovated. Each year, a Candlelight Christmas Tour shows the splendor of Ryan's Place and provides a glimpse into the past. This year, the tour dates are Friday, November 30^th, 6-10pm; Saturday, December 1^st, 2-10pm; and Sunday, December 2^nd, 2-6pm. Ryan Place stretches along Elizabeth Blvd. and covers the area for two blocks south to Cantey and one block north to Jessamine. For more information, visit http://www.historicryanplace.org.

Holidays in the Village