Drive west on Highway 71 from Madrone Canyon and Spicewood's holiday season comes down mostly to two weekends: Dec. 4 through Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 12. Most of the events at the wineries, the brewery and the Christmas barn fall on those dates. Starting the night after the second weekend, Pedernales Falls State Park, the biggest outdoor draw at the far end of the drive, closes for a hunt from Dec. 13 to Dec. 17. It reopens for one last stargazing weekend.
Bee Cave's own season, with Bee Cave on Ice behind City Hall from Nov. 13 through Jan. 18, sits east of Madrone Canyon. This guide covers the other direction. It runs in calendar order, starting with the long Thanksgiving weekend that comes first.
Thanksgiving Week Sets the Pattern
The Christmas Barn at Green Acres Spicewood, at 6083 Highway 71, opened for the season on Nov. 6 and is already in full swing. It is free and open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The barn is packed with holiday gifts and serves cocoa. Green Acres says you don't have to be a guest there to come in. The barn stays open through Thanksgiving week except on Thanksgiving Day itself.
Highway 71 Brewing Co., at 22111 State Hwy. 71, #601, has the weekend before Thanksgiving booked. Dakota Spellman plays at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. The Texas–Arkansas game is on screen at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Sunday, Nov. 22 brings a $10 beer flight starting at noon. The brewery opened on Sept. 6, 2025, so this is its second holiday season. Besides craft beer it pours mocktails and nitro cold brew, and it has pickleball and golf simulators.
That same Sunday, Spicewood Vineyards at 1419 Burnet CR 409 holds its Fall Wine Club Pick Up Party from noon to 5 p.m. It has two sessions, noon to 2 or 3 to 5, with live music, light bites and three new wines. The tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Glasses and bottles can be taken out to its patios and picnic areas.
Another new stop on the drive is 4 Sisters Bar & Pavilion at 212 County Road 413. It opened Oct. 10 as a full-service bar and private-event venue with cocktails, indoor and outdoor seating, a covered pavilion, a pool and live music, according to Community Impact.
Pedernales Falls State Park, at 2585 Park Road 6026 in Johnson City, is where the weekend gets tight. The park runs Family Volunteer Day and Fishing with a Ranger at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. At 10 p.m. that night it closes to everyone except permitted hunters and stays closed until 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. The park stays open through the holidays. Its office keeps short hours on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, from 8 a.m. to noon.
The same pattern shows up at every scale this season. Events bunch onto particular days, and the closures start right after them.
Dec. 4 Through Dec. 6: The Fullest Weekend on the Drive
Three venues have something on Friday, Dec. 4.
- Spicewood Vineyards hosts a fundraising concert for Spicewood Arts with the Matt Wilson Band. Doors open at 6 p.m., the show starts at 7 p.m., and general admission is $60, which the venue describes as a per-person donation. It is the only show Spicewood Arts has on its season list for this part of the year.
- Highway 71 Brewing Co. has Josh Field live at 7 p.m.
- Stone House Vineyard, at 24350 Haynie Flat Road, runs its First Friday wine specials. The winery serves food along with its tastings, is open Thursday through Monday, and its Friday hours are noon to 7 p.m.
On Sunday, Dec. 6, Spicewood Vineyards holds its fourth annual Sip & Shop With Santa from noon to 4 p.m. More than a dozen vendors sell gifts, Santa photos are free, and so is admission. It is one of the few free holiday events on this stretch, and the Christmas Barn at Green Acres is open the same afternoon, so a single drive covers both.
Dec. 12: Santa's Saturday on Highway 71
The second weekend comes down to one Saturday. Brian Lee plays Highway 71 Brewing Co. at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, the night before. On Saturday, Dec. 12, the brewery holds a Christmas event from noon to 6 p.m. It shares the 22111 Hwy. 71 complex with Infinite Hitting - Lake Travis, which opened this fall in Bldg. 701. It is an indoor baseball and softball training facility with batting cages, coaching, camps and clinics, as Community Impact reported.
The same afternoon, Santa visits the Christmas Barn at Green Acres from noon to 4 p.m. Since Green Acres and the brewery are both on Highway 71 and both start at noon, Dec. 12 is the easiest day this season to do two holiday stops without planning around anyone else's hours.
The Park Closes the Night After
Pedernales Falls State Park has a second hunt closure, from 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, until 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. As in November, only permitted hunters may enter. The closure falls right after the busiest Saturday on the drive. A plan to follow the Dec. 12 Santa visits with a Sunday hike at the falls works only if you're done before 10 p.m.
The park reopens in time for the last event on the calendar. Christmastime Constellations, a stargazing program, runs at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18 and again on Saturday, Dec. 19. Day entry costs $6 for visitors 13 and older and is free for children 12 and under. Texas Parks and Wildlife recommends reserving day passes before weekends, school breaks and holidays, because permits often sell out. The park alerts page lists the closure dates and the link to reserve. The office is open noon to 4:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.
The Christmas Barn's season ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23.
The Season at a Glance
| Date | Where | What | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Highway 71 Brewing Co. | Dakota Spellman live | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Pedernales Falls State Park | Family Volunteer Day; Fishing with a Ranger | 9 a.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Highway 71 Brewing Co. | Texas–Arkansas game | 2:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 21–24 | Pedernales Falls State Park | Hunt closure | 10 p.m. Sat. to 2 p.m. Tue. |
| Sun., Nov. 22 | Spicewood Vineyards | Fall Wine Club Pick Up Party | Noon–5 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 26 | Green Acres Christmas Barn | Closed for Thanksgiving Day | |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Spicewood Vineyards | Spicewood Arts concert, Matt Wilson Band, $60 | Doors 6 p.m., show 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Highway 71 Brewing Co. | Josh Field live | 7 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Stone House Vineyard | First Friday wine specials | Noon–7 p.m. hours |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Spicewood Vineyards | Sip & Shop With Santa, free | Noon–4 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Highway 71 Brewing Co. | Brian Lee live | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Green Acres Christmas Barn | Santa visit | Noon–4 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Highway 71 Brewing Co. | Christmas event | Noon–6 p.m. |
| Dec. 13–17 | Pedernales Falls State Park | Hunt closure | 10 p.m. Sun. to 2 p.m. Thu. |
| Dec. 18–19 | Pedernales Falls State Park | Christmastime Constellations | 6 p.m. |
| Wed., Dec. 23 | Green Acres Christmas Barn | Final day | Closes 5 p.m. |
Closed or Limited This Season
- Krause Springs closes for winter, usually from Nov. 1 to Feb. 15, so it isn't part of the holiday season.
- Stone House Vineyard says its regular hours may change on holidays and special-event days and points visitors to its website and social media for updates.
- Pedernales Falls State Park is closed to the public for the two hunt windows above. One more closure follows from 10 p.m. Jan. 18 to 2 p.m. Jan. 22.
- The Christmas Barn at Green Acres is closed Mondays and on Thanksgiving Day.
The Highway 71 corridor between Madrone Canyon and Spicewood keeps adding places like 4 Sisters and Infinite Hitting, and the businesses that open along it are part of how buyers see a home near Cross Peak Drive. If you want to know how your Madrone Canyon home is valued with this corridor taken into account, Dara Allen and the Dara Luxury Group offer a discreet, detailed assessment. Request a Private Home Valuation.
