The Woodlands Township counted more than 209,000 pathway trips on the main Holiday on The Waterway corridor during the 2025–2026 season, an increase of nearly 74% over the season before. Working backward, that means roughly 120,000 trips the year before. Over the same season, the free Town Center trolleys carried nearly 39,000 passenger trips.
The 2026 calendar reflects those numbers. It adds three new Friday nights, a new fleet of six trolleys, a presenting sponsor for the lights, and an opening stretch that fills three days in a row. If you live here, the season is still free and close to home. A good evening now depends on picking the right night and getting there without circling a garage.
The Numbers Behind the New Sponsor
On October 8, 2026, the Township named Entergy Texas presenting sponsor of the lights. Starting this season, the event is called "Holiday on The Waterway – Powered by Entergy." It stays free, with more than one million lights along the Waterway. Entergy Texas will also support Lighting of the Doves.
In the Township's announcement, Township Chairman Brad Bailey described the deal as a way to keep the event growing:
"Their support allows us to continue growing Holiday on The Waterway and creating an experience that families can enjoy together year after year."
The same release says the partnership will help the Township build on last season's momentum and keep the event free. With a 74% jump in foot traffic, adding more nights is how the event grows without packing more people onto the same paths.
The lights run nightly from Saturday, November 21, 2026, through Sunday, January 3, 2027. Visit The Woodlands lists illuminated bows and oversized gifts, light tunnels on the north side of the Waterway, snowflakes, icicles, deer and trees. Some of the smaller displays play music through their own speakers. The official event site describes a walkable light trail across the paths and bridges and links to a downloadable map.
Three Openings in Three Days
Most of the season's opening events fall on three days in a row. If you want a quieter visit, these are the dates to plan around.
- Thursday, November 19, 6 p.m. The annual Market Street tree lighting at 9595 Six Pines Drive, according to Community Impact's October events roundup.
- Friday, November 20. The Woodlands Ice Rink opens and runs through January 18, 2027. Two-hour sessions cost $15 per person age six and up and $7 for children five and under, with skate rental included.
- Saturday, November 21, 3 to 8 p.m. Lighting of the Doves at Town Green Park, 2099 Lake Robbins Drive. Santa arrives at 7 p.m., followed by the dove lighting and fireworks. The same evening is opening night for Holiday on The Waterway.
So on November 21, the biggest single event of the season and the first night of the lights happen within walking distance of each other. The Township Parks page lists live music by Cold Shot at 5 p.m. Some earlier time slots and the Festival Stage lineup are still marked "to be announced," and the page notes that times and entertainment may change. Check the Lighting of the Doves page the week of the event.
The New Friday Nights in December
Waterway Winter Nights is new this year. Visit The Woodlands calls it a sister event to Lighting of the Doves. It isn't a winter version of Waterway Nights, the spring and summer concert series the Township ran in 2025.
Here are the details from the event listing:
| Detail | 2026 plan |
|---|---|
| Dates | Fridays, December 4, 11 and 18 |
| Time | 7 to 9 p.m. |
| Location | Waterway Square, 31 Waterway Square Place |
| Cost | Free |
| Fireworks | Seven-minute show over the Waterway at 8:55 p.m., weather permitting |
| Food and drink | On-site vendors, including Sorriso Modern Italian Kitchen |
| Music | Popular hits and holiday favorites; performers not yet announced |
| Seating | Lawn chairs and blankets encouraged |
Lighting of the Doves packs its fireworks and Santa's arrival into one Saturday. Winter Nights repeats a fireworks finale on three Fridays in December, so you have three chances instead of one. It is also the easiest night to combine with the lights, since Waterway Square sits on the light corridor. The event page suggests walking the Holiday on The Waterway displays as part of the evening. Market Street adds one more December date: its Sing-Off is scheduled for Thursday, December 10, at 6:30 p.m.
Six New Trolleys, Unveiled November 7
The trolleys tie the season together. Last winter, the Township counted those 39,000 trolley rides during the holiday season alone, and the new fleet arrives just ahead of this one.
The Township will hold a Grand Trolley Reveal on Saturday, November 7, from 10 to 11 a.m. It takes place at the trolley boarding point along the southern edge of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, near the Waterway. Six new trolleys will debut with refreshed graphics and names that came from community submissions. The naming contest produced 20 winning submissions. A separate coloring contest recognized 12 winners across four age groups, from ages 0–3 to 12–15. If someone in your household entered, this is the morning to be there. The Town Center Trolley has run for almost 20 years.
The trolleys are free and run a loop in this order:
- Hughes Landing
- Riva Row Boat House
- Town Green Park
- Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
- Waterway Square
- The Woodlands Waterway Marriott
- The Woodlands Mall
- Market Street
- HEB
- Cinemark 17
- The Woodlands Tower
All three opening events sit on that loop: Market Street on Thursday, Town Green Park on Saturday, and Waterway Square for the lights and the December Fridays. The Township notes that the route can change for construction, traffic or special events.
Where the Trolley Schedule and the Lights Don't Line Up
The lights run nightly through the season, and the trolleys run on the Township's posted schedule:
- Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.
- No service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year's Day
Fridays and Saturdays line up well. On Winter Nights, the fireworks end around 9:02 p.m. and the trolleys keep running until 10. On November 21, Lighting of the Doves closes at 8 p.m., leaving two hours of trolley service to see the lights or get back to your car.
Sundays are tighter. Service ends at 7 p.m., not long after dark in late November and December, so a Sunday evening walk will probably mean driving and parking. The three holidays are the bigger gap. The trolleys are scheduled to stop on November 26, December 25 and January 1, even though the lights stay on. If you're planning a Thanksgiving or Christmas evening walk with family in town, plan to drive. The schedule page is undated, and no extended holiday hours have been posted, so check Woodlands Transit before relying on a late ride.
Parking
When the trolley isn't running, or isn't convenient, the official Holiday on The Waterway site recommends three places to park:
- Town Center Garage, 2005 Lake Robbins Drive. Visit The Woodlands lists it as paid parking for Pavilion and Town Green Park events.
- Waterway Square Garage, 1505 Lake Robbins Drive, closest to the Winter Nights stage.
- Orange Lot, 2204 Timberloch Place, which Visit The Woodlands' parking guide lists among the area's free lots.
For Lighting of the Doves, the Township designates several color-coded lots and a separate ADA parking area. Lot assignments can change before the event, so use the Township Parks event page the week of November 21 rather than last year's routine.
Choosing Your Nights
The busiest stretches are November 19 through 21 and the three December Fridays, and trolley service ends at 7 p.m. on Sundays. That leaves Monday through Thursday evenings between Thanksgiving and early January as the open stretch, with the lights on and the trolleys running until 9 p.m. The ice rink runs through January 18. The Waterway displays stay up through January 3, 2027.
If the holidays have you thinking about how much daily life in The Woodlands depends on being near Town Center, Property Collective Group can show you what that location is worth for your home today. Request Your Instant Home Valuation, and our team will follow up with the local context behind the number.
