Unlock the holiday magic in Friendswood with our ultimate guide! Whether Friendswood is your home or your holiday destination, our guide brings you the top festive events.
Popular Events: Experience the enchantment of the Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail, where twinkling lights and whimsical displays create a delightful atmosphere for families. With the charm of Santa in the Park, kids can meet Santa and share their wishes in a festive setting. And definitely don't forget the Home for the Holidays Gift Market of Rosenberg, featuring local artisans and unique gifts perfect for everyone on your list. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Friendswood
- Santa in the Park
- Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail
- Polar Express Train Rides (Galveston)
- ICE at Discovery Green (Houston)
- Festival of Lights (Galveston)
- Magical Winter Lights (Katy)
- Sugar Land Holiday Lights (Sugar Land)
- Home For the Holidays Christmas Gift Market - Katy (Katy)
- Home for the Holidays Gift Market - Corpus Christi (Corpus Christi)
- Home for the Holidays Gift Market of Rosenberg (Rosenberg)
See these and even more events listed below!
Friendswood Holiday Light Displays
Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail
What to Expect:
Interactive fairy hunt and lighted trail.
Description:
Explore the Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail, featuring over 100,000 lights, iconic holiday characters, and a festive holiday arts and craft market.
Where: Friendswood | More Info: Friendswood Christmas Trail & Fairy Trail
Sugar Land Holiday Lights
What to Expect:
Spectacular light displays and festive activities.
Description:
Sugar Land Holiday Lights features over 3 million lights, a carnival, holiday vendors, and themed displays at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
Where: Sugar Land | More Info: Sugar Land Holiday Lights
Radiant Nature
What to Expect:
Immersive, Instagram-worthy installations celebrating traditional Chinese lantern festivals.
Description:
Radiant Nature is a Chinese lantern festival featuring over 50 larger-than-life installations and interactive activities set among the display gardens of the Houston Botanic Garden. Highlights include towering ginkgo and pine trees, a majestic Chinese temple, a geometric dome, pandas with bamboo, and more. The event celebrates the art, skill, and beauty of traditional Chinese lantern festivals.
Where: Houston | More Info: Radiant Nature
Magical Winter Lights
What to Expect:
Interactive lantern displays and live performances.
Description:
Magical Winter Lights features over 60 lantern displays, including interactive experiences like the Space Maze and Dino Land, along with live shows and mouth-watering treats from various vendors.
Where: Katy | More Info: Magical Winter Lights
Festival of Lights
What to Expect:
Breathtaking holiday light display with interactive elements.
Description:
Moody Gardens' Festival of Lights is a spectacular display of holiday lights and decorations that illuminate the resort's grounds, creating a vibrant and festive atmosphere perfect for family outings and holiday celebrations.
Where: Galveston | More Info: Festival of Lights
Cistern Illuminated
What to Expect:
Interactive light and sound installation in a historic underground space.
Description:
Cistern Illuminated is a site-specific winter light installation in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, featuring new interactive elements and immersive light and sound experiences.
Where: Houston | More Info: Cistern Illuminated
Dickinson Festival of Lights
What to Expect:
Free admission and shuttle service with Santa photo opportunities.
Description:
The Dickinson Festival of Lights is a free walk-thru event at Paul Hopkins Park featuring millions of twinkling lights, creative displays, and photo opportunities with Santa. It is open nightly from November 30th to December 30th, 2023, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, weather permitting.
Where: Dickinson | More Info: Dickinson Festival of Lights
Galaxy Lights
What to Expect:
Dynamic, gravity-defying space-themed light show with interactive exhibits.
Description:
Galaxy Lights at Space Center Houston is a space-themed holiday light show featuring dynamic, intensive lights that defy gravity. The event includes interactive exhibits and hands-on activities, making it a unique and educational holiday experience.
Where: Clear Lake | More Info: Galaxy Lights
Preston Woodforest Nite of Lites
What to Expect:
Friendly home decoration competition.
Description:
Prestonwood Forest's Nite of Lites is a long-standing tradition featuring well-decorated homes in a friendly competition, attracting visitors with its community spirit.
Where: Houston | More Info: Preston Woodforest Nite of Lites
Johnson’s Christmas Corner
What to Expect:
Synchronized light and sound show with snow and bubble machines.
Description:
The Johnsons' Christmas Corner in Cypress, TX, features an impressive display of over 70,000 synchronized lights, snow machines, and bubble machines, making it a standout holiday event.
Where: Cypress | More Info: Johnson’s Christmas Corner
Santa’s Wonderland
What to Expect:
Largest Christmas park with REAL Texas snow and ice.
Description:
Santa's Wonderland in College Station, Texas, features millions of dazzling lights, REAL Texas snow and ice, and a multitude of cheerful attractions across acres of festive grounds. Discover delightful shops and indulge in delicious grub. Enjoy hayrides, live entertainment, specialty Texas-sized food and drinks, train rides, bull rides, photo ops, and more.
Where: College Station | More Info: Santa’s Wonderland
Twinkle Town
What to Expect:
Illuminated decorations and holiday-themed activations.
Description:
Twinkle Town is a vibrant holiday village located at Trebly Park, featuring hundreds of thousands of twinkling LED lights and various holiday-themed activations.
Where: Houston | More Info: Twinkle Town
Fantasy of Lights Parade
What to Expect:
Dazzling procession of floats with twinkling lights and festive decorations.
Description:
The Fantasy of Lights Parade in Sealy features a procession of magnificent floats adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, transforming the parade route into a spectacular display of holiday spirit and creativity.
Where: Houston | More Info: Fantasy of Lights Parade
Friendswood Holiday Markets and Shopping
Home for the Holidays Gift Market of Rosenberg
What to Expect:
Supporting local small businesses with face-to-face interactions.
Description:
Home for the Holidays Gift Market of Rosenberg offers a variety of unique gifts from local and small businesses, featuring handmade crafters, clothing boutiques, gourmet foods, jewelry, and home decor.
Where: Rosenberg | More Info: Home for the Holidays Gift Market of Rosenberg
Home for the Holidays Gift Market - Corpus Christi
What to Expect:
Unique gifts from local vendors in a festive setting.
Description:
Home for the Holidays Gift Market in Corpus Christi features 130+ merchants offering unique, one-of-a-kind gifts in a festive atmosphere with food, beverages, and photo opportunities.
Where: Corpus Christi | More Info: Home for the Holidays Gift Market - Corpus Christi
Home For the Holidays Christmas Gift Market - Katy
What to Expect:
Supporting local small businesses with a variety of unique gifts.
Description:
Home For the Holidays Christmas Gift Market in Katy offers a unique shopping experience with over 100-175 vendors selling handmade crafts, clothing, gourmet foods, jewelry, and home decor. The event emphasizes supporting local small businesses and features a festive atmosphere with face-to-face interactions.
Where: Katy | More Info: Home For the Holidays Christmas Gift Market - Katy
Hollydays Market of Rosenberg
What to Expect:
Indoor shopping with 130 vendors and free parking.
Description:
Hollydays Market of Rosenberg is a three-day holiday shopping event featuring 130 vendors in three indoor buildings, offering new, unique, and one-of-a-kind gifts for all festive events.
Where: Rosenberg | More Info: Hollydays Market of Rosenberg
Friendswood Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Polar Express Train Rides
What to Expect:
Immersive holiday experience with live performances and Santa's visit.
Description:
The Polar Express Train Ride is a family-oriented experience where passengers embark on a round-trip journey to the North Pole, led by talented actors and set to the soundtrack of the motion picture. On board, guests enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, and a reading of the classic children’s book, The Polar Express. Santa and his helpers greet passengers, and each guest receives a silver sleigh bell as the first gift of Christmas.
Where: Galveston | More Info: Polar Express Train Rides
Land of Sweets
What to Expect:
World-class entertainment with flexible seating capacities.
Description:
The Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land is a state-of-the-art indoor performance venue hosting top national performers, Off-Broadway shows, and international artists. It features a diverse lineup of music, comedy, family shows, and theatrically-staged Broadway productions.
Where: Houston | More Info: Land of Sweets
Deck the Trees
What to Expect:
Artistically adorned trees by renowned designers.
Description:
The 18th Annual Deck the Trees event at Alley Theatre and the George R. Brown Convention Center features a holiday tree exhibition with 40 stunning trees and wreaths, each artistically adorned by renowned designers. This annual tradition celebrates Houston's arts and culture through a mix of whimsical, cultural, traditional, and eclectic tree designs.
Where: Houston | More Info: Deck the Trees
Story Time at the Trains
What to Expect:
Interactive storytelling with hot chocolate and cookies.
Description:
Embark on a captivating journey with your family and friends as the Texas State Railroad's POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride brings the classic children's book to life. Enveloped by the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the tale as they are whisked away to the North Pole. Once onboard, chefs serve hot chocolate and cookies while reciting the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. At the North Pole, Santa and his elves greet passengers, and St. Nick gives everyone the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell, only believers can hear ringing. On the ride back, chefs lead passengers in singing joyous Christmas carols.
Where: Houston | More Info: Story Time at the Trains
Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol
What to Expect:
Victorian-era setting with iconic characters.
Description:
In Charles Dickens' timeless novella, A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a transformative journey as he encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. This adaptation, directed by Rob Melrose and remounted by Amber D. Gray, transports audiences to Victorian England with dazzling costumes and stunning sets, celebrating love, redemption, and the true spirit of Christmas.
Where: Houston | More Info: Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol
Handel's Messiah
What to Expect:
Iconic "Hallelujah" Chorus performance.
Description:
Handel's Messiah is a powerful presentation of the greatest story ever told, featuring joyous refrains and exultant arias, including the iconic "Hallelujah" Chorus. This concert promises a moment of magic with choral performances.
Where: Houston | More Info: Handel's Messiah
Nightmare Before Christmas
What to Expect:
Live orchestral performance of a classic animated film.
Description:
Watch Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas projected in its entirety on the big screen, accompanied by Danny Elfman's darkly charming score played live by the orchestra.
Where: Houston | More Info: Nightmare Before Christmas
Hansel and Gretel
What to Expect:
Classical music performance featuring fairy tale and legend-inspired compositions.
Description:
The Houston Symphony presents Hansel and Gretel, featuring music inspired by fairy tales and legend, alongside Richard Strauss's action-packed Don Quixote. The program includes Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture and selections from Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, showcasing the orchestra's versatility and the whimsical world of Don Quixote.
Where: Houston | More Info: Hansel and Gretel
Houston Ballet Nutcracker
What to Expect:
World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes.
Description:
The Houston Ballet Nutcracker is a cherished Houston tradition featuring hundreds of characters, intricate sets, and breathtaking details in a holiday ballet performance.
Where: Houston | More Info: Houston Ballet Nutcracker
A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas
What to Expect:
Victorian England setting with dazzling costumes and stunning sets.
Description:
A timeless adaptation of Charles Dickens' novella, A Christmas Carol, follows Ebenezer Scrooge as he encounters the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, leading to a transformative journey of self-discovery and redemption.
Where: Houston | More Info: A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas
Friendswood Other Holiday Activities
Santa in the Park
What to Expect:
Interactive holiday event with snow play and attractions.
Description:
Join us at Stevenson Park for the 16th Annual Santa in the Park, featuring Santa photo ops, 40,000 lbs of snow, face painting, carol-worthy music, tasty food, and a holiday market.
Where: Friendswood | More Info: Santa in the Park
Flapjack Fun Run
What to Expect:
Chip-timed 5K run with a Whataburger pancake breakfast.
Description:
The Flapjack 5K Fun Run is a festive event in Friendswood, Texas, featuring a 5K run and walk, a Kid's K half-mile track, and various amenities like water stations and a Whataburger pancake breakfast.
Where: Friendswood | More Info: Flapjack Fun Run
Holidays in the Park
What to Expect:
Live music and snow flurries in a festive holiday setting.
Description:
Join us at Holidays in the Park for a holiday celebration featuring live music, snow flurries, and food vendors in Stevenson Park.
Where: Friendswood | More Info: Holidays in the Park
ICE at Discovery Green
What to Expect:
Inclusive skating for all ages and abilities.
Description:
Green Mountain Energy Ice at Discovery Green offers an outdoor skating experience beneath downtown Houston's glittering lights. The rink hosts various themed events, including Skate with Santa, DJ Nights, and Special Needs Skate Night. Non-motorized wheelchairs are always welcome, and guests with special needs enjoy a safe environment on designated Sundays. The rink operates from November 15 through February 2, with special discounts available for college students, Houston sports team gear wearers, and first responders.
Where: Houston | More Info: ICE at Discovery Green
Frostival
What to Expect:
Outdoor ice skating with hip-hop dance performances and festive activities.
Description:
Frostival at Discovery Green is an annual winter celebration featuring classic winter traditions under glittering lights in downtown Houston. Make snow angels in the Snow Zone, take pictures with Santa Claus, and enjoy hip-hop dance performances.
Where: Houston | More Info: Frostival
Cultural Holiday Extravaganza
What to Expect:
Multicultural celebration with free face painting and gift wrapping.
Description:
The Cultural Holiday Extravaganza at Mistletoe Square is a family-friendly, multicultural Christmas event featuring free face painting, gift wrapping stations, and a holiday mini market. It celebrates diverse holiday traditions and cultures in Houston's vibrant community.
Where: Houston | More Info: Cultural Holiday Extravaganza
Jingle Bell Fun Run
What to Expect:
Wear festive holiday gear to support arthritis research.
Description:
The Jingle Bell Run is a holiday-themed 5K run that supports arthritis research and life-changing resources. Participants wear festive attire and fundraise to conquer arthritis.
Where: Houston | More Info: Jingle Bell Fun Run
A Charlie Brown Christmas
What to Expect:
Exclusive holiday runwalk with Peanuts-themed swag and charitable toy drive.
Description:
Join the 3rd Annual Charlie Brown Christmas 5K/10K in Houston, featuring a flat, fast course and festive finisher medals. Participants will receive officially licensed Peanuts swag, including a tech t-shirt and finisher medal. The event supports Memorial Assistance Ministries' Christmas Share program by collecting new toys for Houston families in need.
Where: Houston | More Info: A Charlie Brown Christmas
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Pearland (6 miles)
- League City (7 miles)
- Alvin (8 miles)
- Pasadena (11 miles)
- Deer Park (13 miles)
- La Porte (14 miles)
- Cloverleaf (17 miles)
- Channelview (18 miles)
- Houston (19 miles)
- Baytown (20 miles)
- Texas City (21 miles)
- Missouri City (21 miles)
- Sugar Land (27 miles)
- Alief (27 miles)
- Galveston (29 miles)
- Mission Bend (30 miles)
- Atascocita (32 miles)
- Rosenberg (37 miles)
- Lake Jackson (37 miles)
- Spring (40 miles)
- Cypress (43 miles)