EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso’s beloved WinterFest is gearing up for its 10th anniversary with an array of expanded festivities, promising more lights, music, and family fun.

The event kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Downtown El Paso and will run through Jan. 4, 2026.

Organized by the City of El Paso Parks and Recreation Department, preparations for the event are already underway as crews began decorating San Jacinto Plaza on Friday.

The San Jacinto Plaza will sparkle nightly with over 1 million lights, a 55-foot holiday tree, and oversized decorations, with lights shining from 5 to 11 p.m. daily.

For a decade, WinterFest has brought families and visitors together to celebrate the holiday season.

This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary, the event will feature six weeks of dazzling displays, live entertainment, and festive performances.

Opening day festivities begin at noon on Nov. 22 with The Rink at WinterFest, sponsored by GECU, followed by The Market at WinterFest and the Holiday Food Village at 2 p.m.

The Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at 6 p.m., with the Scherr Legate Lights Parade, sponsored by the Scherr Legate Law Firm, immediately after.

The parade will feature Santa Claus’s first appearance of the season, more than 70 illuminated floats, marching bands, and dance groups along a one-mile downtown route.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate 10 wonderful years of WinterFest — a decade of lights, laughter, and togetherness,” Jim Scherr and Sam Legate, partners at the Scherr Legate Law Firm, said. “From our family to yours, Happy 10th Anniversary, El Paso!”

Featured attractions include The Rink at WinterFest for family-friendly skating at the Convention Center Plaza, Holiday Fiestas with weekend performances by local artists, photos with Santa, and free holiday film screenings at the Plaza Theatre and El Paso Museum of Art.

Additional programming will occur at the El Paso Public Libraries and the El Paso Streetcar.

RECOMMENDED: El Paso’s WinterFest nominated for Newsweek’s Best Christmas Market 2026

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