Create your Christmas memories in Grapevine, the Christmas Capital of Texas! With 1,400 Christmas events in 40-plus days, you’re sure to find a stocking-full of holiday fun for the entire family. See the city as it’s transformed into a winter wonderland to celebrate Christmas with millions of lights, enormous decorations, carolers and a whole lot more! Whether you’re looking for a night out with the family, a grownup getaway or fun festivities, enjoy these magical events in Grapevine this season!
1. Hop Aboard the North Pole Express® Create a unique “Family Christmas Memory” at the Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s North Pole Express®. Your experience begins at the Historic Cotton Belt Depot platform where you board the beautifully decorated Victorian Rail Coaches and are greeted by elves, minstrels and carolers. Departing the platform, you will enjoy live entertainment and the reading of a Christmas story when every child will receive a “We Believe” Silver Santa Bell. Riders return to a transformed platform that now leads to the North Pole where all are in search of Santa. You then enter a Winter Wonderland through a Christmas Tree Maze to a dazzling North Pole stage where Santa Helpers and costumed characters perform a high-energy, exciting traditional Christmas Show that culminates with the arrival of Santa. Santa greets the audience and asks all “Who Believe” to ring their Santa Bells and the North Pole is alive with the jingles of hundreds of bells. Santa wishes everyone a Happy Christmas and then shares his Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk served in a memory mug to all the boys and girls. Santa also gives guests a voucher for a Family Photo with him at the North Pole General Store. You can go get it right then or come back anytime during the week between noon and 7 p.m. Limit one per family. ALL ABOARD!!!! Tickets for the North Pole Express are $25 per person and are on sale now. Advance purchase recommended. November 29 and 30, December 1, 6, 7, 8 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22.
2. See Gaylord Texan Resort’s Lone Star Christmas Featuring ICE! and Kung Fu Panda Awesome SNOW tubing – The magic of the Christmas season comes to Gaylord Texan Resort November 14 – January 4, 2014. Events include 1.5 million twinkling lights, 15,000 ornaments, an amazing 54-foot-tall rotating Christmas tree, a 7-foot-tall gingerbread house, ICE! featuring The Nutcracker carved from more than two million pounds of ice, Kung Fu Panda Awesome SNOW Tubing, and other exclusive holiday events and attractions. Visit www.gaylordtexan.com for times and tickets.
3. Have a Howlin’ Good Time During Snowland! at Great Wolf Lodge – Enjoy a trip to the North Woods in Grapevine at the Great Wolf Lodge! During Snowland!, guests at this family-friendly resort will enjoy an 84-degree indoor waterpark along with special visits from Santa, North Pole University for Elves, holiday carol sing-alongs, a life-size Gingerbread House, Santa’s Letter Depot, Polar Wolf Walk, Great Clock Tower holiday show, nightly Story Time and much more. November 30 – January 5.
4. See the Largest Lighted Christmas Parade in North Texas – Bring the entire family to the Parade of Lights in Historic Downtown Grapevine on December 5 at 7 p.m. The largest lighted Christmas parade in North Texas, this Grapevine tradition features more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands. Look for Santa Claus on the last float! Come early to claim your spot along Historic Main Street to watch this exciting holiday event. Free. And don’t miss one of the coolest parades you’ll ever see on Lake Grapevine! See the beautiful Twinkle Light Boat Parade with watercrafts decorated in all of the finest sparkling lights to celebrate the season. This floating festival begins at Twin Coves Marina and picks up entries at each marina including Scott’s Landing and Silver Lake. The parade is visible from the shores of Lake Grapevine and the Glass Cactus Nightclub at Gaylord Texan Resort. December 7, 6-9 p.m. Free.
5. Sparkle and Shine at the Carol of Lights – See Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate flip the switch that transforms Historic Downtown Grapevine into the Christmas Capital of Texas, November 25 at 7 p.m. The city will be illuminated with more than one million lights along Main Street in Historic Downtown Grapevine. Guests will enjoy musical performances and hot chocolate will be available. Free.
6. A Christmas Shoppers Paradise – Christmas shoppers will find a sleigh-full of exciting gift-giving options for everyone on their list in Grapevine! From one-of-a-kind boutiques and jewelry stores to some of the largest national retail chains, Grapevine’s shopping choices offer a wide range of great ideas for every taste and budget. And don’t forget to buy yourself a little something special to celebrate the season.
Run, run Rudolph to Historic Downtown Grapevine’s more than 80 locally-owned shops, boutiques, jewelry stores, winery tasting rooms, home décor and collectibles and more! Stores such as Good Things For All Seasons, Crowned by Grace, Chic Boutique, Merry’s Christmas and Clowns, Bermuda Gold, Grapevine Olive Oil Company, Ooh La La and many more will delight even the most seasoned shopper!
From opening at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night to a variety of exciting holiday events, Grapevine Mills mall offers even the most devoted shopper a truly amazing experience. The 1.6 million square feet of shopping euphoria includes spots such as the recently opened H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, Forever 21, New York & Company, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic and many more! And for a special holiday treat, enjoy Cookies and Crafts with Santa on November 21 or Breakfast with Santa at Rainforest Café on December 21.
Looking for shopping ideas for your outdoor enthusiast? Check out all the great gear for fishing, boating, hunting, camping, archery and the outdoors at Bass Pro Shops! Don’t miss Santa’s Wonderland with free activities, crafts and games. Located across the street from Grapevine Mills mall, you can also see special Christmas visitors throughout the season on weekends.
And shopping traditionalists will love Grapevine Towne Center, home to brands such as Target, Cost Plus World Market, Office Depot and more.
7. Delicious Dishes and Christmas Wishes – Grapevine’s delicious dishes go perfectly with Christmas wishes! Take a shopping break at one of the city’s more than 200 restaurants that serve a variety of cuisines at prices to fit a range of budgets. The city features a variety of locally-owned restaurants and national chains that will refresh and restore even the most dedicated Christmas shopper.
8. Musicals, Movies and Magical Moments at the Palace Theatre – Hit a high note with live entertainment and classic Christmas movies in Grapevine! With the amazing backdrop of Grapevine’s Historic Palace Theatre, all ages will love sharing in all the seasonal fun.
· Texas Tenors – Back by popular demand for the third year in a row, The Texas Tenors bring their exciting Christmas show to Grapevine’s Palace Theatre. One of the most popular Grapevine Christmas events, The Texas Tenors will perform classic Christmas music to opera to country favorites, all with a Texas twist. See for yourself why The Texas Tenors are one of the most popular groups in the history of America’s Got Talent. Get your tickets now as these shows sell out fast! Tickets $30. December 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 817-410-3100.
· Blue Christmas with Kraig Parker – Oh, you’ll have a Blue Christmas if you don’t come see Kraig Parker at Grapevine’s Palace Theatre! On Sunday, December 1 see Kraig’s incredible Elvis-styled Christmas show. Known as the world’s premier Elvis tribute artist, Kraig Parker will defini
tely be a favorite of all the Elvis fans on your list. Tickets start at $27. The show starts at 4 p.m. Call 817-410-3100 for tickets.
Grapevine Opry – Christmas music fans will love the Grapevine Opry’s seasonal shows featuring some of the best local performers in North Texas. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $25. Group discounts are available.
Christmas Holiday Preview – November 30
A Texas Christmas – December 6 and December 13
Fabulous Fifties Christmas – December 7
Christmas Wonderland – December 14
New Year’s Country Eve – December 31
Classic Christmas Movies – There’s no better place to watch a classic Christmas movie than a classic theatre in a historic downtown! Tickets $5 per person. Movies include:
White Christmas, December 2, 8, 11 and 17;
It’s A Wonderful Life, December 3, 10, 12, 16, 22 and 23;
A Christmas Story, December 4 and 9 and
A Charlie Brown Christmas/How the Grinch Stole Christmas December 20, 21 and 23
9. Build your Holly Jolly Holidays at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center and dive into Christmas fun with Scuba Sana at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium –LEGO® bricks are always a Christmas time favorite! Join LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth and celebrate the holiday season with festive family-friendly activities.
Events include the search for Santa in a scavenger hunt through MINILAND, December 11 – 25; write and mail your letter to Santa while enjoying complimentary milk and cookies in the Café, December 11 and 18 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and build your best LEGO ornament for display on the LEGOLAND Discovery Center tree (minimum $1 donation to Merlin’s Magic Wand). Christmas Day guests can also enjoy milk and cookies from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Scuba Santa and his elf are back and ready to take the plunge to entertain you amongst the fish and sharks in SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine’s 145,000-gallon tank. Scheduled dives occur at 11 a.m. on December 11, 14, 18 and 21. Young SEA LIFE visitors will also be able write and mail a letter to Santa, while enjoying a complimentary candy cane, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on December 11, 14, 18 and 21.
10. See Santa at Christmas on Main – Step back in time this season at Christmas on Main! With the beautiful backdrop of the Victorian-style buildings dressed up with ribbons, bows and wreaths and set aglow with twinkling lights, children of all ages can see jolly Christmas characters including Santa on stilts, play reindeer games, experience the glass workshop at Vetro Glassblowing Studio, enjoy tractor-drawn wagon rides ($1 per person, per ride) and more. November 29 and 30, December 1, 6, 7, 8 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 Fridays 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturdays Noon – 5 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
11. A Christmas Pairing of Wine and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad – Ride the rails on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s Christmas Wine Trains. This seasonal event is a festive grownup escape from all of the Christmas hustle and bustle! This fun evening begins with a reception at 7 p.m. in the Cotton Belt Railroad District, followed by boarding at 7:30 p.m. Each train features a different Grapevine winery and winery representatives will be on board. Wine will be available for purchase on the train. Tickets are $36 per person. Buy your tickets early as these train experiences sell out quickly. Riders must be 21 and over. December 12 and 19 at 7 p.m. Visit www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com or call 817-410-3185.
12. See Twinkling Lights Each and Every Night – Twinkling lights abound at the Light Show Spectacular in the heart of Historic Downtown Grapevine. This brilliantly-choreographed show runs continuously from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. nightly starting November 26. Sing along with the city’s Christmas tree, enjoy the lights and see the joy on the faces of everyone in the family as you watch this show at the Town Square Gazebo. Free.
13. Have a Historic Christmas – Experience a Victorian Christmas at Grapevine’s Nash Farm. Visitors will be led by docents through the farmhouse and the farm to experience how Grapevine’s earliest settlers celebrated Christmas in Texas during the latter part of the 19th Century. Tours will be led from the pole barn, where visitors can enjoy hot cider and cookies, to the front door of the farmhouse, through the parlor, bedroom, dining room and kitchen, then outside by the burning yule log and back to the pole barn. Following the tour, guests may make ornaments to decorate their home for Christmas. December 7, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Free.
14. Unseasonable Greedings at Texas Star Dinner Theater – Tis the season to be jolly, or at least it would be if it weren’t for Newman Marcus Saks V! The greedy owner of the largest general store in town has robbed everyone of their Christmas cheer! All Marshal Courtright wants is to do is go home, relax by the fire and await Santa’s arrival, but with a murder to solve his plans are evaporating faster than a snowman in July. Seems someone finally curtailed Newman Marcus Saks’ commercialized Christmas. Most Thursdays and all Fridays and Saturdays, November 22 – December 31.
Holiday hotel packages are available. For additional information, please contact the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-457-6338 or 817-410-3185 or visit www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/Christmas.
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