Austin's Iconic Holiday Festival Returns to Zilker Park, December 10-23, 2025

 AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Trail of Lights Foundation announced today that tickets for the 61st Annual Austin Trail of Lights, powered by H-E-B, are now available online at www.austintrailoflights.org. This beloved holiday tradition, the longest-running event of its kind in Texas' capital city, will take place from Wednesday, December 10, to Tuesday, December 23. In keeping with tradition, General Admission remains free to the public for seven of the fourteen nights, ensuring that everyone can experience the magic of this festive celebration.

Austin's iconic holiday festival, the Austin Trail of Lights, returns to Zilker Park, December 10-23, 2025

Downtown Holiday Zilker Park in Austin, TX

Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Christmas Lights Displays, the Austin Trail of Lights has become a beloved attraction for many. What began in 1965 as a small gathering around a yule log has evolved into a dazzling display featuring over 2 million lights, 96 illuminated trees, and more than 70 festive displays and lighted tunnels throughout the park.

Guests can explore the 2025 Austin Trail of Lights event calendar and make plans now for free entry (Dec.10-12 and Dec.15-18) or for nights which require a ticket fee (Dec.13-14 and Dec.19-23). Other optional experiences such as the Fun Run, Night Lights Preview Party and limited premium tickets are available. Proceeds from optional experiences support Trail operations, the STARS non-profit access program, free community entertainment performance opportunities, and free General Admission nights for an estimated 120,000 annually.

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Operating entirely with support from sponsors, donations, and funds from ticket sales, the Austin Trail of Lights, in partnership with the City of Austin, would like to recognize long-time title sponsor H-E-B. Additional anchor partners include Ascension / Dell Children's, Vista Equity Partners, KXAN, Coca-Cola, Thomas J. Henry, Stonegate Pharmacy, Raising Cane's, Perry Homes, Keller Williams Realty, Inc., Northern Trust, Austin Parks Foundation, Broadway Bank, Austin Convention Center Department, Lori & Tito Beveridge, Samsung Austin Semiconductors, FVF Law Firm, Hat Creek, Koehler Family, TK Injury Lawyers and Watkins Insurance.

For general information on the 2025 Austin Trail of Lights, visit austintrailoflights.org, or follow on Facebook, @austintrailoflights, or on Instagram, @ATXLights.

About the Trail of Lights Foundation

The Trail of Lights Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation dedicated to producing and maintaining the Austin Trail of Lights as an authentically Austin community celebration. The single-purpose entity raises funds through donations by individuals, businesses and through events like the Fun Run to ensure the event remains accessible to the entire community and supports the STARS program which has served over 20,000 community members via their non-profits groups. Since 2012, the event has also provided maintenance and upkeep of the historic displays at the event. The holiday tradition is curated in close conjunction with its long-time partner, Forefront Networks. The Austin Trail of Lights has been one of the top three most-attended events in Austin since the Trail of Lights Foundation adopted the event in 2012.

SOURCE Austin Trail of Lights / PRNewswire 

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Real Christmas Tree Growers Provide a Market Outlook

Fourth Annual Survey of Real Christmas Tree Growers Provides a Market Outlook with Steady Wholesale Prices

As an agricultural commodity under the USMCA, Canadian-produced real Christmas trees are currently exempt from tariffs.

HOWELL, Mich., Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth consecutive year, wholesale growers of real Christmas trees are offering a glimpse into what's ahead for the holiday season. The outlook is filled with holiday cheer: they expect steady demand, consistent supply, and largely unchanged wholesale prices.

That's according to the Real Christmas Tree Board's annual survey1 of 43 wholesale growers, representing about half-to-two-thirds of the United States' real Christmas tree market.

Wholesale pricing remains largely unchanged

Of the wholesale growers surveyed, 84% said they do not plan to raise wholesale prices for the upcoming season, including those who may lower prices. While the price that a consumer will pay varies and is set by retailers, in a 2024 holiday consumer survey, 90% of respondents who purchased a real Christmas tree said the price they paid was worth it.2

"Growers are prepared, supply is strong, and most are holding wholesale prices steady this year," said Marsha Gray, Executive Director of the Real Christmas Tree Board. "This reflects the consistency of the real Christmas tree industry and the commitment of growers to ensuring that there's a real Christmas tree for everyone who wants one."

While 42% of growers estimate input costs have gone up by up to 5%, the increase mirrors the year-over-year change they experienced during the 2024 season and is not set to impact wholesale prices. Growers appear to be largely absorbing increases rather than passing them along to retailers.

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Growers are confident about supply and demand

Consumers can expect a reliable supply and plenty of options to find the tree that is right for them. The industry didn't run out of trees last year or any year before that.

Nearly 8 in 10 growers (79%) expect to sell the same number of trees or more compared to last year, with 32% saying they expect to sell more trees in 2025 than they did in 2024. Of the growers surveyed, 65% expect to sell all the trees they plan to harvest.

Real Christmas trees are easy to find at seasonal lots, choose and cut farms, big box stores, and garden centers nationwide. During the 2024 holiday season, 91% of those surveyed said they had no issue locating a place nearby to purchase a tree and 89% found the tree they wanted at the first place they went.

"A real Christmas tree is so much more than a Christmas decoration," said Gray. "Our customers create lasting memories with family and friends while heading out to select their tree and enjoy the scent that will fill their home all season."

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

1 About the Grower Survey: The Real Christmas Tree Board, in conjunction with FleishmanHillard, fielded a survey of 43 wholesale growers of real Christmas trees across the U.S. Each of the responding growers conducts business in one or more of the following regions: Northwest, West, Southwest, Mid-West, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast. Combined, the respondents supply half-to-two-thirds of the country's real Christmas trees. The survey was fielded in August 2025; last year, the survey was fielded among 45 wholesale growers in August 2024.  

2 About the Post-Season Consumer Survey: TRUE Global Intelligence (TGI), the in-house research practice of FleishmanHillard, fielded a survey of 1,500 Americans adults ages 21 to 54 years. All survey respondents either celebrate/observe Christmas or display a Christmas tree. Respondents were required to either decide or share in the decision of whether and what kind of Christmas tree to put up in their home each year or influence their home's decisionmaker. The survey was fielded from December 21, 2024 to December 30, 2024. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.5% and higher for subgroups.

TRUST THOSE WHO GROW AND KNOW

The Real Christmas Tree Board (RCTB) is the media's expert resource for insights about farm-grown Christmas trees. Chartered in 2015 as the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and renamed in 2022, it is a national research and promotion program whose mission is to share the benefits of fresh Christmas trees with consumers through promotion and public relations, while engaging in research to better serve customers and growers. The USDA provides oversight of the RCTB to ensure transparency, accuracy, and fairness in its communications. The RCTB provides the media and public with accurate information, added insights, and the latest news and inspiration for the season. It represents real Christmas trees sold in the United States and is supported through annual assessments paid by any business growing or importing 500 or more real Christmas trees. This press release was developed and distributed by the RCTB. Search "Real Christmas Tree Board" online and visit RealChristmasTreeBoard.com. 

National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), founded in 1955, is the national trade association and advocacy organization for the farm-grown Christmas tree industry, leading its public policy/governmental affairs and serving as the "voice of the industry." NCTA represents hundreds of active member farms, 38 state and regional associations, and thousands of affiliated businesses that grow and sell Christmas trees or provide related services. Each year since 1966, an NCTA member has presented the official White House Christmas tree to the First Lady, which is displayed in the Blue Room. NCTA is also a trusted media resource on farm-grown Christmas trees.

Please note …

American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA) does not represent real Christmas trees or growers. It is a 501(c)(3) corporation established in 2009 and has no known members representing the real Christmas tree industry. Thomas Harman3 is CEO of ACTA and is also the founder and CEO of Balsam Hill, a seller of artificial Christmas trees.4 The majority of artificial Christmas trees are manufactured overseas.5 

3 https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/352342528_201912_990EO_2021042017972245.pdf

4 https://www.balsamhill.com/about-us

5 Data pulled from the U.S. Census Bureau's International Trade in Goods and Services report https://usatrade.census.gov 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Newsroom@RealChristmasTreeBoard.com

SOURCE Real Christmas Tree Board / PRNewswire

Great American Christmas Year Five Kicks Off On 10/10/25!

Beloved Program Event Returns to Great American Family and GFAM+, October 10, Streams Exclusively on Great American Pure Flix, Beginning October 16.

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Great American Media is celebrating the five-year milestone of its beloved franchise, Great American Christmas. The celebration begins October 10 on Great American Family and GFAM+, and streams on Great American Pure Flix starting October 16, bringing the joy, warmth, and wonder of the season to viewers everywhere.

The “Queen of Christmas,” Candace Cameron Bure and Mario Lopez announce Great American Christmas 2025 returns October 10 on Great American Family and GFAM+, and streams exclusively on Great American Pure Flix beginning October 16. Joined by Great American Media family of stars Danica McKellar, Jill Wagner, Christopher Russell, Cindy Busby, Trevor Donovan, Jillian Murray, and many more, Great American Christmas celebrates its 5th anniversary of peace, love, faith, hope, and joy. Christmas as it is meant to be!

Since its 2021 debut, Great American Christmas has built one of the premiere holiday film libraries in the world. With a slate of high-quality, original movies that showcases beloved stars and compelling new talent, the franchise has quickly established a reputation for excellence. These films are not just festive entertainment; they are timeless stories — setting a new benchmark for holiday programming. Talent including Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Mario Lopez, Cameron Mathison, Jill Wagner, Trevor Donovan, Jillian Murray, Cindy Busby, Christopher Russell, Jesse Hutch, Jonathan Stoddard, Brittany Underwood, and many others, have become synonymous with the company's mission to create timeless films grounded in faith, family, love, hope, and joy: Christmas as it is meant to be.

"Just as familiar carols welcome the season each year, Great American Christmas has become a cherished tradition for our viewers," said Bill Abbott, President & CEO, Great American Media. "As we celebrate year five, we honor the stars and fans whose passion for faith and family-rooted storytelling makes Great American Christmas unlike any other holiday offering" Abbott concluded.

Great American Christmas 2025 will present the most spectacular lineup yet, premiering new original films, welcoming back beloved favorites, and featuring festive specials that honor five unforgettable years of Great American Christmas. The entire slate and premiere dates will be released soon. Great American Christmas kicks off year FIVE on 10/10/25!

SOURCE Great American Media / PRNewswire

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