Austin Christmas Events & Austin Christmas Bars in 2021

Our guide to Austin Christmas Lights and Austin Christmas Events this December 2021! Find all the cool Austin Christmas bars, light shows, & more for the holiday season. We love hitting these amazing Austin Christmas Events and Holiday Events for a little Christmas Spirit. And for more, you can find me at @agirlfromtx on Instagram sharing more favorites!

SEE MORE // NON MATERIAL GIFT IDEAS TO GIVE THIS SEASON

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Free Ongoing Christmas Events in Austin

Mozarts Coffee Roasters Light Show

Until December 25th, Nightly from 6pm – 11pm

The famous Mozarts Christmas Light Show is back! This year, you DO need to make reservations though so I would get on that ASAP. But you can enjoy a cozy hot chocolate and dessert while catching their Christmas Light Display this month! AND something new: you can also opt to take an Austin Rental boat adventure during the show!

37th Street Holiday Lights

December 10th – January 1st, 2021

One of my favorite low-key legacy Austin christmas events! Just off Guad and 37th is a street of homes that go ALL OUT on their Christmas decorations. The owners of the homes 10 years ago did this, and the last few years the newer owners have brought back this staple. Just park your car and walk down the road to enjoy the hilarious light displays on the homes!

Domain Northside Christmas

November 27th – December 25th, 2021

Domain Northside is going all out this year! With a fully decorated Christmas Shopping experience, and lots more events. They’ll be hosting “Letters to Santa” now until the 25th for kiddos to write their letters. They’ll also have Saturday Holiday Movies showing free movies (think Home Alone, Elf, Polar Express) for kiddos and adults both. And every hour on the hour, they’re got their Holiday Tree Light Show!

City of Lakeway Trail of Lights

December 4th – January 2nd, 2021

From December 4th to January 2nd you can walk through the Trail of Lights in Lakeway! It’s a delightful trail passing through adorable displays of lights. You can expect music, cookie decorating, and lots of tree lighting for Christmas joy!

Buda Trail of Lights

December 9th – 12th and December 16th – 20th

From December 9th to the 12th and then 16th to 19th you can attend the FREE Buda Trail of Lights at Historical Stagecoach Park! Much like the Austin Trail of Lights, just walk through the light display from the city and enjoy Christmas spirit!

Marble Falls Walkway of Lights

November 19th – January 1st, 2021

Every night from 6PM you can head to the Marble Falls Walkway of Lights and enjoy displays of 2 million lights and 350 sculptures! Free to the public entirely.

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MORE AUSTIN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS & CHRISTMAS EVENTS IN DECEMBER

Santa’s Ranch in New Braunfels

$35+ per vehicle | November 5th – January 2nd, 2021

Join the drive-through Christmas light park in New Braunfels Texas from November 5th to January 2nd! Known for their impressive light displays, this is a great no-contact holiday event for families. It starts at $35 for tickets!

Austin Trail of Lights

$35+ per vehicle | Throughout December 2021

An Austin staple that changed a little bit this year! Every year, Zilker puts up an extravagant light show you can walk through and this year it’s changed up to be a drive-through. Tickets start at $35! I will say, I am used to the historical walkthrough for $0 so I have never done the drive version myself. Be wary.

Peppermint Parkway Drive-Thru

$40+ per vehicle | November 26th – December 26th, 2021

The Circuit of the Americas is back with their annual drive-through Christmas Display! Starting at $35 it’s a blast for your whole family and kiddos. You drive through the light show and events, and you can get out of your car and enjoy their Christmas Carnival as well. Denver and I went back in 2020 and will say just for 2 adults the ticket weren’t worth it but with kiddos I’m sure, it is!

Luminations at the Wildflower Center

$15+ per person | December 2nd – January 30th, 2022

During Thursday – Sunday you can visit the Austin Wildflower Center and walk through their Luminations Display! It’s a stunning light-up event through the beautiful Texas wildflowers, the kind of thing your parents would adore. Reservations are HIGHLY encouraged, and tickets are $15 for teens + $20 for adults

Sweet Eats Christmas Festival

$20+ per person | November 26th – December 31st, 2021

One of my favorite kid-friendly Christmas events! Sweet Eats Fruit Farm out in Georgetown never disappoints with their holiday events in Austin. Expect a real Santa, live reindeer, gingerbread houses, wagon rides, apple cider, doughnuts, food trucks, and more!

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CHRISTMAS BARS IN AUSTIN

Lala’s Little Nugget

2207 Justin Ln. (Allandale) || Year Round

An Austin staple is Lala’s Little Nugget, known for being the year-round Christmas bar that POPS OFF during the Holiday season! Although its dive status goes under question in December when it’s one of the busiest bars in Austin. We love it, and highly recommend the Santas Irish Coffee

Miracle on 5th Street

307 W 5th St. (Downtown) || Nov 28th, 2021 – Dec 25th, 2021

Disclaimer: their reservations are entirely gone already for big groups. They DO take walk-ins, but this is honestly my least favorite of the Christmas Bars in Austin. The cocktails are extremely expensive (like $18+) and while the drinkware is adorable (and purchasable) the drinks are fine at best. The Rex-arita was my favorite though!

Nickle City

133 E 11th St (East Side) || Through December 2021

An absolute classic, Nickle City goes all out during the Holidays! It’s a spinoff of Miracle, but I much prefer Nickle City drinks and prices. The only downside is the space is tiny so usually, December means a line out of the door and a very VERY crowded bar.

Dons Depot

1600 W 5th St (Clarksville) || Year Round Christmas Bar

Much like Lala’s, Don’s Depot is an Austin Dive Bar year-round Austin Christmas bar staple! It’s a classic with their Christmas lights and amazing prices, but don’t expect some bougie $18 cocktail here. It’s the Christmas Bar you go to when you want holiday spirit but not over the top.

South Pole at Geraldine’s

605 Davis St. (Downtown) || December 3rd – December 25th, 2021

If you want the cutest of cute holiday date nights, you absolutely have to get an igloo with Geraldines. They’re $50 per igloo and include 2 hours of food and beverage service, 6 guests, records, games, and the most adorable experience! I will note that you should go with a bigger group because there IS a $150 minimum charge for food and drinks and 20% gratuity so might as well make the most of that.

Kitty Cohens Hanukkah

2211 Webberville Rd. (East Austin) || Dec 28th – Dec 30th, 2021

Reason we call this list the Holiday Bars and not Christmas Bars is because we do have a Hanukkah pop-up bar on the list! Kitty Cohens loves celebrating Hanukkah with Oy Fashioned and Latke Punch and lots of other delicious treats. Plus, the proceeds go to Shalom Austin! I will say the decor is a little more low key (at least in 2020 it was, will update when I go in 2021)

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Rainey Street Bars

Downtown Austin|| December 2021

This year, Rainey Street bars went above and beyond to celebrate for the holidays! A long row of Austin Christmas bars to chose from. You can enjoy the giant sleigh at Stagger Lee, pop over to the light show at Lucille’s, enjoy a cocktail at Reina, or end it off with some lights over in Javelina. Just hit up Rainey Street for a full evening of Christmas bars!

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AUSTIN CHRISTMAS MARKETS THIS DECEMBER

Blue Genie Art Bazaar

North Austin | Until December 25th

One of my favorite spots to hit during the holiday season for gifts! Plenty of small businesses and craftsmen around the Texas area have come together to sell their local products at the Bazaar. Amazing items that all make fabulous gifts!

Armadillo Bazaar

Downtown Austin | December 17th – 19th, 2021

Austin local craft market at the Palmer Events Center in Austin! They’ve got plenty of local Austin goods and everything you need for Christmas gifts for friends and family. It is $10 to enter so definitely make sure you plan on a couple of purchases to offset that ticket price! Otherwise, opt for the Blue Genie market for sure.

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Thanks so much for reading, guys! I am absolutely THRILLED about this upcoming Holiday season and all the fun things to come. If you have any other Austin christmas events or Austin christmas lights you’d like added, please COMMENT BELOW and I can make sure to get them in!

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