Why Colleyville Boulevard Glows Warm White Each December

Drive Colleyville Boulevard after dark in December and the shopping centers look like they were lit by one crew. The lights are warm white C9 bulbs that stay on rather than flash, and they trace rooflines and building edges. That look comes from a set of rules the City of Colleyville wrote, and the city pays for part of it.

The same planning carries through the rest of the season. The city sets the look of the Boulevard, puts money behind local shops' holiday advertising and holds its main celebration on a single Saturday evening at City Hall.

The Rules Behind the Roofline Lights

The program is called Brighten Up the Boulevard, a Christmas light matching grant for businesses along Colleyville Boulevard, which is also State Highway 26. The city describes it as part of its ongoing beautification work, and it's back again this year.

The terms explain why the corridor looks so consistent:

1. It's a one-time, 50% matching grant, up to $5,000 for a shopping center and up to $2,000 for an individual business.
2. Only businesses located along Colleyville Boulevard qualify.
3. Lights must be warm white C9s that stay on, focused on rooflines and building outlines. Wrapped trees may also qualify.
4. The city's Beautification Committee reviews and approves every application.
5. Money is paid as a reimbursement after the work is done and receipts are checked.

Applications for the 2026 round run from August 3 through November 13. Any center on SH 26 lit through the program has to meet the same standard: warm white, steady, along the roofline, approved by the same committee.

The City Also Pays for Shops' Holiday Ads

The lights are one of two city programs aimed at local shops this time of year. The second is #ColleyvilleGives, which the city calls its annual program to help local businesses "shine during the 4th quarter." Businesses inside city limits that collect sales tax can get up to $1,000 toward holiday advertising and marketing. A business that donates $500 to a local nonprofit can get another $1,000.

Ads in the program have to carry the #ColleyvilleGives hashtag, and campaigns have to run by December 31, 2026. That puts the city's holiday push into local shops' own December posts and flyers, under one shared tag.

Taken together, the two grants cover both the storefronts' lighting after dark and the advertising that brings shoppers in.

Where the Season Starts: November 21 at Heroes Park

Once the Boulevard is lit, the season centers on one place. The city's Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration is Saturday, November 21, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall, 100 Main Street. The city's special events calendar lists the location as Heroes Park at City Hall.

The evening follows a set order. Santa and Mayor Lindamood arrive down Main Street at 5:45 p.m., and the tree outside City Hall is lit after that. The city lists balloon artists, photos with Santa, food trucks and choir performances. Santa is also bringing his reindeer.

Local businesses and organizations host Jingle Bell Junction, a Christmas trunk-or-treat on the City Hall grounds, so the shops the city supports on the Boulevard show up at its main event too. The magical mailbox sits on the City Hall steps for letters to Santa, and the city says Santa and Mrs. Claus will deliver them when they visit the event.

What's Different This Year

The Community Decorated Christmas Tree Display is moving indoors for 2026 and will be on display during the lighting event. The city invited local organizations to apply for a limited number of spots, gave priority to Colleyville community groups and will announce the winners on November 21. Moving the trees indoors puts the community-decorated part of the evening under a roof on a late-November night, while the city's main tree stays outside City Hall.

This is the city's only holiday gathering of this size. Colleyville's special events calendar lists the tree lighting and doesn't list a separate city Christmas parade.

The Season Around the Lighting

Around that one big evening, the calendar fills in with smaller events from churches, clubs and the city's Senior Center, some before the lighting and some in December. Here it is in date order:

Each of these events also gives back or brings people together. The First United Methodist Church of Colleyville Holiday Extravaganza is a family event, and silent auction bidding closes at 3 p.m. that Saturday. At the Colleyville Woman's Club ornament night, the club is collecting items for SPA Pamper baskets for people in need. At the Senior Holiday Party, guests get entertainment and lunch and bring a $10 wrapped gift for the exchange. The Holiday Dance offers music, dancing, refreshments and door prizes.

Gifts on the Boulevard

The Boulevard programs exist to send residents to shops like this one. In September, Atlas & Orion Creative Exchange moved into a bigger space at 4121 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 2, with more room for retail and workshops. Community Impact reported that owner Amanda Novak sells handmade goods from around the world, including home decor, jewelry, pottery, leatherwork, textiles and greeting cards. She told the outlet that "every piece is selected with intention, celebrating craftsmanship, culture and the stories behind the makers."

Atlas & Orion also holds workshops throughout the week. Novak started the business online in 2019 and added in-person workshops in early 2025, and the larger space gives both the shop and the workshops more room.

The corridor is still adding businesses. Community Impact also reported that Bush League Bar and Grill, a family-oriented sports bar serving American food, plans to open at 4843 Colleyville Blvd., Ste. 330, with a projected opening in January 2027.

Dates to Plan Around in Grapevine

Colleyville's season keeps its big crowds to one evening. Grapevine, next door, runs on a much larger schedule. The 47th Annual Parade of Lights is Thursday, December 3, at 7 p.m. on Historic Main Street. It's organized by the Grapevine Chamber and the City of Grapevine with support from Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, and this year's theme is "Christmas Miracle on Main Street." The route starts at S. Main Street and Hanover Street, runs north across Dallas Road along Historic Main Street and ends at S. Main Street and Northwest Highway.

The parade isn't the only time Grapevine closes its downtown. Grapevine's visitor bureau lists closures of Historic Main Street to cars, between Northwest Highway and Dallas Road, on these dates:

• Sunday, Nov. 22, through Sunday, Nov. 29
• Thursday, Dec. 3, through Monday, Dec. 7
• Friday, Dec. 11, through Sunday, Dec. 13
• Friday, Dec. 18, through Sunday, Dec. 27

The first closure starts the day after Colleyville's tree lighting. Anyone who drives through downtown Grapevine to get to dinner, a store or the highway can check the Grapevine Christmas parking page before heading out on those days.

If you're planning holiday lighting or seasonal touches for your own Colleyville home, the team at Marcontell+Gilchrest Group is glad to share what we've seen work on Colleyville's streets. Contact Us anytime.