Last Updated on February 13, 2024
The weather is turning chilly. Glowing lights and festive decorations are up across the city and along the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk. Schedules start to fill with gift exchanges, beautiful celebrations, and delicious food.
It’s a great time of year for recognizing and reflecting on the past year with family, friends, and neighbors. No matter what brings you joy this time of year, we can all agree on the cheer that our rivers and creeks provide us!
In that spirit, we invite you to start your holiday season on the San Antonio River at the annual Holly Jolly Kayaking event! Join us for this uncommon opportunity that allows participants to paddle between the Pearl and the San Antonio River Lock and Dam after dark while holiday lights illuminate the river.
On December 2nd, if you paddle south from our designated put-in spot, you’ll have the best seat in the river for the Pixel Tree Light Show.
Have your own kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddle board and want to get in on the fun? Snag a BYOBoat ticket option and join us for Holly Jolly Kayaking!
Continue your holiday season on December 9th at the 2023 River of Lights Celebration! We invite you to join us for an evening of fun that includes pictures with Santa, food vendors, holiday vendors, and more. The KSAT weather team is also predicting snow for the celebration this year. So, wear your snowshoes and join us at the snow slide!
Write a letter to Santa, visit Santa’s longhorns, decorate cookies with chefs and student chefs from the Baking and Pastry Arts Program at St. Philips College, and enjoy some holiday tunes at the Santa stage and Holiday Stage featuring some of the best musicians in town!
What 2023 River of Lights
When Saturday, December 9th, 2023, from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where San Antonio River Lock & Dam
TENTATIVE LIST OF ACTIVITIES:
- SNOW slide and play areas
- Pictures with Cowboy Santa
- Write letters to Santa
- Santa’s Longhorns
- Country Christmas Acoustic Music Stage
- Cookie decorating
- Hot Cocoa Station
- Community Christmas Stage
Plus, Food Trucks and Shopping vendors!
SANTA STAGE PERFORMANCES
- Madelyn Victoria
- Katy Mckenzie
- Small Town Habit
HOLIDAY STAGE PERFORMANCES
- Poe MS Mariachi
- Brackenridge HS Choir
- Lanier HS Jazz Band
- Thomas Jefferson HS Jazz Band
- Fox Tech HS Jazz Band
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Mariachi
See the full updated schedule.
JOINING US FOR THE 2023 RIVER OF LIGHTS? DON’T FORGET TO BRING A GIFT!
As part of the 2023 River of Lights, the San Antonio River Foundation seeks donations of unwrapped gifts or non-monetary, in-kind items to donate to St. PJ’S Children’s Home and Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation!
Crowds and Christmas lights aren’t your jam? Snag a spot on our last Winter Bird Hike of 2023!
Join River Authority staff on a bird hike and marvel at the beauty of Branch River Park- located along the Central Migratory Flyway! With over 600 species of birds documented in Texas, you never know if you might see a Nearctic-Neotropical migratory bird on its way south for the winter. Bundle up and join us, because you won’t want to miss your chance to see some of these magnificent, feathered friends.
We can’t wait to spend the holidays with you! Stay tuned for more events to come in 2024.
