San Marcos — The 23rd annual Sights & Sounds of Christmas celebration will once again bring a sparkle to local holiday spirit when it opens along the river at San Marcos Plaza Park Thursday evening.

“We want our residents to feel like Sights & Sounds is always the beginning of the Christmas season in San Marcos,” Sights & Sounds board secretary Renate Yanity said.

Festivities will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Dec. 3-5. The event features thousands of twinkling lights, arts and crafts, a re-creation of Old Bethlehem featuring animals and a Nativity scene, a carousel and live entertainment from music groups and local school districts throughout the weekend.

For the first time ever, Sights & Sounds comes with an admission charge: $2 for ages 11 and up, $1 for ages 10 to two and under two are admitted free.

Rodney Cobb, president of the Sights & Sounds board of directors, said that declining sponsorships and donations, along with rising costs, are the reasons for the added fee.

“We finished $1,000 in the hole last year,” Cobb said. “People have thought that Sights & Sounds has raked in tons of money each year, but the fact is that just about every penny raised has been poured back into the community.”

The annual event is preceded by the Sights & Sounds Gala, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at the San Marcos Conference Center.

The night will feature the Kris Kimura Quartet and a holiday-themed sit down dinner, and proceeds from the black and white ball benefit Sights & Sounds. More information on the Gala is available at 393-8420.

Free parking and shuttle will be available for Sights & Sounds from Texas State University's Strahan Coliseum parking lot located on Aquarena Springs Drive. The shuttle will run every 15 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The shuttle is handicap accessible.



The entertainment schedule for Sights & Sounds is:



Thursday

5:30 p.m. - Hernandez Pre-K

6 p.m. - Hernandez Elementary

6:30 p.m. - Hill Country Youth Choir

7 p.m. - Miller Choir

7:30 p.m. - Heart of Texas

8 p.m. - San Marcos High School JV Choir

8:40 p.m. - SMHS Jazz Band

9:25 p.m. - SMHS Salsa



Friday

5:30 p.m. - Mendez Choir

6 p.m. - Bowie Choir

6:30 p.m. - Crockett Choir

7 p.m. - DeZavala Choir

7:30 p.m. - Travis Elementary

8 p.m. - First Presbyterian Choir

8:30 p.m. - D’Ette and Co.

8:55 p.m. - The Magical Mysteries of Christian

9:10 p.m. - Manny B. Hip Hop

9:35 p.m. - Contemporary Cloggers

10:10 p.m. - Salsa del Rio



Saturday

5:30 p.m. - Texas Preparatory School

6 p.m. - Small Middle School Choir

6:30 p.m. - J&R; Gymnastics

8:25 p.m. - Go2Danz Studio

8:40 p.m. - Sahawe Indian Dancers

9:25 p.m. - Mariachi Infantil

9:40 p.m. - Mariachi Lince de Oro

10:05 p.m. - Mariachi Nueva Generacion