Austin, TX

Discover Austin’s best Christmas light displays without the crowds

Published

1 year ago

December 10, 2024

Discover Austin’s best Christmas light displays without the crowds

‘Tis the season to aimlessly look at glistening Christmas light displays.

While the Trail of Lights at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas, offers residents and visitors the chance to partake in a 60-year-old tradition starting Dec. 10, the crowds and snail-like pace of fellow attendees often kill the holiday spirit — leaving one feeling more like Ebenezer Scrooge than Buddy the Elf.

Checking out holiday lights shouldn’t be stressful. Not only that, but some would argue it shouldn’t cost a dime to do (aside from a small donation).

Luckily, there are plenty of lights to see for free in Austin this holiday season.

4 free Christmas light displays in Austin, Texas

Those looking to beat the crowds while taking in a sea of glistening lights can check out these four Christmas displays in the greater Austin area:

37th Street Lights

When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from Dec. 13 to Jan. 1, 2025.
Where: 507 W. 37th St., Austin.
What: A longstanding park-and-walk excursion on 37th Street (between Guadalupe and Home Lane) featuring houses decked out in eclectic lights and holiday decor that screams, “Keep Austin weird.”

Maywald Christmas Display

A portion of the 2024 edition of the Maywald Christmas Display in Austin, Texas.Taylor Kamnetz | tkamnetz@lonestarlive.com

When: Dec. 11-Dec. 27. Visiting hours are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Where: 10505 Twilight Vista, Austin.
What: A dazzling display featuring more than 350,000 lights, Texas-sized Santas and larger-than-life displays spanning 4.5 acres. Donations to Make-A-Wish are accepted upon arrival.

Christmas Lights at Chinati Court

When: Nightly through Dec. 31 starting around sunset until roughly 11 p.m.
Where: Chinati Court, Cedar Park.
What: A brightly decorated cul-de-sac with various photo ops. You can drive by most nights or take in the magic on foot. Santa visits the street every Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. until at least 9 p.m. (except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

Photos with Santa are free. There will also be a Brown Santa drop-off at this display, and those visiting are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate.

The Domain’s Holiday Tree Light Show

When: Nightly through Dec. 25. The free light show occurs every hour during the following times: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday; Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Hours for Dec. 24-25 will be noon to 6 p.m.
Where: 11821 Rock Rose Ave., Austin.
What: A dazzling holiday tree light show that occurs every hour on the hour (weather permitting). The tree is located across the street from the Apple Store.

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Austin, TX

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Will the rest of Austin allergies seasons be as bad as cedar this year?

Austin had a particularly itchy and drippy cedar fever season to start the year. Many winter days, from late December into February, had high or very high ashe juniper (aka cedar) pollen counts.

Central Texas has a year-round allergy season with mold popping up at any time. For the more traditional spring and fall allergy seasons, forecasters at AccuWeather are predicting some of the allergens across the country will be worse this year than average.

Texas, though, is a different story.

For grass allergies, which happen now through September, AccuWeather estimates Austin will have an average season. However, just west of the Interstate 35 corridor in the Hill Country to almost El Paso, that season is expected to be worse than normal.

“Texas may experience above-average grass pollen for a few weeks,” AccuWeather’s allergy report said, “though the season could be shorter-lived compared to northern areas.”

It all depends on the weather

How much rain we get in the next six months and the perennial Texas heat will all affect the growing season for grasses and weeds, as well as the amount of pollen trees produce. The Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmers Almanac are both predicting a wetter and warmer spring.

Rain helps plants grow, which can increase pollen production over time. However, rainfall during allergy season can also bring temporary relief by washing pollen out of the air. That’s what we’re expecting this weekend, with our first meaningful rain chance in nearly three weeks. Tree and weed pollen levels might briefly drop, but mold could spike because it thrives in damp, humid weather.

If spring continues with excessive heat like we saw in February, it could limit the growth of some plants and trees. Extreme heat can reduce how much they grow, and how much pollen they produce. On the other hand, if we get a healthy balance of rain and only slightly above-normal temperatures — not extreme heat — pollen counts could climb. That’s especially true as we head into April, typically our windiest month of the year, which helps spread pollen more easily.

How can you treat allergies in Austin?

If you are feeling the effects of allergies, here are some things you can do to lessen them:

Start taking allergy medication at least two weeks before your allergen’s season is supposed to start. Keep taking your allergy medication throughout your allergen’s season, even on low-pollen days.
Vary your allergy medication. You can take a nasal spray, an eye drop and an oral antihistamine at the same time to treat the different symptoms. If one kind of allergy medication isn’t working, consult your doctor about whether you should add a second one or switch out the medication.
Take a shower before going to bed.
Take off outside clothes or shoes when you get into the house.
Do a daily nasal wash such as a neti pot or saline spray.
Consider seeing an allergist to get drops or shots to lessen your reaction to the allergen.

Consider these household tips to improve your chances of keeping allergens away:

Change the filters in your house regularly during cedar fever season.
Vacuum and sweep regularly.
Change your sheets, especially your pillow regularly.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Clean out the vents in your home.
Have your home tested for indoor allergens such as mold.
Wash and brush the animals in your house to lessen the amount of allergens in the air.
Wear a mask outside or inside while you are trying to lessen the pollen or mold indoors.

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Austin, TX

Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races

Published

21 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Democrats tried to stop a mid-decade redistricting effort, but were unsuccessful. Now, we are starting to see some of the candidates emerging in those newly drawn districts. FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski gives a full breakdown.

Posted March 3, 2026 10:32pm CST

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Austin, TX

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Remembering Jorge Pederson: Minnesota MMA fighter killed in Austin, Texas, shooting

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – A shooting on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning, killed three people and injured more than a dozen others, according to the Austin Police Department. APD confirmed one of the victims was 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, a Minnesota man who worked as an MMA fighter for the Med City Fighting Championships.

“You meet tons of fighters and there are people that stand above the rest that you find you enjoy or find the most amusing,” MCFC Co-Owner Matthew Vogt said. “He was definitely one of them.”

According to Vogt, Pederson was also the owner of a Minnesota business called Metro Movers. Vogt said the MMA competitor touched everyone’s hearts since his first day of fighting professionally in Rochester.

“As soon as we met him when it was the weighing time, we just loved the guy already because he had a great mission or spirit about him,” Vogt said. “He was a funny guy and great fighter.”

Vogt told KTTC when he first saw the news that Pederson was killed, he could not believe what he saw.

“I was looking, like, ‘Wait a minute. Is this one of his shenanigans or did something actually happen there?’” Vogt said, recalling the moment he saw a social media post regarding the shooting in Austin. “I confirmed with a few people and I’m just like, sometimes, some things happen that you don’t even like, you don’t even know how to respond to it because it’s just so out of left field that you don’t immediately have a response to it.”

MCFC confirmed there is an online fundraiser dedicated to supporting Pederson’s family. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $10,000 has been raised.

“He was someone that always could make anybody laugh,” Vogt said. “Support his family through the fundraiser and take a look at his Instagram especially to see how funny he was.”

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