All events are subject to change. Please confirm with the event organizer before attending.
November 2022
Annual Turkey Trot Harry Sutter Memorial 3-Mile Fun Run in Torrance
NOVEMBER 24: The City of Torrance Community Services Department invites the entire family to participate in this fun run. After the fun run, there will be a post run opportunity drawing for mountain bikes, dinner vouchers, gym memberships and many other prizes.
Pacific Palisades Turkey Trot
NOVEMBER 24: The 8th Annual Palisades Funding Turkey Trot is here once again, after a two year hiatus! The holiday 5K & 10K, plus Pali Kids Runs will be held at Palisades Charter High School.
The Nutcracker by the Anaheim Ballet
NOVEMBER 25-26: Anaheim Ballet's full-length Nutcracker with the Symphony Irvine is the production you and your family must see, a story presented with heart as only AB can present it, more than dance.
Lil’ Chef School November Events & Camps
NOVEMBER 11, 18, 21-23 AND 25: Veterans Day Mini Camp, Thanksgiving Baking Camp, Black Friday Mini Camp, Parents Night Out & more. Lil’ Chefs will be making holiday goodies, while learning basic cooking skills, working together as a team to complete delicious recipes. All Lil’ Chefs will taste everything they make.
Thanksgiving Turkey Bash at Lions Tigers & Bears
NOVEMBER 25-26: Get wild at Lions Tigers & Bears the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving — and watch big cats and bears enjoy their Thanksgiving feast.
Apple Butter Festival at Los Rios Rancho in Yucaipa
NOVEMBER 25-27: Enjoy apple butter making, live music, crafts for kids, corn maze, fresh-baked apple pies and more.
Family Matinees at The Academy Museum
OCTOBER 8 - NOVEMBER 26: On select days, the Academy Museum screens films for families of all ages. Oct 8: Kubo and the Two Strings • Oct 22: Box Trolls • Oct 29: ParaNorman • Oct 30: Coraline & ParaNorman • Nov 5: Coco • Nov 12: James and the Giant Beach • Nov 26: The NeverEnding Story
Open Farm Public Camel Dairy Tour
NOVEMBER 12, 20 & 26: Two-hour camel encounter includes a formal, 1 hour tour and show plus an hour to enjoy your favorite farm attractions.
Spider Pavilion Exhibition at Natural History Museum
SEPTEMBER 18 - NOVEMBER 27: Walk among spiders and their magnificent webs in this unique, open-air experience. Talk to educators and see enclosed habitats of tarantulas, wolf spiders, and jumping spider.
Family-Friendly Magic Show with Naathan Phan in Santa Ana
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27: Naathan is a regular performer at the World Famous Magic Castle and is a multi-talented award-winning entertainer who has headlined stages across the globe, appearing in movies and TV shows. Magic is just the start, he sings, tells jokes, and has in his repertoire a long list of vocal impersonations.
Hollywood Christmas Parade – 90th Year!
NOVEMBER 27: The 90th annual parade will feature Hollywood celebrities and movie cars, award-wining bands from around the country, dazzling equestrians, larger-than-life character balloons, colorful floats and humorous specialty acts. The parade culminates with the appearance of the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus and his reindeer, ushering in the holiday season!
Gingerbread Spice & Everything Nice at Nixon Library
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28: Kick-off the holidays with this festive, family-friendly celebration that pays tribute to the Nixons’ gingerbread themed traditions at the White House complete with a Christmas tree lighting, photos with a life-size gingerbread man, a Christmas Concert, and Santa Claus!
The Circus Vargas Express in Lakewood
NOVEMBER 11-28: Don’t miss the final location of Circus Vargas’ 2022 production, The Circus Vargas Express, in Lakewood at Lakewood Center. The Circus Vargas Express delivers the ultimate entertainment experience! An amazing adventure guaranteed to thrill and enchant you with moment after fun-filled moment of world-class performers, aerialists, acrobats and comedic characters … all under the big top!!
December 2022
Debbie Allen’s Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in Redondo Beach
DECEMBER 1-4: Following the idea of the original, it’s Christmas Eve and the Johnsons are having a grand party. The Christmas gifts are shared and young Kara receives a Nutcracker filled with hot chocolate her favorite. She falls asleep and the journey begins when the Nutcracker comes alive!
Free Day at The Huntington Library
EVERY FIRST THURSDAY: The first Thursday of every month is Free Day. Admission is free of charge with advance reservation.
Free First Fridays at Kidspace Children’s Museum
FIRST FRIDAYS: Experience Kidspace Children's Museum for free! Advanced reservations are required.
Lakewood Tree Lighting
DECEMBER 2: Enjoy carnival games, pictures with Santa, food trucks and lots of falling snow!
First Fridays Night Market in Huntington Beach
OCTOBER 7 - FEBRUARY 3: It's a farmer's market meets street fair. Enjoy family games, over 75 vendors, axe throwing, food trucks, live music, sweet treats, and more. Free.
Princess Tea Party & Fashion Show in Santa Ana
DECEMBER 3-4, 2022 Enjoy raspberry tea or pink lemonade and cookies. Visit with princesses from your favorite stories and come dressed in your best. Each little princess or prince will receive a mini makeover including hair and nails, and will walk the runway with their favorite princess $20 per child, $10 per adult
Yuletide Cinemaland at Heritage Square Museum
SELECT DATES, DECEMBER 3-23: Enjoy Victorian Holiday Home Tours, Santa Claus, Snow Dancing, Sing-Alongs, Holiday Light Extravaganza, Market Vendors, Food Trucks and a great line-up of family friendly holiday movies.
A Civil War Christmas in Wilmington
DECEMBER 3: Visit Drum Barracks and help kick off the holiday season. This is an indoor/outdoor event with crafts, museum tours and special displays on the grounds.
Nutcracker for Kids at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3: Enjoy a condensed version of The Nutcracker created just for kids. This annual favorite finishes with a jolly visit from Santa Claus himself!
Holiday Tree Lighting in Lake Forest
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3: Free rides, entertainment, arts and crafts, vendors selling food, and more. Event begins at 4pm, tree lighting at sunset.
Winter in the Grove in Garden Grove
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3: Get ready for 50 tons of snow, snow slides, holiday craft boutique, fun food, photo ops, free crafts, live entertainment, and free inflatable attractions.
Holiday on Main Street in Yorba Linda
DECEMBER 2: Gather on Main Street to celebrate the holidays! Enjoy kids crafts, local talent show and entertainment, artisan shopping, pictures with Santa, a holiday drinks lounge, live music and more! Free to attend, open to the public.
Holidayfest at South Lake Avenue
DECEMBER 3: Enjoy live music, holidays activities, in-store promotions, raffles, free photos with Santa and holiday character, snow globe making stations, cookie and ornament decoration, and more.
Victorian Christmas at The Banning Museum in Wilmington
DECEMBER 3: Enjoy walk-through tours of the mansion, horse-drawn trolley rides, a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, Christmas crafts, cookies and cider, blacksmith demonstration, carolers, and more.
Santa’s Village by the Sea in San Clemente
DECEMBER 3: A night of music, food, hot chocolate, popcorn, games, and snow to San Clemente.
City of Los Alamitos Winter Wonderland
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3: Free snow play, musical entertainment, snow sledding, Santa's Village, tree lighting, inflatables, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, sensory-calming area, and vendors. This event had over 7,000 event goers last year.
Sunset Saturdays Market in Los Alamitos
SEPTEMBER 10 - DECEMBER 27: It's a farmer's market meets street fair. Enjoy family games like giant Jenga and Connect Four, shop from vendors, slime making, axe throwing, Nerf court, live music, beer garden, and more.
Winter Fest OC at OC Fair and Event Center
SELECT DATES, NOVEMBER 25 - JANUARY 1: Winter Fest OC transforms the OC Fair and Event Center into a winter wonderland with oversized holiday decor, more than a million lights, and endless opportunities for memory-making. Activities include North Pole Journey, ice skating under the stars, 150-foot-long ice tubing slide, snowboard simulator, carnival thrills, food and drinks, holiday market, photo ops., and so much more!
Wild Holidays at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
SELECT DATES, NOVEMBER 25 - JANUARY 1, 2023: See the Safari Park in a whole new light! Take a holiday expedition of light and travel through places that glow and twinkle with holiday cheer. Holiday tunes set the mood, and seasonal food treats tempt you throughout your journey.
Weekend Family Crafting at reDiscover Center in Los Angeles
SATURDAY & SUNDAYS, NOW - DECEMBER 31, 2022: Have a blast making art from upcycled materials. Your table is stocked with curated recycled materials and "rediscovered" offcuts and scraps from local manufacturers, along with freshly sanitized crafting tools and kid-friendly fasteners.
Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella Presented by Musical Theatre West
SELECTED DATES DECEMBER 2-18: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is the new Broadway adaptation of the iconic musical. This family-friendly show is for all all ages and includes the most beloved songs.
Holiday Glass Fusing Workshop at Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa
NOVEMBER 6, 13, and DECEMBER 4: Get hands-on experience cutting glass in your style and design of choice to make your very own festive ornaments, coasters, or dishware. Participants will be guided through the process from start to finish.
Códice Maya de México: Accordion Book Workshop at The Getty Center
NOVEMBER 6, 13, and DECEMBER 4: Celebrate the oldest book of the Americas by creating your own accordion-style manuscript. Learn more about Indigenous bookmaking materials and the zigzag folding structure unique to ancient Mesoamerican books.
Nutcracker at Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater in LA
SELECT DATES, NOVEMBER 26, 2022 - JANUARY 8, 2023: Their marionette adaptation of a ballet classic and Bob's most beloved holiday show takes you on an adventure through the wizardry of strings and into the enchanted world of the fantastic... Nutcracker.
An American Christmas Story with Santa at the Reagan Library
NOVEMBER 11, 2022 - JANUARY 8, 2023: In this brand-new, never-before-seen 5,000 square foot Christmas exhibit, come and explore some of the fascinating holiday traditions and the unique expressions of the holidays from all 50 states and all of the American territories.Immerse yourself in the exhibit’s festive forest of decorated trees and learn just how many different ways Americans enjoy the holiday season. As a special treat, come take your photo with Santa as well!
Wild Lights & Jungle Nights at America’s Teaching Zoo
SELECT DATES IN NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 30: This year they are glowing everywhere! Make unforgettable holiday memories as you explore the wild wonderland of light under the stars at America's Teaching Zoo.
KUSC presents Classical California Kids Discovery Day at the Bowers
DECEMBER 4: Kids and their families will experience the joys of live classical music and a wide array of hands-on musical activities. They’ll visit an instrument petting zoo, try out the mic at the “Be a Classical DJ” booth, make musical puppets, and even explore how a violin is made.
Winter Fantasy at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach
WEEKENDS, NOVEMBER 19 - DECEMBER 18, PLUS BLACK FRIDAY and FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16: Holiday art festival that offers a festive, handcrafted shopping experience in an enchanting winter wonderland with thousands of lights and decorations, handcrafted gifts by 165 artists, three stages of live music, community performances, carolers, puppeteers, art classes, and daily visits with Santa Claus.
Westerly School of Long Beach Community Tour
DECEMBER 6, JANUARY 12 & 28, FEBRUARY 16: Community Tour Days are opportunities for visitors to tour the Westerly campus and experience learning studios during the school day. The visits also include a brief presentation on Westerly's history, curriculum, and culture.
Cool Yule Celebrations at Pacific City in Huntington Beach
NOVEMBER 25, DECEMBER 6, 17, 20 & 22 Take photos with Santa on the Ocean Deck and selfies in front of a retro-themed backdrop. Throughout the event, enjoy holiday-themed kids crafts, face painting, hot cocoa station, performances, and children's book author, Kim Ann, will hold a book reading and sign copies of her books.
Pershing Square Holiday Ice Skating Rink
DAILY, NOVEMBER 23 - January 1: An enchanting holiday activity, ice skating in downtown LA guarantees to delight everyone, from first-time gliders to experienced skaters. Come visit for merrymaking, outdoor fun and guaranteed smiles.
Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails Exhibit at Discovery Cube LA
SEPTEMBER 24 - JANUARY 16: Children help Thomas and his friends solve a variety of challenges, from a simple sorting and shape identification activity to more complex engineering obstacles.
“Celebration of Christmas” Christmas Boutique at Roger’s Gardens
DAILY, THROUGH DECEMBER 31: The seasonal Christmas Boutique at Roger's Gardens is now open. Discover new treasures of festive decór, whimsical ornaments, and gifts for all ages.
Science of Gingerbread at Discovery Cube OC & LA
NOVEMBER 19 - JANUARY 1, 2023: Check out hundreds of creative gingerbread entries and all new holiday fun! Walk through the gingerbread village, meet and snap a photo with Santa, decorate a holiday cookie, participate in winter workshops, and more. Science of Gingerbread is happening at both Discovery Cube OC and LA.
A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa
NOVEMBER 26 - DECEMBER 24: Join all your favorite Dickens characters—Tiny Tim and the Cratchits, the Fezziwigs, the Ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet-to-come, and of course, everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge.
Holiday Light Festival Train Ride in Griffith Park
NOVEMBER 25, 2022 — JANUARY 6, 2023: Enjoy an evening train ride around the festively decorated, one-mile track in Griffith Park. The one-mile track at Griffith Park & Southern Railroad is transformed into a magical train ride of delightful and festive scenes with thousands of lights.
L.A. Zoo Lights at Los Angeles Zoo
NOVEMBER 18 – JANUARY 22, 2023: Explore an immersive landscape filled with spectacular lantern sculptures of animals among blooming flowers, towering trees, and more for, a wildlife-centered experience that’s as inspiring as it is breathtaking.
Disclaimer: The Kidsguide team works hard to ensure all events are accurate at the time of posting, but details are subject to change without notice. Please confirm all details with event organizer before attending. Kidsguide is not liable for errors, omissions, or changes to listings on our calendar.
