Take an evening stroll past Christmas light-adorned homes in the Woodland Heights at the 27th annual Lights in the Heights on Saturday, December 13, 2014 from 6pm to 9pm.
After becoming one of Houston’s most popular holiday gatherings, and becoming overwhelmingly invasive to its host neighborhood, Lights in the Heights continues to return to its less publicized roots for 2014.
Most neighborhood homes, already decorated festively for the season, will pull out all the stops. Select homes will feature musicians performing holiday, folk and other tunes on their front porches.
If you’re looking for charm and community (coupled with some traffic congestion in order to arrive), you may want to head over. If you’re looking for raucous Christmas-themed alternatives to holiday parties, you’ll likely be disappointed this year.
Light in the Heights 2014 Route
This year, the Lights in the Heights will take over Highland and Omar streets, from. Norhill to Florence. Publicity has been almost completed omitted for 2014, continuing last year’s trend of scaling down the event.
The closed streets for Lights in the Heights 2014 are still open to public pedestrians. And it promises to offer a unique, warm and friendly taste of holiday cheer in the Heights. However, visitors should keep in mind that they are guests in the neighborhood.
Although the streets are open to the public, the homes and yards are not. Many of the homeowners in the Woodland Heights have private parties of their own during Lights in the Heights, so please observe “Private Party” signs posted in yards and do not enter any yards unless you’ve been invited.
Any rowdy behavior and disregard for law will threaten the continued existence of this 27-year old holiday tradition.
History of Lights in Heights
The Lights in the Heights celebration began in 1988 as a neighborly Christmas gathering with lights, music and cookies. It grew dramatically over the years and by 2012 it became too large for the Woodland Heights neighborhood. Reaching an estimated 50,000 visitors, the free event was challenged by issues with public intoxication and problems that come with it, along with the sheer overcrowding.
In 2013, the event was scaled back considerably. Although the event happened without notable incident, it continued to clog the Woodland Heights.
This year, the neighborhood association decided to scale back the event even further and not actively promote the event. For 2014, it is still happening and two streets will be closed off for the evening. However, there will be no vendor stations. Police will be on hand to enforce laws on public intoxication and underage drinking.
Lights in the Heights 2014
- Date: Saturday, December 13, 2014
- Time: 6pm to 9pm
- Location: Woodland Heights, Houston, TX 77009
- Parking: Parking is very difficult to come by in the Woodland Heights during this event. Visitors from outside the neighborhood are encouraged to ride bicycles, use public transportation or use a taxi or other car service. Barricades will be erected on surrounding streets starting at 5pm. Barricades will be removed at 9pm.
- Admission: Free