Creek Show 2026: Ten Light Installations, Timed Entry and $5 Parking on the New Waller Creek Stretch

Creek Show 2026 runs nine nights, Friday, Nov. 13 through Saturday, Nov. 21, 6 to 10 p.m., along the newly opened Confluence stretch of Waterloo Greenway in downtown Austin, Texas. It is ticketed, it has timed entry, and the one night with no ticket fee needs a reservation. If you want a specific night, buy before the week of.

According to ATX Things' read of the organizer's pages (Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and its Universe ticket listings, read Nov. 4, 2026), this is the first Creek Show on the southern stretch of Waller Creek, from 4th Street to Lady Bird Lake. I have not been to the new section at night, so what follows is what the Conservancy says, labeled as such.

AI-generated illustration of the kind of scene described; not a photo of this year's installations.

What is Creek Show, and why is it somewhere new this year?

Creek Show is Waterloo Greenway's annual light-art event. Since 2014 the Conservancy has commissioned local artists to build light installations that point at the transformation of Waller Creek into a chain of parks. It has moved over the years from the creek downtown to Waterloo Park. This year it moves downstream.

The reason is the ground itself. The Conservancy says the Grand Opening of Waterloo Greenway Phase II, The Confluence, was June 6, 2026. It describes 13 new acres between 4th Street and Lady Bird Lake, with nearly 1,550 trees, 200,000 mature plants and 10 acres of seed mixes, next to Palm Park, the Rainey Street Historic District, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, the Austin Convention Center and the Butler Hike & Bike Trail. Those are the Conservancy's numbers, not ours.

So Creek Show is also the first night-time look many people will get at a park that is five months old.

What are the ten installations?

The Conservancy lists ten, each by a local artist or team. Their own descriptions, in short:

AI-generated illustration inspired by the Sacred Datura and Nocturnal Garden descriptions; not a photo of the installations.

What does a ticket cost, and how does entry work?

This is where I have to be careful. The Conservancy's page does not print a general-admission price. The Universe listing for opening night shows a range of $12.16 to $82.63 and I could not see which ticket type sits at which price, or whether fees are folded in. The range for Community Night on Monday, Nov. 16, shows as free to $12.16. Treat those as the organizer's listing as of Nov. 4, not a quote.

What the Conservancy does spell out:

• Timed entry. You choose a 6-8 p.m. or 8-10 p.m. window when you buy. The window only sets when you can enter.
• Be in line by 9:30 p.m. to get the full experience.
• Fast Pass is an add-on to a general ticket for expedited entry.
• 4-pack discount: entry for four people on one night.
• Children 5 and under do not need a ticket.
• Rain or shine. Fully ADA accessible, per the Conservancy.
• All proceeds benefit Waterloo Greenway Conservancy.

Where do you park?

Parking is limited, the Conservancy says. Its recommendation is the Austin Convention Center garage at 601 E. 5th Street, $5 from 5 to 10 p.m. each night, limited spots, or a rideshare. I have not checked that garage's entrance, how fast it fills, or the walk to the 4th and Sabine gate, and I did not get a drive time because I had no mapping key for this run. Plan on arriving early rather than trusting a number I do not have.

Which night should you pick?

The Conservancy gives each night a theme. Here is the whole run:

Some honest reasoning, not the Conservancy's: weeknights are the likelier bet for shorter lines, and Wednesday is the only night the page says dogs are invited. Opening Night, Family Night and Closing Night are the ones I'd expect to sell fastest, but that is a guess and I have no sales data.

What should locals know before they go?

• Food and drink are at Creek Monster Cove, per the Conservancy. I do not have a menu or prices.
• Timed entry is a window, not a seat. Leaving at 8 p.m. does not hand you a longer visit.
• Weather: no forecast reaches Nov. 13 yet. Because it runs rain or shine, check the day before and dress for creek-side dampness either way.
• It sits next to Rainey Street and the Convention Center, so expect a busy downtown on a Friday or Saturday.
• If you are building a light-tradition weekend, our guide to Austin's Trail of Lights covers the other big one, and our things to do in Austin page tracks what is on this week.

FAQ

When is Creek Show 2026? Nine nights, Nov. 13 through Nov. 21, 2026, 6 to 10 p.m. nightly, at Waterloo Greenway between 4th Street and Lady Bird Lake. The entrance is at 4th and Sabine streets, per the Conservancy.

Is Creek Show free? Mostly no. It is a ticketed fundraiser for Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. Community Night, Monday Nov. 16, is free with a reservation, and children 5 and under do not need a ticket. Universe lists opening night at $12.16 to $82.63 as of Nov. 4.

Where is the entrance, and where do I park? The entrance is at 4th Street and Sabine Street (703 1/2 E 4th St). The Conservancy points to the Austin Convention Center garage, 601 E. 5th St., at $5 from 5 to 10 p.m. with limited spots, or rideshare.

Can I bring my dog? The Conservancy names Wednesday, Nov. 18 as the dog night, presented by Tito's Handmade Vodka. It does not say dogs are welcome on other nights, so check with the Conservancy before bringing one on a different date.

Does it go on if it rains? Yes. The Conservancy says Creek Show is a rain-or-shine event.

What we did and did not verify

Read Nov. 4, 2026: the Conservancy's Creek Show 2026 page and the Universe listings for opening night and the nightly schedule. Not verified: general-admission price per ticket type, the 4-pack and Fast Pass prices, the Creek Monster Cove menu, garage fill rates, drive and walk times, and anything at the site, which I have not seen lit. The Moon Tower history and the washerwomen history are the artists' own descriptions, not ours. The images are AI illustrations. If something here turns out wrong, we will fix it in the article and date the correction.