As the holiday season kicks off, local cities and organizations are gearing up with a variety of holiday events for families. 

November
Light Up the Plaza
A tree lighting ceremony will be held in the Hill Country Galleria featuring live music, ice skating, an appearance from Santa, face painting, refreshments, giveaways and more.

• Nov. 28, 5-8 p.m.

• Dec. 2, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

• Dec. 5-Jan. 1, 2026, nightly from 6 p.m.-midnight

• Dec. 7, 1-4 p.m.

A new maternal-fetal medicine facility from Texas Children’s Hospital is expected to open in Lakeway next year. 

Diving in deeper: Known as the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, the practice will be located at 101 Medical Parkway, Lakeway, directly across from Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Lakeway.

“Dedicated to providing top-ranked health care services to women and children, this clinic will offer exceptional care for high-risk pregnancies and is set to open early next year,” a Nov. 14 statement from Texas Children’s said.

The background: Lakeway’s Zoning and Planning Commission approved a sign permit for the upcoming facility at its Nov. 5 meeting. 

A permit was also filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in late 2024 for the site, indicating plans for a $3 million buildout of the 4,854-square-foot space.

Central Texas may be far from the coast, but Austin Surf Club, taking shape near the Bastrop County line, will bring an endless supply of waves to the region. 

The details: Arizona-based Discovery Land Co. and professional surfer Kelly Slater are building 140 condominiums, a brewery, a restaurant and a clubhouse across more than 330 acres—a site that will also feature a 2,220-square-foot surf basin.

The brewery and restaurant are scheduled to finish construction by Dec. 1, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Both projects are renovations and expansions of existing facilities.

Also of note: Developers listed several ways that Austin Surf Club will be mindful of its environment.

Water will be reclaimed through a retention pond that will hold “several million gallons” of collected rain, while trees from around the site will be relocated throughout the development when landscaping begins, according to Discovery Land Co.

Texans began receiving full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Nov. 14, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced. The renewed SNAP payments came after two weeks of delays due to the 43-day federal government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12.

The overview: SNAP is a federally funded program that provides low-income individuals and families with monthly stipends to spend on groceries. The food assistance program ran out of funding Nov. 1, one month after the government shut down amid disagreements over federal health insurance subsidies.

The details: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks. Payments are issued on a rolling basis throughout each month.

“For SNAP clients who receive benefits on or after the 14th of the month, full benefits will be issued on their normal issuance date,” the HHSC website states. “SNAP clients who already received partial benefits will receive the rest of their monthly amount on or after Nov. 14.”