"We are focusing on the lights this year," Mayor Pro Tem Craig Magerkurth told DailyTrib in August. "That area that had the rink it will have a new LED light feature."
That one sentence sums up the 2026 Walkway of Lights at Lakeside Park. When the Walkway opens next Friday, November 20, at 6 p.m., the lakeside corner that used to hold the ice rink will hold lights instead. The swap is the most visible result of a decision the City of Marble Falls made this year. It now owns the Walkway, it pays for it, and it decided the light displays were worth more of its holiday budget than the skating.
A trade the city made on purpose
In June, Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman told City Council the rink cost about $160,000 a year and hadn't fully covered its operating costs in recent years, DailyTrib reported. Ending it, she said, could help pay for running the Walkway without a big increase to the city budget. That same night Mayor John Packer warned that "the first year is going to be kind of a transition, so we're probably going to have to sacrifice other Christmas things to get it up and running."
The rink turned out to be what was cut. The city's proposed Fiscal Year 2026–27 budget ends the rink and moves $100,000 to Walkway operations. Here are the figures side by side:
| Item | Amount | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Ice rink annual cost | About $160,000 | June 2026 |
| Redirected to Walkway operations | $100,000 | FY 2026–27 proposed budget |
| Walkway assets bought from the Chamber | $175,000 | June 2026 |
| New Mosca Design sculptures | $450,162.23 | August 2026 |
| EDC upfront funding cap | Up to $575,000 | October 2026 |
The rink's yearly cost was larger than the amount moved into Walkway operations. Most of the new spending on lights goes to sculptures the city now owns, and those don't have to be paid for again next year.
What the city bought in June
For more than 35 years the Marble Falls Area Chamber of Commerce built and ran the Walkway. On June 2, City Council approved buying the event's assets from the Chamber for $175,000. Under the deal the city pays the Chamber $25,000 at closing and $10,000 a year through 2031, and the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation covers the remaining $100,000.
The purchase covered more than 100 light sculptures plus the electrical infrastructure, tunnels, trees and other property, all transferred "as-is." So the familiar displays at Lakeside Park come with years of wear. Dingman was candid about it, according to DailyTrib's June report: "I don't know that I can actually articulate exactly what our maintenance cost is, but we are preparing to bring those forward in our budget presentations."
In the same DailyTrib article, she also gave the reason the city took it on. The display draws more than 40,000 visitors and brings sales tax revenue and business to local shops. Chamber Chairman Cody Petty told the outlet the organization is confident the event will keep doing well under the city. The Chamber is still involved. "We've taken it over, but the chamber is still giving their expertise," Magerkurth told DailyTrib. "It will be a gradual handoff." This is also the first year the Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Department runs the whole event.
Twelve new areas, paid off over five years
Older sculptures in mixed condition help explain why the city moved quickly on new ones. At its August 4 meeting, Council approved a $450,162.23 purchase from Mosca Design for new holiday sculptures and display pieces. The order adds 12 themed areas, each with several large sculptures and interactive photo spots, placed alongside the existing displays.
The financing stretches over several years. The EDC approved a funding agreement on October 7 after the required public hearings, and Council approved it October 20, DailyTrib reported. The agreement lets the EDC cover up to $575,000 in eligible costs upfront, and the city pays the EDC back over five years. Beyond the sculptures, the agreement also sets aside money for other community park and recreation activities.
Put the two schedules together. The city will be paying the Chamber through 2031 and repaying the EDC for about five years, so the 12 new areas are a purchase the city will still be paying off long after this season. According to the city's October 16 notice, the first shipment had arrived, the rest was expected in the following weeks, and installation at Lakeside Park was scheduled to begin November 2.
The one display that was postponed
The city also looked at something bigger. Through the fall, Marble Falls and a company called World Icon discussed installing a Glory Tree this season. In an October 16 notice, the city said key requirements and logistics couldn't be finished in time for 2026. It remains open to a possible installation in 2027 and expects more talks after the first of the year. This season's changes at Lakeside Park are the Mosca Design areas and the LED feature where the rink used to be.
Before you walk it this year
Visit Marble Falls lists the Walkway as free, open nightly from 6 to 10 p.m. through January 2, 2027, weather permitting, at Lakeside Park, 305 Buena Vista Drive. The Grand Opening listing puts opening night on Friday, November 20, from 6 to 10 p.m. Other details from the Visit Marble Falls event page:
- Rain closures are decided by 3 p.m. Wet ground makes the path unsafe, so on rainy days the call to close is made that afternoon. Check the Visit Marble Falls Facebook and Instagram pages or call 830-693-2815 before you drive over.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash. Bring bags and pick up after them.
- Santa visits nightly until Christmas, according to Visit Marble Falls.
- Accessible parking and path. Handicap parking is in front of the entrance, and an ADA-accessible paved path runs through the display.
The rest of the season, downtown and lakeside
The Walkway is one of several holiday events in town over the next few weeks. Tomorrow, Friday, November 13, Visit Marble Falls hosts the free Downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony at dusk, listed for 6:30 p.m. The listing suggests getting there around 6 for refreshments and family activities. Right after, Grinch on the Green shows the movie for free in Harmony Park. Bring blankets, chairs and snacks.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 13 | Downtown Tree Lighting, then Grinch on the Green | Downtown and Harmony Park |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Walkway of Lights opens, 6 p.m. | Lakeside Park |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Christmas Light Up Parade | Main Street |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Market Day on Main, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the Highland Lakes | Main Street |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | A Very Merry Movie Mile, 5:30–9 p.m., sponsored by the Chamber | Johnson Park |
| Sat., Jan. 2 | Last night of the Walkway | Lakeside Park |
The parade date comes from the City of Marble Falls calendar, which lists Friday, December 4, for the Light Up Parade on Main Street. The Chamber's Movie Mile at Johnson Park the next evening is another sign the organization is still part of the season after handing over the Walkway.
When the Walkway opens on Friday, November 20, the corner of Lakeside Park where people used to skate will have the new LED feature, and the 12 Mosca Design areas will join the sculptures the Chamber built up over 35 years.
At McAlister Realty, we follow changes like this one because they affect everyday life in Marble Falls, from where the lights go up at Lakeside Park to how the city budgets for them. If you're thinking about what the Highland Lakes holiday season means for a home here or a second home on the water, Tara and our team would be glad to talk it through. Request a Market Consultation, and we'll start with what you're seeing in your part of the lake.
