Fredericksburg combines Old World German Christmas traditions with warm Texas Hill Country hospitality when it celebrates the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Years. The 2019 Fredericksburg, Texas Holiday Guide lists 35 different holiday events and ongoing activities, including tree lightings, concerts, dances, theater productions, holiday tours, and shopping at more than 150 galleries, boutiques, and shops. Holiday lights along Main Street, at Marktplatz and the Band Stand are some of the best in Texas.
Below are 10 of the best holiday season events in Fredericksburg. Many of them are within a short walk from accommodations at the Wine Country Cottages on Main Street. Please visit the individual websites for addition information, dates, times, and locations of the events. You also can download a complete copy of the 2019 Christmas and Holiday Guide on the Visit Fredericksburg website.
Eisbahn Outdoor Ice Skating
From November 29, 2019, to January 5, 2020, you can skate on real ice at an outdoor rink under a pavilion at Marktplatz. Please visit their website for the complete schedule and fees.
Christmas Wine Affair
From November 19 – December 15, 2019, Texas Hill Country Wineries present the Christmas Wine Affair. Sample award-winning wines at some of the 48 participating Hill Country wineries decorated for the holiday season. The Tasting Passport entitles you to wine tastings at up to 4 wineries per day and a discount on wine purchases. Cost: $45 – $65. Purchase Passports on their website.
Fredericksburg Food & Wine Holiday Tours
November 30, December 27 and 30, 2019, and January 2, 2020, you can savor the holiday spirit on a half-day Holiday Food and Wine Walking Tour in downtown Fredericksburg. On Friday evenings December 20 and 27, you can board a trolley or shuttle for the Holiday Evening Food and Wine Tour.
On both tours, you’ll see the festive holiday lights and decorations as you learn about Texas wines and Fredericksburg’s German heritage. You’ll enjoy stops at three tasting rooms to sample wines paired with foods from local restaurants. The cost for either tour is $129 per person, including all tasting fees. Please visit the website for tour times and to purchase tickets.
Lighting of Fredericksburg’s German Christmas Pyramid and Christmas Tree
Friday, November 29, 2019, Fredericksburg kicks off its Christmas festivities with live music and refreshments at the lighting of the 26-foot tall German Christmas Pyramid and Community Christmas Tree on the Marktplatz.
November 30, 2019, “Deck the Halls” at the Sauer-Beckmann Farm Living History Farm at Lyndon B Johnson State Park. Step back in time and help making popcorn strings and cookie decorations to hang on their Christmas tree. You can learn how to make wreaths of local cedar and dip candles, too.
If you’re in Johnson City, stop by the Blanco County Courthouse to see the town’s Lights Spectacular, one of the best Christmas light displays in Texas. From November 29, 2019 to January 5, 2020, the Courthouse and surrounding landscape are draped in 100,000 Christmas lights. Horse drawn carriage rides are available.
Friday, December 6, 2019, Fredericksburg celebrates with its Light the Night Christmas Parade, AfterGlow, and First Friday Art Walk. Watch the spectacle of over 130 parade entries, then enjoy Afterglow with live entertainment, holiday foods, Hill Country wines, and lots of shops and galleries where you can finish your holiday shopping. Fredericksburg’s First Friday Art Walk will add to the holiday festivities this evening. Many of the artists will be present, and galleries will be open until 8 pm.
62nd Annual Christmas Home Tour and MarketDecember 7, 2019, you can visit historic, country, and contemporary homes beautifully decorated for the holidays on this self-guided tour. The Old Jail also is included on the tour. The Christmas Market will feature unique gifts, food and holiday items from 21 boutique vendors Tour cost is $30 per person ($35 after November 25) and includes admission to the Market. Tickets are available online.
From December 13-22, 2019, the Frederickburg Theater Company will present Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as a live 1940s radio broadcast, including holiday tunes and vintage commercials. Cost: Adults $29, $12 for ages 17 and under. Tickets may be purchased online beginning December 2, 2019.
December 14, 2019, Der Singende Weihnachtsbaum will present an hour long concert of Christmas music at a 30-foot tall decorated and lighted Weihnachtsbaum (Christmas Tree) on the grounds of the Pioneer Museum.
December 15, 2019, enjoy this holiday event begun by President and Mrs. Johnson. There will be carolers, a live nativity, Santa Claus, and refreshments to celebrate the Tree Lighting. The Sauer-Beckmann Farm Living History Farm will be open.