The holiday season has come to Cowtown, and there are many different festivals to enjoy for those looking to celebrate.
A Picture Perfect Candlelight

The Dallas Heritage Village is hosting its 44th Annual Candlelight Celebration with the theme, “A Picture Perfect Candlelight.”  The event runs from Dec. 12-13 from 3 to 9 p.m. Visitors will experience how holiday traditions were celebrated in the late 1800s with gleeful carolers, holiday storytelling, hand-weaving, blacksmithing, interpreters in traditional costume, and more.
Kids can also make their own holiday crafts or tell St. Nicholas what they want for Christmas. If visitors get hungry, there will be food trucks selling festive foods. Tickets at the gate are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 65+ and $8 for children ages 4-12. Children 3 and under and museum members are free. However tickets can also be bought online for a discount. Find out more at: https://www.dallasheritagevillage.org/candlelight/
KwanzaaFest

The 25th annual Kwanzaa Fest is being held Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in  the Automobile Building at the Fair Park in Dallas. The festival will feature a series of free mini concerts that range from local performers to national recording artists. Each act will last around five minutes. Performers who wish to audition can fill out an application and send it in before Dec. 6.
There will also be 28 participating vendors, such as Honeyed Almond Accessories, Cute & Kinky, LLC and Green Mountain. In addition, there will be 20 local exhibitors, such as, African Art, Clothing, Jewelry, Soaps and Oils, Computer Services and Products and Publishing Companies. The event is hosted by the District Three Dallas County Commissioner, John Wiley Price. Admission is free, and vistors can learn more at: http://www.johnwileyprice.com/kwanzaa-main.php
Texas Christkindl Market
This open-air holiday market was inspired by the German holiday tradition of Christkindl, which is the name by which some children in South East Germany call Santa. This market will be held next to Globe Life Park in Arlington from Nov. 27 – Dec. 23.  Opening day the market will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. and for the rest of the season it will be open Sunday-Friday from 12 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Visitors can take a break from the shopping to spend some time at the Snow Playground and Snow Throw, the Gingerbread Haus Decorating Workshop or the North Pole Texas Marionette Show. Kids can also enjoy storytelling, a carousel and pony rides. Admission to the market is free, but different activities have different prices. Find out more at: http://txchristkindlmarket.com/.
 
Sky High Miracle of Lights
The Ahavath Sholom congregation is hosting an eighth night of Chanukah celebration Dec. 13 at 6 p.m.. The event will feature a lego menorah that is more than 15 feet high and made from 50,000 legos. Children of the congregation have been working together to build the menorah, and after Chanukah all the legos will be donated to local children’s charities.

In addition to the menorah, the event will feature latkes, funnel cakes and cookies. There will also be different games for kids to play. The celebration is open to all members of the community, and Mayor Betsy Price, along with the Chief of Police are expected to attend. No reservation is needed. Find out more at: http://ahavathsholom.org/
 
 
Christmas in the Stockyards

Deep in the heart of Cowtown, Fort Worth residents can enjoy the annual celebration of Christmas in the stock yards. The event is Dec. 5 from 12 to 5 p.m.. There will be events such as the Fort Worth Herd Cow Camp, holiday face painting and Armadillo Races.
Guests can also take their picture with Cowboy Santa and enjoy the Christmas in the Stockyards Parade at 4 p.m.. The daily Fort Worth Herd Cattle Drives will also take place at the usual 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. times. The event is free to the community. Find out more at: http://www.fortworthstockyards.org/Event.aspx?eId=79.