Holiday celebrations in Austin: see the best Statesman photos

The holiday season is in full swing across Austin, with iconic annual events like the Trail of Lights and the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar lighting up the city with holiday cheer while Shop With a Cop and the Statesman's Season For Caring give Austinites a chance to give back.

Over two million holiday lights illuminate Zilker Park in front of the Austin Skyline on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights, Dec. 10, 2025. The event, running for 61 years, features over 70 holiday displays, food vendors, rides and activities.

Laura Heaton, left, and Lucinda Bailey gather at the State Theatre for the annual Elf Pub Run on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Participants ran, walked or hopped on a bus from the State Theatre to Scholz Garten for drinks and Elf-themed cheer before heading to the Paramount Theatre for a screening of the beloved 2003 holiday film Elf.

Austin Mayor Kirl Watson, City Council Member Paige Eliis and winners of the Zilker Holiday Tree Youth Art Contest light the tree at the 59th Zilker Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Zilker Park on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Austin. at Zilker Park on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Austin.

The Zilker Holiday Tree has 3,309 bulbs and stands 155 feet above Zilker Park on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Austin.

Ligon Miller helps Annie Miller and Josie Skaggs make their S’mores on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 11, 2025.

Central Texas law enforcement officers take children from Austin-area schools shopping at the Shop with a Cop event put on by Amigos en Azul at Target in South Austin on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Amigos en Azul’s Shop with a Cop event is the largest event of its type in Texas. The 2025 event provided 220 Austin-area students with $150 each to shop at Target.

Cennet Oliveros, 4, rides the carousel on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 10, 2025. The event, out on by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, features over two million holiday lights.

Attendees walk by the “Where the Wild Things Are” display on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 10, 2025.

Nathan Bender performs as the rat king during rehearsal for The Nutcracker at Ballet Austin in Austin, Sunday, June 22, 2025.

Christmas trees are unloaded from horse-drawn carriages at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Three 7-foot Fraser firs and one 12-foot Fraser fir were donated courtesy of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association, for the Texas House, Texas Senate and the Governor’s Office.

From left, Constables Kimberly Mares and Michelle Ortiz shop with Emily Rodriguez, a student at Galindo Elementary, at the Shop with a Cop event put on by Amigos en Azul at Target in South Austin on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Amigos en Azul’s Shop with a Cop event is the largest event of its type in Texas. The 2025 event provided 220 Austin-area students with $150 each to shop at Target.

Martiza Carbajal hugs Sarah Franey-Geller after her family lit the Christmas tree at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.

Mick Whitcomb, a sculptor from Missouri, adjusts a sculpture in his booth at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar at the Palmer Events Center on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 in Austin. The 50th season of the bazaar features nearly 200 artists and 27 live bands will perform throughout the week. The show runs until Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.

Austin residents ice skate at the Ice Rink at the Long Center on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. The skating rink, set up on the terrace of the Long Center, offers an unobstructed view of the Downtown Austin skyline. Tickets start at $22, which includes the skate rental, and the rink open until 10pm every day until Jan 4, 2026.

Ricardo Medrano, an APD officer, and Santa Claus welcome children to the Shop with a Cop event put on by Amigos en Azul at Target in South Austin on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. Amigos en Azul’s Shop with a Cop event is the largest event of its type in Texas. The 2025 event provided 220 Austin-area students with $150 each to shop at Target.

Atlas A. glances up at Santa Claus as he gets ready to take a photo on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 11, 2025.

Larry Norris hurls foam ‘snowballs’ in a playful nod to the classic snowball-fight scene from Elf during a contest at Scholz Garten in the annual Elf Pub Run on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Participants ran, walked or hopped on a bus from the State Theatre to Scholz Garten for drinks and Elf-themed cheer before heading to the Paramount Theatre for a screening of the beloved 2003 holiday film Elf.

Courtney Higgins helps her son, Josh, mail his first letter to Santa on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 11, 2025.

Brad Hull pushes his girlfriend's daughter Millie Driver on the ice at the Ice Rink at the Long Center on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. The skating rink, set up on the terrace of the Long Center, offers an unobstructed view of the Downtown Austin skyline. Tickets start at $22, which includes the skate rental, and the rink open until 10pm every day until Jan 4, 2026.

Nathan Bender gets dressed into the rat king costume with the help of Wardrobe Master Alexey Kosygin before rehearsal for The Nutcracker at Ballet Austin in Austin, Sunday, June 22, 2025.

People make their way through the first big tunnel of holiday lights on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 10, 2025. The event features over two million holiday lights, 70 displays, activities, food vendors and rides.

Betsy Fitzpatrick, left, shares the contents of her letter to Santa with Posey Copeland, center, as Adeline Smith puts the finishing touches on her own letter on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 10, 2025.

A snowflake decoration shines through holiday lights on the Grand Opening night of Austin Trail of Lights at Zilker Park, Dec. 10, 2025.

Women dressed as elves make their way down the sidewalk as they leave Scholz Garten and head back to the Paramount Theatre during the annual Elf Pub Run on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Participants ran, walked or hopped on a bus from the State Theatre to Scholz Garten for drinks and Elf-themed cheer before returning to the Paramount Theatre for a screening of the beloved 2003 holiday film Elf.