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Join the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble for a holiday concert at Bethany United Methodist Church. Spend a Sunday afternoon with festive favorites, a few surprises, and music for the whole family. It's a lovely way to slow down and enjoy the season with friends and neighbors.
Sunday, December 13, 2026 · 4:00 pm
Bethany United Methodist Church
10010 Anderson Mill Road, Austin, TX 78750
The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble is proud to kick off the holiday season at the 2026 Zilker Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. We'll play festive pre-event music while Austin gathers for one of its best-loved traditions.
Austin has lit the Zilker Holiday Tree since 1967. The "tree" is built from 3,309 LED lights strung from one of Austin's historic moonlight towers. The tower is one of 15 still standing in the city, and Austin is the only U.S. city that still uses these towers. The finished tree stands 155 feet tall and has a double star on top. Stand inside it, look up, and spin: it's an Austin rite of passage.
Bring a blanket, your family, and your holiday spirit, and come early to enjoy the music before the lights come on!
Sunday, November 29, 2026
- 5:15 pm: Pre-event music by the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble
- 6:00 pm: Tree lighting ceremony
Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Rd. (south side of the park)
Free parking on site, first-come, first-served. Carpooling or Cap Metro is recommended.
After the ceremony, the tree stays lit nightly from 6 to 10 pm through January 1.
The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble brings holiday music to the residents of Westminster, a retirement community here in Austin. Playing for our neighbors is one of our favorite parts of the season. We're grateful to Westminster for inviting us to share an afternoon of festive music with their community.
8403 Mesa Dr., Austin, TX 78759
Why wait until December?
Spooky Christmas music in October! This concert immediately follows Covenant's Trunk or Treat.
5008 Hartung Ln, Creedmoor TX 78610
Celebrating America's 250th Birthday
The Austin Civic Wind Ensemble celebrates America's Semiquincentennial this Independence Day with a program spanning the full arc of American music — from stirring marches to sweeping cinematic landscapes.
From Sousa's Sesquicentennial Exposition March, written for America's 150th birthday in 1926, to Noah D. Taylor's Fanfare 250, composed expressly for this milestone, the program bridges a century of celebration. Along the way, Copland's unapologetic optimism, John Williams' cinematic grandeur, and the urgency of Galante's Midnight Ride trace the American story in sound.
The evening opens with The Star Spangled Banner in the U.S. Armed Forces Edition and closes with The Stars and Stripes Forever followed by fireworks at 9:15PM.
Band members: join us for a social before the concert!
Independence Day concert at Westminster
Join us for an afternoon of intimate small ensemble music as members of the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble come together in small groups to share their passion for music in a more personal setting.
This unique showcase features five distinct groups, each bringing their own color and character to the afternoon's program:
From the rich, warm blend of clarinets to the bright shimmer of flutes, the bold resonance of French horns to the velvety tones of saxophones, this concert promises a wonderful variety of sounds and styles — all in one afternoon.
Admission: FREE
This event is presented by members of the Austin Civic Wind Ensemble.
8403 Mesa Dr., Austin, TX 78759
Join us for an extraordinary musical voyage that celebrates humanity's timeless connection to water.