Real. Texas. Holidays. is a round-up of the City of Mesquite’s festive, family-friendly events. Get in the holiday spirit with celebrations including everything from historic events with Father Christmas to a straight-out-of-a-movie tree lighting on the downtown square complete with gazebo. Enjoy hot cocoa and free pictures with Santa in the park and savor the sights and sounds of the season at the Mesquite Arts Center with holiday plays and music from our local symphony and band. Enjoy a hometown holiday like none other in the Rodeo Capitol of Texas with Real. Texas. Holidays!
Light Up the Corridor: Nov. 15-30. Shop in the Gus Thomasson Corridor (GTC), check out the holiday décor and then vote for the most festive storefront. Take pictures and tag with #ShopGTC. Watch for a social campaign will run on the City's Facebook and Instagram channels to cast your vote.
Christmas on the Square: Nov. 28 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Heritage Square, 111 Broad St. Get in the spirit with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Christmas in the historic heart of Mesquite. Starting at 5 p.m., enjoy photos with Santa, the gift market and food booths. Free hot cocoa and cookies (while supplies last). At 6 p.m., sing along to the “12 Days of Downtown Mesquite” and make memories as we light the community Christmas tree. Visit www.downtownmesquitetx.com/events for more information.
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play: Dec. 1-17 at Mesquite Arts Theatre, 1527 N. Galloway Ave. Based on a classic holiday movie with a clever twist – the story is staged as a live radio broadcast. Actors portray numerous characters, and sound effects are done by Foley artists. Main character George Bailey, a generous and well-meaning man, has become too downcast and tried to continue living. It will take help from a lovable angel to show George what life would be like if he wasn’t born for George to have a change of heart and understand the true spirit of the holidays. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, $20 per ticket for adults, $18 for children aged 6 and under and seniors over age 55. Visit www.mesquiteartstheatre.org for tickets and information.
Christmas in the Park: Dec. 2-3, 2-7 p.m. each day at Westlake Park, 600 Gross Road. Mesquite's largest annual holiday season event features free pictures with Santa for people and pets, free cocoa and cookies, marshmallow roasting, bounce houses, games, community performances, and a letter-writing station for notes to Santa with a special North Pole mailbox. New this year: Elf Town with two gingerbread houses and an Elf on the Shelf. Each evening concludes with a “Santa Send Off” complete with a fireworks finale. Admission and parking are free; concessions and some activities will have a cost. Visit www.cityofmesquite.com/ChristmasInThePark for information.
Christmas at the Ranch: Dec. 9, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Florence Ranch Homestead, 1424 Barnes Bridge Road. Take a trip back in time to Christmas of yesteryear. The Florence Ranch Homestead will be decorated for a traditional Christmas with real greenery and old-fashioned garlands. Lovely photo opportunities at the historic 1871 house and in the park are available during the event and throughout the holiday season. Visit www.historicmesquite.org for more information.
Mesquite Community Band’s Christmas Concert: Dec. 9 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Mesquite Arts Center, 1527 N. Galloway Ave. Delight your ears with “The Sounds of the Season.” All Mesquite Community Band concerts, including the annual holiday program, are free of charge and open to the public. Visit www.mesquiteartscenter.org for more information.
The Mesquite Symphony Orchestra: A Winter Celebration: Dec. 16 from 5-6:30 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m. at the Mesquite Arts Center, 1527 N Galloway Ave. The Mesquite Symphony Orchestra, joined by the Sunnyvale and Poteet High School Choirs, performs its annual holiday and winter celebration featuring John Williams' “Three Holiday Songs” from Home Alone, “A Musicological Journey Through the 12 Days of Christmas,” Coleridge-Taylor’s “Ballade,” and more. Visit www.mesquiteartscenter.org for information and tickets.
For more information, visit www.cityofmesquite.com/RealTexasHolidays.