On May 12, 2026, Item 8 on the Blanco County Commissioners Court agenda brought architect Stan Klein, contractor Ron Dorsey and roof contractor Tommy Mangold Jr. before the court. The topic was "lighting and access to the courthouse by Lights Spectacular." The minutes record three words of outcome: "No action taken."
The organizers have since answered the question. Their 2026 FAQ says, "The courthouse lighting will not be available due to the construction." The season still runs from November 27, 2026, through January 3, 2027. For anyone in town, that changes the map more than the dates. For more than two months, Johnson City's public life will be spread across two places, the square and Memorial Park. The fall calendar is already laid out that way.
What the Scaffolding Is For
The work on the square is the cupola. Hill Country Focus reported in March 2025 that the decorative cupola is more than a century old and was left out of the 1997 renovations. The courthouse itself was accepted by the commissioners court in a ceremony on September 16, 1916.
The county has broken the job into two phases:
- Phase one used welding and scaffolding to stabilize the cupola. The county set aside $155,000 for it, and it wrapped up in late 2024.
- Phase two is the actual restoration. County Judge Brett Bray described a contract of about $2.5 million covering a full renovation of the cupola and the minidome, plus replacement of the entire metal roof. Insurance adjusters had found that roof needed replacing after the spring 2024 hailstorm. About $300,000 in insurance proceeds goes toward the contract.
The project is still showing up in county records in 2026. The invoice listing dated May 7, 2026, includes a $170,693.69 HOT Tax Fund entry for cupola repairs. The July 23, 2026 listing includes another $104,919.68 entry for the cupola. The county has published no firm completion date. The 2025 article gave a 14-month contract window and a contractor's hope of finishing "by the end of the year." Since the holiday season is planned around the construction, the work clearly isn't finished yet.
Where the Lights Go Instead
Here is how the organizers describe the change:
"While the courthouse undergoes improvements, activities and displays are now located in alternate locations throughout town. The spectacular lights, entertainment, and community spirit that make Johnson City 'The Twinkliest Town in Texas' remain exactly the same – just in new locations."
The courthouse doesn't go dark entirely. A laser show will be projected on the building, and lighted ornaments will go on the courthouse lawn. Most of the light moves to Memorial Park and PEC headquarters, where more than one million lights go on the oak trees, along with themed displays.
This matters for planning an evening. In past seasons, a walk could start and end at the courthouse. This year the square has the laser show and ornaments, and most of the lit trees are at Memorial Park and PEC headquarters. The scheduled programming follows the same split:
| What | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson City Garden Club ornament sales | The Courthouse | Nov 27 to Dec 23, 2 to 9 p.m. |
| Santa Claus | Memorial Park | Nov 28 to Dec 19, 6 to 9 p.m. |
| LBJ Lighted Lamp Tour | LBJ Boyhood Home, Elm Street | Nov 27 to Dec 21, 6 to 9 p.m. |
| Hayrides | Downtown Johnson City | Fridays and Saturdays, weather permitting; dates TBD |
The Garden Club stall is the one regular fixture still on the courthouse grounds. Proceeds from its homemade ornaments go to local scholarships, nonprofit organizations and emergency services. The Boyhood Home is one block south of Highway 290, so national park rangers are taking questions there on the same evenings the park is full.
The season's other traditions are still listed. Those include opening ceremonies with fireworks, a chili cook-off, outdoor movies, and the "Lighted Hooves & Wheels Parade" of decorated tractors and classic cars. The organizers haven't posted a time for the opening ceremony or the fireworks yet. On opening weekend, Santa's Cafe and Rudolph's Cantina serve food and drinks. The whole event is run by volunteers, and the FAQ says admission has been free for all 36 years.
October Already Runs on Two Anchors
The fall calendar shows the same split before the lights go up. October 24 is the clearest example. The 5th Annual Gears & Beers Car and Motorcycle Show runs from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ExploreJCTX describes it as held around the historic Blanco County Courthouse and nearby streets, with live music from Vinyl Flashback. That evening the action moves to Memorial Park for Jazz Fest, from 5 to 10 p.m. It's a free outdoor concert. Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair, and dinner is available from local restaurants.
The announced Jazz Fest lineup may change before the night:
- Adrian Ruiz Quintet at 5 p.m.
- Jerry Z Trio at 6:30 p.m.
- Elena Diaz with the Daniel Durham Quintet at 8 p.m.
That's a full day on the square followed by an evening in the park, five weeks before Lights Spectacular follows the same pattern. Here is the rest of October:
- October 9 to 11: The 34th Annual Hill Country Pig Roast at the Blanco County Fairgrounds. The motorcycle rally includes live music Friday and Saturday and a free pig roast dinner Saturday night. Proceeds benefit groups including Cherokee Home for Children and the event's scholarship program.
- October 17: The 6th Annual Texas Wine Jam downtown, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with more than 20 Texas wineries. General admission starts at 1 p.m.
- October 16 to 17, 23 to 24, and 30: The Hill Country Haunted House at 209 E. Main St., 6 to 10 p.m., with 13 rooms this year.
- October 31: Trick-or-Treat at the Square is on the city calendar. The city hasn't posted 2026 hours.
Out on US 290, Republic Wine Castle at 101 Durango is having its first fall under new ownership. Republic Boot Company bought the former 290 Wine Castle and held a grand-opening weekend May 1 to 3. The former Bentley Hotel on the property is now The Presidio, a 14-room boutique hotel. The castle's calendar lists live music from 3 to 6 p.m. on October 9, 10, 11 and 16.
Planning the Season Around the New Map
The lights come on at dusk, which the organizers set at 5:45 p.m., and stay on until midnight. Their FAQ says weeknights draw smaller crowds, and weekend evenings are livelier but busier. Street parking is still open on non-residential downtown streets, and the organizers note that Saturday nights get crowded. The hayrides are a key planning detail. They run downtown on Fridays and Saturdays only, weather permitting, so anyone planning an evening around a ride will be out on the busiest nights.
December has two more dates outside the light displays. The city calendar lists the Jingle Jaunt 5K on December 12. On Sunday, December 20, Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site holds its 57th Annual Tree Lighting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evening includes carolers, a live nativity, Santa, and a lamp-lit tour of the Sauer-Beckmann Farm. That spreads the season's evening events across four places: the Boyhood Home on Elm Street, the courthouse lawn, Memorial Park and the state park.
The organizers recommend dressing in layers. They put December temperatures between 40 and 65 degrees. Every display is wheelchair accessible. The county hasn't announced a completion date for the cupola. When the work is done, the courthouse will come back with a restored cupola, minidome and roof. Until then, this season's center is the oaks at Memorial Park.
Topper Real Estate is based in Johnson City. We follow work like the courthouse restoration because it shapes how people use the square and Memorial Park. If you're thinking about property within walking distance of either one, schedule your Hill Country consultation and we'll go over how that location works year-round.
