Holiday at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant, features three large-scale outdoor exhibits ready to dazzle and get people in the holiday spirit. They include The Christmas Village, The 12 Days of Christmas and the 50-foot-tall Dazzling Musical Tree. These displays are creatively designed for the 66-acre garden and are open to the public both in the daytime and evening. In the historic DeGolyer House, visitors can experience the epitome of holiday enchantment at the Christmas Classics exhibit. The festival opens November 9 and runs through January 5, 2024. Check the website for details and to purchase advanced tickets.
Holiday at the Arboretum also showcases live, seasonal performances from local schools, churches, community groups and local professionals in The Christmas Village. Other special events include holiday tea (daily), vendor markets (select weekends) and more. Check the website and social media for the latest schedule.
“Holiday at the Arboretum is the best place to bring people of all ages to visit to make holiday memories,” said Dallas Arboretum Board Chair Will McDaniel. “Children and grandchildren can meet with Santa Claus. The Christmas Village is charming for all ages to visit the shops and Christmas Pyramid, and the garden is a place where everyone can enjoy strolling through the gardens.”
Holiday at the Arboretum hosts an official Opening Ceremony on Nov. 8 from 6 to 9 p.m., in front of the Marilyn and Ben Weber Family Christmas Pyramid at 7 p.m. The event includes lighting up the entire garden at the same time. Then, on November 9, Holiday at the Arboretum officially opens during the daytime and nighttime. The garden opens during the evening hours until 9 p.m. on select days.
“At Reliant, we’re passionate about supporting the communities we serve, and lighting up the holidays is one of our favorite ways to do that,” said Andrea Russell, vice president at Reliant. “We’re excited to partner with the Dallas Arboretum to spread holiday cheer to the North Texas community and encourage everyone to get in the holiday spirit with a visit to see this spectacular display.”
The Christmas Village:
Inspired by European Christmas Markets, or Christkindlmarket, The Christmas Village is comprised of charming shops and façades representing a quaint European hamlet. The Christmas Village is wonderful during the day, but it’s magical at night with lighted trees, shop owners passing out samples and live entertainment. Each house is individually designed for the Dallas Arboretum, with the Christmas Village as an attraction for everyone.
Santa Claus has his own house and a sleigh for photo opportunities. He is in his house on select days and nights in November and December (check schedule below and online).
The Marilyn and Ben Weber Family Christmas Pyramid, a 23-foot-tall German-built structure, is decorated with hand-carved elements, lighting and character movement on every level. The Weber Pyramid is the perfect complement to the Christmas Village and is the signature element in Pyramid Square along with an Edelweiss Haus serving food and drinks and a larger biergarten and performance area.
Holiday at the DeGolyer House:
Experience the epitome of holiday enchantment at the Christmas Classics exhibit inside the historic DeGolyer House. Conceived by the visionary designer Michael Hamilton in his impressive 23rd year at the helm, this exhibit embodies the essence of traditional Christmas charm with an array of Santas, angels, nativities and nutcrackers. Christmas Classics features a new collection of more than 600 nutcrackers recently acquired by the Arboretum.
Dazzling Musical Tree:
Holiday at the Arboretum also features the return of the Dazzling Musical Tree, a 50-foot-tall tree animated with more than 42,000 lights and merry holiday tunes, presented on the hour and every half hour of the day and evening on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage & Lawn.
The 12 Days of Christmas Gazebos:
Guests can continue to enjoy the 25-foot-tall Victorian-style gazebos that represent each of The 12 Days of Christmas with some updated characters. The gazebos come to life at night beginning November 9, except for Thanksgiving Day (closed) and December 24 (closes at 5 p.m.), December 25 (closed) and New Year’s Eve (closes at 5 p.m.). These glass gazebos resemble an oversize music box with mannequins and animals that move along with music and lighting.
A Million Lights in the Garden:
Holiday at the Arboretum has more than a million lights throughout the garden, trimming the historic homes and the 30-foot-tall spruce tree in the center of the garden. It’s the perfect place for getting into the holiday spirit.
Tickets, which range from $13-$35, are required for entry for the garden, so guests are encouraged to reserve preferred dates early. For more information, visit https://www.dallasarboretum.org/events-activities/holiday-at-the-arboretum/
In addition to Reliant as the presenting sponsor, other sponsors include Kirkland & Ellis, Century Glass, Accelerando, Haynes & Boone, Matthews Southwest, Rosewood and Movestar.
About the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden:
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218. The Dallas Arboretum is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Festival daytime admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors 65 and older, and $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. On-site parking is $11. Evening tickets range from $13-$35. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum.
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