'Tis the Season
4 festive holiday happenings for the whole family in downtown San Antonio
The H-E-B Christmas Tree will stay up in Travis Park through January 6, 2023.
The holidays are in full swing, and downtown San Antonio has plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied while they're desperately awaiting Santa's arrival. Head to Travis Park and La Villita Historic Arts Village for shopping, ice skating, and more holiday happenings.
Plus, several happenings continue after Christmas to keep the fun going through the new year.
Travis Park (301 E. Travis Street)
Rotary Ice Rink at Travis Park — Through January 16, 2023
The Rotary Ice Rink, presented by Valero, is back at Travis Park and open daily through January 16, 2023. Since 2019, nearly 200,000 people have enjoyed the rink and surrounding festivities. Admission is $14, and the rink is open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, with special holiday hours. More details are available on the Rotary Ice Rink website.
H-E-B Christmas Tree — Through January 6, 2023
Travis Park is decorated with 250,000 dazzling holiday lights made possible by Centro San Antonio. Enjoy a spectacular holiday light display every evening through January 6, 2023. The crown jewel is the 50-foot H-E-B Christmas tree, adorned with more than 10,000 lights and custom-made ornaments.
'Tis the Season — Through December
Travis Park hosts additional holiday events almost every day of the week: Ice sculpting on Mondays; Rink Reels Movie Nights on Tuesdays; Wednesdays welcome Jazz in the Park; Yeti It Snow takes place on Thursdays; Fridays are for DJs and Food Trucks; and Saturday features Storytime with Santa. The series is presented by Centro San Antonio, and takes place throughout the month of December. The full lineup can be found on the Tis the Season website.
La Villita Historic Arts Village (418 Villita St.)
Rico’s River Rally —Tuesday, December 27, 5 pm
The San Antonio River Walk will host college football’s most unique pep rally to celebrate the Valero Alamo Bowl. While the head coaches, team captains, and cheerleaders take part in a spirited pep rally at the Arneson River Theatre on the River Walk, the school bands and the rest of the players excite the crowd by making a grand entrance on river cruisers. For more information, visit the event website.
Pro tip: Downtown Tuesday offers free parking on Tuesdays from 5 pm to 2 am in city-owned parking facilities, and City Tower Sundays offers free parking on Sundays from 7 am to midnight at the City Tower Garage located at 117 W. Commerce. A full list of city-owned garages, lots, and meters can be found here.
