"Please note that there will be NO official Lake Conroe Christmas Boat Parade THIS YEAR, 2025." That notice is still posted on the parade page of Lake Conroe LIVE, the group that calls itself the home of the Lake Conroe Christmas Boat Parade. The same page says the organizers are "focusing our efforts on a ONE OF A KIND Community Event for 2026" and links a short form for anyone who wants to be involved.
The lake has no fixed holiday date on its own calendar, so the season this year runs through two historic downtowns: Montgomery and Conroe. Each runs its own schedule, and on Saturday, December 12, the two schedules line up almost to the minute. Montgomery's parade ends at noon. Conroe's parade starts at noon.
The Lights Moved Off the Road and Onto the Sidewalk
The biggest change this season is in Conroe. Last December, The Christmas Kings light company set up a free drive-thru light trail on weekends at Candy Cane Park. The Houston Chronicle reported that the city paid $300,000 from its hotel and occupancy tax fund to install and manage it, and that it became a popular holiday destination.
For 2026, the Chronicle reported, the display moves downtown to Founders Plaza as a walk-through. The city's Convention and Visitors Bureau, led by Jodi Willard, is partnering with the Downtown Conroe Association nonprofit on a month of December events.
A drive-thru trail is something you do from the car seat. A walk-through on a downtown plaza puts you next to restaurants and shops. Visit Conroe pitches it that way, suggesting dinner, a stop at local shops, and then the lights. Here are the basics from that listing:
- Name: Christmas Lights at Founders Plaza
- Opening night: Tuesday, December 1, held with Christmas Around the Square after the tree lighting at Heritage Place
- Run: December 1 through 26
- Hours: Thursday through Saturday evenings, 5 to 11 p.m.
- Location: Founders Plaza on Metcalf Street, downtown Conroe
- Cost: Free
The display is only open Thursday through Saturday, so after opening night every visit falls late in the week. The last three nights of the run are December 24, 25 and 26.
Opening night on December 1
The Downtown Conroe Association lists Christmas Around the Square for Tuesday, December 1, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. It is free and follows the tree lighting at Heritage Place. The evening includes a hayride, music, Santa activities and downtown merchants. At 8 p.m., a bike and prize drawing takes place at Founders Plaza, the same plaza where the lights switch on that night.
Montgomery Runs Its Own Calendar, Four Days Later
Montgomery's season opens the first Saturday of December. The City of Montgomery holds its tree lighting, Light Up the Park, on Saturday, December 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Cedar Brake Park, 21358 Eva St. Dock Line Magazine reports that the evening includes community performances, seasonal activities, a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and recognition of the Light Up Montgomery decorating contest winners. No registration is required.
That makes the first week of December an easy one to plan. Conroe's lights open on a Tuesday. Montgomery lights its tree on Saturday. On December 5, the Founders Plaza display is also open from 5 to 11 p.m.
The lake itself gets one earlier date. Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe is hosting a Thanksgiving Day Brunch on Thursday, November 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Del Lago Ballroom at the Margaritaville Conference Center, 600 Margaritaville Pkwy. Prices are $75++ for adults and $35++ for ages 6 to 10, and children five and under eat free. A Bloody Mary or mimosa add-on is $19 per person. The resort strongly recommends reservations. They require a $25-per-person deposit for adults and children six and older, refundable up to 72 hours before the event, and tax plus an 18% service charge apply.
December 12 Is the Day the Two Calendars Meet
Both towns hold their Christmas parade on Saturday, December 12, and one ends at the hour the other begins. Here is the day in order, using each town's published schedule:
| Time | Montgomery | Conroe |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. to noon | Donuts With Santa, 710 Foster Dr. | |
| 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Christmas in Historic Montgomery, Historic Downtown | |
| 10 a.m. to noon | Lone Star Christmas Parade | |
| 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Toby Powell Conroe Christmas Celebration, Heritage Place, 500 Metcalf St. | |
| Noon to 2 p.m. | Downtown Conroe Christmas Parade | |
| 5 to 11 p.m. | Christmas Lights at Founders Plaza |
On paper, a household can catch Montgomery's parade in the morning and Conroe's in the early afternoon, then end the day at the Conroe lights after dark. Montgomery's festival also runs until 7 p.m., so the order can be reversed for anyone who would rather spend the morning in Conroe and the late afternoon in Montgomery.
The Montgomery side of the day
The City of Montgomery describes Christmas in Historic Montgomery as presented by the Montgomery Historical Society, with the city as a collaborator. It runs from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Historic Downtown Montgomery. The city's parade-day FAQ lists a Cookie Walk, a marketplace, a home tour and downtown food vendors among the day's companion activities.
The Lone Star Christmas Parade runs from 10 a.m. to noon. The city calls it free and open to regional visitors. The same FAQ gives the route and the parking plan:
- The parade heads south on C.B. Stuart Street.
- It turns west on SH 105.
- It turns north on SH 149.
- It turns east on Clepper Street and returns to C.B. Stuart.
Attendees can park at the Montgomery ISD Football Stadium, 22628 TX-105, and take a free shuttle to the Brookshire Brothers parking lot near the viewing area. Because SH 105 is part of the route, the shuttle saves you from hunting for curb space downtown on parade morning.
The Conroe side of the day
Conroe starts earlier and stays out later. The City of Conroe lists Donuts With Santa from 8 a.m. to noon at 710 Foster Dr. The Toby Powell Conroe Christmas Celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Heritage Place, 500 Metcalf St. Visit Conroe lists the Downtown Conroe Christmas Parade from noon to 2 p.m. on downtown streets. The Downtown Conroe Association presents the parade, and it is free to watch. The Heritage Place celebration offers free family activities and Santa.
December 12 is a Saturday, so the Founders Plaza lights are also open that evening from 5 to 11 p.m. That makes it the one day of the season when a parade, a daytime festival and the new light display all fall on the same date in the same downtown.
For Neighbors Who Would Rather Be in the Parade
A lake household with a decorated trailer or a walking group has one clear option this December, and it is on land. The Downtown Conroe Association's registration page lists these entry fees for the Conroe parade:
- Police and school entries: $0
- Nonprofit entries: $25
- Walking or marching entries: $25
- Vehicle and equestrian entries: $100
- Vehicle, trailer or float entries: $150
For anyone who hopes to see boats lit up on the water again, Lake Conroe LIVE's interest form is the link the organizers posted for people who want to help with their 2026 community event. Lake Conroe LIVE asks people to watch its official site and social media channels for updates.
The Season by Date
- Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day Brunch at Margaritaville Lake Resort, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 1: Heritage Place tree lighting, Christmas Around the Square, and opening night of Christmas Lights at Founders Plaza in Conroe
- Saturday, December 5: Light Up the Park at Cedar Brake Park in Montgomery, 6 to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, December 12: Both parades, Christmas in Historic Montgomery, the Toby Powell Conroe Christmas Celebration, and the Founders Plaza lights after dark
- Thursday through Saturday, December 3 to 26: Founders Plaza lights, 5 to 11 p.m.
If you're thinking about how your own lake home fits into the year ahead, holiday season included, The Brownstone Group is glad to talk it through. We follow the Montgomery and Conroe calendars as closely as the lake market. When you're ready, ask us for your home value and we'll set the numbers against how the lake actually lives through December.