Last Nov. 30, University Park held its tree lighting in Snider Plaza without the large tree that had stood over the fountain in past years. The city set four 12-foot blue spruces from Michigan at the corners of the fountain instead. City community information officer Paige Ruedy told People Newspapers the change was needed because of the new fountain's size and the need to keep sidewalks, ADA ramps and parking access clear. She said the city would evaluate the change in the months that followed.
The city has finished that evaluation. This year the University Park celebration moves back to Centennial Park. A mile east, Highland Park Village will hold its own holiday evening while storefronts change hands and two building additions go up. Both of the Park Cities' main shopping districts are being rebuilt, and the changes are deciding where this season's traditions take place.
The fountain sent the tree back to the park
The decision took three meetings. University Park City Council was briefed on the 2026 Tree Lighting and gave staff direction on Feb. 3, March 3 and March 17. On March 17, council told staff to hold the 2026 event in Centennial Park. That's according to a staff report by Recreation Manager Kaylon Jackson and Parks Superintendent Ann Allen in the Parks Advisory Committee's August 2026 agenda packet.
Staff brought the plans back to council at an Aug. 18 work session. People Newspapers reported that the tree lighting "will move back to Centennial Park this year after being held in Snider Plaza in 2025." The paper tied the move to the switch from one large tree to four smaller ones, which followed changes to the fountain's design. Staff also discussed adding food trucks and whether to use a live or artificial tree.
So the fountain redesign that changed Snider Plaza's streetscape also took away the open center the old celebration depended on. The city kept the new fountain and moved the tree lighting.
What Sunday, Nov. 29 looks like at Centennial Park
The city calendar lists the Holiday Tree Lighting in Centennial Park for Sunday, Nov. 29, 2026, from 3 to 7 p.m. at 3800 University Boulevard. That's the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so the season opens on the holiday weekend, while family who traveled in for Thanksgiving may still be in town.
The park itself has changed. Council voted on April 2, 2024, to rename Goar Park as Centennial Park for the city's 100th anniversary. The park had been dedicated on Sept. 5, 1947, in memory of William P. Goar, who served as Municipal Court judge and City Attorney. At the May 2026 Parks Advisory Committee meeting, staff listed current Centennial Park work: permanent restrooms, donor bricks, trail upgrades and fountain improvements.
The city's 2026 sponsorship packet expects about 3,000 residents and visitors and describes the afternoon like this:
- Local youth holiday carol performances and choreographed seasonal dances on the main stage
- Local vendors
- An expanded kids' zone with an ice rink and a snow slide
- Photos with Santa
- A countdown after dark to light the tree
The packet's sponsorship prices show which parts the city treats as the big draws. The ice rink sponsorship is $15,000 and the snow slide is $10,000. The whole kids' zone is $5,000. The snow slide and ice skating were in Snider Plaza last year too, so the big attractions are moving to the park with the event.
Snider Plaza keeps the lights, not the crowd
Moving the event doesn't leave the shopping district bare. City staff told council that Snider Plaza will still be decorated, including around the new fountain. That fits the city's spring work: in May, parks staff reported landscaping improvements at Snider Plaza and the Miracle Mile, including fountains, new plantings and light-pole banners.
Without the tree-lighting crowd, the plaza will be easier to visit in the evenings. It also has a new place for dinner after you walk the decorations. Sueño opened at 6600 Snider Plaza on June 10, according to PaperCity's roundup of 2026 restaurant openings.
Parking in the city's retail areas came up at the same Aug. 18 work session. Council discussed applying for an Uber grant of up to $50,000 to create an on-demand mobility program for retail employees, with the goal of getting employee cars out of areas like the Miracle Mile. The city would put up a 10% match. Council decided to keep considering the partnership.
Highland Park Village's stroll, mid-construction
The season's second big evening is a Wednesday. Highland Park Village's Christmas Lights Celebration and Shopping Stroll is Dec. 9, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m., according to PaperCity's event listing. The schedule includes:
- Strolling carolers, face painting, balloon art and musical acts
- Kids' crafts with Camp Crafty
- Family photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus
- Exclusive promotions, holiday treats, gifts with purchase and in-store experiences at select boutiques
- The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary's bell ringers collecting donations
- A holiday toy drive hosted by Community Partners of Dallas
The listing promises more than 1.5 million Christmas lights.
Some of the storefronts on this year's stroll will soon be different. The Dallas Morning News reported on Oct. 1 that the Village is adding three fashion houses:
- Bvlgari, its only North Texas location, at 44A Highland Park Village
- Gucci, at 100 Highland Park Village, Suite 105
- Louis Vuitton, at 21 Highland Park Village, the space Hermès has now. Hermès is moving to an expanded boutique.
People Newspapers reported that Hermès's move to its new space is expected in early 2027, and Louis Vuitton takes over No. 21 after that. So for this holiday season, Hermès is still at No. 21.
The Village is also adding space. In April, the Dallas Morning News reported about $11 million in planned projects: roughly $6 million at D40 and $5 million at C34, both near Mockingbird Lane and Douglas Avenue. The D40 project's filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation calls for a one-story, 3,500-square-foot addition to Building C and a two-story, 7,000-square-foot addition to Building D. The listed dates run from June 1, 2026, to June 1, 2027. If that schedule holds, construction at the Mockingbird and Douglas corner will still be underway during the Dec. 9 stroll.
Summers Group CEO Stephen Summers said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News that the team "remains dedicated to continually elevating the experience at Highland Park Village in partnership with the world's most important fashion houses." On the published schedule, this year's stroll falls about six months into the D40 work.
The season in order
With the University Park event moving off Snider Plaza, the dates are spread out more than last year. The Town of Highland Park's tree lighting at the Landmark Pecan Tree, 4202 Armstrong Parkway, was on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. last year. Santa arrived on a fire truck, and there was a mini railroad and real reindeer. The Town's calendar posts its current schedule. Here are the 2026 dates on the books so far:
- Sunday, Nov. 29, 3 to 7 p.m. University Park Holiday Tree Lighting at Centennial Park, 3800 University Boulevard
- Through the season. Holiday décor in Snider Plaza, including around the new fountain
- Wednesday, Dec. 9, 4 to 7 p.m. Highland Park Village Christmas Lights Celebration and Shopping Stroll
If you're thinking about how the construction at Snider Plaza and Highland Park Village could affect daily life on your own block, the team at Torelli Properties Group follows these projects closely and is glad to talk through what's changing near you. Schedule Your Personalized Consultation, and enjoy the lights this season.
