Wimberley's Holiday Season Runs Down FM 2325 Before It Reaches the Square

Where does a Wimberley holiday Saturday actually begin? This year the answer is the same three times in a row. On November 7, November 28 and December 5, the day starts on FM 2325, at Lions Field or at the EmilyAnn Theatre & Gardens a little farther up the road.

The Square gets the tree, the courtyard and the parade crowds. FM 2325 gets the 7 a.m. market traffic, the hilltop tree lighting and the parade lineup. If you live here, the holiday calendar is easiest to plan around that road.

November 7 puts the first crowd at 601 FM 2325

Wimberley Market Days returns this Saturday, November 7, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lions Field, 601 FM 2325. The Wimberley Lions Club's Market Day site describes it as a first-Saturday event running March through December, "RAIN OR SHINE."

The vendor count depends on who's counting. The Lions' own site lists 490 booths. The Hometown Holidays calendar says 450 vendors. Either way, it's the largest single gathering on the corridor until Thanksgiving weekend.

Parking is the part that touches residents who aren't shopping. The Lions run three large lots along FM 2325 for a "$10 Donation per Vehicle," and private or organization lots nearby set their own prices. Expect that stretch of road to feel like an event venue from early morning on.

The same Saturday has a second draw. The Wimberley Film Festival runs from 4 to 8 p.m. at Blue Hole Regional Park, 333 Blue Hole Lane. Market Days closes at 4 p.m., the same hour the festival opens, so on November 7 the crowd moves across town in the late afternoon.

Mid-November moves to Ranch Road 12

Between the two big Saturdays, the calendar spreads out along RR 12 and downtown, in smaller and more neighborly events:

• November 11: Holiday Sip & Shop, downtown Wimberley, 4 to 8 p.m.
• November 15: Friendsgiving Market on the lawn behind Chill's on the Creek, 14004 RR 12, 3 to 6 p.m., with a petting zoo, face painting and a kids' coloring table.
• November 21: Crisis Bread Basket marks its 40th birthday with a free hot dog picnic outside its pantry at 14092 RR 12, by Brookshire Brothers, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine.
• November 26: The free Wimberley Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 RR 12, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration is recommended. Volunteers sign up through Wimberley Volunteer N.O.W! starting November 1.
• November 27: Wimberley Valley Winery, 2825 Lone Man Mountain, has Wimberley Santa from 4 to 6 p.m. and an outdoor screening of Elf at 6 p.m. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair.

One closure falls in this stretch. Blue Hole Regional Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset, but it closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. A Thanksgiving-morning walk there won't happen this year.

November 28 runs from the hilltop to the Square in one hour

The Saturday after Thanksgiving packs the season's biggest openings into one evening, one after another.

Hometown Holidays describes the hour this way: tree lighting at the EmilyAnn at 5 p.m., "Then head downtown, where Santa will lead the Hometown Holidays parade at 6 p.m.!" The parade starts near Lions Field and travels into downtown Wimberley. That puts both of the evening's starting points on FM 2325, while the finish and the second tree lighting happen on the Square.

The EmilyAnn's opening night lists TX Atras and A Capella Unlimited as entertainment. The train runs 6 to 8 p.m., Santa is on the grounds 6 to 9 p.m., and "A Wimberley Christmas Carol" is on the schedule. The trail stays open until 10 p.m. that night, so you can catch the parade first and come back up FM 2325 afterward.

The Hometown Holidays FAQ is direct about timing:

"Plan to arrive at least 60–90 minutes before the parade begins. Downtown becomes very busy on parade night, and road closures may affect your usual route."

For a 6 p.m. parade, that means arriving by about 4:30 p.m., which overlaps the end of Buddy the Elf photos and comes before the EmilyAnn ceremony starts. If you want both tree lightings, park once and walk.

What's still to be announced for parade night

The FAQ confirms temporary road closures and traffic changes before and during the parade. Specific closures, the route, recommended viewing areas and a parking map will be posted on HometownHolidays.com ahead of the event. The shuttle listing still reads "Shuttle service and more info coming soon."

What's already set:

1. The parade and Downtown Tree Lighting are free, and no tickets are needed.
2. Viewing is first come, first served, and chairs are allowed if they stay out of streets, ramps and doorways.
3. Downtown public parking is typically free, with a few paid lots when needed. Expect to park outside the core and walk.
4. Public restrooms are at the Oak Park Welcome Center, 250 Oak Drive.
5. EmilyAnn parking is free onsite, with overflow at Wimberley High School and disabled parking at the entrance.
6. Visit Wimberley lists the parade together with a toy drive.

The next morning is quieter. Jaclynn Renee Wine Collective, 107 Henson Road, hosts Storytime with Santa from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on November 29.

December 5 brings both FM 2325 venues back on the same day

Seven days later, the corridor is full again. December's Market Days runs at Lions Field from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. That evening is a special-activities night at the EmilyAnn. The trail is open 6 to 10 p.m., with Santa from 6 to 9, the train from 6 to 8 and "A Wimberley Christmas Carol" on the schedule. Downtown, the Santa Pub Crawl is also on the calendar for December 5. Its time is still "TBD" and its 2026 route is "coming soon."

The days around it are busy too:

• December 1: Stocking Stuffer Night at Wimberley Ace Hardware, 14307 RR 12, 6 to 9 p.m.
• December 1 and 2: Stars Over Wimberley concert series at the Wimberley Playhouse, 450 Old Kyle Road, doors at 7:30 p.m.
• December 4: Mistletoe Market at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, 6000 FM 3237, 3:30 to 6 p.m. The EmilyAnn has a special-activities night the same evening, with the trail open until 10 p.m.
• December 6: The trail is open 6 to 9 p.m., with Santa from 6 to 8 and another listing for "A Wimberley Christmas Carol."

For a Market Days morning, a trail evening and maybe the pub crawl, the same three blocks of FM 2325 are the busiest place in town from about 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. That's a long day for anyone whose usual route runs past Lions Field.

Weeknights are when the Trail of Lights gets quiet

The Trail of Lights runs November 28 through December 26 and covers roughly 8 acres of lighted exhibits. Weeknight hours are 6 to 9 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays run until 10. Admission is free. The suggested donation is $20 per family, and the trail is the EmilyAnn's largest fundraiser, so donations, concessions and light-up toy sales all go back to the theater and gardens.

Most nights include live entertainment by the yule log stage, free marshmallows and hot chocolate, and Santa in his house. Hosts are still being filled in for many nights. DKG NU Chapter hosts Thursday, December 3, and Huth Avian hosts Tuesday, December 8. Local businesses and families can put up a display at no cost by emailing [email protected], and you don't have to staff it once it's up.

Later in the month, one more December event needs tickets. Breakfast with Santa on December 12 at Texan Academy, 400 Green Acres Drive, runs 8:30 to 11 a.m. Advance tickets are $5 for kids and $8 for adults, and tickets at the door are $8 for kids and $10 for adults.

If you're wondering how event days on FM 2325 affect a Wimberley home you own or one you're considering, Courtney Unangst and her team can walk through it with you, from traffic patterns to timing a listing around the holiday calendar. Schedule a Strategy Session.