The cottages of Holiday Village Brownsville are back at Dean Porter Park and are being prepared for the 15th annual yuletide event. With several new and updated displays, this year there will be over 30 fully decorated cottages lining the sidewalks.

For those who may not know, the Holiday Village at Dean Porter Park in Brownsville is a collection of miniature cottages, each one measuring about 10’ wide x 8’ deep and over 11’ tall, which are adorned inside and out with the most whimsical and adorable holiday trimmings. The Village is set up in the park every November, free and open to the public, and runs from the Monday before Thanksgiving through the first of the year. You can get a sneak peek at the villages online at www.holidayvillagebrownsville.com/cottages.

Opening ceremonies and the first official lighting of the season will take place, Monday, November 25, from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will feature live music, door prizes, and the countdown to the first lighting of Holiday Village Brownsville 2024.

“We look forward to returning to the park every year, with the goal of making each year better than the last,” said Laurie Ray, Holiday Village Chair.

Back again this year, direct from the North Pole, is Fritter the Elf returning to the Holiday Village. From Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve, join in the fun of finding Fritter and enter to win daily and weekly prizes from H-E-B and the Children’s Museum of Brownsville. Please know there are many elves in the Holiday Village, but there is only one Fritter, and he is dressed in a Children’s Museum T-shirt. All you have to do is find Fritter, take a picture of the cottage where he is hiding, and post on your Facebook or Instagram and tag Holiday Village. Full rules can be found online.

Patrons can also enjoy delicious treats from a variety of food vendors, as well as performances by many local dance groups, choirs, school groups and more, throughout the nearly six-week long event. Admission is free all day every day, and the cottages are lit at 6 p.m. each evening. Santa Claus will be in the gazebo and available for free pictures every Friday and Saturday night through December 20.

The Village will be open Thanksgiving Day, all day. Starting December 2, the Village will have entertainment by local schools and organizations nearly every day of the week. You can find a complete list of entertainment at the website. Regular Village hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

This family-friendly attraction is funded by grants and sponsors and organized entirely by volunteers. More information, entertainment schedules, and Elf on the Shelf contest rules can be found at www.HolidayVillageBrownsville.com. Happy Holidays!