Celebrate the holidays in downtown San Antonio
Published on December 06, 2023
SAN ANTONIO (December 6, 2023) — Celebrate the holidays in downtown San Antonio! Enjoy free, family-friendly events, and shop for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts for your loved ones while supporting local independent small businesses at Market Square and La Villita!
Holidays on Houston Street
Set against the backdrop of one of the city’s most historic and charming streets, San Antonio Holidays on Houston Street kicked off Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 2. The City of San Antonio, Centro San Antonio and Visit San Antonio have partnered to bring more holiday sparkle to five blocks of Houston Street (from Legacy Park to the Alamo).
Featured events:
- Holiday Movies in Legacy Park, Friday, Dec. 8, 22, & 29, 7 p.m., FREE
- Taste of Houston Street Community Dinner, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 6-8 p.m., (ticket sales close Dec. 7)
- Holidays on Houston Street Market, Friday, Dec. 15 – Sunday, Dec. 17
- Holidays on Houston Street Fun Run
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 5-9:30 p.m., Travis Park Activities FREE, Fun Run requires registration (closes Dec. 15)
The City’s Inaugural Fun Run is a night-time, family-friend event that includes a 5K and 1 mile course showcasing holiday lighting along San Pedro Creek, Houston Street, the Museum Reach and Travis Park. Free activities at Travis Park being at 5 p.m. with guest appearances by the Spurs Coyote, and Mayor Ron Nirenberg will kick off the free Spazmatics show at 8 p.m. Enjoy free parking in City parking facilities for Downtown Tuesday!
River Walk Holiday Lights
The world-famous San Antonio River Walk is illuminated in thousands of lights from Nov. 24 – Jan. 7 (dawn).
La Villita Historic Arts Village Events
Location: 418 Villita St,
San Antonio, TX 78205
Directions
La Villita Holiday in the Village
When: Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., FREE
You are invited to the annual Holiday in the Village for unique hand-crafted items, art, and jewelry created by local artists and artisans. There is something for everyone on your gift list! Enjoy holiday food options, live music, theater performances, gingerbread house workshop, cookie decorating, face painting, kids’ zone, letters to Santa, and more! For more information, please visit the La Villita website.
Lunch at La Villita
When: Thursday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
On the second Thursday of each month, join us for lunch from several San Antonio food trucks, as well as La Villita Café and Guadalajara Grill. Remember to make time before or after to browse our boutiques and art galleries! For more information, please visit the La Villita website.
TubaMeister Christmas Concert
When: Saturday, Dec. 16, 12 p.m., FREE
Local favorites, the TubaMeisters, present their 44th annual Christmas concert at the Arneson River Theatre featuring holiday tunes played by tuba, euphonium, and baritone horn players. For more information, visit the TubaMeister’s website.
Rico’s River Rally
When: Tuesday, Dec. 26, 5 p.m., FREE
The San Antonio River Walk plays host to college football’s most unique pep rally to celebrate the Valero Alamobowl. While the head coaches, team captains, and cheerleaders take part in a spirited pep rally at the Arneson River Theatre on the River Walk, the school bands and the rest of the players excite the crowd by making a grand entrance on river cruisers. For more information, visit the event website.
Celebrate SA: San Antonio's Official New Year’s Eve Celebration
When: Sunday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m. – 12 a.m., FREE
Shimmy into the New Year at Celebrate SA, the City’s official New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown produced by the San Antonio Parks Foundation and the City of San Antonio. Enjoy live music, carnival rides, food and drinks, and a fireworks show at midnight! For more information, visit the event website.
Historic Market Square Events
Location: 514 W. Commerce Street
San Antonio, TX 78207
Directions
Market Square Weekend Programming
When: Every weekend in December, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., FREE
Enjoy music, working artists, and food booths at Market Square every weekend! For more information, please visit the Market Square event page.
La Gran Tamalada
When: Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., FREE
Join us at La Gran Tamalada for a cultural tradition at Historic Market Square hosted by La Familia Cortez Restaurant! At this family-friendly event, learn the history and traditions of tamales, enjoy storytelling, take photos with Pancho Claus, and Abuelita hot chocolate sampling and giveaways, and listen to live music! For more information, visit the Market Square event page.
Travis Park Events
Location: 301 E. Travis St.
Directions
Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park
When: Nov. 17, 2023 – Jan. 15, 2024
The Rotary Ice Rink, presented by Valero, is back through Jan. 14, 2024! Visit the coolest place in town and enjoy the festivities in Travis Park! For more information, including hours of operation, pricing, and specials, please visit http://rotaryicerink.com.
H-E-B Christmas Tree
Enjoy a spectacular holiday light display every evening through Jan. 7, 2024. Adorned with more than 10,000 lights and custom-made ornaments, the 50-foot tree is H-E-B’s gift to the city. Travis Park is decorated with 250,000 lights across the park made possible by Centro San Antonio.
Plan Ahead
The holiday season is busy in downtown San Antonio – plan ahead!There are numerous street closures in the downtown area as well as the potential for heavy traffic with several large events taking place throughout the month. Take public transportation, ride-share, bike, walk, or consult a navigation and traffic app before you leave. Visit the City's street closure website for more information, and sign up for downtown street closure notices by subscribing to our street closure updates email.
Visitor Parking
Check out the City's SAPark website for easy, convenient, and affordable parking! A full list of City-owned garages, lots and meters can be found here. Downtown Tuesday offers free parking on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. in City-owned parking facilities, and City Tower Sundays offers free parking on Sundays from 7 a.m. to midnight at the City Tower Garage located at 117 W. Commerce.