Camp Director Lonnie Hanzon at ATTPAC’s Camp Christmas
These immersive experiences around town will make the holidays shimmer
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
The holidays are upon us, and there is no shortage of the season’s greetings around town. Tea services, stage productions, Hallmark movies and dining events can all add to your holiday joy.
Or you can go deeper into a more immersive and interactive experience filled with dazzling lights, hot cocoa and feel-good vibes and Instagram-ready sites. Driving around neighborhoods to look at lights is nice and all, but these grand installations will put you right in the middle of those lights. And they offer a lot more — like cocktails, drag queens, sweet treats and, best of all, some unforgettable memories.
Camp Christmas
This fully immersive art installation brings everything you love about the holiday season to the Annette Strauss Square at the ATT Performing Arts Center through Dec. 29.
Conceived by the fabulous Camp Director Lonnie Hanzon and his band of merry magic makers, this dreamscape will touch all your senses with its lighted displays, nostalgic sounds and scenes and cocktails and snacks at its Base Camp and Fairy Bar.
You can go on your own or try one of the Drag Camp Christmas tours. Book a queen-led tour on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:45 p.m., 8:15 p.m. or 9 p.m., with Raquel Blake, Kylee O’Hara or Cassie Nova as your tour guide for a whole different type of experience. ATTPAC.org/event/Drag-Winter-Wonderland
Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas
Choctaw Stadium in Arlington is home to this festive event co-produced by Enchant Christmas and Coca-Cola and running through Dec. 29. This event offers guests a number of activities to enjoy across a 55,000-square-foot space featuring the Larger-Than-Life Light Maze that includes light sculptures and interactive displays along with a Market Square, ice skating and the Classic Christmas Snow Slide.
Guests can also enjoy live entertainment, seasonal foods and beverages as well as a visit with Santa in his workshop. ClassicChristmas.com.
Dallas Zoo Lights
This year’s theme of “Once Upon a Wild Light” focuses on more than two million lights creating Visions of the Wild filled with diverse biomes from around the world in the 360-degree immersive wildlife experience and lit-up dinosaurs in DinoLand and the Dino Lumina: A Jurassic Adventure, a one-of-a-kind immersive projection experience, bringing the prehistoric world to life as guests roam with dinos.
What’s Christmas at the zoo without Santa? Dallas Zoo Lights also features Santa’s Holiday Storyland, live performances, holiday treats, animal-shaped lanterns and numerous photo ops through Jan. 4. DallasZoo.com.
Holiday at the Arboretum
This Dallas tradition returns with the grounds of the Arboretum transformed into a magical Christmas Village and the 12 Days of Christmas Gazebos through Jan. 5. This year’s celebration is of special significance because the Arboretum celebrates the 10th anniversary of The 12 Days of Christmas, the exhibit that started it all. Plus, it’s always romantic as hell for a cozy date night. DallasArboretum.org.
Ice, Lights & City Nights
The Omni Dallas offers magical experiences with this themed event, lasting through Jan. 5, that includes a brand new outdoor ice skating rink, a hot chocolate bar and a whimsical Santa-themed Presidential Suite as perhaps the destination for holiday cheer in Downtown Dallas. Skate beneath the glow of holiday lights and the skyline and then warm up at the Over-the-Top Hot Chocolate Bar, all on the Pegasus Lawn. Capture St. Nick strolling for selfies and photos on property. And snag a seasonal craft cocktail at Blitzen’s Bar along with a selection of Christmas cookies
Or just stay at the Omni in the Santa Suite that features an exclusive in-room milk and cookie delivery from Santa’s helpers and is complete with an over-the-top sweet treat amenity crafted by Omni Dallas’ pastry chef, Elizabeth Rodriguez and a $400 daily spending credit. OmniHotels.com/Hotels/Dallas.