Dripping Springs Ranch Park to be transformed into Western Wonderland

DRIPPING SPRINGS  — Piling up the car with children, and maybe even furry friends, to take a stroll to gaze upon the twinkling lights can be a tradition for many families for the holiday season.

Dripping Springs Ranch Park (DSRP) is creating its own Western Wonderland in hopes that the event will be a tradition for generations to come. Scheduled for nearly an entire month, the event will run from Dec. 8, 2023 through Jan. 7, 2024, to give members of the community and visitors a chance to experience the magic of the holidays for as long as possible.

One of the most anticipated components of the event is that DSRP will have a covered ice rink, with equipment provided to skaters.

“It’s going to be real ice, which is always the first question, if it’s going to be one of the plastic rinks or a real ice rink. And we're excited to say that it's a real ice rink. We had this grand idea; we took it to the DSRP Board and then we took it to council and they agreed it was a grand idea, too. We are making it happen,” said DSRP Manager Emily Nelson.

Nelson also said that Western Wonderland is going to be a multifaceted event. It’s considered to be a fun destination that will draw people of all ages — young and young at heart — to ice skate, celebrate, shop, dine and stroll through the season.

“There will also be a holiday walking trail. It's the first year, so it'll be a little smaller, but each year, we hope to get more and more community engagement and grow it, so that Dripping Springs has its own holiday trail represented. I know that in the area, there's quite a lot of holiday trails, but I feel like we can have one too in our sweet town,” she explained.

On the weekends, there will be holiday shopping available with different artisans and gift booth vendors available. Before the rink opens to the public, there are plans to have special events including storytime, a craft and then kids enrolled in the micro event will be able to do an hour of ice skating. There will also be special themed days, such as Barbie night or a pajama party, and appreciation discount days for military, healthcare workers, educators and first responders.

“This is going to allow our community and beyond to maybe set some fun family traditions, so they'll come back year after year,” Nelson said.

In order to remain inclusive and cater to every individual’s needs, Nelson said that there will an “All Abilities Skate” on Sundays before the ice rink is open to the public.

“We're going to have an All Abilities Skate hour where we're going to welcome all abilities to skate. We'll have the music turned down or off and we’ll have the lights at a friendly [setting] so it’s not as shocking,” she said. “And then, wheelchairs will be able to be on the ice and everything else, so that this is an opportunity for everyone in our community.”

The cost will be minimal for the event. Ice skating will range from $10-$15, depending on if it’s during the daytime or on peak days — which is considered Thursday through Sunday — and there will also be a parking fee during peak weekend hours. The holiday walking trail will be completely free.

“It is always our goal here to make sure the opportunities that we give [where] everybody [can have] a moment or experience available to them,” Nelson said.

While DSRP is still finalizing details of Western Wonderland, information will soon be available to the public at www.drippingspringsranchpark.com/westernwonderland.

Those interested in becoming a sponsor or vendor at the event or who have questions can contact Nelson at [email protected] or 512-894-2390.