Austin families have more Nutcracker choices this December than ever before. With productions ranging from Ballet Austin’s classic tradition to jazz‑era reinventions and Georgetown community showcases, this guide helps you choose the perfect performance for your holiday schedule. For even more seasonal options, you can also pair your Nutcracker plans with other local traditions like The Mutt‑Cracker (SWEET!) or the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar.
Holiday weekend performances can sell out or have limited seat selection. If you’re aiming for specific dates, book early and build in flexibility on showtimes where you can.
Ballet Austin’s Nutcracker
Ballet Austin's Nutcracker at The Long Center
$$$The city’s premier production runs December 5–23 at The Long Center with live Austin Symphony Orchestra accompaniment, with full dates, showtimes, and casting details listed on Ballet Austin’s official Nutcracker page. Evening and matinee showtimes make it the most flexible option for families, and you can check remaining availability and pricing through the company’s ticketing overview portal. All attendees require a ticket, and the venue offers a seating zone map and other “know before you go” details to help you plan your visit on Ballet Austin’s pre‑show preparation guide. This is the safest pick if you need reliability, polished production value, and numerous scheduling options.
Weekday matinees at The Long Center tend to be calmer and more kid‑friendly, with easier parking and less lobby congestion than prime weekend evenings.
Downtown traffic and parking around The Long Center can back up before showtime, especially on weekend nights. Plan to arrive 30–45 minutes early and use the mobility and parking hacks in the linked guide to reduce stress.
- Live Austin Symphony Orchestra
- Multiple matinee and evening options
- High production value
- Central Austin location
- Helpful pre‑show planning resources
- Highest ticket prices of the options
- Downtown parking hassles
- All guests (including young children) need their own ticket
The best all‑around pick for most families—reliable, polished, and flexible enough to fit almost any December schedule.
Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite by Ballet Afrique
Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite by Ballet Afrique (Paramount Theatre)
$$This one‑night‑only show on December 15 at the Paramount Theatre reframes the classic through a Harlem Renaissance lens with tap, vocals, and audience participation, and you can confirm timing or ticket info through the Paramount Theatre’s event listings. Parking is available at the 600 Congress garage. Families seeking cultural depth, unique choreography, or an interactive experience should move quickly—this performance is expected to sell out.
Because this is a one‑night‑only performance and is expected to sell out, lock in tickets and parking at the 600 Congress garage as early as possible.
Build in extra time before curtain to explore the Paramount’s historic lobby and grab photos—once the audience participation segments begin, kids are usually too excited to sit still for pictures.
- Unique Harlem Renaissance take on the story
- Live vocals and tap
- Audience participation element
- Historic downtown venue
- Only one performance
- Limited seating that can sell out quickly
- Later evening timing may be tough for very young kids
A standout choice for families who want a fresh, culturally rich spin on The Nutcracker and don’t mind committing to a single December 15 showtime.
Austin Dance Conservatory’s Nutcracker
Austin Dance Conservatory's Nutcracker (Georgetown)
$$The Georgetown‑based production sold out its December 16–17 dates, but the Behind the Curtain dress‑rehearsal experience on December 15 offers rare backstage access for parents and young dancers who want to understand how a show comes together, with updates and announcements posted on the Austin Dance Conservatory site. If you’re making a full evening of it in Georgetown, you can also explore nearby dining using guides like this insider look at Haji Moto, Georgetown’s new ramen and sake bar.
The main Austin Dance Conservatory Nutcracker performances are sold out; the Behind the Curtain dress rehearsal on December 15 is the only remaining way to see this production in person.
The Behind the Curtain experience is ideal for kids who are curious about how theater works—expect to see lighting cues, quick changes, and note‑taking between runs rather than a perfectly polished performance.
- Rare backstage access
- Smaller‑scale community feel
- Great for aspiring dancers
- Georgetown dining and downtown square nearby
- Main performances sold out
- Requires drive from Austin proper
- Dress rehearsal format means occasional pauses and notes
A smart pick for young dancers or theater‑obsessed kids who want to see the mechanics behind a Nutcracker production rather than just the final product.
Insider Intelligence
For lower‑stress outings with kids, target weekday matinees or rehearsal experiences, then build a simple add‑on like Peppermint Parkway or a Georgetown dinner rather than stacking multiple big events in one day.
• If your kids do best with crowds on the lighter side, target weekday matinees at Ballet Austin—parking and lobby movement are easier, and you can stack those shows with tips from this December mobility and money hacks guide to save on downtown logistics.
• Ballet Afrique’s interactive rat battle vote is especially fun for school‑age children who like being part of the story, especially if they’re already into theatrical experiences like those covered in our Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Bass Concert Hall insider guide.
• The Behind the Curtain rehearsal is the only Nutcracker option in the metro area that shows how lighting cues, quick changes, and choreography notes are refined in real time, a backstage perspective that complements other behind‑the‑scenes coverage like our preview of The Mutt‑Cracker (SWEET!).
• Combine a Long Center show with nearby holiday attractions like Peppermint Parkway for a full evening with minimal extra driving, and use our downtown construction explainer to navigate detours with less stress in December via this Austin Convention Center transition guide.
Related Austin Data
Austin’s Insider Guide to Every Nutcracker Production This December
Choose how to share
