Our guide to Flower Mound, Dallas and North Texas holiday events near Canyon Falls

From festive tree lighting ceremonies to twinkling trails of lights, here’s our list of holiday highlights in Flower Mound, Dallas and North Texas. The fun starts well before Thanksgiving, so read on and get ready to celebrate!

Denton’s Holiday Open House

On the weekend of Nov. 13-14, you can get ahead of the hustle and bustle of Black Friday and December with Denton’s Holiday Open House. Local shops, boutiques and restaurants will be decked out and offering specials, discounts and raffles on this weekend. It’s a great chance to find holiday décor, art jewelry and all kinds of gifts, along with delicious dining in this quaint historic town less than 15 miles from Canyon Falls.

Grapevine – The Christmas Capital of Texas

Enjoy 40 days of festive fun in November and December in Grapevine, the self-proclaimed Christmas Capital of Texas. There are 1,400 events to choose from, including Lone Star Christmas and “I Love Christmas” at the Gaylord Texan, and the North Pole Express aboard the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. There’s also Christmas at the Palace Theater, Christmas Wine Trains, Grapevine Christmas Village and much more, amid millions of twinkling lights and larger-than-life decorations. It’s like visiting the North Pole, except it’s just about 16 miles from Canyon Falls.

Christmastime in Southlake

Southlake has wrapped up a full season of holiday events, starting with their 21^st annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sat., Nov. 20. There’s a lot more after that, with Santa’s Village opening on Nov. 21, offering photos with Santa in the outdoor pavilion in Rustin Park. There’s much more to enjoy, including Carriage Rides in the Square, Breakfast with Santa, and Meet & Greet with Mrs. Claus. There will be three Holiday Break Camp Mania session for the kids, to keep them entertained while you take care of shopping and other holiday tasks.

Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival at Tanger Outlets

On Sat., Nov. 20, Tanger Outlets will their Holiday Tree Lighting & Santa’s Arrival Celebration. Warm up with a cup of hot cocoa as you watch their 30-foot-tall LED tree light up with over 30,000 sparkling lights. There’ll be holiday treats, games and festive entertainment, plus photo opportunities with the Big Guy himself. It’s also a great chance to get some shopping done at this awesome outlet mall, located across from Texas Motor Speedway, about 6 miles from Canyon Falls.

Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway

Opening on Fri., Nov. 26 and continuing through Jan. 2, the Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway is an incredible drive-through light show, with a two-mile course that has more than a million twinkling lights. There’s also a Santa’s Village offering food and pictures. There are many specially themed evenings, including Dress Your Pet, Decorate Your Car, Crazy PJs and Crazy Christmas Sweater. This event benefits local North Texas charities.

Christmas in Farmer’s Branch

Starting Fri., Nov. 26, Farmer’s Branch is celebrating Christmas in the Branch, with a series of festive events including Skating Under the Stars, an outdoor ice-skating rink open through Jan. 9. The Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Marketplace is Sat., Dec. 4, with more Holiday Marketplace events on Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. Throughout this celebration, you can stroll under twinkling lights in Santa’s village and shop local vendors for unique gifts and seasonal treats.

Christmas in Roanoke

Located just a few miles from Canyon Falls, Roanoke invites you to several holiday events in its charming historic downtown, beginning with its Trees of the Season Christmas Tree Lot, starting on Fri., Nov. 26. The next day, Nov. 27, the Sip, Snack and Shop Gift Tour is a ticketed event that invites you to sip, munch and shop your way through restaurants, stores and boutiques in downtown. The marquee event is Roanoke’s Hometown Holiday on Sat., Dec. 4. This joyous annual event features a parade, tree lighting ceremony, carriage rides, Santa’s Workshop, and gingerbread house building contest. There’ll also be a kid’s zone, a S’mores station, Letters to Santa, a shopping bazaar and much more. Finally, there’s the First Responders Breakfast with Santa on Sat., Dec. 11. What could be better than the smile on a child’s face when seeing Santa arrive, especially when the breakfast is hosted and served by Roanoke’s amazing First Responders? There will be three seating times to make sure every child gets a chance to enjoy this very special event.

Flower Mound’s Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony

On Sat., Dec. 4, Flower Mound invites you to its 32^nd annual Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony. This year’s theme for the nighttime parade (starting at 6 p.m.) is “The North Pole,” with lighted floats parading down Spinks Road to Gerault Park. At the park, there’ll be a tree lighting ceremony with choir performances, kids’ activities, local vendors, food trucks and much more. During the parade, the Flower Mound Summit Club will be accepting canned good donations along the parade route.

Learn more about places to eat, shop and be entertained near Canyon Falls during this holiday season.