Light Up the Park Houston: A New Holiday Tradition at Daikin Park
Light Up the Park Houston is the Astros’ newest holiday celebration, presented by Houston Methodist. Houston City Beat was invited for an exclusive preview ahead of opening day on Saturday, November 22. The 45-day festival runs through January 4, 2026, turning Daikin Park into an indoor winter wonderland built on imagination, collaboration, and Houston pride.
From the moment you walk in, you see this is more than a holiday light display. It feels like a full sensory experience designed for families, friends, and fans. For more seasonal inspiration, you can also explore our Houston holiday features on Houston City Beat and plan a full night out downtown.
How Light Up the Park Houston Came to Life
During the preview, Anita Sehgal, Astros Executive Vice President of Marketing & Communications, shared how Light Up the Park Houston grew from a concept into a full-scale attraction.
“This is the first time we’ve done this, and all of our partners stepped up on vision alone,” she said. “We asked them to imagine transforming Daikin Park into a holiday wonderland, and they went on that journey with us.”
The partner group includes Houston Methodist as presenting sponsor, along with Reliant, Daikin, Maker’s Mark, Honeywood, and Well Thriving Botanicals. Their support allows the Astros to dream big and reimagine a Major League ballpark as a massive holiday environment.
If you love local partnerships and community-focused projects, you’ll find more stories like this in our Houston City Beat coverage of Houston events and experiences.
Inside the Immersive Light Up the Park Houston Experience
The ballpark transforms into a winter experience with more than 500,000 lights and over 200 themed displays. Every turn reveals something new:
A fresh photo-ready backdrop
A burst of color
Music or sound cues that sync with the lights
Because the entire attraction is fully climate-controlled, you can enjoy it whether Houston brings rain, sunshine, or a December heatwave.
As Sehgal explained, “It’s the first fully climate-controlled holiday light display, so it doesn’t matter if it’s raining or 90 degrees out. You can still enjoy a great evening with your family inside Daikin Park.”
Guests follow a winding path of lights and music through the concourse, down to the service level, and eventually onto the field. You can walk the warning track, stand on the infield dirt, and explore behind-the-scenes areas usually reserved for players and staff.
Even Santa and Orbit join the fun. Both appear inside the Astros bullpen for themed photos that feel uniquely Houston.
Theme Nights That Keep You Coming Back
To make repeat visits worthwhile, Light Up the Park Houston features several themed nights, including:
December 6 – Ugly Sweater Night
December 13 – Date Night with a screening of The Holiday
December 20 – Family Night featuring Polar Express
December 29 – Pajama Night for a cozy, laid-back evening
Most evenings begin at 5 PM. For full hours, ticket info, and updates, visit the official event page at Astros.com/LightUpThePark. While planning your visit, you can also browse other downtown Houston happenings on Houston City Beat to turn it into a full night out.
A Festive Finish: The Holiday Marketplace
The experience ends inside a completely reimagined Astros Team Store, which now serves as a holiday marketplace.
Guests can browse:
Exclusive Astros and holiday merchandise
Curated gift ideas
Seasonal treats and snacks
A custom ornament station
Complimentary gift wrapping, complete with Astros-themed paper, makes it easy to leave with gifts that are ready to slide under the tree.
Why Light Up the Park Houston Matters
Beyond the lights, music, and Instagram-worthy moments, Light Up the Park Houston has a deeper purpose. For the Astros, it creates a place for Houstonians to gather during a season built on joy, connection, and memory-making.
“It’s core to the Astros to find ways to engage the Houston community, create joy, and build family memories, and there’s no better way to do that than with Light Up the Park,” Sehgal shared.
With its immersive walkthrough, rare access to ballpark spaces, themed nights, festive food and drinks, and holiday shopping, Light Up the Park Houston is poised to become a new tradition for local families.
If you’re searching for a unique outing with loved ones—or a magical way to kick off the season—put this experience at the top of your holiday list. And when you’re done planning your visit, don’t forget to explore more Houston events and stories across Houston City Beat.
Daikin Park
501 Crawford Street
Houston, TX
