On Saturday, November 21, two of the longest-running holiday events on Broadway fall on the same evening. The 48th Alamo Heights Holiday Parade leaves Alamo Heights High School at 5:45 p.m. Farther south, the University of the Incarnate Word holds its 40th Light the Way Holiday Festival at 4301 Broadway. The schedules overlap less than the shared date suggests. The parade is an early-evening event, and in recent years Light the Way has built toward a late finish. That leaves room to do both in one night. If you'd rather skip the crowds, the UIW lights stay on for weeks afterward.
Two Anniversaries, One Sponsor
The parade is the older of the two. Its organizers say the Alamo Heights Holiday Night Parade is the oldest holiday parade in San Antonio. It began in 1977 under the Alamo Heights Chamber of Commerce, and the Midtown Business Association has coordinated it since 2024. UIW's festival turns 40 this year, and in a September announcement the university promised "a few surprises for the anniversary year."
H-E-B sponsors both events. It is the presenting sponsor on the parade's 2026 page and is named in the title of the UIW festival. UIW's FAQ lists Light the Way as free, and a 2025 local preview listed last year's parade as free.
The Early Evening Starts at the High School
The evening starts with a footrace. The Midtown Mile, which the race page calls the San Antonio City Championship Run, starts at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Tuxedo and Alamo Heights Boulevard. It follows the parade route down to Alamo Heights Pool, which the organizers describe as a net downhill course. IRUN Texas, the running store at 4001 Broadway, runs the timing and handles packet pickup before race day.
Runners can enter as individuals, as teams of at least five, or as a "chair duo." Every finisher gets a medal. The fastest man and fastest woman each get a trophy, and On is supplying prizes. The Midtown Mile registration page also makes room for people who aren't racing:
"Not feeling competitive? No problem! You can still run your pace or take a leisurely stroll and enjoy this beautiful course and all the fun festivities along the way like midway champagne and snacks!"
The registration page listed the race at $30 with a price increase set for after October 28 at 11:59 p.m., so check the page for the current fee before you sign up.
The parade steps off fifteen minutes after the runners, at 5:45 p.m. It starts at Alamo Heights High School, 6900 Broadway, and ends at Alamo Heights Pool, 250 Viesca. The lineup is the familiar small-town mix of floats, local businesses, dance groups and music. The organizers say the after-party at the finish is what sets this parade apart. Local businesses run food, drinks, games, children's activities and entertainment there, and the race page describes it as "an iconic after party." Last year's sponsors included Heights Pool, the Alamo Heights Rotary Club, Fish City Grill, EZ's Restaurant, Maverick Distilling and Geraldine's Natural Wines.
The parade also raises gifts for children. It supports the Elf Louise Christmas Project, which provides Christmas gifts to children across San Antonio. The 2026 parade page doesn't list donation items or a drop-off point, so check with the organizers if you plan to bring something.
The race page says parking is available at Alamo Heights High School and near the pool at the finish. If you live within walking distance, though, you can skip the parking question altogether.
The Late Evening Belongs to UIW
UIW hasn't posted its 2026 schedule yet. Last year's schedule is the best guide for now. In 2025, the university advertised the festival from 3 to 9 p.m. Its official program set the lighting ceremony for 6:30 p.m. and the fireworks for 9 p.m. If 2026 follows that pattern, the parade and the lighting ceremony will overlap, and the fireworks will come well after the parade ends.
Here is what that same UIW announcement confirms for this year: live music, food trucks, Shoppers' Lane, a meet-and-greet with Santa, and "a million twinkling lights and fireworks to end the night." Students spent September 14 through 17 in the Joeris Ballroom of the Student Engagement Center replacing old bulbs and testing every strand. The university says the festival draws thousands of visitors each year.
Parking at UIW works differently from parking at the parade. According to the Light the Way FAQ, festival parking is first-come, first-served in the Ancira and Founders Hall garages. The university encourages rideshare and uses Founders Hall as the drop-off point. The FAQ doesn't mention a shuttle.
One Way to Plan the Evening
This plan assumes UIW keeps something close to its 2025 schedule. Check the Light the Way page closer to November 21 for the confirmed times.
- Late afternoon. If 2026 follows last year, the UIW festival will already be open. The Shoppers' Lane and food trucks are easiest to see while it is still light.
- 5:30 p.m. The Midtown Mile starts at Tuxedo and Alamo Heights Boulevard.
- 5:45 p.m. The parade leaves Alamo Heights High School and heads for the pool.
- After the parade. The after-party at Alamo Heights Pool, 250 Viesca, has food, drinks, games and activities for children.
- Later in the evening. Head south on Broadway to UIW. Allow time for the garages, or take a rideshare to Founders Hall.
- Fireworks. In 2025, the fireworks went off at 9 p.m. and closed the night.
The trade-off is the lighting ceremony. Last year it started at 6:30, while this year's parade will still be on the street. For anyone who wants to stay for the after-party, that makes the ceremony the part of Light the Way to give up. You don't have to see the lights on festival night, though.
The Lights Stay On Until January 6
You can see the UIW lights on almost any evening this season. According to the university's self-guided tour page, the lights come on at dusk every night from November 21, 2026, through January 6, 2027. The walking tour is free. Visitors can park in any open space on campus that isn't marked as non-UIW parking. Handicapped spaces require a placard, and fire lanes are off-limits.
That gives you some easy options. You can spend the 21st at the parade and after-party and save the lights for a quieter weeknight. Holiday guests can see campus without the festival crowds. On a free December evening, you can stop by after dinner on Broadway. UIW notes that campus buildings are usually closed during the tour period and points visitors to the restaurants around campus.
There's a new option for that dinner. According to the San Antonio Express-News, Silo has moved downstairs at 1133 Austin Highway and reopened as Silo Oyster Tavern, and it was serving dinner daily as of mid-October. The same report says Nonna Osteria, an upscale Italian restaurant, is planned for the upstairs space Silo left, with no opening date announced. Morning plans may change around then too. Alamo Heights reported that PopUp Bagels expected to finish renovating its space at The Collection, 7959 Broadway, around mid-December, though it hadn't announced an opening date.
UIW's campus lights stay on from November 21 through Epiphany, and the parade's after-party fills the evening of the 21st at the Heights Pool on Viesca.
If you're planning to host this season, whether that means the parade route, the after-party or the lights, I'm glad to share what I know about the Broadway corridor and the North Side. Reach out to Krista Boazman any time. Let's Connect.