Goodbye 2025, hello 2026: Don’t miss these year-end celebrations in the Alamo City 🎆
FILE – The San Antonio Marathon released the official course maps of the races scheduled for Dec. 7. (KSAT)
It’s officially the last month of 2025. Can you believe it? December, the most wonderful time of the year, will bring a festive array of events and celebrations to the Alamo City.
Is your Christmas tree up? Or have you decorated your home with festive decorations and holiday lights? I hope you have! We want to see your Christmas cheer! Post them on KSAT Connect for a chance to be featured online or on-air.
From dazzling Christmas light displays to ringing in the New Year, here’s a look at some of the events happening around the Alamo City in December:
Dec. 1-7 events:
- ALAMO CITY LX MOPAR CAR SHOW: The Tower of the Americas will host a car show from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 6. Click here for more information.
- CHRISTMAS AT THE CAVERNS: Christmas at the Caverns will be held every weekend in December through Dec. 23. Guests can stroll a sparkling trail of lights, get photos with Santa, roast some s’mores, enjoy live music and so much more. For tickets and more information, click here.
- COWBOY SANTA AT ALAMO: Cowboy Santa and Mrs. Claus will provide free photo opportunities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the Alamo Plaza, 300 Alamo Plaza.
- FRIDAY NIGHT FLICKS: A free outdoor movie screening of “The Grinch” will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 at Mission County Park I, 6032 Padre Drive.
- GREEN SANTA SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAY MARKET: The Eco Centro at San Antonio College will host a sustainable holiday market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 6 at 1802 N Main Ave. A wide range of vendors will offer minimal waste gifts and decorations, and guests can participate in interactive workshops and more. Click here to reserve your free spot.
- HOLIDAY DISCO NIGHT: Groove under stars during San Antonio Parks Foundation’s Holiday Disco Night from 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Japanese Tea Garden. Guests can also expect to see a holiday market. The first 200 guests to arrive will receive a “special holiday goodie.” Tickets are $10 per person. Click here for more information.
- HOLIDAYS IN THE PARK: The free, family-friendly event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Raymond Russell Park, 20644 Frontage Road. The holiday experience will feature a snow play zone, photo opportunities with Santa, a holiday market and more. For more information, click here.
- HOLIDAYS ON HOUSTON STREET: The Christmas-themed celebration will transform five blocks of Houston Street, from Broadway Street to Legacy Park, into a captivating holiday showcase from Dec. 5-14. Visitors can walk beneath Christmas lights, enjoy holiday activities and immerse themselves in the celebration at every turn. More information can be found here.
- HOLIDAY STROLL PARADE: The City of Seguin will host a parade to celebrate the upcoming holidays at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 4. The parade will start at the intersection of Austin and College streets and travel south on Austin Street to Central Park. At the end of the parade, the mayor will hit the switch to turn on the lights in downtown, and Santa will make an appearance.
- LOCALS DAY AT ZOO: Bexar County residents can enjoy a discounted $8 admission to the San Antonio Zoo on Dec. 5 as part of Locals Day. The zoo will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- PITBULL VS. ROACH: Premier Boxing Champions will host Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz vs. Lamont Roach Jr. for the Interim WBC Super Lightweight Title at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the Frost Bank Center. Tickets can be found here.
- SAN ANTONIO MARATHON: The three-day marathon will take place from Dec. 5-7. The San Antonio Marathon includes a Friday night 5K under the holiday lights, a packed expo on Saturday, and both the half- and full-marathon on Sunday. Planning to participate in the inaugural event? Submit your photos to KSAT Connect! More information can be found here.
- THE POLAR EXPRESS: THE MUSICAL: Grab your golden ticket and head to the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre, where the musical will be performed at select times on Dec. 6-7. Tickets are available here.
- VIENNA LIGHT ORCHESTRA CHRISTMAS TOUR: The holiday orchestra will perform at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Majestic Theatre. Tickets for the performances can be found here.
Dec. 8-14 events:
- CHRISTMAS AT THE ALAMO: Visitors can enjoy the holiday season through the eyes of early settlers as they lived on the Texas frontier in the mid-1800s from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Plaza de Valero at The Alamo. The free, family-friendly event will feature period crafts, including yarn dolls, Victorian greeting cards and pomander balls.
- CONGO FALLS: The San Antonio Zoo will officially welcome visitors to the new two-acre gorilla exhibit at 10 a.m. on Dec. 13. To celebrate the grand opening, the zoo will host a 15-minute drone show featuring 350 luminous drones lighting up the sky at 8 p.m.
- H-E-B CINEMA AT WILL’S PLAZA: The Tobin Center’s last free movie of the year will take place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza. The center will show a screening of “Home Alone.”
- HOLIDAY TAMALE FESTIVAL: If you’re a fan of the holiday dish, Pullman Market will host its first Tamale Festival from 1-5 p.m. on Dec. 13. The free event will bring together a lineup of local tamale vendors, including specialty tamales from the Pullman Market team. There will also be family-friendly activities for children. Click here for more information.
- MOVIE IN THE PARK: Enjoy a free movie screening of “The Santa Clause” from 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the base of the Tower of the Americas.
- RIVER OF LIGHTS: The San Antonio River Authority will host River of Lights from 4-8 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the San Antonio River Lock & Dam, 550 Brooklyn Ave. The free event will feature free photos with Santa, 100,000 pounds of real snow, 2 snow slides for all ages and more. For more information, click here.
- THE CHILDREN’S NUTCRACKER: The holiday classic will take place from Dec. 12-14 at the Lila Cockrell Stage. “The Children’s Nutcracker” will be performed by young artists of The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio. Tickets are available here.
Dec. 15-21 events:
- ANNUAL SNOWBALL 5K & 1K: Morgan’s Wonderland will host its annual Snowball Run, Walk, Roll, Stroll event at 7 a.m. on Dec. 20 at Morgan’s Wonderland. The family-friendly 5K and 1K event supports Morgan’s Wonderland. The event also celebrates community and raises funds for programs serving people of all abilities, according to Morgan’s website. To register for the event, click here.
- HOLIDAY MOVIES IN THE PARK: Two movies will be showcased at Plaza de Valero at The Alamo from 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 20. The free event will feature “Elf” and “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”
- MARKET DAYS AT THE TOWER: Browse and shop through more than 40 local vendors during Market Days at the Tower of the Americas from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 20. The event is free and open to the public.
Dec. 22-28 events:
- FROZEN FOURTH FRIDAY: While Holidays at the Rock continues at the Rock at La Cantera, guests can also enjoy Frozen Fourth Friday at 6 p.m. on Dec. 26. The Rock will host a movie screening of “Frozen” and “Frozen 2.” Click here for more information.
- RICOS RIVER RALLY: As the Valero Alamo Bowl nears, the city will play host to college football’s “most unique” pep rally at 5 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Arneson River Theatre. The free event will feature the school bands, and the players will excite the crowd by making a grand entrance on river cruisers. More information can be found here.
Dec. 29-31 events:
- CELEBRATE SA: Make the last night of 2025 memorable during Celebrate SA — the city’s official New Year’s Eve celebration from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 31. Celebrate SA typically takes place in and around Hemisfair, La Villita, Market Street and the River Walk. More details will soon be released.
- NUTCRACKER! MAGICAL CHRISTMAS BALLET: Performances for the ballet are scheduled to take place from Dec. 29-30 at the Majestic Theatre. For tickets, click here.
- ROCK THE CLOCK: The Rock at La Cantera will host Rock the Clock NYE Party at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. Guests can enjoy the skating rink until closing, live music and then end the night with a midnight fireworks show. General admission costs $25 per person. More information can be found here.
- VALERO ALAMO BOWL: An annual college football game between two outstanding universities is set to start at 8 p.m. on Dec. 30 at the Alamodome. Tickets are available online.
- VALERO ALAMO BOWL KICKOFF LUNCHEON: Before the two best universities play in the field, the Valero Alamo Bowl will host a Kickoff Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 29 at the Marriott Rivercenter Ballroom. An individual package costs $110.25 per person. More information can be found here.
Recurring events:
- A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS: The family-friendly holiday theater production is scheduled to take place through Dec. 24 at the Magik Theatre, 420 South Alamo. Each show’s estimated run time is approximately 60 minutes. For tickets and more information, click here.
- CINEMA NIGHTS: San Antonio River Authority will host a six-day Christmas cinema night holiday series from Dec. 18-23. Click here for a list of movies and locations.
- CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Several locations are hosting their holiday light displays for the season. Families can check out holiday lights at the Coca-Cola Classic Christmas or Zoo Lights at the San Antonio Zoo! For a full list of places to check out Christmas lights, click here.
- ELF THE MUSICAL: Performances for the musical are scheduled to take place from Dec. 23-28 at the Majestic Theatre. “Elf the Musical” tells the story of Buddy, who embarks on a journey to New York City and helps the city rediscover the true meaning of Christmas. Tickets are available here.
- “FROZEN” THE BROADWAY MUSICAL: Enjoy a spectacular theatrical experience with the cast of Disney’s “Frozen” during the magical musical production running from Nov. 21 through Dec. 23 at San Pedro Playhouse. For more information and tickets, click here.
- HOLIDAYS AT HEMISFAIR: Civic Park at Hemisfair will transform into a winter wonderland through Jan. 3 with an ice rink open to the public. Guests can also enjoy a lighting ceremony, holiday gift markets and more. Tickets cost $15 per person and include skate rental. More information can be found here.
- PEARL’S OUTDOOR ICE-SKATING RINK: The seasonal rink will be open to the public starting Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. Tickets for the ice rink are available for purchase online. Admission ranges by time of reservation and includes skate rental and up to an hour of skating. The rink is located at the 1100 Springs Plaza, next to Stable Hall and across from Ladino. More information can be found here.
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About the AuthorAndrea K. Moreno headshotAndrea K. Moreno
Andrea K. Moreno is a Digital Journalist at KSAT. She graduated from Texas State University with an electronic media degree and a minor in psychology. She also attended San Antonio College, where she held several positions at The Ranger, now known as The Sundial, for three years.
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