Ambassador’s Corner: Trail of Lights
Hello Austin Fit Fam! You guessed it.. Nikki Zahka (@Fitwithnikk_) back again and this month I am so excited to share about my (many) experiences at Austin Trail of Lights and why you should make it a staple in your holiday festivities too! The Trail of Lights illuminates Zilker park every year with more than 2 million lights, 90 lighted holiday trees, and more than 70 other holiday displays and lighted tunnels. This is going to be a very special year celebrating 60 years! December 10th kicks off the Grand Opening night and is open through December 23rd, go grab your tickets online now – you will not want to miss it.
Before getting into a little history and how this year specifically will be special, I am happy to dedicate this Ambassadors corner to I Live Here I Give here. Supporting 750+ local nonprofits organizations, I Live Here I Give Here has produced year-round programs and activities that actively engage and empower individuals, companies, nonprofits, and foundations to be more generous and contribute to a more equitable community for all.
Nikki’s chosen nonprofit: I live here I Give Here
Every contribution can make a big difference for our community! Donate Here.
Austin Trail of Lights began 60 years ago, in 1965, as “Yule Fest” which was a small gathering by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and has grown every year since. Today, the Austin Trail of Lights is one of the three largest events in Austin and continues to receive national accolades such as the ‘Best Holiday Lights Display in the Nation’ by US News & World Report, nominated as the ‘’Best Public Holiday Lights Display for five years in a row by USA Today’s 10 Best, and received the Austin Chronicle’s ‘Best of Austin Award for Family Festival’.
The Trail of Lights is powered by H-E-B and The Trail of Lights Foundation which is an independent non-profit corporation dedicated to producing and maintaining the Austin Trail of Lights as an authentically Austin community celebration. The organization raises funds from donations by individuals and the business community to produce and ensure the long-term sustainability of Austin Trail of Lights. The annual display draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from Central Texas and around the world. Upholding its tradition, and continuing to give back to the community, the Trail offers private nights with complimentary entry through the STARS at the Trail program, benefiting over 40 nonprofit partners. Additionally, it distributes thousands of passes to eligible families within the Austin Independent School District, provided more than 35,000 visits with Santa from their partnership with Ascension Texas/Dell Children’s since 2017 alone, spent three years helping Chuy’s raise funds and toy donations for Operation Blue Santa, and hosted 75-100 community acts and local musicians each year.
What began as a small gathering, the Trail has hosted an estimated 1.5 MILLION+ visitors free of charge over the last twelve years alone (imagine over the total 60 years). The Trail continues to give back to the community in a tremendous way year after year. They have provided access to 101 local non-profit organizations and 17,716 constituents through the events’ STARS Program, given special access to over 13,000 Veterans, active military, and first responders, given away more than 583,000 books through its partnership with HEB’s Read3 Initiative distributed 5,000 tickets per year to Austin Independent School District, and hosted over 60,000 Fun Runner registrants that support the overall Trail operations and ensure that seven of the fourteen nights continue to have free general admission.
There are tickets available for purchase based on your chosen date and time with select weekdays where entry is complimentary. I highly recommend checking out the calendar for specific events on their website before choosing a night. As an example, University of Texas fans should mark December 11th for UT Night, and for all my fitness lovers out there the Trail of Lights opens early for their annual “Fun Run” on Saturday December 7th. The Fun Run is about two miles, starting at the Zilker Holiday Tree near Barton Springs Pool, moving through the colorful lights and festive displays of Austin’s beloved Trail of Lights, and ends with a finish line festival and expo for a fun after party!
The actual Trail of Lights itself spans 1.25 miles, but with additional activities, expect to walk a mile or so further including checking out the vendors at the end of the trail and walking from parking areas. The entire experience is estimated to take around 1 hour, and is located close by to some amazing Austin Restaurant and bar staples on Barton Springs Road if you want to extend the fun!
If you are interested in giving back to the community and keeping this amazing tradition going strong, there are plenty of ways to get involved and volunteer. Descriptions of the varying volunteer opportunities each night can be found here. To get started on one of the volunteer opportunities, Create a volunteer profile here and then you are able to sign up in the “Opportunities calendar”. Looking for a holiday team building opportunity? Claim a night for your group to volunteer at the Trail! Contact volunteer@austintrailoflights.org for more information.
I have personally loved attending the Trail of Lights every year since I moved to Austin back in 2017 and already have my night there planned again this year. There is no better way to get in the Holiday spirit then walking through all the lights and displays with your loved ones with some hot chocolate and Holiday treats while supporting the community and local talent! I truly hope to see you all there!
