Main Plaza in downtown New Braunfels will once again play host to the official kickoff of the holiday season when thousands of twinkling lights are turned on and Santa makes his arrival in New Braunfels!
The annual downtown lighting event is set for Friday, November 17th, 2023. The streets around the Main Plaza will close at 5pm and the program begins at 6pm with holiday music performed by the New Braunfels Community Band. A free shuttle will be provided beginning at 5:30pm at New Braunfels City Hall, located at 550 Landa Street and will shuttle participants to and from downtown until 9:30pm. Mayor Neal Linnartz will address the crowd at 6:30pm where he will count down and flip the switch, turning on the dazzling display of lights downtown.
“The Downtown Holiday Lighting marks the official start of the holiday season in New Braunfels,” said Communications and Community Engagement Director Jenna Vinson. “This event is truly a community tradition, made possible by the generous contributions from our longstanding event partners, like Comal County, New Braunfels Utilities, the New Braunfels Downtown Association, and H-E-B.”
After the lights are on, Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive on a New Braunfels Fire Department fire truck. Once at the Main Plaza bandstand, families will have a chance to have their photo taken with Santa. Photos are $10 each, with the proceeds benefitting the New Braunfels Parks Foundation. Please note that only credit card/debit card payments will be accepted, and no one will be allowed to enter the line after 8:30pm (those already in line at 8:30pm will still be served).
The New Braunfels Community Band and the Canyon High School Steel Drum Band will provide entertainment until 8:30pm, when the streets around the Main Plaza will be reopened to traffic.
To see the City’s calendar for other upcoming events, meetings, and programs, visit www.newbraunfels.gov.