When does the holiday season start on La Crosse Avenue? Last year the answer was December 5, when the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center opened Luminations. This year it is Friday, November 20.
That two-week move does more than add a few nights. It pulls the Wildflower Center's light show into Thanksgiving week, and the Circle C Ranch HOA and the Circle C Run Club already have plans on that same avenue that week. From the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the first Saturday of December, the neighborhood's own calendar and the light show at 4801 La Crosse Ave. share both the dates and the road.
The run moved earlier on both ends
Here is the change in one view, using the Center's own announcements for each year.
| 2025 season | 2026 season | |
|---|---|---|
| Opening night | Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 | Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 |
| Final night | Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 | Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving weekend | Before the season opened | Open Friday through Sunday |
| First days of January | Open | Closed |
The opening moved up by fifteen days and the close moved up by three. Last year's light show ran past New Year's Day. This year it ends on New Year's Eve, and the Center lists it closed only on Dec. 24 and 25. Anyone who usually saves Luminations for the slow days after Christmas still has Dec. 26 through 31. The first weekend of January is no longer an option.
Every night follows the same pattern. Tickets must be bought in advance, entry runs from 5:45 to 7:45 p.m., and the exhibit closes at 9 p.m. The Center's event listing promises new light installations, immersive projections, holiday cocktails, food and drink for purchase, and Fortlandia lit up after dark.
Opening weekend lands before the turkey
The first three nights are Friday, Nov. 20, Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22. Under last year's schedule, Luminations was still two weeks away on that weekend. This year that weekend opens the season, and it comes before Thanksgiving week.
For a household that wants Luminations to itself before the guest room fills up, this is now the earliest chance. For a household that plans to bring visitors, the next three nights may matter more.
Thanksgiving morning belongs to the run club
Luminations is not open on Thursday, Nov. 26. That morning, La Crosse hosts the Circle C Turkey Trot, presented by the Circle C Run Club. The City of Austin's event listing puts it at the Circle C Ranch Community Center, 7817 La Crosse Ave., from 7 to 10 a.m.
The race registration page describes a 3.1-mile out-and-back course. The 5K starts at 8 a.m. and the Kids Mile at 8:45 a.m.
The City's street closure document is the detail worth putting on the fridge. It sets a partial lane closure on eastbound La Crosse Ave. from Spruce Canyon to Park West Pass on Nov. 26, from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. Anyone driving that stretch early on Thanksgiving, whether picking up family or making a last grocery run, should plan around those four hours.
The HOA office is closed Nov. 25 through 27 for the holiday.
Black Friday night is Luminations without the forts
On Friday, Nov. 27, the day after the Turkey Trot, Luminations reopens for the first of three Thanksgiving weekend nights, running through Sunday, Nov. 29.
Families with children should know one thing about that first night. Fortlandia, the Center's exhibit of climbable forts, has a brand-new lineup in the Family Garden this season and runs from Oct. 2, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027. The Center lists Fortlandia as closed on Nov. 27, as well as Dec. 24, 25 and 31 and Jan. 1. Its Luminations listing for Nov. 27 still describes the forts lit after dark. Those two pages disagree, so if a lit fort is the main reason for the trip, Saturday, Nov. 28 or Sunday, Nov. 29 is the safer choice. A call to the Center will settle Friday.
The same applies to New Year's Eve. Dec. 31 is the final night of Luminations and also a listed Fortlandia closure.
December 5 puts both calendars on one day
Under last year's schedule, Saturday, Dec. 5 was opening night for Luminations. This year it falls in the middle of the Friday-through-Sunday weekend of Dec. 4 to 6, and it is the third night of December after UT Night on Thursday, Dec. 3. It is also the date on the Circle C HOA's 2026 calendar for its Kids Holiday Party, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Circle C Community Center.
That makes one Saturday with neighborhood events at both ends of the day: a children's party at the Community Center in the late morning, then a 5:45 p.m. entry window at the Wildflower Center that evening. Both are on La Crosse. The HOA notes that its dates are subject to change, so check the Circle C HOA events calendar closer to the day.
The HOA has also posted a save-the-date for its annual Holiday Market. The event details are on the flyer in that post.
Tickets, parking and the one-entry rule
Prices for 2026, from the Luminations page:
- Adults: $30, or $23 for members
- Youth, ages 3 to 12: $20, or $13 for members
- Children 2 and under: free
- Groups of 20 or more: the Center offers group discounts by email
The same page sets a rule that matters most to anyone who lives a short drive away.
"Tickets are valid for one entry. Re-entry is not available once you exit the event."
Living close by makes it tempting to step out halfway through for a forgotten jacket or a tired toddler. Under this policy, stepping out ends the night.
Parking has three options. Guaranteed on-site parking costs $25 per car, and all proceeds go to the Wildflower Center. Free parking is available at St. Augustine's, 5401 La Crosse Ave., with a free shuttle running every 15 minutes to and from the Center. The Center also strongly encourages carpooling and rideshare, with drop-off at the main entrance.
Food is the other piece to plan. The Wildflower Café is closed for remodeling, and the Center points visitors to snacks and drinks in the Shop & Gallery. On Luminations nights, food and drink are sold as part of the event. Eating dinner before the 5:45 p.m. window opens, or after the 9 p.m. close, is the simplest way to avoid both.
All sales are final, and the event runs rain or shine. If the Center cancels a night for extreme weather, tickets can be used on another night or refunded on request. The request must reach [email protected] within five business days of the original date.
The rest of December, night by night
After Thanksgiving weekend, the schedule changes week by week. These are the nights the Center lists:
- Week of Nov. 30: Thursday, Dec. 3, which the Center calls UT Night, then Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4 to 6.
- Week of Dec. 7: Thursday through Sunday, Dec. 10 to 13.
- Dec. 17 to 23: Thursday, Dec. 17 through Wednesday, Dec. 23, seven nights in a row.
- Dec. 24 to 31: dark Dec. 24 and 25, then Saturday, Dec. 26 through Thursday, Dec. 31, six nights in a row to close the season.
There are no Monday-through-Wednesday nights until Dec. 21. Anyone who wants a quieter weeknight before Christmas has the Thursdays of Dec. 3, 10 and 17, plus the stretch from Dec. 21 to 23. Anyone who usually goes between Christmas and New Year's has six nights, and the last is New Year's Eve.
If your plans this season include out-of-town family asking what it's like to live a few minutes from the Wildflower Center, or if those conversations have you wondering what your own home on this side of MoPac is worth, we would be glad to talk it through. The Caras Group works across Circle C and Southwest Austin, and we're happy to share what we know about the neighborhood, light show included. Get in Touch.
