Holiday Tree Lighting

Fairmont Austin is hosting its annual holiday tree lighting on Monday, December 1, in downtown Austin. It's a complimentary event, and the whole evening is built around a few different things happening throughout the night rather than one single start time. The tree lighting itself runs from 6 PM to 8:30 PM, so you've got a wide window to catch it whenever you can make it downtown.

If you're bringing kids, the photos with Santa start a little later, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. And if you want to get a drink in you before the main event, there's an Ugly Sweater Pop-Up Bar open from 5 PM to 6 PM. Between those three, you can pretty much build your own evening: start with a drink, watch the tree light up, and then get the photo with Santa, or just drop in for one part and head home.

There's a charitable side to the night, too. The event benefits Dell Children's Medical Center, and guests are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy donation for Dell Children's Holiday Village. It's a good excuse to get your holiday shopping started a bit early and put something toward the toy drive while you're there. Along with the lighting and the photos, the evening includes holiday previews, so you'll get a first look at what the hotel has planned for the rest of the season.

To recap the timing: the Ugly Sweater Pop-Up Bar is 5 PM to 6 PM, the tree lighting is 6 PM to 8:30 PM, and photos with Santa run from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Admission is complimentary.