Sealy's 40-year-old Christmas parade is put on mostly by Sealy itself. The event pages list the people behind it: a running club, two elementary PTAs, student performers, families with dogs on leashes, and the businesses, schools and churches that build the floats. The 40th Annual Fantasy of Lights is Saturday, December 5, 2026, hosted by Discover Sealy at Levine Park, 410 Main Street. Most of what happens that day comes from people who live a few blocks from the route.
The first Fantasy of Lights was held in 1987. Discover Sealy labels this year's celebration "1987-2026" and says the parade "has grown tremendously since those early days." Even with that growth, each part of the day still has a local group running it, and several of those groups are taking sign-ups through the end of November.
The deadlines come before the lights
For anyone who wants to be in the day, the dates that matter are in late November.
- Sunday, November 29, 11:59 p.m. CST. Jingle Bell Fun Run registration fees go up after this.
- Monday, November 30. Parade entry registration closes. The window opened May 13.
- Thursday, December 3. The Holiday Vendor Blender runs from noon to 8 p.m. at Sealy Columbus Club, two days before the parade.
- Saturday, December 5. The festival day itself.
From the day this post goes up, there are 23 days until the parade. The last day to sign up for it comes five days before it rolls.
Who runs each part of the day
Look at the Fantasy of Lights hour by hour and almost every piece has a local organizer behind it.
| Time on Dec. 5 | What's happening | Who is behind it |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Jingle Bell Fun Run 5K | Girls Who Love To Run, benefiting Sealy and Selman Elementary PTA |
| 9 a.m. | Breakfast with Santa | Discover Sealy's festival program |
| 9:30 a.m. | Jingle Bell Fun Run 1K | Girls Who Love To Run |
| Noon to 6 p.m. | Kids Fantasy at Levine Park | Local vendors, student performers, pet parade entrants |
| 6 p.m. | Fantasy of Lights Parade on Main Street | Businesses, organizations, schools, churches, families |
The Fun Run has its own long history. 2026 is its 21st year, so the race has been part of the festival for more than half the parade's life.
The morning belongs to the Fun Run and the PTAs
The race page lists the W.E. Hill Community Center, 1000 Main St., as the Jingle Bell Fun Run's location, which is on the same street as the parade that evening. The race registration page lists these fees before the November 29 increase.
- 5K, student: $25, starts 8:30 a.m.
- 5K, non-student: $30, starts 8:30 a.m.
- 1K: $20, starts 9:30 a.m.
Every registration comes with a timed bib, a participant shirt and a finisher medal, and the proceeds go to the Sealy and Selman Elementary PTAs. Runners are encouraged to wear Christmas outfits, and there are awards for the best-dressed. Discover Sealy calls the course "certified, fast and flat" through residential Sealy. Organizers are also asking for volunteers to help on race morning.
Breakfast with Santa starts at 9 a.m. Children eight and under eat free, and older guests are asked for a $5 donation. According to Discover Sealy's schedule, you may see an elf in the serving line.
The afternoon at Levine Park is a six-hour stage for local kids and pets
Kids Fantasy runs from noon to 6 p.m. at Levine Park, and the attractions keep different hours.
- Noon to 5 p.m.: trackless train rides and rock climbing
- Noon to 6 p.m.: bounce houses
- 1 to 3 p.m.: petting ponies
- 3 to 6 p.m.: snow hill
The Kids Fantasy page also lists student performances at noon, 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m., then a pet parade at 4. That puts students on stage four times in one afternoon, with neighbors' dogs right behind them, all before the main parade starts. If you have a child performing, the best time to try the snow hill is after their set. It opens at 3, which is also the last chance to get in line for the 3:30 performance.
The vendors are local too. Food trucks pay $50 to register and merchandise vendors pay $25 to $100, and vendors supply their own electricity.
At 6 p.m., the floats are the town's own
The parade runs down Main Street in front of City Hall, and the registration page gives it two hours, from 6 to 8 p.m. Bleachers go up on one side of the street only, so plan to bring chairs. Vendors sell food and drinks before, during and after the parade. Once it starts, the street is closed to pedestrians crossing. Some entries hand out treats, and the organizers ask parents to keep children out of the street because the treats will be brought to them.
The parade is open to anyone who wants to enter. The Fantasy of Lights parade page names businesses, organizations, schools, churches, families and community groups as the people who make up the parade, and it accepts "a float, decorated vehicle, walking group, or festive entry." Discover Sealy's invitation for the 40th is direct:
"Whether your entry is whimsical, traditional, nostalgic, or completely one-of-a-kind, every participant helps make this anniversary parade shine."
Entries go through the parade registration page until November 30. For a neighborhood group or a family with a pickup truck and a few strands of lights, a walking group or a decorated vehicle is the simplest way to be part of the 40th parade without watching from the curb.
The week around it has local stops too
The Holiday Vendor Blender on Thursday, December 3, is free and runs from noon to 8 p.m. at Sealy Columbus Club, 1310 US-90. Proceeds benefit First Methodist Silver Christmas Angels. It's a way to do Christmas shopping that supports a local cause two days before the festival.
Downtown, The 1879 has two sides at 222 and 224 Fowlkes St. One is a restaurant serving Italian comfort food, and the other is an American neighborhood pub with wings, burgers, cheesesteaks and tacos. It lists dinner every night, lunch Wednesday through Saturday and brunch on Sunday, and the Sealy Chamber held its ribbon cutting on September 24. Because dinner is served nightly, it's a downtown option before or after the parade on December 5.
The Small Town Collective at 419 Meyer Street sells women's, men's and children's clothing, along with accessories, shoes and products from vendors. Its contact page also takes questions about consigning and becoming a vendor. The Sealy Chamber has its ribbon cutting scheduled for Friday, November 13, at noon.
Why the 40th gets extra attention this year
On October 13, Travel Texas named Sealy a Tourism Friendly Texas Certified Community. Austin County News Online reported the news, and Discover Sealy Tourism Manager Charlie Wade said the goal is to give visitors reasons to stop, explore, stay awhile and support local businesses. The Fantasy of Lights is the biggest example of that work on the town's calendar, and it runs mostly on local volunteers. The certification brings more attention to the festival, but the floats, the race, the student performances and the pet parade are still made in Sealy.
For the rest of the county's calendar, our Austin County fall guide covers the first-Saturday and second-Saturday events in Sealy, Cat Spring and Wallis. The Austin County community page has more on the towns along I-10. If you're planning December stops across the region, Chappell Hill's Christmas Saturday is a week later, on December 12.
The Lindi Camaron Team is a team of seven agents working across Austin County and Washington County. We follow the parades, ribbon cuttings and benefit runs because those are what fill the calendar for our neighbors. If the 40th Fantasy of Lights has you thinking about a home within walking distance of Main Street, or about a property somewhere else in Austin County, contact us and we'll walk you through what's on the market around Sealy this season.
