Holiday News

New Dallas Christmas drive-thru takes over downtown parking garage

Drive-throughs are the hot trend for 2020.

Illustration courtesy of AAC

A new holiday event is coming to downtown Dallas-adjacent that is right in line with the times: a drive-through holiday display that will be completely covered.

Called Candy Cane Lane, it's a zero contact, family-friendly drive-through that will take place in what might seem at any other time an inglorious location, but not during these COVID-19 times: a parking garage at the American Airlines Center. Specifically, the Silver Garage.

It'll begin November 27 and run through December 26, every Friday and Saturday, and some Thursdays, with hourly start times from 6-9 pm.

A release calls it a multi-level visual Christmas attraction that will allow guests to celebrate the holidays in a touchless environment from the safety of their cars.

Each level will combine Christmas outdoor experiences that include:

vast array of holiday lights
classic holiday lantern characters
wonderland surprises around every corner.

Visitors can tune into a special playlist of holiday music to accompany the drive.

If this rings a bell, that's because American Airlines Center hosted a similar event in October for Halloween.

Unlike most of these drive-through events, Candy Cane Lane will be fully covered, which means it can take place rain or shine. The release promises that it's one of the few fully covered drive-throughs in Texas.

For an extra fee, you can get a photo opportunity with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. Each family stays in their vehicle but pops their head out to take a photograph, while Santa and Mrs. Claus are socially distant. Christmas 2020, you are a cold, bitter thing.

No buses, RVs, hayrides, or riding in the bed of a truck are allowed. You drive through at 5 mph or under with your headlights off and your running lights on.

Ticket prices are per vehicle and are on sale in limited quantities on the website at www.candycanelaneDFW.com. Depending on what night you attend, it's $35-$50 for General Admission, or $50-60 for VIP which includes the Santa pic. Checkin is in Lot E at the AAC.

The event was conceived by iHeartMedia Dallas/Fort Worth, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to North Texas Food Band and the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

"The holidays are a very special time of the year and we created Candy Cane Lane to be a safe and socially distanced option for Dallas/Fort Worth families to celebrate the season," says iHeartMedia region president Kelly Kibler says in a statement.

Drive-thrus are hands-down the hottest entertainment option of 2020; there's a full list here of all the holiday drive-thrus across Dallas-Fort Worth.

holidays trends

Soccer Championship

Register now for tickets for 2026 FIFA World Cup games in Arlington

Photo courtesy of CONCACAF

undefined

The application period for the first ticket draw for the FIFA World Cup 26 is set to open on September 10, but football/soccer fans can register now to get their hands on tickets to matches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and elsewhere.

Running June 11-July 29, the 2026 World Cup will feature games in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first time the international tournament has been played in more than one country since 2002 in South Korea and Japan.

This is also only the second time the U.S. has hosted the tournament; they hosted it solo in 1994. Mexico has hosted twice before, in 1970 and 1986, while Canada is hosting for the first time ever.

Most of the games will be played in the U.S., as it features 11 of the 16 match sites, including Arlington and Houston.

As participants in the tournament — which will number 48 for the first time, going up from 32 — are still being determined, individual game matchups have yet to be set.

AT&T Stadium is scheduled to host nine games over the course of the tournament, the most of any venue. That includes five group stage matches, two in the Round of 32, one in the Round of 16, and one of the two semi-final matches.

Fans can go to FIFA.com/tickets to register their interest and create a FIFA ID, the first phase in a multi-part process to get tickets. On September 10, those who are registered can use their IDs to apply for their first chance to buy tickets.

Although the price of single-game tickets is not yet known, hospitality packages offering premium seats, food & drink, and more amenities can be purchased now, starting at $1,350 per person.

The Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup 26 is set to take place in December, with teams assigned to specific match schedule fixtures, including venues and kick-off times, shortly thereafter.

There will be several distinct ticket sales phases all the way to the final match, and each phase may differ in purchasing processes, payment methods, and ticket products; full details on each phase will be released in the coming months.

arlington att stadium festivals soccer sports sports-fitness