SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS
Festival cites 'operational challenges' moving forward
The Sights & Sounds of Christmas, the largest annual event in San Marcos, will not be back in its traditional form this year. The Board of Directors for the festival have “paused” planning efforts for this year’s event “due to extensive challenges affecting the operations and financial viability of the festival,” according to a press release issued on Friday.
“We are currently re-evaluating plans with the city to still bring holiday spirit this December,” the board said. “At this time, we are continuing planning efforts for the 2024 Jingle Bell Run 5K and Kid-k.”
Sights & Sounds originated in the late 1980s as a partnership with the city of San Marcos, local businesses and volunteers to provide a Christmas gift for the children of San Marcos. Over the following decades, the event expanded into one of the largest in Hays County with tens of thousands of visitors over what became a two-weekend event. It is estimated that around 1 million people have visited Sights and Sounds since its inception 36 years ago.
The board cited five primary reasons the 2024 festival is “paused.”
The long-term carnival partner, Crabtree, was sold to a larger entertainment organization and will no longer be able to participate in Sights & Sounds. It provided both the entertainment and the financial operational infrastructure that the festival ran on.
“We were unable to identify a viable partner and overcome the challenges that a new vendor would bring to the festival,” the board said.
The board also highlighted additional regulations that have made it difficult citing “recently enacted event policies and safety requirements” that have increased expenses. This impacted the financial stability of the festival, other issues arose too.
“Although leadership overcame extreme challenges of freeze-outs, floods, and even a pandemic, these all caused financial strain that have been difficult to overcome,” the board said. “The $5.00 adult entry is not sustainable. … We have experienced a dramatic rise in operational expenses combined with a strain on fundraising and sponsorship opportunities.”
The festival is also managed by volunteers, and it has been difficult to find enough committed volunteers to continue.
“These items opened the door for an exponential list of additional challenges, and unfortunately, the Sights and Sounds Board of Directors have come to a hard-stop deadline where a decision had to be made, as funding efforts and vendor preparations require a specific understanding of the complete format and operation of our festival,” the board said. “Discussions will continue regarding the next steps, and we have faith that we will bring the Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival back to the community in a more sustainable format. We will be engaging all stakeholders about the future and are currently discussing options with the city of San Marcos to bring some format of holiday spirit to our community this Christmas. We truly appreciate everyone’s support and understanding during our rebuilding process.”
