Paul W. McCallum, executive director for the Grapevine Convention & Visitor Bureau, gave an update at the Nov. 4 city council meeting on festivities that will span Main Street.
The CVB estimates 2 million visitors attended events last holiday season.
What’s happening
The 37th Annual Carol of Lights, the annual lighting ceremony in downtown, will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Nov. 24. McCallum said at 6:30 p.m. Santa’s Great Grapevine Adventure will commence on three stages along Main Street between Dallas Road and Northwest Highway.
According to the CVB website, more than 1,400 festive Christmas events take place over 40 days, transforming Grapevine into a storybook destination.
He said that new attractions this year will be Santa’s race track, a battery-powered cart, and a children’s entrepreneur market featuring 50 young businesspeople.
A 60-foot Christmas tree will be coming from Oregon to Texas and is scheduled to arrive on Nov. 17. McCallum said it will take about three days to decorate the tree. The tree will be near the Gazebo in the middle of Main Street. Due to the expected foot traffic in the area, the Christmas Market will relocate this year.
The market will open at Cotton Belt Railroad Historic District, 705 S. Main St., for the Carol of Lights on Nov. 24. Then, it will be open daily from Nov. 28-Dec. 23 as well as Dec. 27-30.
Zooming in
McCallum pointed out some of the more than 1,400 events. That list features:
- Snow maze
- Letters to Santa
- Photos with Santa will run daily from Nov. 28 to Dec. 30, but it will be closed Dec. 24-26.
- Reindeers
- Food trucks
- Frozen Fun Zone at the old Master Made Feed parking lot
- Peace Plaza ice rink, which will run from Nov. 22-Jan. 6, except for Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Professional ice skating entertainment at the ice rink
- Christmas concerts and live performances at the Palace Theatre.
McCallum said the houses at the City Museum will be decorated as they were in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
There will also be a glimpse of what Christmas is like in the city’s four sister cities: Parras de la Fuente, Mexico; Krems, Austria; West Lothian, Scotland and Barossa, Australia. McCallum said complimentary recipe cards featuring traditional recipes from each of those countries.
Also of note
The Merry & Bright Christmas Drone Show is scheduled for Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, both at 7 p.m.
McCallum said there will be 400 drones, which will have 12 custom formations. The drone shows will be held near Main Street and Northwest Highway and near Main Street and Dallas Road.
The 46th Annual Parade of Lights will be held Dec. 4 and will feature more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands from area schools, according to the CVB website. The parade’s theme this year is Storybook Parade and will start at 7 p.m.
McCallum said the Santa’s North Pole Express added rides, using two crews a day to comply with Federal Railroad Administration regulations. According to the CVB website, the event is already sold out.
What else?
During the Nov. 4 council meeting, two Christmas-related contracts were approved.
A contract was approved with Bedford-based Epicenter Productions, LLC, for the sound and lighting rental equipment for the Carol of Lights for $125,780.
According to city documents, part of the cost will be offset by sponsors and the rest is included in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
The other item was bounce house equipment rental for the Frozen Fun Zone at the Carol of Lights from Artificial Ice Events for $22,715.
