Austin Christmas Light Shows

Some cities are known for their annual light shows and Austin is one of them. There won't be a shortage of light shows this Christmas around Austin.  For those of you who love your Christmas lights, here are a handful of places to put on your calendar:

1. Zilker Tree Lighting Ceremony – This ceremony starts December 5th at 6 p.m.  The ceremony dates back to 1965 whereupon Alden (Mabel) Davis, a civic leader and chairperson for the City's Special Holiday Activities committee, initiated the idea. The tree was built by local electricians. It wouldn't be till December 10, 1967 that the tree was first lit by Mayor Emma Long.  The light display is quite spectacular as the tree is 155 feet tall and has a circumference of 380 feet. The base of the tree is made up of 119 utility poles, each 14 feet tall, arranged in a circle around the Moonlight Tower. On it are 39 streamers each holding 81 colored bulbs, equaling 3,309 lights. A double star measuring 10 feet from point to point is placed on the top of the tree. The star is lit as well with 150 frosted bulbs.  The winner of the yearly art contest is given the honor of turning on the lights to the tree.

2. 37th Street Lighting – The lighting of a historic residential neighborhood has been a tradition for 20 years. To see this lighting display for yourself, head toward the University of Texas campus and make your way just off of Guadalupe Street. The tradition started when one home hung lights in their front yard and began adding to it every year. Residents now light every tree, home and even string lights from home to home. Nothing is left unlit. Even the cars, curb lines, sidewalks, pets and residents themselves are wearing lights. The whole of the display is inspired by each individual resident in the neighborhood each year and is never led or planned. The awe-inspiring neighborhood has drawn the attention of Good Morning America to folks from all over the world. Newspaper writers, photographers and such make their way to 37th street to partake of the notorious displays. To visit the display yourself, know you have to park on a nearby street and walk to the neighborhood due to the large amounts of people visiting. Many park on Guadalupe Street.

To get to the display from I-35, exit at 38th Street and go west. Once you hit Speedway, start looking for parking. If you are coming by way of MoPac, exit at 35th Street and go east. Once you get to Guadalupe, try turning right onto a side street.

3.  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Come out and enjoy 3,000 luminarias and 5,000 twinkle lights on the grounds of the Wildflower Center. This event is held December 11 and 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is free with two canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank. In addition to viewing the beautifully decorated property, there will be decorated trees in the McDermott Learning Center. Children can make decorations to take home while in the Visitor's Gallery.  There will be live music both evenings. Saturday night the Austin Mandolin Orchestra and Chalumeau Clarinet Quartet and Ben Tomes will be playing and on Sunday there will be the Bailey Middle School Street Drum Band and Quintessentials Woodwind Quartet, Tarrytown Dance Force, Austin Banjo Club and last, Arielle Nichole. You can visit the Wildflower.org website for more information.