Who-ville for the Holidays

The Grinch will steal the show as Gaylord Texan Grapevine's 2023 ICE! theme

Things are getting Grinchy at the Gaylord this holiday season.

Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan

The Grinch won't steal Christmas spirit in Grapevine this year (as if anything could?). The Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas will be the theme of the Gaylord Texan's 2023 ICE!holiday walk-through attraction, running November 10-December 31.

According to a release, 30 world-class ice artisans from Harbin, China will use more than 2 million pounds - or 1,000 tons - of ice to create the world of "Who-ville." It will feature 10 scenes and key characters from the beloved story, including The Grinch, his dog Max, Cindy-Lou, and many festive Whos.

If this sounds slightly familiar, the Gaylord's ICE! featured a "Grinch" theme in 2009; they brought it back all these years later because it was a fan favorite, a hotel spokeswoman says.

Grinch Gaylord Grapevine ICE! There's even a roast beast.Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan

“ICE! has been a tradition at Gaylord Hotels for two decades now,” says Chuck Pacioni, general manager of Gaylord Texan Resort, in the release. “We look forward to welcoming families who make it a tradition to come every year, as well as those visitors coming for the very first time, to enjoy our magical holiday experiences.”

As fans have come to expect, the icy environment will be kept frozen by a state-of-the-art chilling system, which keeps the entire attraction at a frigid 9 degrees. Guests, once again, will sport the Gaylord’s complimentary signature blue parkas to stay toasty (and are encouraged to dress in cold-weather clothing).

ICE! will come together using about 12,000 man hours over six weeks, the release says. The artisans will start with 300-pound ice blocks, which they'll grind, chop, chisel, and sculpt into the final 17,000-square-foot frozen world, with carvings ranging in size from as tiny as a coin to soaring scenes more than 30 feet tall.

In addition to the ice sculptures, the ICE! experience will include two-story-tall ice slides, ice tunnels, and arches. Per tradition, the ICE! exhibit concludes with a meticulously carved Nativity scene, shaped in a display of crystalline ice.

Tickets start at $28.99 for adults and $19.99 for children. Check online for details about the “Chill Pass," which offers front-of-line access and shorter wait times.

Gaylord Texan ICE Take a ride down the two-story ice slide.Photo courtesy of Gaylord Texan

Other Gaylord Texan holiday events
The Gaylord is celebrating its 20th annual Lone Star Christmas with many other festive events. As described in the release, they include:

On the Blocks: Chill out at On the Blocks, the exclusive bar inside ICE!. Adults 21+ can upgrade their ICE! experience to enjoy one select beverage sampling. Ambient lighting, music, and fun photo opportunities set the mood for this unique VIP experience.

Snow Flow Mountain: Experience the eight-lane tubing hill, covered in real snow and designed to bring thrilling fun for all ages. Zoom down the lanes, race to the bottom, and enjoy unlimited runs on your ticket date.

Ice Skating: Enjoy a festive, perfect day or evening by taking a yuletide glide on the 6,000-square-foot skating rink made with real ice.

Cirque: Spirit of Christmas: This Cirque-styled Christmas show features dazzling acrobatics, feats of flexibility, and high-flying stunts. The Broadway-style spectacle centers around Noel, a child dismayed and distressed by the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Trying to recapture her lost love of the season, she is visited by spirits who bring back the true meaning of the season in energetic, dreamlike chapters.

Snowball Build & Blast: Real snowballs in Texas? With a little Christmas magic, you'll receive a tub of snow so you can build and toss real snowballs to boost the power of the snowmaking machines. Take your best aim at the targets and let the snowballs fly!

Gingerbread Decorating Corner: Don't wait – make a date to decorate! Let your Christmas creativity run wild when you adorn tasty gingerbread. After you've reached confection perfection with your edible art, head over for a sweet meet and greet with Nutmeg, the gingerbread man.

Feast with The Grinch Character Breakfast: Join everyone's favorite green and grouchy Grinch from the famous Dr. Seuss book and animated featurette, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, for a special character dining experience at Texan Station. And while the Grinch usually avoids the residents of Who-ville, he'll make a very special appearance at the breakfast, accompanied by his canine companion, Max.

The Grinch’s Wonderful Awful Idea Scavenger Hunt: Known for his disdain of Christmas and the happiness it brings, all around the resort the Grinch has hidden clues of his mischievous plan to ruin the holiday. Find all the clues and solve the riddles to help save the joy of the season! Complete the quest and you'll receive a special stocking stuffer.

Build-A-Bear Workshop: Visit Build-A-Bear Workshop to experience the fun of personalizing furry friends and taking part in a one-of-a-kind Heart Ceremony. Add adorable outfits, sweet scents and fun sounds to make any furry friend the perfect gift or a cuddly Christmas keepsake.

#LIT Light Show: The spectacular Lone Star Atrium comes to life with our #LIT Light Show, featuring thousands of dancing lights synchronized to a high-energy, seasonal soundtrack. Animated light curtains glow with Christmas imagery around a centerpiece tree that magically transforms into a gleaming and glowing holiday spectacle. Presented by Chase Marriott Bonvoy.

Photos with Santa: Mailing a letter to the North Pole is great, but nothing can beat a personal visit with Santa Claus to let him know what you want for Christmas and make sure you're on his nice list. Capture the moment with a keepsake photo.

Christmas Carousel: Get in the holiday spirit by taking a spin on this timeless, family-friendly ride. Enjoy endless fun with an unlimited ride ticket.

Elf Training Academy: Your opportunity to join Santa's staff awaits at the Elf Workshop. You will learn the secrets of becoming one of Santa's helpers from his top toy maker and create a keepsake gift or craft for someone special.

Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions: Join the jolliest hostess of all for a fun-filled celebration of Christmas traditions. Delight in the retelling of the Christmas classic, "'Twas The Night Before Christmas," sing along to favorite holiday songs, and share a batch of Santa's favorite snack - warm, freshly baked Christmas cookies and ice-cold milk.

Holiday Heist Escape Room: The Holiday Heister has struck again, this time stealing an essential Christmas artifact from the North Pole. The magic of Christmas is threatened if the artifact isn't returned to its rightful place. In this escape room, Christmas must be saved, and Santa's Chief Elf has sent you to the Heister's lair to recover the artifact before time runs out.

In addition, the resort will be decked out with holiday décor, the centerpiece of which will be its 54-foot-tall Christmas tree.

The Gaylord has several holiday packages (with special room rates and tickets to events) available now. Find pricing and tickets for all packages and events here.

Tickets to many of Grapevine's holiday events, including the popular North Pole Express, also are available now. Read more about them in this story.

Spirit of Christmas families hotels holidays

Weekend Event Planner

These are the 11 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend

GM Financial Parade of Lights Fort Worth

Photo courtesy of Parade of Lights

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The weekend before Thanksgiving is when the holiday season really kicks into high gear, and this year features a Broadway musical, multiple local festivals, and a big parade. Other non-holiday choices include screenings of an acclaimed new film, three country concerts, a great comedian, an opera, the opening of a new art exhibition, and a small-scale symphony concert.

Photo courtesy of Parade of Lights

The annual GM Financial Parade of Lights takes place in Downtown Fort Worth on November 24.

Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.

Thursday, November 21

Performing Arts Fort Worth presents Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical features the hit songs "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch" and "Welcome Christmas” from the original animated series. Max the Dog narrates the action as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is "two sizes too small," decides to steal Christmas away from the Holiday-loving Whos. The production runs through Sunday at Bass Performance Hall.

Friday, November 22

Holiday events
In addition to the special one-off holiday performances, the Fort Worth area will have several holiday festival-style events start their run this weekend. They include Texas Christkindl Market at Texas Live in Arlington (running through December 23), Coca-Cola’s Classic Christmas at Choctaw Stadium in Arlington (through December 29), and Lightscape at Fort Worth Botanic Garden (through January 5).

Magnolia at the Modern: Blitz
Sir Steve McQueen’s Blitz follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mother and grandfather (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril. Meanwhile, a distraught Rita searches for her missing son. The film will screen seven times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Little Big Town in concert with Sugarland
Country group Little Big Town and country duo Sugarland have a long history together, first collaborating on the song "Life in a Northern Town" in 2008. Sixteen years later, they teamed up again for the new song "Take Me Home," after which this tour is named. Little Big Town has released 10 albums in their career, most recently Mr. Sunin 2022, while Sugarland has released six albums in their career, most recently Bigger in 2018. They'll play at Dickies Arena.

Big Laugh Comedy Club presents Dulce Sloan
Comedian Dulcé Sloan was most recently a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and has been hailed by Variety, Rolling Stone, and Timeout LA as a Top Comedian to Watch. She has also been honored as the NBC Stand UpShowcase Winner, a Montreal Just For Laughs New Face, and as a Comedian to Watch on The Steve Harvey Show. She'll perform four times through Saturday at Big Laugh Comedy Club.

Fort Worth Opera presents Little Women
Mark Adamo’s operatic adaptation of Little Women brings Louisa May Alcott’s classic coming-of-age novel to life in a fresh and powerful way. The American opera is celebrated for its emotional depth and resonant themes of family, sisterhood, growing up, and coming home. Adamo captures the internal conflict of iconic central character, Jo March, who fears that growing up inevitably means growing apart from her family and her sisters, Meg, Beth, and Amy. There will be performances on Friday and Sunday at Arts Fort Worth.

Randall King in concert
A throwback to classic country, Randall King formed an Americana group in college called the Randall King Band, which released an album called Old Dirt Road before splitting. He then debuted as a solo artist in 2016 with the EP Another Bullet before releasing his first self-titled album in 2018 and his second album, Shot Glass in 2022. He'll play once again at Billy Bob's Texas.

Saturday, November 23

Dylan Wheeler in concert
A native of the East Texas town of Edgewood, Dylan Wheeler has made a name for himself on the Texas country music scene. The success of his debut EP, Tell Me I'm Wrong, in 2018 convinced him to quit his job in the oil & gas industry and pursue music full-time. He released his debut album, Times Are Changing, in 2022, and now he returns again to play at Billy Bob's Texas.

Sunday, November 24

Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents Rufino Tamayo: "Innovation and Experimentation"
Exploring more than 60 years of Rufino Tamayo’s prints, "Innovation and Experimentation" showcases the artist’s extensive engagement with prints and his ambitions to add volume and texture to a traditionally two-dimensional medium. In these works, Tamayo's depictions and abstractions of the human figure are highlighted as fertile ground for formal experimentation. A selection of Mesoamerican sculpture complements the prints on view, examining an important source of inspiration for the artist. The exhibition will remain on display through April 20, 2025.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Chamber Series: "Mozart, Schulhoff, and Korngold"
The composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold is remembered best for his film scores to silver-screen classics like The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood, but his concert works are also a testament to his prodigious talent. In this first FWSO Chamber Program featuring members of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Korngold’s music appears alongside Mozart’s Serenade in C minor and a Divertissement by Schulhoff, whose music was buried by the Nazis but has been reemerging in recent years. The performance takes place at Kimbell Art Museum.

GM Financial Parade of Lights
The annual GM Financial Parade of Lights will brighten up the streets of Downtown Fort Worth for its 42nd year, marking the City of Fort Worth’s official kickoff to the holiday season. The parade features the Texas Rangers baseball team as Grand Marshal, along with floats, vintage cars, horse-drawn carriages, marching bands, carolers, and Santa Claus along the 1.59-mile route.

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