Holiday in the Park originated in the 1985 season at Six Flags Over Texas and has been operating ever since. The event has expanded over the years to include thousands of Christmas lights, specialized foods, live entertainment, a snow hill, and many other hands-on activities. In 1988, AstroWorld added the Holiday in the Park concept but only held the event until 1997 (Six Flags Over Georgia held it for one season in 1989 until its rebirth). Some iconic pieces of Holiday in the Park have unfortunately met their demise, including the Texas Chute Out Christmas tree lined with red string lights and a star on top.
Recently, Holiday in the Park has expanded all throughout the chain. In 2007, Fiesta Texas and Discovery Kingdom added the event (Fiesta Texas had an event called Lone Star Christmas from the early 1990s to 1997).
In 2012, the event expanded to Mexico and Great Escape. 2014 to 2016 saw the addition of Holiday in the Park to Magic Mountain, Six Flags Over Georgia, Great Adventure, St. Louis, and America. The event continues to be one of the most popular and exciting times for Six Flags parks.
Entertainment
Holiday in the Park provides entertainment that spans from live productions to lighting displays all around the park. Shows are free with park admission.
Merry Marketplace
Merry Marketplace is a large area in the park's Texas section that is transformed for Holiday in the Park. This area includes food, visits with Santa Claus, and many other great activities.
Photo Opportunities
Marketplace Entertainment & Activities
Dining
Shopping
Holiday Activities
Six Flags Over Texas fills the park with other great activities that are geared towards family and young experiences. Here's a look at what the park presented for the 2018 season:
Specialty Foods
One major feature that helps Six Flags Over Texas stand out from the rest is the abundance of specialty foods that are located all around the park. Individual vendors load into the park and serve amazing homemade food and treats. Here is the line-up of specialty foods from 2018:
| Cozy Cafe (Old South) |
| M | Regular Soup or Chili
|
| M+$3 | Soup or Chili in a Bread Bowl |
| M | Loaded Baked Potatoes
|
| Hot Drinks |
| Peppermint Parlor (Miss Abby's) |
| S | Cookies
|
| S | Brownies |
| Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches | |
| Coffee | |
| Hot Chocolate |
| Red Hot Cinnamon Stop (Dippin' Dots Sundae Shop) |
| S | Regular Cinnamon Roll w/Cream Cheese Icing |
| S | Butter Pecan Cinnamon Roll |
| Apple Pie Cinnamon Roll | |
| Peach Cobbler Cinnamon Roll | |
| Sticky Buns | |
| Iced Coffee |
| Texas Taco Bar |
| M | Tamales w/One Side
|
| Ye Olde Coffee Shoppe (Crazy Horse Saloon) |
| Flavored Coffees | |
Hot Chocolate
|
|
| Filled Holiday Muffins | |
| Christmas Cookies |
| Macho Nacho |
| M | Tamales w/One Side
|
| Texas "Big" Skillet |
| Cowboy Burritos | |
| Cowboy Nachos | |
| Grilled Steak Quesadillas | |
| Smoked Chicken Quesadillas | |
| Tortilla Dogs | |
| Hot Drinks |
| Epic Cones |
Fresh Cone Creations
|
| Casa de las Banderas |
| M | Tamales w/One Side
|
| Mexico Big Skillet |
Fajitas
|
|
| Fajita Nachos | |
| Quesadillas | |
| Holiday Drinks |
| German Roasted Nuts |
| Cinnamon-Coated Cashews, Pecans, & Peanuts |
| Coffee Kiosks (Two Star Mall Locations) |
| Flavored Coffees | |
Hot Chocolate
|
|
| Filled Holiday Muffins | |
| Christmas Cookies |
| Kettle Corn |
| Homemade Kettle Corn | |
| Baked Goods |
| Lone Star Nuts |
Chocolate-Covered & Roasted Cinnamon Nuts
|
|
| Brownie Pops | |
| Homemade Peanut Brittle | |
| Hot Chocolate |
| Roasted Corn |
| Roasted Corn | |
| Elote | |
| Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes w/Toppings |
| Street Tacos |
| Smoked BBQ Street Tacos | |
| Smoked Sausage w/BBQ Brisket Wraps | |
| Hot Drinks |
| M | Item is available as a meal on the Dining Pass. |
| S | Item is available as a snack on the Dining Pass. |
Holiday in the Park Media
Helpful Tips
| Diamond and Diamond Elite members receive one free s'mores kit during Holiday in the Park. These membership levels also receive priority entry to indoor entertainment options. |
| One highlight of Holiday in the Park is the abundance of specialty foods found throughout the park. Many outside vendors set up booths at the park and serve up homemade, delicious creations. Six Flags Over Texas also offers specialty foods during the event, many being available on the Dining Pass. A list of these food items can be found above. |
| Holiday in the Park operates on select dates from November 22 to December 29 during the 2019 season. A full calendar of operating hours can be found at the park's main website. |
| Merry Marketplace is one of the more immersive holiday activities found at Holiday in the Park. We highly recommend heading to the Texas section of the park to check out the multiple photo opportunities, specialty food items, entertainment options and more. A full look at what is offered inside Merry Marketplace can be found above. |
| Six Flags Over Texas adds a generous amount of Christmas lights throughout the park. Deep in the Heart of Christmas, located in Boomtown, provides over 8 miles of lighting. The park also has multiple locations for Christmas light shows, such as the Tree of Trees at the Silver Star Mall and Lone Star Lights in the Texas section near the Gold River Adventure entrance. |
In-Depth Tour of Merry Marketplace (2018)