Second Baptist Church displays its Christmas trains in December at the Woodway campus.
Get out your calendar and schedule free holiday fun in Houston. This year’s list exploded with more than 50 free holiday events! Enjoy the season and create memories with family and friends. Check out the big list!
25 DAYS OF FREE HOLIDAY FUN
December 1
Head to Bellaire for its Holiday in the Park at Bellaire Town Square from 6 pm – 8:30 pm. Celebrate the official arrival of Santa on the fire truck and holiday tree lighting. The fun features 40,000 pounds of snow, holiday crafts, performances from local school children, petting zoo, two snow slides, and kiddie train rides. Located at 7008 South Rice in Bellaire.
December 2
Don’t miss the 97th annual Mayor’s Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting in downtown Houston from 6 pm – 8 pm. The holiday tradition features musical performances, Santa, fireworks and family fun. The public is invited to this free community event at Hermann Square by City Hall.
It’s the annual tree lighting at Snowfest Festival in Missouri City, plus snow hill, Santa and his reindeer, moonwalks, and camel rides. The Snowfest Parade is Saturday. Located in Missouri City, 1522 Texas Parkway, City Hall Complex. Parking is not available onsite but free shuttles are available.
Pearland hosts its own Pearland Hometown Christmas Festival December 2, 7 pm – 10 pm, with a tree lighting ceremony, snow play area and hill, Santa, strolling performers and more. Located at Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway.
December 3
Old-Fashioned Christmas returns to Katy Saturday in combination with Katy Market Days. The event starts at 10 am. It features holiday crafts, 50,000 pounds of snow, The Christmas Lighting is at 6 pm. The evening also includes visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus ($5), carolers, entertainment and food. Located at Avenue B in Katy.
Pets (and kids!) can get free photos with Santa December 3, 11 am – 2 pm, at Houston Humane Society. A donation is suggested to help the organization, such as a Kong toy or pet food. The afternoon also features a shopping market and bake sale. Located at 14700 Almeda.
December 4
Get in the holiday spirit with Holiday Music in the Park + Snow Slide from 3 pm – 5 pm at Willow Waterhole Park. School choirs will perform during the afternoon. Kids will LOVE the 25-ft. snow hill. Located at the South Gazebo, 5300 Dryad.
It’s a special winter event by Heights Kids’ Day of Music! Don’t miss Songs with Santa and Tom’s Fun Band, Sunday, 3 pm – 5 pm. The free event is located at 508 Pecore.
Visit First Presbyterian Church downtown for a Handel’s Messiah Sing-a-Long at 7:30 pm. Located at 5300 Main Street.
Enjoy a free Christmas concert featuring Veritas December 4 at 6 pm at Cypress’ new Second Baptist Church. Veritas is a 5-person touring vocal group with a special twist to contemporary classics. Located at 29900 Hwy 290.
December 5
Visit Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop through December 24. Kids can make crafts, get a free photo with Santa, and enjoy free games and activities. Located at Katy and Pearland.
December 6
Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir will perform a free Christmas concert of Lessons and Carols December 6, 8 pm. Donations will be accepted at this event. This is held at Prince of Peace Catholic Community, 19222 Tomball Parkway.
Got a kid who loves trains? Don’t miss Second Baptist Church’s elaborate model train display out through the Christmas season. Trains wind through snow-covered villages! Train viewing hours are 10 am – 2 pm Monday through Saturday plus Wednesdays 10 am – 2 pm, 5 pm – 7 pm. Pre-schoolers will enjoy Stories at the Trains December 6, 10 am – 11 am. Families can enjoy a Christmas-themed story, cookies and more. This is located in the Atrium of Second Baptist’s Woodway campus, 6400 Woodway.
December 7
Da Camera presents a free holiday concert at noon, Swing a Song for Christmas, featuring Pamela York Trio. Located at Grand Foyer of Wortham Theater Center.
Don’t miss the annual Spirit and Sparkle Hayride December 7, 6 pm – 8 pm, sponsored by Woodforest master-planned community in South Montgomery County. The free rides open to the public start at Jackson Park, 2829 Woodforest Parkway North, and take holiday guests on a tour of beautiful neighborhood lights.
Marvel at the creativity at this year’s Downtown Holiday Lamp Post Stroll in Tomball. Merchants and local organizations decorate 50 lamp posts for the Christmas season. They are even more amazing at night! Browse around Main, Commerce, and Market Streets. This is daily through December 30.
December 8
Head downtown for a free outdoor movie screening of Elf at Discovery Green. Movie begins at 7 pm. Be sure to bring your blanket or lawn chairs. Located at 1500 McKinney.
Don’t miss the 13th annual Journey to Bethlehem, an outdoor walk-through drama portraying the birth of Christ. The event features live animals and more than 200 actors in costume. The experience is Thursday through Sunday, December 8-11. Thursday is the free preview night from 7 pm – 9 pm. Tickets are required for free admission. 1,000 free tickets will be available at the door. Located at Current — A Christian Church, 26600 Westheimer Parkway in Katy.
December 9
Get ready for a Texas German celebration on the downtown streets of Tomball. Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival is a 3-day weekend event featuring live music on 4 stages, open air market, strolling Christmas carolers, kids activity area, free hayrides, Christmas lights tour, petting zoo, 175 street vendors, and more. It’s a great bargain with free admission and free parking! This event is December 9-11.
Experience the meaning of Christmas at this unique event, Celebrate Jesus, a 15-minute drive-through drama performance for the whole family. Watch from your vehicle or the hayride (6:30 pm – 9:30 pm) as Jesus’ life is portrayed from birth to miracles to death and resurrection. Located at West Houston Church of Christ, 17100 West Rd., December 9-10.
Watch Nutcracker on Ice December 9, 7 pm, presented by Memorial City and Ice Skate USA. The performance on ice features some of Houston’s best skaters and performers. {This is repeated December 10 at 1 pm.}
December 10
Celebrate Homestead Holiday as the Redbud Hill Homestead comes to life with Christmas cheer. This is part of the Second Saturday Settlers Series at Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center. Enjoy the yuletide celebration with a warm cup of wassail and old-fashioned treats, and children can have their picture taken with jolly old Saint Nicholas. Located in Humble at 20634 Kenswick.
Celebrate holiday creativity at the Gingerbread Build Off, December 10, 10 am – 4:30 pm. This annual event at City Hall features more than 30 teams competing for the Grand Prix de Show award. The day features gingerbread construction, kids’ zone, live entertainment and more. Winners and select competitors will be featured in an exhibition December 12-14 at Architecture Center Houston.
Christmas on Commerce returns to Tomball December 10, noon – 5 pm. Enjoy Christmas crafts, live entertainment, activities, and a chance to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. Located on Commerce St. in downtown Tomball.
Enjoy A Night in Bethlehem, an outdoor experience sponsored by Messiah Lutheran Church from 5 pm – 8 pm. The evening brings the Christmas story to life as you walk through a village in Bethlehem. Families can make a candle, craft a clay pinch pot, sew a coin bag, and pet live animals. Located at 11522 Telge Rd. in Cypress.
For more than 50 years, the City of League City and Kemah has sponsored the Christmas Boat Lane Parade on the Clear Lake channel viewed by more than 100,000 people a year. The parade features more than 100 power and sailboats decorated in holiday lights and more. The parade begins at 6 pm at South Shore Harbour Marina and the Nassau Bay Lagoon to Galveston Bay.
Woodforest community invites the public to its Parade of Lights Saturday, 6 pm – 7 pm. It includes a procession of lighted cars, bikes and other wheeled vehicles from the community’s Forest Island, 4665 Woodforest Parkway North to Jackson Park. Be sure to look for the Disney princesses and a special guest marshal!
Choose from three outdoor holiday movies December 10 — 1) Market Square Park: Love Actually begins at 7 pm 2) Central Green Park: Daddy’s Home begins at dusk in Katy 3) Sugar Land Town Square: Elf is the feature free film at 7 pm.
December 11
Christmas in the Park is a free collaborative community and church event featuring the Gospel of Jesus. Enjoy actors in a dramatic presentation, camel rides, pony rides, donkey rides, crafts, cookies, face painting and petting zoos. Located at Spring Valley Village Park at 1025 Campbell, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm.
Visit Dewberry Farm for free holiday fun on the farm. Most activities are available during the Christmas season such as Hay Mountain, Old-Fashioned Carousel, and Slide Mountain. Admission to the farm is free.
Kids can visit Santa for free December 11, 1 pm – 5 pm, at Sugar Land Town Square. This is located in the lobby at 16190 City Walk. In the season of giving, they are inviting families to bring a new, unwrapped toy which will be donated to a child in need.
Enjoy a free outdoor Christmas movie at the new Cypress campus of Second Baptist Church. The movie will be in the backyard of the Cypress church beginning at 5:30 pm. Hot cocoa and s’mores will be available for the whole family, with pizza and drinks available for purchase. Located at 2990 Hwy 290.
This is the final day of Tomball German Christmas Market & Festival featuring live music on 4 stages, open air market, strolling Christmas carolers, kids activity area, free hayrides, Christmas lights tour, petting zoo, 175 street vendors, and more. It’s a great bargain with free admission and free parking!
December 12
Visit Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop through December 24. Kids can make crafts, get a free photo with Santa, and enjoy free games and activities. Located at Katy and Pearland.
December 13
Pre-schoolers will enjoy Stories at the Trains December 13, 10 am – 11 am. Families can enjoy a Christmas-themed story, cookies and more. This is located in the Atrium of Second Baptist’s Woodway campus, 6400 Woodway.
Drive through Prestonwood Forest subdivision in NW Houston for its Nite of Lites, a holiday tradition and competition since the 1980s. Visitors can drive through the community weekdays till 10 pm and weekends till 11 pm. Folks are encouraged to vote online for their favorite home as the People’s Choice Award. Dates are December 10-31.
December 14
Moonlight Movies returns to CityCentre for the holidays with a free outdoor screening of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Free popcorn begins at 6 pm with the movie starting at 7 pm. Located at 800 Town and Country Blvd.
December 15
Catch a free outdoor screening of Home Alone at Discovery Green. The movie begins at 7 pm, 1500 McKinney.
Don’t miss Wonderland in Westchase, a free family event with holiday entertainment and activities from 6 pm – 9 pm. It features 50,000 lbs. of snow with a snow slide, hay rides, pony rides, fire truck rides, school musical performances, laser tag, climbing wall, Santa and Mrs. Claus and a petting zoo. Located at First United Methodist Church, 10570 Westpark.
Celebrate the holidays with Handel’s Messiah — free performances December 15-17 by Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Free tickets are distributed at 7 pm each night before the 8 pm performance. Located at 8300 Katy Freeway.
December 16
Celebrate the holidays with Handel’s Messiah — free performances December 15-17 by Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Free tickets are distributed at 7 pm each night before the 8 pm performance. Located at 8300 Katy Freeway.
December 17
Get ready for fun at Jingle & Mingle at The Square Saturday, 6 pm – 9 pm. Enjoy the lights of Memorial City, live music, a beautiful snowfall plus appearances by the Memorial City Reindeer.
Head to Katy for a free movie screening of White Christmas, beginning at dusk. This is located at Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd.
Folks in The Woodlands will love Christmas in the Park December 17, 3 pm, for family-friendly fun. The afternoon features live music, free food and hot chocolate, and a special viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Santa will be there, too! Located at Town Green Park with Faith Bible Church.
There is lots of free fun planned at Jingle on the Boardwalk Saturdays and Sundays on the Kemah Boardwalk. December 17 features Santa’s Workshop and snow patch from 2 pm – 6 pm, Santa pics, and a free outdoor movie (Frozen) beginning at 7:30 pm.
Get in the spirit of Christmas at Holidays in the Plaza sponsored by Wells Fargo. Singers from First Colony Church of Christ will perform holiday tunes from 6 pm – 8 pm. Located at Sugar Land Town Square.
Celebrate the holidays with Handel’s Messiah — free performances December 15-17 by Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Free tickets are distributed at 7 pm each night before the 8 pm performance. Located at 8300 Katy Freeway.
December 18
Don’t miss Dickinson Festival of Lights celebrating its 19th year. This amazing walk-through event is open Fridays – Sundays, 6 pm – 8:30 pm (December 2-4, 9-11) and nightly December 16-30 at Paul Hopkins Park. Free admission, free parking, and free shuttle.
Head to Katy for a Christmas Jazz Concert at the West campus of Second Baptist Church. Houstonian Chris Walker shares his talent of Christmas-inspired jazz music. Enjoy coffee and dessert in the lobby after the free concert. Located at 19449 Katy Freeway.
December 19
Watch the ice skaters at downtown Discovery Green and enjoy the two new lighted art installations at the park: Enchanted Promenade by TILT and Firmament by Christopher Schardt. Enchanted Promenade will be on display through February 19 and Firmament through January 8. Located at 1500 McKinney.
December 20
Pre-schoolers will enjoy Stories at the Trains December 20, 10 am – 11 am. Families can enjoy a Christmas-themed story, cookies and more. This is located in the Atrium of Second Baptist’s Woodway campus, 6400 Woodway.
December 21
Visit Christmas Katy, a home in Pin Oak celebrating 10 years of synchronized Christmas lights. It features 50,000+ LED lights, 32 ft. tree, 10 ft. Nutcrackers, and 17 songs in its 2016 show. Neighbors are incorporated into the show so it’s a beautiful street. Music is broadcast at 89.9 FM. Hours are 6 pm – 9 pm (Sunday through Thursday) and till 10 pm on weekends. Located at 24603 Stoughton Court off I-10 and Pin Oak in West Houston.
December 22
Wander the streets of Old Town Spring for Home for the Holidays, the 37th year of this holiday tradition. Enjoy the beautiful decorations, holiday lights, family-friendly activities, and more. Santa is available for visits (for a small fee). The event runs every day in December through December 24.
December 23
Enjoy watching Elf on the new jumbo screen at The Square at Memorial City. The movie begins at 8 pm. It’s located at Memorial City Mall between Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano’s.
Visit Towne Lake Boardwalk in Cypress for Holidays at the Boardwalk. On select dates in December, the Mistletones will be strolling and singing holiday songs for shoppers. December 23 is from 6 pm – 9 pm.
December 24
Watch the ice skaters at downtown Discovery Green and enjoy the two new lighted art installations at the park: Enchanted Promenade by TILT and Firmament by Christopher Schardt. Enchanted Promenade will be on display through February 19 and Firmament through January 8. Located at 1500 McKinney.
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