In December 2024, New Caney's holiday festival filled a parking lot. The East Montgomery County Improvement District set up A Holiday to Remember outdoors at 22296 Market Place Drive in Valley Ranch Town Center, near Goody Goody Liquor and Rogers Premier Suites & Salons. It ran December 13 through 22 with ice skating, a petting zoo, sleigh rides, a snow-filled play pit, daily visits from Santa and a holiday market on both weekends. The year before, it had used the same Market Place Drive address from December 15 to 24, with gift shopping timed for the last days before Christmas.
This year the dates, the address and the purpose all change. The 2026 edition runs December 26 through January 4 at the new Caney Pines Convention Center, 21654 Valley Ranch Parkway, with everything under one roof. The festival used to be a place to finish your Christmas shopping. Now it fills the slow stretch between Christmas and the end of winter break. For most families here, it will also be their first time inside a building they've watched go up along Valley Ranch Parkway for almost two years.
What moved, side by side
| 2024 edition | 2026 edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Dec. 13–22 | Dec. 26, 2026–Jan. 4, 2027 |
| Setting | Outdoor parking lot, 22296 Market Place Dr. | Indoors at Caney Pines Convention Center, 21654 Valley Ranch Pkwy. |
| Headline attractions | Ice skating, petting zoo, bounce houses, sleigh rides, snow pit, Santa, holiday market, classic car show | Ice skating, ice slide, bumper cars, winter wonderland walk, concessions |
| Cost model | Free entry; $10 wristband for skating and select attractions | Free to walk around; skate admission from $5 to $15 covers the other attractions |
| Parking | Town Center lot | Free in the convention center garage |
The new dates are what change your plans. In past years, the festival fell on the same weekends as school concerts, office parties and last-minute errands. Now it falls in the week when kids are out of school, relatives are often still in town, and the presents are already open. EMCID's 2026 listing focuses on the rink and the rides. The holiday market and Santa visits from earlier years don't appear among the promoted attractions, which fits an event that now starts the day after Christmas.
The building is the other reason to go
Caney Pines is one of the biggest projects East Montgomery County has ever taken on. According to EMCID's September 1, 2026 announcement, the venue covers 210,070 square feet, cost $159 million and was built by SpawGlass. The district calls it the third-largest convention center in Houston and the seventh-largest in Texas. Its exhibition hall holds more than 6,000 people and can be divided into as many as seven smaller rooms. The building also has two signature meeting rooms that look out over Valley Ranch, plus a terrace.
The name has a local meaning too. EMCID says its board chose Caney Pines to reflect the area's logging history and forested land, and to honor the first settlement here, which became today's New Caney. Some of the interior will be local as well. The Houston Chronicle reported in mid-October that Houston-area photographers were invited to submit black-and-white images of East Montgomery County by October 23 for the venue's decor.
As of September, EMCID said construction was on schedule and a grand opening celebration was planned for December. The district has not announced a specific date. That puts the skating week within days or weeks of the doors opening. EMCID President and CEO Frank McCrady framed the project in long-term terms:
"Every construction milestone brings us one step closer to creating a venue that will serve future events, residents, attract visitors and strengthen East Montgomery County's economy for decades."
Oak View Group will run the venue day to day. EMCID and OVG announced in September that Melanie Granado will be its general manager. The district says it built the venue for graduations, weddings, business meetings, trade shows and youth sports tournaments. EMCID says it is already taking bookings for 2027. Before those events start, a holiday skate is the easiest reason for a resident to walk in.
What it costs, and what's included
These are the prices on the official ticket page. Online ticket sales were still marked "Coming Soon" in late October.
- Ages 7 and up: $15 for a one-hour skate with skate rental, or $10 if you bring your own skates
- Ages 6 and under: $5 for a one-hour skate, rental included
- What skate admission covers: unlimited use of the ice slide, bumper cars and winter wonderland walk
- Walking around: always free
- Bumper cars: riders must be at least 48 inches tall
- Parking: free in the Caney Pines Convention Center garage
The pricing is set up for a mixed group. If one person wants to skate and the rest want to look around, only the skater pays. For a family with skaters, the one-hour admission gets you the slide and bumper cars too, so plan the visit around the rink and fit the rides in afterward. Kids who are close to the 48-inch line should get measured before you promise them bumper cars.
Ten days, planned around the calendar
EMCID's FAQ says hours change from day to day. These are the days with published details so far.
Saturday, Dec. 26: Opening day and First Responder Appreciation. First responders with valid ID save 30% on admission.
Sunday, Dec. 27: Military Appreciation. Same 30% discount with valid military ID.
Monday, Dec. 28: Christian Music Night. The building is listed as open 2 to 10 p.m., with the themed late skate from 8 to 10 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 29: Tejano Music Night. Open 2 to 10 p.m., themed skate from 8 to 10 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 30: Country Music Skate. Open 2 to 10 p.m., themed skate from 8 to 10 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 31: Noon Year's Eve. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., so families with young kids can celebrate early and be home well before midnight.
Saturday, Jan. 2: Healthcare Appreciation. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with 30% off for healthcare workers who show valid ID.
Sunday, Jan. 3: Teacher Appreciation. Teachers save 30% with valid ID.
Monday, Jan. 4: Closing day.
Each appreciation discount covers one admission per ID. Everyone else in the group pays the regular price. If your household includes a nurse, teacher, first responder or service member, picking their night saves money on one ticket, not the whole family's. EMCID also offers party packages for birthdays and other gatherings at the rink. The Holiday to Remember site has those details.
Where to eat before or after
The convention center sits in the Valley Ranch Entertainment District. EMCID describes this as part of a 2.55-million-square-foot mix of retail, office, restaurant and entertainment space. Some of the nearest options are brand new this fall.
The Rusty Buckle Craft BBQ and Texas Cuisine reopened September 25 in a larger space at 22664 Community Drive. Community Impact reported that it has indoor seating for 125 plus a patio. That's enough room to bring visiting relatives after a skate without splitting up across two tables.
Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux at 22276 Market Place Drive has had a moving target. In July, Community Impact reported that its opening had slipped from August to "this fall," after an earlier spring goal. If it opens by late December, the college bowl games and the Country skate night will line up nicely. Check before you go.
For anyone coming from the Porter side, the new QuikTrip at 21485 FM 1314 opened October 1 and is open 24 hours, per Community Impact. It's a handy stop for fuel and drinks on the way home from a 10 p.m. skate.
One thing that won't be there for this holiday season is the H-E-B planned for 11940 N. Grand Parkway E. It is expected to open in fall 2027.
Before December gets busy
The festival no longer competes with the weeks before Christmas, so that stretch of the calendar is open again. The week after Christmas now has something planned for every day. Tickets will be sold through emcholiday.com once sales open. That's the link to bookmark if you're aiming for a theme night or an appreciation day.
Robin has watched Valley Ranch grow from open land into a district with a convention center at its center. If you're curious how projects like Caney Pines are showing up in what homes near Valley Ranch Parkway sell for, Robin Bailey can take you through the numbers for your street. Request your free home valuation, and enjoy the ice.
