After 25 years of a driving tour of lights, the Farmers Branch Christmas celebrations have evolved into a series of new traditions designed to give everyone a more personal and interactive holiday experience.
The all-new “Christmas in the Branch” will revolve around the DART Light Rail Station area where outdoor ice skating, in partnership with the Dallas Stars, will be featured, along with special holiday markets and a new location for the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, in Liberty Plaza.
Saturday, December 1st Denton Drive is set to be shut down so the entire area will be buzzing with Christmas activities as guests will be able to freely walk between the Tree Lighting Ceremonies in Liberty Plaza, behind the StarCenter, to outdoor skating in front of the building and the special holiday market across the street in The Grove.
And, while they may not all be arranged in the park, there will be an abundance of Christmas lights and holiday decorations throughout the area.

“We are tremendously excited to take this next step in the evolution of our Christmas celebrations,” said Farmers Branch Mayor Robert Dye. “The all-new Christmas in the Branch will allow for so much more personal experiences, activities and interaction that will only reinforce our reputation as one of the very best places in the Metroplex to celebrate the season.”
Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Marketplace
Christmas In The Branch begins December 1, 2018 from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. as we welcome in the yuletide with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting sponsored by Brookhaven College and now located at Liberty Plaza. This free family friendly evening features ice skating, fun activities for children, hot chocolate and cookies, festive holiday music and the lighting of the Christmas Tree that will include Santa Claus himself. Shop local vendors for unique handmade & homemade gifts at our Farmers Branch Holiday Marketplace in the Grove.
Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus! Arriving by Fire Truck at 4:00 pm, be sure to bring your camera to capture the moment. Donate a new, unwrapped toy to the Metrocrest Services Toy Drive, or a $5 donation. There will be no line reservations this year, and please note that from approximately 5:45 to 6:15, Santa and Mrs. Claus will join Mayor Dye for the Tree Lighting.
The Liberty Plaza Stage line-up starts with Vocal Magic and continues with Samantha Footnotes, Amy Dance House, The Firehouse Theatre, Blair Elementary Choir, Vivian Field Choir, and the Farmers Branch Elementary Choir. The Grove Stage line-up presents Vocal Magic, two performances by The One Band, and a reading by the Manske Library. Click the schedule of events and map of activities for specific times and locations.
Additional activities include the Lighting of the City and Stage Show, free cocoa and cookies provided by the City of Farmers Branch, inflatable slide, inflatable obstacle course, inflatable snow globe to get in and take pictures, trackless train, LED juggler, Balloon Artists, Face Painters, and Holiday Crafts for Kids.
Will there be food available on-site? Yes! You’ll discover a selection of concessions offering corn dogs, funnel cakes, baked potatoes, gourmet donuts roasted cinnamon nuts, sliders, chicken baskets and more! We’ve invited Pinks, Easy Sliders, Hot Potato, Doughnut Snob and Totally Nutz to roll into The Branch for the evening. Nuevo Leon Mex-Mex Restaurant will be at the Outdoor Ice Skating rink offering snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Call the event hotline for more information 972-919-1433.
In addition to the Tree Lighting night on December 1, Holiday in the Grove markets are also planned on Saturdays, December 8 and 15 with hours from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. each evening. Follow Christmas In The Branch on Facebook to add the events to your calendar or visit www.christmasinthebranch.com for more information. #ChristmasInTheBranch #DiscoverFarmersBranch #FBTX
Want to discover more about Christmas In the Branch? A detailed scheduled of the holiday festivities, that begin with the Open House on November 30 and extend until January 6, 2019, is available by visiting this newly developed page that provides the cost, locations, hours, parking and more: