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Lubbock Holiday Events Guide 2026: Lights, Parades, Markets, Santa and More

Texas Tech's campus buildings outlined in thousands of red, white and orange lights at night, with a towering multicolored Christmas tree topped by a lighted star
Photo: Jared Kuper / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Hub City holiday guide · 2026

Lights, parades, markets and Santa. Your whole Lubbock holiday season, in one scroll.

📅 Nov. 2026 to early Jan. 2027🔗 Every listing links to its source

🔖 Bookmark this. We add new events every Thursday.

From Carol of Lights® to the Miracles Parade, here is every 2026 Lubbock-area holiday event we could confirm, with dates, times, places and costs in one spot.

Lubbock does the holidays right. This guide covers Nov. 2026 through early Jan. 2027, and every listing links to its source. If a favorite tradition has not posted its 2026 dates yet, you will find it under “Expected, date TBA” at the bottom. We will add dates as organizers announce them.

Plans change, so check the source link before you head out. Want a weekend-by-weekend view? See our Christmas events in Lubbock 2026 weekend guide.

⭐ Top 5 can’t-miss

Swipe for our picks, then tap to jump to the details.

  1. 1Dec 6Carol of Lights® at Texas Tech68th annual ceremony, ends with fireworks. Free.
  2. 2Dec 5Miracles Christmas Parade21st year. Theme: “Polar Nights.” Free to watch.
  3. 3Dec 11–12Candlelight at the Ranch48th year of candlelit historic homes. Free.
  4. 4Nov 18–22Holiday Happening“Making Spirits Bright,” with more than 130 merchants.
  5. 5Dec 10–13Ballet Lubbock: The NutcrackerDec. 10 to 13 at The Buddy Holly Hall.

Lights

Twinkle, glow and fireworks

Carol of Lights® at Texas Tech

Free
  • When: Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026. Carillon concert at 6:30 p.m., ceremony at 7 p.m.
  • Where: Science Quadrangle, west of Memorial Circle, Texas Tech campus
  • Cost: Free. No tickets needed.
  • Headliner: Grammy winner, Lubbock native and Texas Tech alumna Amanda Shires headlines the 68th annual ceremony on Dec. 6.
  • Good to know: The night ends with fireworks. It airs on KTTZ and streams on Texas Tech’s YouTube channel. A clear bag policy is in effect.

Source: Texas Tech

Candlelight at the Ranch

Free
  • When: Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11 and 12, 2026, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
  • Where: National Ranching Heritage Center, 3121 Fourth St.
  • Cost: Free. A $5 donation is suggested. VIP passes are $100 (on sale to Ranching Heritage Association members Nov. 2 and to the public Nov. 9).
  • Good to know: This is the 48th year of candlelit historic homes on the ranch.

Source: National Ranching Heritage Center

Parades and tree lightings

Grab a curb spot

Looking for Levelland’s and Plainview’s parades? They are under Nearby towns below.

Markets

Shop local, sip cocoa

Holiday Happening

  • When: Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026, at 5 p.m.
  • Where: Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Lane
  • Cost: Check the Junior League site for tickets.
  • Good to know: This is the Junior League of Lubbock’s 46th market. The theme is “Making Spirits Bright,” with more than 130 merchants.

Source: Lubbock Cultural District · Junior League of Lubbock

Santa

Where to find the big guy

Santa at South Plains Mall

Free visit
  • When: Starts Friday, Nov. 13, and runs through Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 (open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day). Hours change week to week, so check the mall’s Santa page.
  • Where: Grand Court outside Pink and GameStop, 6002 Slide Road
  • Cost: The visit is free. Photo packages are for sale, and reservations are recommended.

Source: South Plains Mall

Pet Nights with Santa

  • When: Select nights starting the week of Nov. 16, 2026
  • Where: Santa’s Winter Home, South Plains Mall
  • Good to know: Domestic pets only. Pets must be leashed, in a carrier or restrained. Reservations are encouraged, and walk-ins are welcome.

Source: South Plains Mall

More chances to see Santa: free Santa pictures at Christmas on Broadway (Dec. 5), Santa photos at the Festival of Trees (Nov. 21), and pictures with Santa before the Lubbock Symphony’s holiday concert (Dec. 1). Details are in those listings.

Shows and concerts

Nights out with holiday music

Lubbock Symphony Orchestra: Home for the Holidays

  • When: Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, 7:30 p.m. Come at 6 p.m. for Santa pictures and the LYO Tango Strings Ensemble.
  • Where: The Buddy Holly Hall
  • Good to know: Conductor Eric Allen leads the orchestra, with Amy Owens, the FUMC Chancel Choir, the Lubbock Chorale and the West Texas Children’s Chorus. Tickets are on Etix.

Source: Lubbock Symphony Orchestra

Nearby towns

Worth the short drive

Levelland: Festival of Lights & Christmas on the Square

  • When: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026. The start time has not been posted yet.
  • Where: It starts on the South Plains College Levelland campus lawn, followed by the parade.
  • Good to know: Expect lights, Levelland ISD choirs, food trucks and Santa and Mrs. Claus. To see Santa, pick up a free ticket from the Marigolds.

Source: City of Levelland

Wolfforth, Slaton, Shallowater, Idalou and Ransom Canyon have not posted 2026 dates yet. Their traditions are listed below.

Expected, date TBA

Coming soon, watch this space

These events usually happen every year, but organizers have not announced 2026 details yet. We will update this guide when they do.

  • Date TBA Lights at LHUCA: The light displays on the LHUCA Plaza usually include Santa, crafts, concerts and cocoa. The official page says “Coming November 2026,” and activities are free. Source: LHUCA
  • Date TBA Santa Land at Mackenzie Park: This free city tradition is at 600 Cesar E. Chavez Drive. In 2025 it ran Dec. 8 to 21, 6 to 10 p.m. 2026 dates have not been posted. Source: City of Lubbock
  • Date TBA Cow Trail Christmas: An evening lights display at the National Ranching Heritage Center’s J.J. Gibson Park. NRHC lists it every evening Dec. 1 to Jan. 3 (for this season, that would be Dec. 1, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027), but the page does not give hours or confirm the year. Source: NRHC
  • Date TBA Lubbock Christmas Festival at the Arboretum: Mo Productions’ biggest event of the year, at 4111 University Ave. It is free to attend. The posted date does not confirm 2026 yet. Source: Mo Productions
  • Date TBA Ice skating and Christmas in the Park at Adventure Park: 5110 29th Drive. No 2026 dates yet. Source: Adventure Park
  • Date TBA Tech Terrace Holiday Home Tour: A neighborhood home tour from Tech Terrace U.N.I.T. 2026 date TBA. Source: Tech Terrace U.N.I.T.
  • Date TBA Ransom Canyon Christmas Tour of Homes: The 2025 tour was the 38th, held Dec. 11. 2026 date TBA. Source: KCBD
  • Date TBA Wolfforth Small Town Christmas and tree lighting: Listed by the city, with no 2026 date yet. Source: City of Wolfforth
  • Date TBA Slaton Small Town Christmas: Downtown Slaton’s celebration. The chamber has not confirmed a 2026 date. Source: Slaton Chamber of Commerce
  • Date TBA Idalou and Shallowater: We have not found 2026 holiday events yet. Know of one? Tell us and we will add it.
  • Date TBA Lubbock Public Library holiday programs: December programs have not been posted yet. Source: City of Lubbock calendar
  • Date TBA New Year’s Eve: We have not confirmed a public 2026 NYE event in Lubbock yet. We will add countdown parties as venues announce them.

Not returning: Lubbock Light Park, the drive-through display at South Plains Mall, will not be back in 2026. It was sold to Frostival in Arlington. Source: KFMX

Local business? Promote your holiday events and sales to Lubbock readers with Hub City UnCovered. See advertising options.

Featured photo: Carol of Lights® at Texas Tech by Jared Kuper via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

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