Holiday Event Guide

The 10 most spectacular holiday happenings in Austin this season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and we’ve made our list of can’t-miss events — and have checked it twice — to ensure a joyous time is had by all. Check out the 10 best things to do in Austin this holiday season, and let the merrymaking commence. For a full listing of holiday-themed activities and more, visit our events calendar.

The Paramount Theatre presents Holiday Film Series —Weekly through December 17
Holiday cinematic classics are back on the silver screen as part of The Paramount Theatre’s festive film series. Moviegoers can enjoy screenings of blockbuster movies including It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, and Home Alone. For a full list of screenings and for tickets, click here.

Wanderlust Wine Co. presents Tinseltown: Where Everyday Is Christmas — Through December 30
Sip and be merry at the newest seasonal cocktail experience by Wanderlust Wine Co. Tinseltown visitors can expect an immersive, Christmas-themed pop-up bar filled with classic holiday tunes, themed drinks, festive decor, Santa and his elves, and more. Non-alcoholic beverages are also available. Pop-up bar admission is for guests 21 and older. For family-friendly accommodations, go to the ticketing website.

Circuit of The Americas presents Peppermint Parkway — Now through December 30
Cruise through Peppermint Parkway when you celebrate its return to the Circuit of The Americas. Activities include the famous Candy Cane Cruise, as well as games, a holiday characters meet-and-greet, a new Holiday Market, and rides at Peppermint Plaza. Guests can also scale the COTA Candy Cane, COTA’s 251-foot-tall Observation Tower for a view of the Parkway and Austin’s iconic skyline. Real Christmas trees are also available for purchase at the new Wonder Woods farm. For tickets and more information, click here.

Commodore Perry Mansion Lighting Festival — December 1
The festive celebration of Commodore Perry Estate’s rich Texas heritage is back for another year of spirited fun. Locals and visitors alike are invited to witness the estate’s annual lighting tradition and enjoy other activities throughout the grounds. Highlights include holiday music and cocktails, kids' crafts, an illuminated walk through the Estate Garden, s’mores and other seasonal snacks, and more. Tickets are available here.

Santa on 2nd Street — December 3
Get up close and personal with Kris Kringle himself at this special appearance. The 2nd Street District will transform into a holly jolly corridor complete with a craft station, warm seasonal beverages, and Santa’s favorite snack of all: cookies. Adult guests can take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle at the Apres Ski: Holiday Bar at W Austin. Boozy winter cocktails, holiday entertainment, ski lodge-inspired decor, and fun photo opportunities at the W Austin’s Living Room make the perfect case for a quick reprieve from the kid-friendly fun.

Ballet Austin presents The Nutcracker — December 3 through December 23
Get lost in a world of whimsy and wonder when you enjoy The Nutcracker performed by the talented Ballet Austin company. This production at Long Center for the Performing Arts features a cast of hundreds of dancers, choreography by Stephen Mills, and will be accompanied by music from the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Following this opening weekend, showtimes are scheduled through December 23. Get tickets here.

Broadway in Austin: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical — December 6 through December 11
The beloved story of the lovable green grump comes to life on the stage at Bass Concert Hall. Max the Dog narrates how the Grinch plans to steal Christmas from the town of Whoville’s holiday-devoted residents. Audiences can expect a brilliant production of Dr. Seuss' timeless tale featuring hit songs “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” from the original animated special. Tickets for all showtimes are available.

58th Annual Austin Trail of Lights— December 8 through December 23
Austin’s premier holiday lights activation plugs back in for another illuminating season of in-person, winter-inspired wonder. This year’s Austin Trail of Lights marks its triumphant return to its traditional walk-through format. Visitors can take their time strolling through the numerous light displays and lighted tunnels while eating cookies and listening to holiday music. Secure your tickets here. The Austin Trail of Lights is open at Zilker Park through December 23.

Bee Cave On Ice — Now through January 3, 2023
Hit the ice in the spirit of the season at Hill Country Galleria. Guests can experience the classic winter activity in the heart of the Texas Hill Country at this brand-new ice rink. Each ticket includes skate rental and a 75-minute session on the ice. While walk-up options are available, making a reservation in advance is highly recommended. For rink information, check out the event website.

Four Seasons Hotel Austin presents Ice Rodeo — Now through January 8, 2023
Embark on a journey to a Texas-inspired wonderland in the heart of downtown at the luxe Four Seasons Hotel Austin. Ice Rodeo is an elevated and stylish holiday experience that combines the nostalgia and whimsy of the winter season with modern activations. Highlights include an outdoor ice-skating rink and massive art installations like a 30-foot Christmas tree and a life-size gingerbread Airstream trailer. Guests can also rent cozy and chic “cabins,” stocked with fire pits, seasonal goodies, and beverages. Get more information on tickets here.

Photo courtesy of Austin Trail of Lights

Austin's longest-running holiday tradition returns to its traditional, in-person format this year at Zilker Park.

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Movie Review

Saoirse Ronan goes back to WWII for dramatic period film Blitz

Photo courtesy of Apple TV+

Elliott Heffernan and Saoirse Ronan in Blitz.

The horrors of World War II are 80+ years in the past, yet they remain a fascination for many filmmakers. The latest film to tackle the era, Blitz, is centered around the German Blitzkrieg air raids on London in September 1940, but uses a more personal story to illustrate its impact.

Rita (Saoirse Ronan) lives with her 9-year-old son George (Elliott Heffernan) and her father Gerald (Paul Weller) in the lower class neighborhood of Stepney, but no one in the city is immune from the bombs being dropped by the Germans. The government has opened up some of the Underground (aka subway) tunnels for residents to use as bomb shelters, but the haphazard nature of their availability leads Rita to send George to safety in the countryside to protect him.

George, who is biracial, experiences racist abuse on the train, and instead of remaining with the other children to their destination, he jumps off and tries to make his way back to London. Meanwhile, Rita is doing her best to keep her mind off of George’s absence, working at a munition factory and volunteering at a bomb shelter, not knowing that George has put himself back in danger.

Written and directed by Steve McQueen, the film should be one that elicits emotions relatively easily, with ordinary people dealing with the effects of war and a mother separated from her only child. And while all the elements are present, there’s that certain something missing that leaves the story somewhat uninvolving. McQueen makes you want to see George make it back safely and for Rita to be reunited with him, but there is a degree of sentimentality that’s missing from the film as a whole.

Instead of going down that road, McQueen puts a big focus on the racism and bigotry experienced by various people in the film. Flashbacks give a sense of what George and his dad, Marcus (CJ Beckford), went through prior to the war, and Ife (Benjamin Clementine), a warden who tries to help George find his way home, encounters it multiple times while just doing his duty. While McQueen’s point — that people of color still had to endure acts of hatred in a time when people should have been coming together — is valuable, his methods of showing it are often heavy-handed.

Still, the film is well-made and remains visually engaging throughout. The combination of practical sets and CGI put the viewer right in the middle of the bombed-out London, and there are few missteps with how the city is presented. And even though the main mother-son story is only lightly effective, the trials and tribulations that each go through individually are interesting and occasionally suspenseful.

Ronan is a fantastic actor who might get nominated for an Oscar yet again for her other recent film, The Outrun, but this role pales in comparison. Whether it’s because the 30-year-old is a bit young to be fully believable in a mother role or because of the storytelling missteps, she’s merely good instead of great here. Heffernan does a solid job in his film debut, reacting ably to McQueen putting him through his paces.

Blitz joins the seemingly never-ending well of stories from World War II, and while it doesn’t succeed as mightily as other notable war films, it never becomes anything less than watchable. The family story at its center could have been more heartfelt, but McQueen is still a great filmmaker with a flair for visual composition.

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Blitz is now streaming on Apple TV+.

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