Holiday Events

Details of holiday events beginning in November. You'll find holiday boutiques, tree lightings, visits from Santa, boat parades, New Year's Eve events and much more!

Click Here for events listed by city

Tamale Festival - La Habra
December 3, 2022
10 am - 10 pm

Tamale contest, dance performances by local studios, and musical performances. There will be many vendors selling a variety of items, as well as many tamale vendors.

Free entrance for all attendees. In addition this year, the City's annual Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony is now part of the event

LOCATION:
301 S Euclid St.
La Habra, CA

Tamale Festival - Placentia
hursday, December 8, 2022
4:00 pm to 10:00 pm

The Placentia Santa Fe Merchants Association and the City of Placentia are proud to bring you the annual Tamale Festival to be held in Old Town Placentia in the 100-200 blocks of Santa Fe Street.

The event will feature live entertainment, food and tamale vendors, non-profit booths, business booths, a beer garden, pictures with Santa Claus, a Holiday Tree Lighting, and a kid's games area.

LOCATION:
Santa Fe Street
Placentia, Ca

Holiday Event with Santa at Anaheim Plaza
Saturday, December 10, 2022
11am - 1pm

Free Family Fun Event With Raffles & Prizes, Airbrush Artist, Balloon Artist and Kid-Friendly DJ.

Bring your cameras to take a photo with Santa! Plus goodie bags for the first 100 kids*.

*Children 12 and younger.

LOCATION:
Anaheim Plaza Food Court
N. Euclid St. & Santa Ana Fwy.
Anaheim, CA 92801

Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade
Newport Beach/Newport Bay
December 14 – 18, 2022

FREE to the public. The boat parade will light up the harbor for five consecutive nights. The parade starts at Collins Island at 6:30 p.m. and will last approximately three and a half hours over 250 ships participate in the parade along with hundreds of water front estates. Providing the backdrop for the parade is the Ring of Lights waterfront home and business decorating competition. FREE for spectators, entry fee for participating boats. Over million and half people view the parade each year.

For those of you that would like to be in parade both Newport Landing and Davey's Locker will offer general admission cruises nightly every night of the parade that are a part of the actual parade. Viewing the parade from a ship means that you see all of the parade and homes in full decor that line the waterfront. General admission tickets can be reserved over the phone.

LOCATIONS FOR CRUISES:
December 2-31, 2022
Offered nightly (check websites for times)
Newport Landing
309 Palm - Suite A, Newport Beach Ca 92661
Davey's Locker
400 Main St., Newport Beach, CA 92661

INFORMATION:
949-675-0551

South Coast Repertory presents: A Christmas Carol - Costa Mesa
November 26 - December 24, 2022

Orange County’s favorite yuletide tradition continues! From the first “Bah humbug” to the final “Wassail,” this timeless classic is sure to rekindle your holiday spirit. Join all your favorite Dickens characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchit family, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come, and of course, everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, portrayed by SCR Founding Member Richard Doyle.

Advisory: Ages 6 and up. Children under the age of six will not be admitted to A Christmas Carol. Everyone—regardless of age—must have a ticket, sit in a seat and be able to sit quietly through the performance. This show contains smoke, haze and ​strobe effects.

LOCATION:
South Coast Repertory
655 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

TICKETS / INFORMATION:
Phone: (714) 708-5555

Whale Watching - Dana Point & Newport Beach

Gray Whales migrate annually along the west coast of North America. They can be seen from the Orange County coast from December through April.

Summer and fall bring the giant blue whales. They can be seen from May through October

Humpback whales, finback whales, & minke whales are viewed year round. Giant marine protected park provides pristine habitat for whales and dolphin and means a simple 2-2.5 hour cruise is all that needed to see whales and dolphin from Dana Point and Newport Beach

LOCATIONS:
You can book cruises at the following locations: