Holidays on Houston Moves to La Villita
Centro San Antonio is relocating its free holiday event to the La Villita Historic Arts District and extending it to two December weekends.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Seasonal Events
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Centro San Antonio announced it is moving Holidays on Houston from Houston Street to the La Villita Historic Arts District. The free event, which has run along Houston Street for three years, will now take place on the first and third weekends in December.
Why it matters
The move creates room for more artisan, food and beverage vendors and aligns the event with the San Antonio Marathon programs and the NCAA Women's Division I Volleyball Championships. It also shifts foot traffic toward an area that business owners say was hurt by the pandemic and prolonged construction.
The event will feature more than 393,000 mini-LED lights across approximately 80 trees, following three years of operation along Houston Street. Attendance figures and vendor counts for the La Villita location were not disclosed.
The players
Centro San Antonio
Centro San Antonio is the downtown business and revitalization organization that organizes Holidays on Houston and the annual Taste of Holidays dinner.
The details
Holidays on Houston is a free public event with vendors and holiday festivities. The annual city-sponsored Taste of Holidays community dinner will remain on Houston Street near the Majestic Theater, with tickets sold on Houston Street when available.
Timeline
Holidays on Houston has been held along Houston Street for three years before the move.
Centro San Antonio announced the change on Tuesday, November 4, 2026, during a meeting of downtown stakeholders.
The expanded event runs the first and third weekends in December.
San Antonio Marathon programs run Dec. 4-6, 2026.
NCAA Women's Division I Volleyball Championships run Dec. 17-20, 2026.
Seasonal Patterns
The move follows pandemic and construction disruptions that hurt La Villita businesses, including years of road work on Alamo Street. Relocating the holiday event is an attempt to restore seasonal foot traffic to a district that lost ground during that period.
Visitors can attend the free event on the first and third weekends in December at La Villita rather than Houston Street. The Taste of Holidays dinner remains a separate ticketed option on Houston Street near the Majestic Theater.
The takeaway
Readers planning December visits to downtown San Antonio should note the new La Villita location and the expanded weekend schedule. Checking the event dates ahead of time will help when coordinating with the marathon and volleyball championship crowds.
What happens next
The expanded Holidays on Houston weekends fall in early and mid-December 2026, alongside the San Antonio Marathon programs on Dec. 4-6 and the NCAA volleyball championships on Dec. 17-20.
Further reading
Explore more seasonal events in San Antonio for other holiday happenings around the city.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Texas Public Radio.
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