“Once a calamity ever so great occurred when two holidays met by mistake.”
— From the opening of Nightmare Before Christmas An evening breeze stirs through the trees, carrying the scents of fallen leaves and buttered popcorn across the open field. Then, as the path winds forward, a luminous orange Jack-O-Lantern, big as a house, looms into view. Tendrils of music sift through the evening air, haunting yet familiar, beckoning visitors to the entrance of the Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail. This fully-interactive light and music experience comes to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin for a limited time, bridging the season from autumn to winter as Halloween Town and Christmas Town meet.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail is both a familyfriendly and datenight event, featuring characters, scenes and songs from the iconic stop-motion animated film of the same name. As the only location in Texas, this light trail gives fans a chance to step right inside the world of the beloved classic film.
What to know before you go: In order to ensure a safe, fun experience for everyone, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
First, with all of its vivid, multi-colored light and animation effects, the trails are best experienced at twilight and into the full-dark of night. The trails are well marked and guides are present, but participants should not stray from the designated paths because uneven surfaces out of bounds could be challenging.
The path is accessible for strollers, wheelchairs and walkers. Guests are encouraged to bring strollers for children and any necessary mobility aids.
Second, take your time and enjoy the trail. Traversing The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail can take between 45 minutes to an hour, and there are plenty of interactive photo spots with familiar characters along the way. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a light jacket, and be prepared to enjoy the innovative lights and music along the way.
Third, snacks make everything better. Concessions will be available at the head of the trail, featuring special themed drinks, popcorn and sweets all designed to enhance your Halloween Town experience. Try a specialty cocktail such as Nightmare Nectar (Granny Smith apple limeade and Gummi Worms) or the Corpse Reviver No. Boo (Bourbon, spiced pear liqueur and a Gummi Brain) or a vampire bite cupcake to make your evening even more fun.
Fourth, dressing up is encouraged! Dress up to create an even more memorable experience. However, a few restrictions must be observed to keep the trail a safe and happy place.
Finally, ticket options include Timed-Entry Tickets, in which participants can arrive for a selected time slot only with No late entry, refunds or exchanges; or a Flex-Entry Ticket in which guests can arrive anytime before 10:15 p.m. and start the Light Trail whenever they like.
Tickets are available at texasperformingarts. org. The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail will be open from now through Nov. 30. Entry times vary; check the timeline for details at texasperformin-garts. org/tnbc-2025--
lbj-wildflower-center- austin-texas.
PHOTO BY CELESTE COOK
