Houston, the Magic has Arrived.

City Lights Downtown Holiday Magic is pulling out all the stops to transform downtown Houston into the perfect winter wonderland with eight unique, themed villages. Open to the public and mostly free, villages offer ice for skating, lights for gazing and activities to make your family's season bright. Whether you are enjoying a night out with friends, an evening of family fun, or a memorable activity for visiting friends and relatives, there is something special for everyone and all ages to enjoy.

Check-in and enter a chance to win prizes!
The more places you visit the better your chances of win one of four holiday experiences:
- 4 tickets to Green Mountain Energy Ice @ Discovery Green
- 4 tickets to Texas Winter Lights @ Marriott Marquis
- 4 tickets to Houston Ballet's The Nutcracker
- 4 tickets to Alley Theatre's A Christmas Carol

Winners will be notified by Houston First - good luck!

Click here to see what’s included!

Step 1 - Get Your Pass

This mobile exclusive passport is a collection of curated attractions, retailers, restaurants and more and offering deals and discounts to redeem during your visit.

Step 2 - Receive Text

Your passport will be instantly delivered to your phone via text and email and is ready to use immediately! There is no app to download. Your pass can be saved to your phone’s home screen for easy one-tap access.

Step 3 - Redeem

When visiting a participating business, simply present your phone to the attendant or staff member to redeem available discounts.

Included Venues

See locations on an interactive map.

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Deck The Trees
The Plaza @ Avenida Houston
Benefitting the Alley Theatre’s educational community and artistic initiatives, a display of 30 wonderfully festooned Christmas trees will appear in the Grand Holiday Window at the George R. Brown Convention Center facing Avenida de las Americas. Adding to the ambiance is the Avenida Concert Series with live musical performances. Check out the website for the concert schedule.
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Holiday Ice Village
Discovery Green
Glide your way into the holidays underneath the glittering lights of Downtown at this bustling, open-air ice-skating rink sponsored by Green Mountain Energy in the heart of Discovery Green. You can anticipate a number of quirky and cool, themed skate nights and even an opportunity to hit the ice with Santa. Tickets are priced at $17 per person and include a skate rental. And if skating isn’t your thing, enjoy a holiday movie under the stars every Thursday evening or explore the park and Solstice Art Installation. Every Saturday in November and December, Flea by Night brings an eclectic array of vendors selling items perfect for gifting that special someone.
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Land of Sweets
Hilton Americas
Get ready to be wowed in the lobby of the Hilton Americas with the return of its iconic holiday chocolate display. Sweeter than ever this year, this year’s hand-sculpted and Minion-themed masterpiece will boast well over 2,000 pounds of chocolate. Check it out and explore all the festivities Downtown has to offer with the hotel’s ‘Tis the Season package, which includes luxurious accommodations, a holiday treat, and two tickets to the Discovery Green ice rink.
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Mistletoe Square
Market Square Park
Texas’ biggest mistletoe installation returns to historic Market Square Park aka Mistletoe Square for the holidays. Share a smooch with a loved one under this 150-inch ball of greenery hanging from a giant 15-foot candy cane. Snuggle up under the twinkling lights and enjoy a holiday movie.
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Santa's Village
Main Street Square
Santa Claus is coming to town to share the wonder of the season. Get your photo with Kris Kringle every Friday and Saturday starting at 6 pm at Santa’s Village in Main Street Square, known for its vibrantly lit 40-foot water bursts and 250-foot-long, eight-inch-deep reflecting pool. After Santa shares his magic, explore a series of holiday markets taking place every Friday and Saturday.
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Sugar Plum Plaza
Wortham Theater
Looking for visions of sugarplums to dance in your head? For this magical time of year, the iconic Fish Plaza at the entrance of the Wortham Theater is being reimagined as an ode to the holiday season. Listen to cheerful tunes while you wander around the seasonally renamed Sugar Plum Plaza to gaze at the larger-than-life custom-built ornaments.
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Texas Winter Lights
The Marriott Marquis is bringing back their one-of-a-kind poolside tradition, Texas Winter Lights, an interactive walk-through - or float–under–lights experience at Altitude Rooftop & Pool. From November 11 – January 8, guests can set course through the Marriott’s Grove of Trees, float among the Archway of Lights, or kick back on the lazy river, which is heated all to a perfect 80 degrees all winter long, as lights glimmer from above. Enjoy more than 30 festive beverage offerings, a new interactive graffiti wall, and nightly snowfall, or cozy up with a poolside movie every Thursday at nightfall. Tickets start at $25.
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Winter Wanderland
Bagby Street from Lamar to Preston
Ensure your season is merry and bright as you stroll through 100,000 twinkling LED lights along recently reconstructed and beautified Bagby Street from Lamar to Preston. Signature elements include giant angel wings, constellation arches, and an 80-foot light tunnel across from The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.
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