Christmas Under the Stars still falls on the first Saturday of December, so this year that's Dec. 5. The lighted parade starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends with the tree lighting at the Hill County Courthouse. What's different in 2026 is everything that comes before it. The Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce listing puts the Gingerbread Alley Winter Market on the same day from 4 to 8 p.m. That means parade day now has a whole afternoon attached to it.
The rest of December changed too. Last year the Chamber's December roundup had the Christmas Market in Downtown Hillsboro on Dec. 13, a full week after the parade. This year the makers and artists are on parade day, and the Courthouse Square market on the second Saturday is run by the farmers market. So you're really planning two Saturdays that don't look much alike.
The market that moved the start time to 4 p.m.
The Gingerbread Alley Winter Market listing invites people to "spend December 5 with local makers, artists, neighbors, and friends." It also calls the evening a chance to "wander festive booths, enjoy the parade and tree lighting, and support the arts in Hillsboro." According to its AllEvents page, the market is in Bonds Alley and is organized by the Hillsboro Arts League.
The timing is the important part. Booths open two and a half hours before the parade and stay open for about 90 minutes after it starts. If you go at 4, you can shop with plenty of daylight and room to move, then just walk over when the floats line up. In past years parade night was mostly about getting a spot before 6:30. Now the afternoon is part of it.
Hillsboro Main Street describes Christmas Under the Stars as a parade that "winds through the historic streets before gathering at the Hill County Courthouse for the beloved tree lighting ceremony." It's presented with the Chamber and the Hillsboro Optimist Club, and Main Street notes the evening often includes carnival rides, family activities and downtown shopping.
Building Dec. 5 around the matinee
The other arts event that day is at Hill College. The Hill College Players have their Holiday Show on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., then again on Saturday, Dec. 5, with a 2 p.m. matinee and an evening performance, according to the Players' page. Performances are at the Vara Martin Daniel Performing Arts Center, 112 Lamar Drive. General admission is $5. Hill College students, faculty and staff get in free with ID. Seating is first come, first served, and parking is free.
Saturday's evening performance lands right around parade time, so if you want the show and the parade both, go to the matinee or Thursday night. Here's one way to lay out Saturday:
- 2:00 p.m. Hill College Players Holiday Show matinee at the Vara Martin Daniel Performing Arts Center.
- 4:00 p.m. Gingerbread Alley Winter Market opens downtown.
- 6:30 p.m. Christmas Under the Stars Lighted Parade begins.
- After the parade: Tree lighting at the Hill County Courthouse.
- 8:00 p.m. Market booths close.
If Thursday works better for the play, Saturday is just the market and the parade. Either way, check the Hill College Players schedule for curtain times before you head out.
How the parade ran last year
The Hillsboro Reporter's coverage of the 2025 parade said entries lined up at the Hill County Annex, 126 South Covington Street. The parade started from the county parking lot on Covington, turned east on Elm, north on Pleasant, west on Franklin and then south on Covington again. Afterward, entries parked on the west side of the courthouse along Covington so people could gather on the east side for the lighting and performances. Triple T Amusements set up a carnival on North Covington Street next to the Hillsboro Post Office.
The entry fee for parade participants is a donation of an unwrapped toy or gift for children for the Christmas For Kids drive.
That was the 2025 rule as the Reporter described it. Every entry also needed some kind of lighting, and the Optimist Club gave out first through third place plus a "most enthusiastic" award. Last year, entry forms and toys went through the Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce office at 115 North Covington Street, 254-582-2481. If your business, church group or family is thinking about a float, ask there for this year's form and rules.
The second Saturday is the farmers market's
With the makers' market on parade day, Dec. 12 belongs to the growers. The Hillsboro Farmers Christmas Market runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Courthouse Square. Its Chamber listing calls it "one more chance to stock up on your favorites" after the regular market closes. That makes Dec. 12 your last chance before the holidays to pick up whatever you've been buying from the farmers market all season. Questions go to 254-722-7362 or [email protected].
The next evening, Sunday, Dec. 13, First Methodist Church of Hillsboro at 315 E. Elm St. hosts its 4th Annual Christmas Concert from 6 to 8 p.m. Jennifer Neal and Megan Urby sing, with Barry Beavers on guitar. The Chamber listing promises "a mix of timeless favorites and modern selections," and proceeds go to Hillsboro Interfaith Ministries. If you have questions, the church is at 254-582-2342.
So the second weekend has a different pace. Saturday is a morning trip to the square for groceries and gifts, and Sunday night is a concert in the sanctuary for a local charity.
| Saturday, Dec. 5 | Saturday, Dec. 12 | Sunday, Dec. 13 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main event | Christmas Under the Stars parade and tree lighting | Hillsboro Farmers Christmas Market | 4th Annual Christmas Concert |
| Hours | Market 4 to 8 p.m., parade 6:30 p.m. | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | 6 to 8 p.m. |
| Where | Downtown and the Hill County Courthouse | Courthouse Square | First Methodist Church, 315 E. Elm St. |
| Also that day | Hill College Players Holiday Show, 2 p.m. matinee and an evening show | Proceeds go to Hillsboro Interfaith Ministries |
Our team loves the weeks when the square fills up, and we're glad to point friends and family toward a good spot on Covington or the best Saturday for that last farmers market run. If you're planning around Hillsboro's December and want a neighbor's take on town, WestLand Realty Group is just a call away. Contact Our WestLand Experts.
