15 Holiday Activities In Waco
Fa la la! The holidays are upon us in Waco, and it’s time to deck the halls, make gingerbread cookies, and get our Christmas wish lists ready for Santa! There are lots of cute holiday activities in Waco, so consider this your master list.
From Nutcracker ballet performances and majestic choir concerts to outdoor festivals with kid-friendly events, there’s something for everyone to do during the holiday season in Waco, TX!
15 Holiday Activities In Waco
1. Magnolia Christmas at the Silos
DATES: NOV 29 - DEC 31, 2024
Christmas at the Silos is one of the most popular Christmas events in Waco. People drive from all over Texas to see the Silos all decked out for the holidays!
There are a few special events that are worth visiting (like Santa’s appearance at Magnolia Market!) and you can find all of those on the Magnolia website.
But otherwise, plan on visiting anytime during the month of December to enjoy all the adorable holiday decor, shop for some new items for your own home, and soak up the holiday magic of Magnolia.
WEBSITE | 601 Webster Ave Waco, TX 76706
2. Nutcracker Ballet at Baylor University
DATES: DEC 14 AND 15, 2024
Ballet Frontier and the Waco Symphony Orchestra present Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” in Waco, Texas! This is back by popular demand because, let’s face it: everyone loves The Nutcracker at Christmastime!
Photo Credits: The Nutcracker
WEBSITE | P.O. Box 1201, Waco, TX 76703
3. Waco Wonderland in Downtown Waco
DATES: DEC 6-8, 2024
This is one of those adorable winter festivals that everyone loves! Waco Wonderland is the cutest 3-day event in downtown Waco that’s all about holiday cheer.
Santa will be there to take photos, there’s a holiday market with fun food and gift items, and plenty of activities for the whole family like a snow tube hill, a Christmas parade, and the official lighting of the downtown Waco Christmas tree.
Admission is free, but you can purchase a wristband for some of the special events.
Photo Credits: Waco Wonderland, Facebook
WEBSITE | 300 Austin Ave, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
4. Deck The Halls Holiday Gift Market by Waco Junior League
DATES: NOV 1-3, 2024
The Waco Junior league is BACK for their annual Deck The Halls Holiday Gift Market! This 3-day event includes several different events and activities, so be sure to check out their website for all of the details.
Get tickets for the Gingerbread Bash, the Ladies Night Out, or the Breakfast With Santa…no matter how you participate, you’ll be helping the Junior League of Waco with their largest fundraising event of the year. This Deck The Halls event helps to raise funds for initiatives that support women and children right here in Waco!
Photo Credits: Junior League of Waco, Facebook
WEBSITE | 2600 Austin Avenue Waco, Texas 76710
5. Christmas on 5th at Baylor University
DATE: DEC 4th, 2024
Baylor University does this annual event which includes lights, a Christmas tree farm, live music, a nativity performance, and lots of hot cocoa! It’s basically one big merry evening of Christmas spirit at Baylor University.
Christmas on 5th is what many people consider the official kick-off to the holiday season in Waco. It’s magical and so much fun!
Photo Credits: Baylor University, Pinterest
WEBSITE | 1311 S 5th St, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
6. Wild Lights at Cameron Park Zoo
DATES: 6 PM - 9 PM, NOV 24 - DEC 31, 2024
Looking for some fun kid-friendly Christmas activities in Waco? Cameron Park Zoo’s Wild Lights is epic! They extend the normal zoo hours into the evening so families can enjoy all of the gorgeous holiday lights in a quiet, secluded area.
(Don’t worry - the animals are put away in the evening so they’re not disturbed by all the bright lights and sounds!)
You can purchase tickets to attend Wild Lights, or you can get a combo ticket that gives you access to the zoo in the day and extends through the Wild Lights event at night.
WEBSITE | 1701 N 4th St, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
7. BIPOC Holiday Market
DATES: 11 AM - 3 PM, NOV 7, 2024
This is a great place to get some holiday shopping done while you support minority-owned businesses in Waco! The Cha Community x Designs with Jamie BIPOC Holiday Market is a fun 4-hour event at the Cha Community Boba café! It’s a totally free event and open to the public.
Photo Credits: Cha Community, Facebook
WEBSITE | 1001 Franklin Avenue, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
8. Baylor University Christmas Concert
DATES: DEC 5, 6, AND 8 2024
You’re already in Waco…so take advantage of the INCREDIBLE musical powerhouse that is Baylor University! Their Christmas concert has taken on a life of its own, becoming one of the can’t-miss holiday events in Waco.
The choral program and the symphony orchestra come together for an epic holiday concert including many of your classical music favorites.
Photo Credits: Baylor University School of Music, Facebook
WEBSITE | 110 Baylor Ave, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
9. Holly Jolly Christmas at the Hippodrome
DATES: ALL OF DECEMBER
The Waco Hippodrome has all sorts of holiday events happening this year! From the classic Holly Jolly Christmas with Texas country music star and Waco native Holly Tucker to the C.S. Lewis Christmas night, there’s plenty of holiday entertainment.
WEBSITE | 724 Austin Ave, Waco, TX 76701-2020, United States
10. Christmas Lights in the Village at Mayborn Museum
DATES: DEC 13-15 AND DEC 20-22, 2024
Enchanting lights, choir music, and a scavenger hunt…Christmas Lights in the Village is a magical Waco Holiday event for the entire family! There’s a nightly tree lighting ceremony, Christmas card writing that you can send to the elderly, and local food and dessert trucks. Photo: Facebook, Mayborn Museum
WEBSITE | 1300 S. University Parks Waco, TX 76706
11. Hewitt Park Tree Lighting
DATE: DEC 5, 2024
If you love small town charm for Christmas, this is the event for you! Just south of Waco, TX is a small town called Hewitt that hosts an annual tree lighting ceremony.
The school district choirs perform, there are food trucks and vendors, and Santa is there!
WEBSITE | 438 S Old Temple Rd, Hewitt, TX 76643-4110, United States
12. Neighin’ and Sleighin’
DATES: DEC 13-15 2024
YEE-haw! The Tri-County Stock Store hosts a ranch versatility show. If you love equestrian events and you want it to have a holiday theme, be sure to check this out!
Photo Credits: Tri-County Stock Horse, Facebook
WEBSITE | 4601 Bosque Blvd, Waco, TX, United States
13. Holiday Make-A-Soda at Dr. Pepper Museum
DATES: TBD
The Dr. Pepper museum always has a make-a-soda component, but over the holidays they add all sorts of fun and festive holiday flavors to the lineup. You can create your own custom holiday Dr. Pepper flavor and even give it a name and label!
Photo Credits: Dr. Pepper Museum
WEBSITE | 300 South 5th Street Waco, Texas 76701
14. Ornament Glass Blowing at Stanton Studios
DATES: ALL OF DECEMBER
Choose from 50 different colored glass ornaments that you can choose for your own glass blowing ornament experience. Make an appointment on their website and enjoy holiday decorations, hot cocoa, and your very own handmade ornament to bring home!
Photo Credits: Stanton Studios, Facebook
WEBSITE | 318 Rogers Hill Rd, Waco, TX, United States, Texas
15. Lights of West in West, TX
DATES: NOV 27 - DEC 30
The town of West, TX is known for more than its kolaches. Every holiday season they host a beautiful Christmas festival of lights. It includes a light trail and maze, plenty of photo ops, live music, Christmas movies, letters to Santa, bounce houses, and more.
It’s a really fun family-friendly Christmas event near Waco. West is just about 20 miles north of Waco, so this is an easy holiday evening event you can enjoy with your kids!
Photo Credits: Lights of West Facebook
WEBSITE | 2818 Wiggins Rd., West, TX, United States, Texas
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