Holiday news

Dallas' tallest indoor Christmas tree adds 215,000 LED lights for spectacular new sparkle

The old 95-feet tall Christmas tree is getting some modern upgrades.

Photo courtesy of Galleria Dallas

Galleria Dallas promises it'll be merrier and brighter than ever before for the 2023 holiday season, thanks to some modern updates to its iconic Christmas tree.

According to a release, the 95-foot tree in the middle of the ice rink is getting a makeover that will include new branches, LED lighting, and the ability to play animated light shows. An Italian company called Twinkly is overseeing the tree's redesign, which "by the numbers" will include:

850 new, fuller branches.
215,000 points of light featuring new LED lighting.
more than 15,000 ornaments.
a 100-pound, 10-foot-tall LED star.

"This will be the tallest tree Twinkly, an Italian company best known for residential holiday lighting, has ever illuminated," says the release. (No pressure, Twinkly signore e signori, but this is touted as America's largest indoor Christmas tree!)

Installation will begin November 5 and finish for a grand unveiling on the evening of November 9, they say - plenty of time to play with the lights and get them in working order for Santa's big arrival on November 17.

"Galleria Dallas is proud to offer the area’s most technologically advanced Santa experience, where families board a magical train, seeing the sights as they move from Dallas to the North Pole, and Santa knows what kids want under the tree on Christmas morning," says the release. "This year, there will be designated times for Santa Paws, Santa Cares, and Spanish-speaking Santa. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made online beginning October 1."

Along with Santa, the Galleria's popular Snowday immersive experience will arrive on November 17. For the first time this year, it'll actually snow.

"Guests will feel the flakes in the secret town where Santa’s elves live, and guests will explore nearly 10,000 square feet of Hollywood-grade sets and styling creating some of the elves’ favorite places, along with state-of-the-art, touch-free photo technology, which has been installed in even more vignettes this year," they say.

Among the new Instagrammy sections will be a gingerbread room and a space shuttle.

As usual, holiday festivities will really rev up on Black Friday (November 24) with the Grand Tree Lighting Celebration on the ice rink, featuring Olympic figure skaters and a fireworks finale starring Missile Toes, the famed ice-skating Santa. (The celebration will repeat at 12 pm November 25.)

Hanukkah will be celebrated on its first night, December 7, with a Menorah lighting led by Rabbi Andrew Paley from Temple Shalom, along with a performance by Kol Shalom, Temple Shalom’s youth choir. Delicious Sufganiyots will be served.

Throughout the holiday season, events both festive and charitable will take place daily, from the Salvation Army Angel Tree to Storytime with Mrs. Claus. To keep up, visit a complete schedule of holiday events at GalleriaDallas.com/holiday, available October 1.

Christmas Galleria Tree shopping holidays

FIFA in on the big screen

Dallas' Klyde Warren Park turns into free World Cup watch party hub

Photo courtesy of Klyde Warren Park

Klyde Warren Park will host free watch parties for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Dallas' Klyde Warren Park is set to become one big watch party for 2026 FIFA World Cup. The park will host free public viewing events for nearly the entire tournament, showing dozens of matches on a giant outdoor LED screen in the heart of downtown Dallas.

According to a release, the park's "Global Watch Parties" will run from June 11-July 19, turning the 5.4-acre green space into a gathering spot for both devoted soccer fans and those who just want to experience the excitement of the tournament with others.

The watch parties will be free to attend and are expected to draw thousands of local residents and international visitors. Matches will be broadcast live from FOX and Telemundo in both English and Spanish. The park's viewing schedule can be found here.

Games will be shown every day of the tournament except Saturday, July 4 and designated tournament "rest" days on July 8, 12, 13, 16, and 17. Programming could begin as early as 6 am and continue until 10 pm, according to the release.

In addition to the matches themselves, visitors can expect food trucks, dining options, live music, fitness classes, family activities, public art installations, and appearances by local soccer organizations and community partners.

On weekends, Olive Street between the east and west sides of the park will be converted into a pedestrian plaza to improve access and accommodate larger crowds, organizers say.

“Klyde Warren Park has always been Dallas’ town square — a place where people from every neighborhood, background and culture come together to celebrate the moments that define our city,” says Kit Sawers, president and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, in the release. “The FIFA World Cup will bring the world to North Texas, and we’re proud to provide a free, welcoming space where fans and families can experience the excitement together in the heart of Dallas.”

Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch games from the lawn, while surrounding restaurants and food vendors will help create a festival atmosphere throughout the tournament.

The schedule overlaps with Klyde Warren Park's annual Independence Day celebration (including the fireworks) on July 4, adding another major event to a busy summer in Dallas.

“These watch parties extend the World Cup experience far beyond the stadium,” Sawers says. “Whether you have match tickets or not, this gives everyone an opportunity to be part of the energy, pride and global connection that comes with hosting one of the world’s biggest sporting events.”

Nine FIFA World Cup matches (more than in any other host city) will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, dubbed "Dallas Stadium," for the tournament. They will start with Netherlands vs. Japan on June 14, followed by England vs. Croatia on June 17, Argentina vs. Austria on June 22, Japan vs. Sweden on June 25, and Jordan vs. Argentina on June 27.

The stadium will also host two Round of 32 matches (June 30 and July 3), one Round of 16 match (July 6), and one Semi-Final match (July 14).

Early estimates said Dallas-Fort Worth could welcome nearly 4 million visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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