Johnson City Lights: What to Know About the Jaw-Dropping Holiday Display

Every winter, thousands of visitors flock to Johnson City to see its incredible light display. This small town in central Texas shines bright every night from late November through early January as the heart of the town is decked out in millions of lights.

With concerts, carriage rides, local attractions, and oh-so-many lights, we always love visiting this Hill Country gem. Here’s what to know if you’re heading to see the Johnson City lights display.

Festivities start the day after Thanksgiving

Johnson City wastes no time in getting to the holiday festivities. Before most people have even finished their Thanksgiving leftovers, the city is ready to flip the switch on the light displays. The Friday after Thanksgiving marks opening weekend of the Johnson City Lights Spectacular. Beginning at 1pm on Friday, the holiday market kicks off with lots of vendors and seasonal treats, and it repeats again on Saturday.

At 6pm Saturday, visitors and locals gather at the Blanco County Courthouse just off Main Street for a fun parade. The event begins with a local choir singing Christmas carols and everything is capped off by fireworks that can be seen for miles around the Hill Country. Plus, you can see Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Lights are concentrated in three main areas

There are three separate areas full of lights to see.

Typically, the Blanco County Courthouse is dripping in lights, but construction on the building means that won’t be the case this year. Instead, on the streets surrounding the courthouse, local businesses and homes go all-out. Not only will visitors find colorful lights, but there are also Nutcracker statues, lit up presents, and more. Some of them change yearly, so we always look forward to seeing the new displays.

We also enjoy heading to City Park for even more sculptures. There are reindeer, sleighs, and other holiday lights plus scenes tailor-made for family photos and Instagram backdrops. You’ll also find Santa’s colorful gazebo here.

A few blocks away, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) headquarters is a sight to behold. The trees are the attraction here. From the base of the trunk to the top of the smallest branches, the trees glow in over a million lights. There are even reports of the display being seen from space.

Carriage rides add to the atmosphere

Johnson City is compact, and it’s easy enough to walk or drive between the sites. But, for an even more romantic way to see the lights, horse drawn carriages ferry visitors through the streets.

With their own holiday lighting, the carriages are a sight themselves. They transport onlookers at a leisurely pace with ample stops for photos. They’re available on Friday and Saturday, if weather allows.

Lights are on late

Every night from November 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026, the lights are on until midnight, giving visitors ample opportunity to appreciate all the details with minimal crowds.

There are special events throughout the season

The light show organizers host lots of festivities during the weeks that the lights are on, which help make a visit to Johnson City even more enticing. They begin with the outstanding light parade on November 29, which includes tractors, classic cars, and even decorated horses. In the weekends that follow, there is an incredible chili cook off (December 13), a visit by The Grinch (December 20), and even Frosty the Snowman bringing snow to town. The special events wrap up on New Years Eve with a fundraiser benefiting next season’s lights spectacular.

Local attractions get in on the fun

There are lots of other fun things to see in and around Johnson City during the holidays.

The town’s biggest attraction, the boyhood home of the 36^th President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson, is open for Christmas-themed tours by lamplight on weekends. The fascinating Science Mill also opens its doors for special exhibits and events for guests of all ages. There are also numerous concerts and Christmas pageants at local venues, including the First United Methodist Church.

Fifteen minutes away in Stonewall, there are other special events at LBJ State Park and Historical Site, the president’s former estate. Throughout the season, there is a live nativity and an appearance by Santa as well as caroling and a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. A bit further west in Fredericksburg, there is a nightly light display and ice-skating rink as well as lot of special Christmas events.