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

Big Tex Wrap-Up

State Fair of Texas bounces back with 2.1 million attendees in 2026

Crowds around Big Tex at 2026 State Fair of Texas

Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

Almost 2.1 people attended the 2026 State Fair of Texas, up from 2025.

After experiencing its lowest total attendance numbers in seven years in 2025, the State Fair of Texas bounced back in 2026, welcoming nearly 2.1 million visitors, according to an official release.

That represents a slight bump up from the 2,020,064 that came through the gates in 2025. Both numbers are still down significantly from the highs of 2019 and 2022, when more than 2.5 million people attended the State Fair.

The uptick in attendance could be attributed to the concerted effort to make the Fair more affordable this year, including lowering ticket prices, making games and rides cheaper, expanding days for free student tickets, and offering a free day of parking.

As usual, the busiest day of the State Fair was Saturday, October 10, the date of the annual Texas-Oklahoma football game, with more than 203,000 fairgoers in attendance, including the 92,100 fans in the Cotton Bowl.

The average attendance for the other 23 days of the fair was around 82,500.

“We are grateful to every fairgoer who joined us this year, as well as the team members, vendors, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this season possible," said State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber in a statement. "As a nonprofit organization, a successful Fair helps fuel our work throughout the year, and we are proud of the impact we continue to make through agriculture, education, and community.”

Other notable numbers from the 2026 State Fair of Texas include:

An all-new look for Big Tex, standing 55 feet tall, sporting a 95-gallon Resistol cowboy hat, a Cavender’s shirt measuring 245 by 192 inches, Levi’s 501 jeans measuring 380 inches wide by 290 inches long, size 96 Lucchese boots, and a Shiner belt buckle.
The unveiling of an official State of Texas Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission for Big Tex, honoring his enduring legacy as a beloved Texas icon and symbol of State Fair tradition.
An estimated 110,655 pounds of food were collected and donated to the North Texas Food Bank.
More than 28,600 members of the military and their families visited the Fair over 24 days, utilizing the special discount offer in gratitude for their service.
Approximately 500,000 prizes, valued at an estimated $1.8 million, were won at the State Fair Midway, enough stuffed animals and prizes to fill approximately 90 semi-trucks.
Approximately 450,000 Fletcher’s Original Corny Dogs were enjoyed by fairgoers.
The State Fair of Texas is estimated to generate more than $600 million in economic activity each year, serving as one of the most impactful annual events in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

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