What Changed Around Southlake Town Square Since Last Year's Holiday Lights

The path at McPherson Park, 1297 Division St., is a lake loop of about a third of a mile. Starting November 21 it will run under light tunnels, past glowing gift boxes and a giant polar bear sculpture. It opens at 5 p.m. and stays lit until 10 every night through January 3, 2027. Admission is free. Food vendors set up on Fridays and Saturdays.

This is the trail's second season. Last year Southlake introduced Holiday of Lights as a new feature of Home for the Holidays, and Community Impact reported that Lauren Kimberly, festivals and events coordinator for the city's Economic Development and Tourism office, presented it to City Council on November 18, 2025. Because it's back, Southlake's holiday season now lasts 44 nights. It used to center on one Saturday at the tree. And over six weeks of evenings, the stores and dinner tables between the tree and the trail matter much more than they did when the season was one big night.

Year two of the McPherson Park loop

Not much changed between the first season and this one. The calendar moved back by a day.

Both years, the trail opens the same night as the tree lighting, and that's the key fact for planning. Visit Southlake lists the Holiday of Lights for every day of its run. So it's open on Thanksgiving, on weeknights when Town Square is quiet, and through New Year's weekend. The Square's own holiday programming runs on a much narrower schedule.

November 21 starts both

Home for the Holidays is Saturday, November 21, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 1400 E. Southlake Blvd. Visit Southlake describes it as an annual event held the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The tree lighting page puts the lighting at 6 p.m., followed by fireworks. The 6 p.m. time is the same as last year, when the event fell on November 22.

The evening includes a three-lane snow hill, local school groups performing on stage and photos with Santa. Visit Southlake lists all of them as free activities. Parking in Town Square is free that night in both garages:

• East Garage: 1451 Federal Way
• West Garage: 351 State Street

The trail opens at 5 p.m., an hour before the tree is lit, and closes at 10, ninety minutes after the Square's program ends. That leaves time to walk to the lake before or after the crowd at the tree.

Santa's schedule has gaps. The trail's doesn't.

After opening night, Santa's Village moves to the Rustin Pavilion on a posted schedule that ends at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve. On the event night, photos with Santa are listed among the free activities. For the rest of the season, Southlake Town Square lists prices starting at $19.99.

The schedule follows a pattern:

• Thanksgiving week: open November 22 through 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Thanksgiving Day, then open longer, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., on November 27 and 28.
• Early December weeknights: mostly 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., with no hours posted for November 30 through December 3 or for December 9 and 10.
• Saturdays and Sundays: 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
• The final stretch: open daily from December 17 through 23, mostly 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Santa takes a milk-and-cookie break from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. most days. On Christmas Eve the break is 2 to 2:30 p.m.

On the open-ended days, December evenings at the Square end around 7:30. The lights trail stays open until 10 every night, including the early-December nights when the pavilion has no hours posted. If you're planning an evening around those dates, plan it around the lake. Thanksgiving Day works the same way. Santa's Village is closed, and Town Square's calendar lists a Thanksgiving Brunch at Ferah Tex Med Kitchen that day.

The storefronts on the walk have changed

Over six weeks of repeat visits, the blocks between the garages, the tree and Division Street get far more foot traffic than they did on a single Saturday. Several of those addresses look different from last December.

Ascension Coffee opened October 9 at 100 State St., in the former Corner Bakery space. Southlake Style reported that it serves specialty coffee and all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch. That gives the Square a sit-down coffee stop for the afternoon hours before Santa's Village opens and the trail lights up.

The retail map has changed too:

• 181 Grand Ave. Nike's Town Square store closed, according to Southlake Style's August report. American Eagle Outfitters has been announced for the space, and Town Square's store directory lists it as "Opening Soon."
• Main Street. LOFT is coming back to Town Square in the former Eddie Bauer space. L'Occitane en Provence moved from 1428 Civic Place to 1251 Main Street.
• 415 Grand Ave. East. This is the site of ON Running's planned store, which the Star-Telegram reported in April. Town Square scheduled ON Running hiring interviews for November 5 and 6.

For holiday shopping, the main retail date is Saturday, December 5. Holly Jolly Sip & Shop runs that morning, with VIP access from 9 a.m. to noon and general admission from 10 a.m. to noon. Guests get a themed event map and a mimosa pass for tastings at participating retailers, along with retail discounts and photo backdrops. VIP ticket holders get early access to the shops, a gift bag and a lounge at Park Place with light brunch bites. Tickets are reserved in advance. That same weekend, Santa's Village is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and the trail opens at 5 p.m., so one day can include all three.

Dinner after the lights is moving to Park Village

The season ends at night, so where to eat afterward matters. The biggest dining news this fall is a short drive east of the Square, at Park Village.

Hudson House opened September 14 at 1131 E. Southlake Blvd., in the former RA Sushi space next to Gloria's. Southlake Style described the roughly 5,000-square-foot restaurant as having leather booths, a wraparound bar, a sit-down raw bar and a patio. The menu centers on seafood, sushi and American classics, and the signature "World's Coldest Martini" is served on tap at 10 degrees. Southlake is the Vandelay Companies restaurant's 12th location, almost ten years after the original opened in Highland Park. This is its first holiday season here.

Two doors down, Maman is planned for 1161 E. Southlake Blvd., with opening expected in early 2027, according to Southlake Style. Farther along Southlake Boulevard, Barry's fitness studio is set for 1081 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 170, which Community Impact reported in late October. On State Highway 114, Lupe Tortilla is aiming to open in early 2027 in the former Buca di Beppo space at 2701 E. State Highway 114. Its updated schedule was shared at the October 6 City Council meeting.

Maman and Lupe Tortilla are both scheduled after the season ends, so this year's holiday dinner choices around the Square are close to final. One holiday evening might look like this: Ascension Coffee in the afternoon, Santa at the Rustin Pavilion, the McPherson Park loop after dark, then Park Village for dinner. All of those stops are open on the weekends of December 5 and 12.

If you're thinking about when to list a home near Town Square this winter, or wondering how a six-week holiday season affects showings on these blocks, Julie Gray knows these weekends and is glad to talk it through. Let's Connect.