Let’s be honest: Dallas does the holidays big. Bigger trees, brighter lights, more people running in turkey costumes than you’d think possible. If you’re visiting this November or December, or you live here and want to finally do more than drive past the lights on Garland Road, this is your list.
These are the ten events we’d actually plan a weekend around, in date order, with who each one suits and what to pair it with nearby. We checked every date against the organizer’s own website on October 13, 2026. One hasn’t been officially announced yet, and we’ll flag it when we get there.
The quick version
| Event | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday at the Arboretum | Nov 11 – Jan 3 | Dallas Arboretum |
| Dallas Zoo Lights | Select nights, Nov 13 – Jan 3 | Dallas Zoo |
| The Trains at NorthPark | Nov 14 – Jan 3 | NorthPark Center |
| Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot | Thu, Nov 26 | Downtown Dallas |
| Cowboys vs. Eagles | Thu, Nov 26, 3:30 p.m. | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| A Christmas Carol | Nov 27 – Dec 27 | Wyly Theatre |
| Klyde Warren Park Tree Lighting | Sat, Dec 5, 4–7 p.m. | Klyde Warren Park |
| BMW Dallas Marathon | Dec 11–13 | Downtown and White Rock Lake |
| Holidays with the DSO | Dec 12, 17–20 | Meyerson Symphony Center |
| Reunion Tower NYE fireworks | Dec 31 (not yet announced) | Reunion Tower |
1. Holiday at the Arboretum: say goodbye to the 12 Days of Christmas
November 11, 2026 to January 3, 2027 · Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road · Tickets and times
If you only do one thing on this list, make it this one. And this year there’s a real reason not to put it off: the Arboretum has said 2026 is the final season for its 12 Days of Christmas gazebos. Picture twelve life-size Victorian gazebos, each acting out a line of the song in absurd detail. Generations of Dallas families have taken holiday card photos in front of them, and after January 3 they’re gone.
Daytime visits (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) are best for seeing the gazebos up close. Holiday at Night (5 to 10 p.m.) lights up the whole garden, and it’s more magical and more crowded. A late Night Owl entry from 8:30 p.m. skips the early-evening rush.
Our tip: go in the late afternoon and stay into the evening, so you see the gazebos in daylight and the lights after dark. The Arboretum sits on the shore of White Rock Lake, perfect for a sunset walk. Our Dallas Arboretum guide covers parking, dining and the gardens themselves.
2. Dallas Zoo Lights: the one the kids will remember
Select nights, November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, 5:30–9 p.m. · Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway · Dates and tickets
Zoo Lights turns the zoo into a walk-through trail of glowing animals and light tunnels. It’s built for families with younger kids, though the grown-ups usually enjoy it just as much.
Know this before you go: it runs on select nights, not every night, so check the zoo’s calendar before you promise anyone an evening. Tickets go on sale October 15.
If your child struggles with crowds or loud music, circle November 17: the zoo has planned a sensory-friendly night.
Our tip: the zoo is only about three miles south of downtown, so it’s easy to fold into a day in the city. Our Dallas Zoo guide has the highlights.
3. The Trains at NorthPark: a Dallas tradition that never gets old
November 14, 2026 to January 3, 2027 · NorthPark Center, Level 1 across from Kona Grill · Hours and info
Ask anyone who grew up in Dallas about the Trains at NorthPark and watch their face light up. It’s a massive model railway winding past miniature American cities and landmarks, and it raises money for Ronald McDonald House of Dallas. Kids press their noses to the glass, and train fans of every age stay twice as long as planned.
It’s open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. It’s closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, with shorter hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Our tip: weekday mornings are the sweet spot. Afterward, you’re already inside one of the best malls in Texas, so knock out some holiday shopping. Our NorthPark Center guide points you to the good stuff.
4. Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot: earn your Thanksgiving dinner
Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, November 26, 2026 · Downtown Dallas · Register
Every Thanksgiving, tens of thousands of people flood downtown before breakfast, many dressed as turkeys, pilgrims or pumpkin pies. It’s one of the biggest Thanksgiving races in the country, and more fun than a race has any right to be.
Push yourself on the 8-mile course, take it easy on the 5K, or bring the whole crew: there’s a Tot Trot for little ones, and your dog can come too. Not a runner? Grab a hot drink and cheer from the side.
Our tip: check the start area on the YMCA’s site the week before, and get there early, because downtown parking fills up fast. You’ll be close to The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and Reunion Tower, but double-check holiday hours, since plenty of places close or open late on Thanksgiving.
5. Cowboys vs. Eagles: the Thanksgiving game everyone’s talking about
Thursday, November 26, 2026, 3:30 p.m. CT on FOX · AT&T Stadium, Arlington · Game info
Thanksgiving football is as Dallas as it gets, and 2026 is a big one: the Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles, their fiercest rival, on Thanksgiving for the first time since 2014. Expect a loud, packed, slightly unhinged stadium.
Tickets will be the toughest of the season. If you can’t get in, sports bars all over Dallas will be packed for kickoff, and watching with a room full of fans is half the fun.
Our tip: yes, you can do the Turkey Trot in the morning and still make kickoff. Just remember the stadium is in Arlington, about 20 miles west of downtown, and leave a lot of extra time for game-day traffic.
6. A Christmas Carol at the Dallas Theater Center
November 27 to December 27, 2026 (opening night December 2) · Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora Street · Tickets
For a lot of Dallas families, Dallas Theater Center’s A Christmas Carol is as much a holiday ritual as the tree. Scrooge, ghosts, redemption, a little snow: it works every single year.
It runs about 90 minutes with no intermission, which makes it a great first “real” play for school-age kids. The theater doesn’t recommend it for children under five.
Our tip: make an afternoon of the Arts District before the show. The Wyly is a short walk from the Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center, so you can do a museum, grab dinner and walk to the show.
7. Klyde Warren Park Tree Lighting: the best-value night of the season
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 4–7 p.m. · Klyde Warren Park, 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway · Event details
No tickets, no reservations, just show up. The Mayor’s Tree gets lit, Mrs. Claus makes an appearance, there are dancers and stilt walkers, and kids can get a photo with Santa. A holiday market is on the schedule too.
It’s outdoors and it’s busy, so bundle up and get there before the lighting itself if you want a decent view of the tree.
Our tip: the park sits right next to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, so spend the morning there and stroll over in the afternoon. More in our Klyde Warren Park guide. The Dallas Holiday Parade usually falls on the same morning (see below), so you could make a full day of it.
8. BMW Dallas Marathon Weekend: run it or cheer it
December 11–13, 2026 · Downtown Dallas and White Rock Lake · Race info
Dallas’s biggest race weekend has a distance for everyone: full marathon, half, 50K, relay, 10K and 5K. The full marathon is usually on the Sunday, and in past years it has started and finished at Dallas City Hall.
Even if 26.2 miles sounds like punishment, go cheer. Watching thousands of people chase a goal they’ve trained months for is genuinely moving. Make a sign. Ring a cowbell.
Our tip: the course has traditionally looped around White Rock Lake, which is one of the prettiest places to watch from. Runners can shake out their legs on the Katy Trail. Everyone else: check road closures before driving downtown that morning.
9. Holidays with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
December 12, 17, 18, 19 and 20, 2026 · Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora Street · Tickets
Want a holiday night out that feels a little fancy? The Dallas Symphony fills the Meyerson, one of the best-sounding concert halls in the country, with seasonal favorites.
Shows are at 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. depending on the date. Matinees suit families; evenings make a great date night.
Our tip: the Meyerson is in the Arts District too, right by the Dallas Museum of Art. Spend an hour with the collection, have an early dinner and walk over.
10. New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Reunion Tower
Thursday, December 31, 2026, at midnight · Reunion Tower, 300 Reunion Boulevard East
Here’s the one we promised to flag: the 2026 show hasn’t been officially announced yet. Reunion Tower has launched fireworks every New Year’s Eve for a decade, though, and it’s the city’s signature way to ring in the year. Check the tower’s website in December to confirm.
There’s no public viewing area at the tower itself, so pick your spot. Trinity Groves and the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge, across the river, both give a clear view of the tower with the skyline behind it. Get there early.
Our tip: visit the tower’s observation deck earlier in the week to see the view the fireworks come off. Our Reunion Tower guide has everything you need.
A few more worth keeping an eye on
These didn’t make the top ten because the 2026 details aren’t out yet or there’s a catch, but they’re worth your time.
- The Nutcracker, Texas Ballet Theater: November 27 to December 27, 2026. The catch: performances are split between the Winspear Opera House in Dallas and Bass Hall in Fort Worth, so check which venue your date is at before you book. Details here.
- Galleria Dallas Grand Tree Lighting: the Galleria lights what it calls the nation’s tallest indoor Christmas tree, usually on Black Friday, which would be November 27 this year. Not announced yet. See our Galleria Dallas guide.
- Greater Dallas Veterans Day Parade: held on November 11 at Fair Park in recent years. The 2026 details are still to come.
- Dallas Holiday Parade: usually the first Saturday morning of December downtown, which would be December 5, the same day as the Klyde Warren tree lighting. Not announced yet.
How to make the most of a Dallas holiday season
- Book the light shows early. Evening slots at the Arboretum and Zoo Lights sell out on December weekends. Weeknights are easier.
- Thanksgiving week is a lot. The Turkey Trot, the Cowboys game and Black Friday shopping all land on November 26 and 27.
- Pack layers. December in Dallas can be shirt-sleeve weather one week and near freezing the next, and most of these events are outdoors after dark.
- Group things by neighborhood. The Arboretum and White Rock Lake go together. So do Klyde Warren Park, the Perot Museum and the Arts District shows.
- Check before you go. Dates and times come from each organizer’s website and can change, so follow the links above for the latest.
That’s our list. With the 12 Days of Christmas taking its final bow and the Cowboys and Eagles meeting on Thanksgiving, this could be one of the best Dallas holiday seasons yet. Which one are you most excited about?
Last checked: October 13, 2026.
