A Dazzling Musical Tree brings extra joy to the Holiday at the Arboretum, presented by Reliant. The 50-foot-tall tree is animated with over 42,000 lights, and plays merry holiday tunes every half hour. The Dallas Arboretum’s holiday festival opens Nov. 10 and runs through Dec. 31. The Christmas Village, DeGolyer House with The Artistry of the Nativity. and The 12 Days of Christmas are also featured attractions.
“The holidays just got bigger and brighter with the addition of a new grand feature—the 50-foot-tall Dazzling Music Tree—that’s sure to delight the young and young-at-heart,” said Dallas Arboretum board chairman Jim Ryan. “We invite locals to visit and to bring their out-of-town guests to be ‘wowed’ by the Dallas Arboretum this holiday season with special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Reliant.”
Holiday at the Arboretum opens November 9 with an official tree lighting for members-only from 6 to 9 p.m., led by the Marilyn and Ben Weber Family. Holiday at the Arboretum opens to the public during the day on Nov. 10, while nights continue throughout the season with the return and further expansion of The Christmas Village. The garden has extended its evening hours on Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m.
“The holidays are our favorite time of year, and we want to share the joy of the season with the North Texas community by being part of the beautiful holiday display at the Dallas Arboretum,” said Andrea Russell, vice president at Reliant. “We love to help light up the holidays at Reliant, and I encourage everyone to plan a visit to the Arboretum to enjoy a little holiday cheer with family and friends.”
The Christmas Village
Inspired by European Christmas Markets, or Christkindlmarket, The Christmas Village is comprised of charming shops and façades representing a quaint European hamlet. The Christmas Village is wonderful during the day, but it’s magical at night with lighted trees, shop owners passing out samples and live entertainment. Each house is individually designed for the Dallas Arboretum, with the Christmas Village as an attraction for everyone. Santa Claus even has his own house and a sleigh for photo opportunities! Santa is in his house select nights in November, and then after Thanksgiving, he is present every night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The Marilyn and Ben Weber Family Christmas Pyramid, a 23-foot-tall German-built structure, is decorated with hand-carved elements, lighting and character movement on every level. The Weber Pyramid is the perfect complement to the Christmas Village and is the signature element in Pyramid Square along with an Edelweiss Haus serving food and drinks and a larger biergarten and performance area.
The Artistry of the Nativity
Each day, and every Monday-Wednesday evening beginning Nov. 10, the community is invited to visit the historic DeGolyer House. Renowned designer Michael Hamilton has elaborately decorated the house with the return of The Artistry of the Nativity. This collection features hundreds of crèches representing a variety of cultures from around the world. In addition to the Ray Harrington and the Joe Christian collections, which the Arboretum owns, the display also includes crèches from Tommy Bourgeois and Peter Hall. These objects are crafted beautifully from many materials including cork, glass, horns, seeds, cornhusks, porcelain, silver, wood and more.
After a visit to The Christmas Village, visitors are invited to stroll the garden, and continue to enjoy the 25-foot-tall Victorian-style gazebos that represent each of The 12 Days of Christmas with some updated characters. The gazebos come to life at night beginning November 9, except for Thanksgiving Day (closed) and December 24 (closes at 5 p.m.),
December 25 (closed) and New Year’s Eve (closes at 5 p.m.). These glass gazebos resemble an oversize music box with mannequins and animals that move along with music and lighting.
Holiday at the Arboretum
Holiday at the Arboretum features more than a million lights throughout the garden, trimming the historic homes and the 30-foot-tall spruce tree in the center of the garden. It’s the perfect place for getting into the holiday spirit.
Timed tickets, which range from $10-$25, are required for entry for the garden, so guests are encouraged to reserve preferred dates early. For more information, visit dallasarboretum.org/events-activities/holiday-at-the-arboretum/
In addition to Reliant as the presenting sponsor, other sponsors include Century Glass, Gray Reed, Move Star and Southwest Data Systems.
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake at 8525 Garland Road, is also the home of the internationally acclaimed Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. The garden is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Festival daytime admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, and $12 for children 2-12, and free for Arboretum members and children under two. On-site parking is $15 or $10, if purchased in advance online. Evening tickets range from $10-$25. The Dallas Morning News is the principal partner of the Dallas Arboretum. The Arboretum is supported, in part, by funds from the Dallas Park and Recreation Department. WFAA is an official media sponsor for the Dallas Arboretum.
