CCRP
We all have our own holiday traditions — some small, some grand — and for the team and homeowners behind the annual Candlelight Christmas Home Tour in Ryan Place, tradition comes wrapped in festive lights and historic charm. Fifty volunteers, docents, and house captains — it really does take an army of elves to bring the magic of Candlelight to life — stand ready for this year’s tour, which promises to be a celebration of community, history, and holiday cheer.
The Candlelight Christmas in Ryan Place (CCRP) has been a Fort Worth fixture for 41 years, a time capsule of history and holiday spirit that transforms the neighborhood’s streets into twinkling corridors of old-world charm. Held the first weekend of December, the tour showcases homes ranging from stately mansions to cozy bungalows, reflecting the architectural diversity of the historic Ryan Place neighborhood. Proceeds from the event support local historic preservation projects, neighborhood infrastructure, and community fellowship initiatives.
CCRP
This year, the tour highlights five exceptional historical homes alongside Ryan Place’s iconic Daggett Elementary, all dressed for the holidays. Adding to the festive atmosphere, attendees can enjoy Santa, a Polar Express-inspired train for kids, live music, and — back by popular demand — horse-drawn carriage rides.
The origins of CCRP date to 1984, when a group of committed residents launched what was then dubbed a “Kitchen Table Committee.” Ryan Place had endured decades of decline, with many historic homes seen as outdated or impractical. The inaugural Candlelight Tour offered a new vision — presenting these so-called “white elephants” in all their restored holiday splendor, catching locals and visitors alike by surprise.
“The spirit of it was really to take back the neighborhood,” Andrea Davis, co-chair of the tour, explains. “We wanted to preserve these homes before they were lost.” Over the years, the tour has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, funding major projects such as the reconstruction of stone entrance portals on Elizabeth Boulevard and the installation of historically styled streetlights — small but meaningful efforts that reinforce the neighborhood’s unique architectural identity.
Colleen Shutt, home tour director and co-chair, beams about the 41st annual tour: “We’ve got five phenomenal houses this year, plus Daggett Elementary. The school has been part of the tour for three years now, and they really go all out — furniture restored to a hundred years ago, classrooms decorated with wreaths, and even a working fireplace.”
Visitors can enjoy a self-paced stroll through the homes and school, stopping at a central holiday hub that will feature live performances, food, and festive activities. Musical offerings include local favorites like Mollie Danel and her backing band, along with the banjo group the Holy Pickers, walking carolers, and acoustic sets that evoke the cozy ambiance of a traditional Christmas.
CCRP
For those seeking a more immersive experience, horse-drawn carriage rides and a kid-friendly mini train provide an extra touch of nostalgia. The tour gives visitors a sense of stepping back in time, evoking a more wholesome, old-school Christmas — the kind of holiday scene that could have come straight out of "Little Women."
Homeowners volunteer their residences for the tour, many completing extensive restorations in anticipation of the event. “One home was taken down to the bones, every brick rinsed and reordered,” Colleen notes. “The attention to detail is phenomenal.” Visitors leave not just inspired by the decorations but with ideas for their own holiday displays — a unique blend of preservation, creativity, and community pride.
Tickets for the 2025 tour are $30, with an early-bird price of $25 available through Cyber Monday. The tour runs Saturday, Dec. 6, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 7, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
As the neighborhood prepares for another year of sparkling lights and festive cheer, Colleen captures the feeling of the tour: “Yeah, it gives me tingles just talking about it. There's a true magic that's in the air, and you start to feel it. Now, we're putting the signs up right now as we speak at the gates at Elizabeth Boulevard and Eighth Street. And once everything just starts to take shape more and more, you just feel it in the air. It's really cool.”
