# Christmas in the Stockyards & Cowboy Santa

> Event for families in the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington area (TX). Times are Central Time.

- When: Nov 17 – Jan 3 · 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Where: Fort Worth Historic Stockyards & Mule Alley, 131 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164
- Ages: All ages (stroller accessible along Exchange Avenue and Mule Alley; real Texas longhorn cattle drives daily at 11:30 AM and 4:00 PM)
- Price: Free street festival, parades, cattle drives, and tree lighting ceremony; Stockyards Rodeo Rink ice skating $20; photo packages with Cowboy Santa $20–$40.
- Organizer: Fort Worth Stockyards Heritage Development & City of Fort Worth
- Official page: https://fortworthstockyards.com/events/christmas-in-the-stockyards-6/
- Last checked: Wed, Nov 4

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/christmas-in-the-stockyards-and-cowboy-santa--listing-f880458145a909be73d12eb6

## About

Celebrate the holidays with true Texas western spirit at Christmas in the Stockyards. The historic district kicks off the season on Friday, November 27 when Cowboy Santa makes his grand entrance riding a vintage stagecoach following the famous twice-daily Fort Worth Herd longhorn cattle drive down East Exchange Avenue. Highlights include the Christmas in the Stockyards Festival and Parade on Saturday, December 5 with armadillo races, live reindeer games, and Dickens carolers, along with the Stockyards Rodeo Rink outdoor ice-skating rink open daily on the Exchange lawns.

Families can meet Cowboy Santa in his rustic workshop for western holiday photos, listen to Mrs. Claus story times, and watch the legendary Fort Worth Herd cattle drives. The district is decked in holiday bunting, illuminated wagon wheels, and western decor across Mule Alley and Cowtown Coliseum.

## Similar picks in Dallas–Fort Worth

- [Visits with Santa in Christmas Village — Dallas Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/visits-with-santa-in-christmas-village-dallas-arboretum--listing-0072a732671e89db44ae7c98) — Sat, Nov 14 (+21 more dates) · 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Dallas Arboretum — Christmas Village · Paid · checked Oct 24. During Holiday at the Arboretum, Santa settles into the Pauline and Austin Neuhoff Family Christmas Village on set afternoons and evenings from November 10 to Christmas Eve…
- [Blue Christmas Pancake Breakfast with Santa — Irving Police & Fire](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/blue-christmas-pancake-breakfast-with-santa-irving-police-and-fire--listing-56d4902b45fb9942c4694b83) — Sat, Nov 14 · 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM · Plymouth Park Baptist Church, Irving · All ages · From $5 · checked Oct 27. Irving's police officers and firefighters host their 17th annual Blue Christmas Pancake Breakfast, a Saturday-morning fundraiser that pays for food and toys for Irving families…
- [Sensory Santa & Christmas Shoppe — Prosper (for children with special needs)](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/sensory-santa-and-christmas-shoppe-prosper-for-children-with-special-n--listing-da28f551aeb445a0eee2c403) — Tue, Dec 1 · 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM · Prosper Town Hall (listed with the Prosper Community Library) · sensory-friendly · adaptive · checked Oct 28. The Town of Prosper's library hosts a calm, sensory-friendly visit with Santa Claus for the town's 'Prosper Superstars', its program name for children with disabilities and…
- [GM Financial Fort Worth Parade of Lights (Downtown Fort Worth & Sundance Square)](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/gm-financial-fort-worth-parade-of-lights-downtown-fort-worth-and-sunda--listing-6fe8bfd81332a7996d5da887) — Sun, Nov 22 · 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM · Downtown Fort Worth & Sundance Square · All ages · Free · checked Nov 4. Now in its 44th year, the GM Financial Fort Worth Parade of Lights is North Texas' largest illuminated holiday kickoff, held annually on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Over 100…
- [GM Financial Parade of Lights in Downtown Fort Worth](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/gm-financial-parade-of-lights-in-downtown-fort-worth--listing-8987c9c4abf89d51bba690e0) — Sun, Nov 22 · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · Downtown Fort Worth (Sundance Square) · All ages · Free · checked Nov 4. Fort Worth’s holiday season officially ignites with the 44th annual GM Financial Parade of Lights rolling through the streets of historic Downtown Fort Worth. Featuring more than…
- [Whistle Stop Christmas Lights and Lighted Parade in Cleburne](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/activities/whistle-stop-christmas-lights-and-lighted-parade-in-cleburne--listing-f4c75db63fa7f9297b1ad2c0) — Nov 23 – Jan 3 · 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM · Hulen Park, Cleburne · Free · checked Nov 3. Hulen Park and downtown Cleburne stay lit from November 23 through January 3, with lights on every day from 5:30 pm to 11 pm. The lighting ceremony is November 23 at 5 pm. The…

## More for families

- [Things to do with kids in Tarrant County, TX](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/counties/tarrant-county-tx) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/counties/tarrant-county-tx.md)
- [Christmas lights and holiday events for kids in Dallas–Fort Worth](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/christmas) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/christmas.md)
- [Things to do with kids in Dallas–Fort Worth — November 2026](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/events/2026-11) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/events/2026-11.md)
- [This weekend in Dallas–Fort Worth](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth/this-weekend.md)
- [Things to do with kids in Dallas–Fort Worth](https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/dallas-fort-worth.md)
