Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year. In Lago Vista, the first Christmas market opens five days earlier, on Saturday, November 21, at St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake on Lohman Ford Road. The pumpkin patch across from Lago Vista High School closes for the season six days before that. On the north shore, fall turns into the holidays in about a week, and a church, a brewery and the city golf course carry most of the season between them.
Below is the calendar from this weekend through mid-December, in date order, so you can see where each event leads into the next.
Three weekends left at the pumpkin patch
The City's Hill Country Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch has been open since October 1 at 5300 Lohman Ford Road, across from Lago Vista High School. It runs through November 15, and it's only open Friday through Sunday.
As of this Thursday, October 29, that leaves three weekends:
- October 30 to November 1, Halloween weekend
- November 6 to 8
- November 13 to 15, closing weekend
Friday hours are noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The City lists pumpkins, tractor-train rides, a maze, games and local food. For weather calls and day-of updates, the City sends people to the festival's Facebook page.
Halloween is a Saturday this year, so the patch's full 10-to-7 day falls on the holiday itself. If you have small kids, the Lago Vista Public Library is also hosting a Halloween Musical and Bubbles Extravaganza with Staci Gray that morning, from 11 a.m. to noon in the library meeting room. The library show ends at noon and the patch is open all day, so you can do both.
The first week of November is for grown-ups
After Halloween, the calendar turns to adult evenings and community clubs for a while.
On Thursday, November 5, the Lago Vista Women's Club hosts Game Night: Mix & Mingle from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the K-Oaks Clubhouse, 7000 Bar-K Ranch Road. Earlier that same morning, the City's Economic Development Department holds a Business Roundtable from 9 to 10 a.m. in Council Chambers at 5803 Thunderbird Street. The speaker is Kelly Purkey, manager of the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. If you own a business here or you're curious about the refuge on Lago Vista's edge, it's a short morning.
On Tuesday, November 10, the Women's Club holds its November luncheon and Thanksgiving raffle from noon to 1 p.m. The City's notice doesn't give a venue, so check with the club before you go.
The next day, Wednesday, November 11, the City calendar shows city offices closed for Veterans Day. Any City Hall errands should happen earlier in the week.
Friday, November 13 is the busiest night of the fall
Two of the season's anchors overlap on this Friday. It's the last Friday of the pumpkin patch, open noon to 7 p.m. Then from 5:30 to 8 p.m., the City shows The Goonies for Movies on the Green at Lago Vista Golf Course.
A family could pick a pumpkin in the afternoon and be at the golf course before the movie starts. After that weekend, the fall part of the calendar is over.
The handoff: November 15 to November 21
This stretch explains why the holidays come early here. The patch closes Sunday, November 15. Six days later, on Saturday, November 21, St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake holds Christmas in November from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 6100 Lohman Ford Road.
The festival grounds at 5300 Lohman Ford Road and the church at 6100 Lohman Ford Road are on the same corridor. Within one week, the main seasonal stop on that road goes from pumpkins to Christmas. Because the church holds its market the Saturday before Thanksgiving, it's the first holiday shopping stop on Lago Vista's calendar, ahead of the Black Friday weekend crowds.
Thanksgiving weekend ends at the brewery
The next holiday market comes right after Thanksgiving. On Sunday, November 29, Lago Vista Brewing Company hosts its Christmas Artisan Market from 1 to 6 p.m. The brewery lists local vendors, Santa from 2 to 5 p.m. and the Schnitzel Wagon for food.
Coming three days after Thanksgiving, it works well for out-of-town guests who are staying through the weekend. The Santa hours fall in the middle of the afternoon, so you can plan photos without waiting until December.
The market is a special event, but the brewery has a steady weekly schedule too, and it keeps going all season. Its events page lists:
| Day | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Trivia | 6 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday | Music Bingo | 6 to 7:30 p.m. |
| Saturday | Farmers market | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
The Saturday farmers market overlaps with the pumpkin patch's Saturday hours every weekend through November 15. It also runs the same day as Christmas in November on the 21st. The page doesn't list date-specific changes for the holidays, so check before Thanksgiving week.
December's two City bookends
The City's own holiday events start after the private and church markets are done.
On Monday, December 7, the City holds its Annual Christmas Tree Lighting from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the City Hall parking lot, 5803 Thunderbird Street. Admission is free. The City lists live holiday music, visits and photos with Santa, a Letters to Santa station, free treats from local community organizations, and a countdown to the lighting. The event is on a Monday, so it fits into a school and work night, and kids can drop off letters to Santa at the station before the countdown.
Four days later, on Friday, December 11, Movies on the Green comes back to Lago Vista Golf Course with Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, a free screening from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The same series that showed The Goonies at the end of fall comes back with a holiday movie a month later.
The full calendar at a glance
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri to Sun through Nov 15 | Hill Country Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch | 5300 Lohman Ford Rd |
| Sat, Oct 31, 11 a.m. | Halloween Musical and Bubbles Extravaganza | Lago Vista Public Library |
| Thu, Nov 5, 9 a.m. | Business Roundtable with Kelly Purkey | Council Chambers, 5803 Thunderbird St |
| Thu, Nov 5, 5:30 p.m. | Women's Club Game Night: Mix & Mingle | K-Oaks Clubhouse, 7000 Bar-K Ranch Rd |
| Tue, Nov 10, noon | Women's Club luncheon and Thanksgiving raffle | Venue not listed |
| Wed, Nov 11 | City offices closed for Veterans Day | City of Lago Vista |
| Fri, Nov 13, 5:30 p.m. | Movies on the Green: The Goonies | Lago Vista Golf Course |
| Sat, Nov 21, 9 a.m. | Christmas in November | St. Mary, Our Lady of the Lake, 6100 Lohman Ford Rd |
| Sun, Nov 29, 1 p.m. | Christmas Artisan Market | Lago Vista Brewing Company |
| Mon, Dec 7, 5:30 p.m. | Annual Christmas Tree Lighting | City Hall parking lot, 5803 Thunderbird St |
| Fri, Dec 11, 5:30 p.m. | Movies on the Green: How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Lago Vista Golf Course |
Organizers sometimes change plans because of weather or turnout, so check each event's page the week of. The pumpkin patch's Facebook page and the City's calendar are the best places to look for updates.
Our team has been part of the Lake Travis area since 1981, and Lago Vista's fall calendar is one of the things we enjoy most about this side of the lake. If you have questions about Lago Vista or the north shore, the team at Lake Travis Real Estate is glad to talk. Contact us any time.
