Austin can be an expensive place to live, and holiday experiences usually carry a premium. But while pricey Christmas feasts and VIP light shows abound in this city, many of the most beloved holiday traditions are completely or nearly free. Here’s our list of local events that cost $20 or less.
(Note: The pricing below refers to the cost of admission — not extras like food or parking.)
Holiday Sing-Along, Tree Lighting and Downtown Stroll
This family-friendly event includes photos with Santa, a holiday shopping village, a dog costume contest and the lighting of a 45-foot-tall tree at the Capitol. KUT News and KUTX will also be there to sing holiday songs with the crowd.
The event runs from 3 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. You can find everything on Congress Avenue between Eighth and 11th streets. Here are more details about the schedule and transit options.
Price: Free
Community First! Village of Lights
This holiday event is based in a neighborhood that provides permanent housing to people exiting homelessness. You'll find a light show synced to seasonal music, a holiday market, food trucks and classic movies at the community cinema. The event, located in Northeast Travis County, is open to the public from 5:30 to 9 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, as well as Dec. 13 and 14.
Price: Free, but donations are encouraged to support the neighborhood
Austin Public Library winter events
The city’s libraries are holding lots of holiday events this month, including:
- An adults-only holiday craft crawl at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at the Central Library
- A holiday ornament workshop at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Milwood Branch
- A holiday party at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Little Walnut Creek Branch
- A gift-making session at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Windsor Park Branch
You can find a full list of events here.
Price: Free
KUT & KUTX Connections
The holiday season is also in the middle of cuffing season. If you’re looking for someone to stand under the mistletoe with you — or just hoping to make a new friend — KUT and KUTX are holding a mixer at Austin Beerworks Sprinkle Valley. The event runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Drinks, pizza and tacos are available for purchase.
Price: Free
Holiday book swap with KUT and Rivian
KUT and Rivian Austin are hosting a community book swap from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12. Everyone will bring a book they’ve read (it doesn’t need to be related to the holidays), talk about why they love their pick, and end up with a new book via white elephant gift exchange rules. It’ll take place at Rivian’s location at 208 S. Congress Ave.
Price: Free
Blue Genie Art Bazaar
The annual holiday market near Austin Community College’s Highland campus showcases art from more than 200 vendors. The wares can be pricey, but you can still find gifts for under $20. The shop also doubles as an art gallery — even if you don’t want to buy anything, there’s plenty of stuff to look at. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day through Dec. 24.
Price: Free
Winter Wanderland at the Austin Motel
The annual pop-up at the historic motel off of South Congress features technicolor trees, film screenings, seasonal cocktails and drag performances. It’s open now until Jan. 1. Different activities are available on each day of the week — check the schedule for details.
Price: Free
Mozart’s Lake Austin Festival of Lights
The longtime Austin holiday tradition is different this year — organizers have swapped the pre-recorded light show for more live music and table reservations for individual tickets. There’s also holiday food, kids’ activities and boat cruises (for an added cost). The event runs now until Jan. 4, excluding Christmas Day.
Heads-up: The lights draw big crowds, and organizers have experienced some logistical problems this year.
Price: $6.82 for general admission, including fees
Diagon Alley Austin
After taking a break in 2023, Southwest Austin’s elaborate Harry-Potter-themed house is back this holiday season — and the family behind it just announced this will be its final year.
"After years of putting our hearts into this display, we have made the bittersweet decision to put down our wands, and move on to our next adventure," they said on Facebook.
They also posted that they’re hoping the light show will be up by this weekend. The hours for lights are around 6 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 6 to 9 p.m. on weekends through Jan. 1, according to the FAQ. The house is in the Circle C neighborhood near Slaughter and Bungalow lanes.
Price: Free, but donations are encouraged
Austin Trail of Lights
This is one of Austin’s biggest light shows, and it attracts an equally big crowd. Now in its 60th year, the Zilker Park event features more than 2 million lights, food vendors, a Ferris wheel, carousel and the Zilker Holiday Tree. There are VIP options that run up the price, but you only have to pay for parking or transit if you skip the frills and go on a free admission night — check the calendar for details. General admission hours are 7 to 10 p.m. daily from Dec. 10 to Dec. 23.
Price: Free on some days
37th Street Lights
37th Street Lights is a longtime eccentric neighborhood light display that, in the past, has featured a giant dinosaur, a kissing booth and a sock monkey puppet nativity scene.
Opening night is 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. You can catch the lights any night after that from sunset to 10 p.m. until New Year’s Day. It’s located at 37th Street between Guadalupe and Home Lane — find more detailed parking info on Facebook.
Price: Free, but donations are encouraged
Lala’s Little Nugget
This Crestview dive bar is known for spreading holiday cheer year-round with its decorations, which include an outdoor Santa mural, lots of lights and a statue of Santa and his reindeer taking off from the roof. A South Austin location opened its doors this year. You can visit both places every day, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day — check each location’s hours on their websites.
Price: Cost of a dish or drink
