Events

LIGHTSCAPE
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-463-4160, fwbg.org

The international sensation Lightscape is back at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden for a third straight year. The immersive, winter wonderland features several light-filled installations, including 80% new displays, and is sure to be enjoyed by everyone in the family. During select nights, Santa will stop by too. Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased through the Botanic Garden website. Nov. 22 – Jan. 5, 2025

PARADE OF LIGHTS
Downtown Fort Worth
777 Taylor St., Fort Worth, fortworthparadeoflights.org

The 42nd annual Parade of Lights sponsored by GM Financial returns to Downtown Fort Worth. Texas’ largest illuminated holiday parade will start 6 p.m. at the intersection of Weatherford and Throckmorton Streets. A sold-out crowd is expected. The 1.59-mile route will feature professionally designed floats, marching bands, antique cars, equestrian units, horse-drawn carriages and carolers. Of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus are scheduled to attend the parade. The reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers will serve as Grand Marshal. “Street Seats” are available for purchase online and cost $17.50 for adults and $15 for children. Nov. 24

KOKEDAMA FOREST
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-463-4160, fwbg.org

More than 1,200 handcrafted kokedamas will fill up a 1,000-square-foot micro-woodland at the botanic garden. Kokedama is a form of Japanese bonsai, where spheres of moss, twine and seedlings are transformed into organic works of art. These plants are wrapped in an intricate metal network as part of the display. Through Nov. 30

CHRISTMAS AT GAYLORD TEXAN – ICE! FEATURING RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSE REINDEER
Gaylord Texan
1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, 817-778-1000, christmasatgaylordtexan.marriott.com

ICE! Featuring Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is taking over the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine. Tunnels, frozen slides and larger-than-life sculptures carved from over 2 million pounds of brightly colored ice make this an immersive showplace of a beloved holiday story. Experience Rudolph’s adventure through the North Pole and Land of Misfits Toys with 10 unique, whimsical scenes. There is no time limit on the walk-through experience and tickets can be purchased online. Nov. 15 – Jan. 5, 2025

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Southlake Town Square
1400 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake, 817-748-8400, visitsouthlaketexas.com

Kick off the holiday season with an array of festive activities in Southlake Town Square. The annual Christmas tree lighting, carriage rides, photos with Santa, snow tubing slide ride and arts and crafts will keep guests of all ages entertained. Local school groups will provide musical entertainment under an enchanting glow of lights. The free event runs from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 23

CHRISTMAS CAPITAL OF TEXAS
Grapevine Convention & Visitor Bureau
636 S. Main St., Grapevine, 817-410-3189, grapevinetexasusa.com

Christmas is quickly approaching and Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas, has no shortage of activities for the entire family. The Peace Plaza Ice Rink will offer one-hour rentals for $20, ice skates included, through early January. Enjoy the charm and spirit of a classic American town during the holiday season with the interactive Christmas exhibition inside the Grapevine Tower Gallery. Or perhaps your little ones want to engage in fun, historic activities throughout Grapevine’s Settlement to City Museums. This Elf Adventure costs $4 for individual activities or $10 for a passport. Another crowd-pleaser is the popular Santa’s North Pole Express Train Ride with Mrs. Claus, elves, sing-alongs and Santa Claus on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Railroad rides cost $40 per person for guests over 1 year old and those under 1 can get a lap ticket for $6. Tickets for these activities and more are available on the Grapevine Convention & Visitor Bureau website.
Ice Rink: Nov. 22 – Jan. 7, 2025
Hometown Christmas: Nov. 18 – Jan. 5, 2025
Elf Adventure: Nov. 29 – Dec. 30
Santa’s North Pole Express: Nov. 29 – Dec. 30

Exhibits

FREEMAN + LOWE: SUNSET CORRIDOR
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth, 817-738-9215, themodern.org

Artists Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe are adding another chapter in their series of immersive installations with the “Freeman + Lowe: Sunset Corridor” exhibit. It features five architectural zones and a video room, diving deeper into the fictional San San Universe. This world is partially based on the idea that San Diego and San Francisco would merge into one giant metropolis by the year 2000. Each space tells about a subculture that takes over buildings owned by IBM to hack technological frameworks and subvert mainstream life through an underground music culture. Freeman and Lowe give visitors an opportunity to critically examine modern society through the use of alternate reality with references to real countercultures, historical and imagined narratives, technological inventions, urbanism and the music industry. Through Jan. 5

DUTCH ART IN THE GOLDEN AGE
Kimbell Art Museum
3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 817-332-8451, kimbellart.org

Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Gerrit Dou, Jacob van Ruisdael, Maria Schalcken and other celebrated artists from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s renowned collection, along with four Dutch paintings from the Kimbell’s permanent collection, will be showcased in this exhibit about Dutch life in the 17th Century. During that time, Dutch merchants joined trade networks across the world in a movement of goods, ideas and people that gave rise to the first age of globalization and sparked an artistic boom in the Netherlands. Prints, maps and decorative objects in silver, porcelain, glass and more help show how international commerce shaped Dutch life and brought cultural flourishing. Nov. 10 – Feb. 9, 2025