Sixty years ago—when Austin’s population had yet to hit 225,000, only three airlines served the airport, and about 25,000 students were enrolled at the University of Texas—a group of locals celebrated the holidays by lighting a Yule log in the city’s 350-acre Zilker Metropolitan Park. That gathering became the Austin Trail of Lights, one of the oldest holiday traditions in the capital city.
This December marks the event’s 60th consecutive year. I took my three young kids several times back in the 1990s. We enjoyed spinning under the lights of the 155-foot tall Zilker Holiday Tree, a city of Austin display started in 1967 and made from one of the famous moonlight towers. We sipped hot chocolate, lined up to visit Santa, and strolled past lighted displays of familiar holiday icons like the Grinch, reindeer, and snowmen. The people-watching was fun, too (think crazy holiday sweaters).
Today, the event attracts 400,000 attendees, with thousands coming from outside Austin to see more than 2 million lights, 90 lighted trees, and some 70 other holiday scenes and lighted tunnels that transform the park for two weeks. Along the 2.5-mile walk, visitors also can find dozens of food trucks, a carousel and Ferris wheel, two entertainment stages, and a variety of interactive experiences.
“We’re always adding new displays and new experiences while maintaining the historical integrity of the event,” says James Russell, executive director of the Trail of Lights Foundation, which has run the event in partnership with the city since 2013. “We want to make it relevant for young people while maintaining the historic integrity. The nostalgia factor is real.” Meaning Santa isn’t going anywhere, nor is the dinosaur in a holiday hat.
Austin Trail of Lights
Open daily Dec. 10-23, 7-10 p.m.
Free admission Dec. 10-13 and 16-18; $8 admission on other dates.
Zilker Metropolitan Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd., Austin.
austintrailoflights.org
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Lighting and interior designer Chuck Watson started creating displays for the trail in 1998 and currently works on the event as a contractor. He calls the park his canvas. “I know all the trees intimately and I try to design a display so that the trees complement it,” he says. “Working with lights and at night is so different from any other thing I’ve done. It’s a very visual thing.”
Watson’s crew includes 18 people just to wrap the trees with lights, although what used to take three months is down to about one thanks to the transition to LED lights from incandescent. With the latter, if one bulb went out, the entire string had to be replaced.
The most fun for Watson is hanging around listening to people react to his designs. He recently added an “I Love You” in lights at the end of the trail and got a kick out of people coming around the corner and hugging or kissing when they saw it. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something special for the 60th,” he says. “But I don’t want to give it away, it will be a surprise.”
Everyone will reflect on this big milestone in their own way, Russell says. He has distinct memories from the 1980s, riding in the backward-facing seats of a station wagon when the trail was a drive-through and people could go on a whim. Today, hitting the trail takes a bit more planning: Parking requires a prepaid parking pass purchased in advance online, traffic backs up, and crowds are bigger. Fortunately, there are more transportation options, like shuttle service, buses, scooters, and rideshare, available today.
As the experience has grown along with the attendance, what hasn’t changed are the memories for those who attend. “It’s impressive when any institution lasts 60 years in Austin. There are people here who remember the very first one,” Russell says. “I’m very proud and honored to be part of something that has such a long history and story.”
Tips for newcomers
Bundle Up
Nights can get chilly in Austin and after a couple of hours exploring the trail, you might need the extra layers.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
It’s a walking trail after all. Though the trail itself is 1.25 miles, the average trail-goer will walk about 2.5 miles during their visit.
Avoid parking hassles
The shuttle from Toney Burger Activity Center in South Austin (purchase passes online or at the shuttle) includes general admission to the trail, or use rideshare (drop-off at 2107 Veterans Drive, just across a foot bridge from Zilker Park). More info here: austintrailoflights.org/event-faqs.
