ABOUT THE FRUGAL & FUN FT. WORTH ENTERTAINMENT EDITION ~Fridays, we post ideas for FREE (or really cheap) weekend entertainment for you and your family. Subscribe to our blog updates and you’ll receive this weekly entertainment guide along with more budget stretching ideas and tips throughout the week! Subscribe for FREE (here)!
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This week we are featuring several of our favorite Fort Worth area Christmas events ~ all happening this month and all worthy of a fun time celebrating with family and friends.
The 2012 FREE Christmas Event Roundup includes:
- FREE City-wide Christmas Tree Lighting Events
- FREE Littlest Wiseman Christmas Pageant
- FREE Visit With Santa at Sundance Square
- FREE Nash Farm in Grapevine Victorian Christmas
- FREE 10th Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa in Grapevine
- FREE Christmas on Main Street Family Event in Grapevine
- FREE Grapevine Lake Twinkle Light Boat Parade
- CHEAP Enjoy a Fun Day at the Historic Log Cabin Village
- FREE Santa’s Wonderland & Picture Event At Bass Pro Shops
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:: Make a Memory at a Local Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration
…Keller ~ Friday, November 30
…North Richland Hills ~ Saturday, December 1
…Roanoke ~ Saturday, December 1
…Fort Worth Stockyards ~ Saturday, December 1
There are several Christmas Tree Lighting festivals and events happening around town this weekend! Pick one (or two!), heat up a thermos of hot chocolate, bundle up, and head out to create a fun memory for your family!
Following is a sample of some of the fun choices:
Keller Town Center Holly Days
What: Young and young-at-heart will enjoy free festivities which include the arrival of Santa, live entertainment, arts and crafts, a two-lane tubing hill, gingerbread house decoration and much more.
Learn more here.
When: Friday, November 30, 2012 ~ 6:00-9:00PM
Where: Keller Town Center, 1100 Bear Creek Parkway
Cost: Entrance to event is FREE, but some kids activities have a small fee.
City of Roanoke 21st Annual Old Fashioned Christmas and Parade
What: Get your seat early at Oak & Austin in historic Downtown Roanoke and enjoy a lighted parade, tree-lighting, strolling carolers, horse and carriage rides, and more. Visit the Recreation Center for photos with Santa, Christmas crafts, bounce houses, children’s train, live music and more holiday fun until 9:00 pm. Learn more here.
When: Saturday, December 1, 2012 ~ 5:00-9:00PM
Where: Roanoke, Austin Street Plaza, 221 N. Oak Street
Cost: FREE
North Richland Hills Tree Lighting Celebration at NRH2O
What: Fireworks, a performance by American Idol’s Tim Urban on the main stage, arrival by Santa, mini-train rides, marshmallow roast, photos with Santa, lighting of the tree, live entertainment, and more! Learn more here.
When: Saturday, December 1, 2012 ~ 4:00-9:00PM
Where: NRH2O in North Richland Hills, 9001 Texas Highway 26.
Go here for a map.
Cost: Admission is FREE. Parking is FREE at Tarrant County College
Northeast Campus located on Boulevard 26. Please bring a new,
unwrapped toy or canned food item for the City’s annual toy and food
drive. Some kids activities have a small fee ($1-$3).
Fort Worth Stockyards Christmas & Tree Lighting Celebration
What: Fort Worth Stockyards Christmas Celebration has an afternoon of fun planned including lighting of the Christmas tree, a holiday parade, Cowboy Santa, pony rides, petting zoo, caroling, and much more!
Learn more here.
When: Saturday, December 1, 2012 ~ 2:00-6:00PM
Where: Fort Worth Stockyards. Find a map & directions here.
Cost: Admission is FREE.
:: FREE! 52nd Anniversary ~ Littlest Wiseman Christmas Pageant
…December 1-9, 2012
The Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts performs The Littlest Wiseman, a pageant of the Nativity and presented as a Christmas gift to the community by the Dorothy Shaw Bell Choir and through a grant from the Walsh Foundation. This gift to Fort Worth has been in production for over 50 years and is an annual tradition for many families. Tickets are FREE, but it is recommended that you make reservations in advance.
Details, details
What: For more information, click here.
When: December 1-9, 2012. Go here to view performance schedule.
Where: William Edrington Scott Theater ~ 1300 Gendy Street
Fort Worth
Cost: FREE. Go here for advance online ticket reservations or call 817.924.3640. Do note that children under the age of 4 will not be admitted. Note: Some reservations dates may be on a waiting list basis, but we are assured that you should still be able to get seated.
::
:: Visit Santa at Sundance Square ~ Downtown Fort Worth
Visit Santa at Sundance Square. The jolly old elf will be waiting to hear Christmas wishes at his home near the towering Sundance Square Christmas tree, adorned with thousands of lights, colorful balls and sparkling snowflakes. Kids can get their picture taken with Santa too!
Details, details
What: To learn more about visiting Santa at Sundance Square, click here.
When: Go here for dates and times you can visit Santa at his home by the Sundance Square Tree (Now through December 23).
Where: Santa will be at his Gingerbread House by the 55′ tree at Sundance Square, On Main Street (between 3rd and 4th streets)
Cost: FREE. Photos with Santa are $7, with the proceeds to benefit the
Fort Worth Sister Cities’ Youth Scholarships
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:: FREE Nash Farm Victorian Christmas in Grapevine
…Saturday, December 1, 2012
Get a taste of farm life just steps away from the heart of the city. Historic Nash Farm in Grapevine is hosting a FREE event ~ see what a Victorian, handmade Christmas was all about. Make traditional ornaments, hear Christmas stories, enjoy a hot wassail and homemade cookies.
Details, details
What: For more information about the 110 acre Nash Farm and the Victorian Christmas family event, go here.
When: Saturday, December 1, 2012, 3:00 to 6:00PM
Where: Nash Farm ~ 626 Ball Street ~ near Historic Downtown Grapevine
Free Parking 1 Block west of Nash Farm at Cannon Elementary or
at the Botanical Gardens and Homestead Dr.
Cost: FREE! Donations are appreciated and benefit Heritage Education
Programs at Nash Farm.
::
:: FREE 10th Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa ~ Grapevine
…Saturday, December 1, 2012
Enjoy a fun breakfast with Santa in Grapevine at the Fire Station! Santa
will arrive by helicopter at 8:00 AM to join all those in attendance. In addition, this year’s event will feature the FDNY Rescue 4 which responded to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Rescue 4 now travels around the country as a memorial to those who were lost in the attack.
Details, details
What: For more information, click here.
When: Saturday, December 1, 2012 ~ 7:00AM – Noon
Where: Grapevine Fire Station #1 ~ 601 Boyd Dr. in Grapevine
Cost: FREE, but donations are appreciated and accepted to benefit the Grapevine Fire honor guard, pipe and drum corp and clown troupe.
::
:: Christmas on Main Street Event ~ Grapevine
…Weekends through December 23, 2012
The annual event, held on Main Street in Historic Downtown Grapevine, features Santa, jolly Christmas characters, complimentary hay rides, decorations adorning the mile-long stretch of Main Street, and much more!
Details, details
What: For more information, click here.
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Christmas. Go here to view times for hay rides and kids games with Santa and his reindeer.
Where: Events center around the 300 block of Main Street in Grapevine. Go here for FREE parking details.
Cost: FREE (Tractor Drawn Hay Rides cost $1/person)
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:: FREE! Twinkle Light Boat Parade on Grapevine Lake
Saturday, December 1, 2012
If you’re looking for a different sort of Christmas parade this year, make your way to Lake Grapevine. The Twinkle Lights Boat Parade is one of the most unique Christmas parades you will ever see with watercrafts decorated with sparkling lights to celebrate the season.
Details, details
What: For more information, click here.
When: December 1, 2012, 6:00 to 9:00pm.
Where: Festival begins at Twin Coves Marina and picks up entries at Scott’s Landing and Silver Lake marinas. The parade is visible from the shores of Lake Grapevine. Find a map of Grapevine Lake here.
Cost: FREE
::
:: Enjoy a Fun Day at the Historic Log Cabin Village With The
…Buttermilk Junction Old Time String Band
…Saturday, December 15, 2012
Celebrate the holidays Texas Pioneer Village style and enjoy the delightful sounds of Buttermilk Junction, an Old-Time & Anglo-Celtic band. You’ll feel like you’ve walked back in time as you listen to historical tunes and songs from 1800s era frontier Texas. You can even have your photo taken with St. Nick ($5 fee for photo and folder). Learn more here.
Details, details
When: December 15, 2012 ~ 1:00-4:00PM
Where: Historic Log Cabin Village in Fort Worth
2100 Log Cabin Village Lane. Get directions by clicking here.
Cost: Regular $5 admission plus a $2 craft fee to make a punched tin ornament
::
:: Santa’s Wonderland Event & FREE Santa Photos ~ Bass Pro Shops
…Daily, Now through December 24, 2012
Bass Pro Shops is hosting fun daily events for kids at their Santa’s Wonderland. The festive events include FREE games and activities, FREE crafts and a FREE photo with Santa. Activities vary by day.
Details, details
What: To see the list of activities and events, click here.
When: Daily, now through December 24. For schedule of photos with santa, craft activities, and game, click here.
Where: Bass Pro Shops, 2501 Bass Pro Drive, Grapevine
Cost: FREE!
Is there a Christmas event you’d like to have added to the list? Please submit your event and related details in the comments section.
Enjoy and Share! :)
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