Every year, Kilgore kicks off the holiday season with a tradition unlike anything else here in the Lone Star State. On the Thursday before Thanksgiving, the lights atop the town’s famous downtown oil derricks are lit up like luminous ornaments resting on towering Christmas trees made of metal. The Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation Foundation has hosted this event for years and has joined with the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce to expand it to include even more entertainment and activities for the past two years. Along with the lighting ceremony, there is family fun including food vendors, holiday arts and crafts, kid’s activities, including Snowzilla Slide, live entertainment, music and so much more!