All events are subject to change. Please confirm with the event organizer before attending.
Las Posadas at Heritage Park in Santa Fe Springs
DECEMBER 14: Celebrate Las Posadas with music, dance, and holiday crafts.
Holiday Music & Dance Extravaganza at Laguna Hills Community Center
DECEMBER 14: Enjoy an evening of holiday dance & musical performances. Pre-registration required.
Sunsets with Santa in San Clemente
DECEMBER 15 & 22: Details TBA
DIY Workshop: Living Wreath at Bolsa Chica Conservancy
DECEMBER 15: Create a biodegradable living wreath for your home and garden using natural materials and live air plants. Activity is designed for adults and teens. Older children can attend with a guardian.
Hanukkah Festival at Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles
DECEMBER 15: Enjoy music, storytelling, food, art making, a photo booth, and a community candle lighting at Skirball Cultural Center.
House for the Holidays Family Rave at Yost Theater in Santa Ana
DECEMBER 15: Get ready to dance, groove, and party with your entire family at this one-of-a-kind event. As well as house + techno music the event features multi-sensory dancefloor with lasers, confetti, balloons, and parachute dance finale, a crafting area, and bar. Don't forget to dress up in your ugly sweaters, reindeer antlers, and Santa hats!
Winter Wonders & Holiday Lights at Wild Wonders in Bonsall
WEEKENDS, DECEMBER 15-17, 21-23 & 28-31: Go on a special tour, sip on hot cocoa, and meet nocturnal animal ambassadors in the glow of holiday lights.
Gingerbread Garages at Peterson Automotive Museum in LA
DECEMBER 16-20: Build the gingerbread garage of your dreams, with all the supplies provided including candy, icing, and graham crackers. Holiday helpers are there to guide you through the sugary construction process, ensuring a positive experience for all ages.
Cirque Dreams: Holidaze Show at Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside
DECEMBER 17-18: A holiday spectacular that wraps a whimsical, Broadway-style musical infused with contemporary circus artistry. Audiences of all ages will marvel at soaring acrobatics, gravity defying feats and extravagant theatrical production.
Holiday Party for Kids at Pacific City in Huntington Beach
DECEMBER 17: Features a book reading with Mrs. Claus and special appearance with Santa Claus for photos. Complimentary candy canes for children and *snowfall*, and festive atmosphere.
A Nutcracker Sweet Christmas at Nixon Library
DECEMBER 17: Snap photos with Santa Claus in the Cabinet Room, help feed Santa’s Reindeer before their big trek, craft magical ornaments, build a hot cocoa confection, sing along with Christmas-clad carolers, and hear the sweet melodies of the Nutcracker ballet, as well as other Christmas favorites, and enjoy a tree lighting ceremony at 5pm.
Christmas Boat Parade & Ring of Lights in Newport Beach
DECEMBER 18-22: Watch beautifully decorated yachts, boats, kayaks, and canoes sail along the harbor. View the parade from over 50 locations including Marina Park and Balboa Village Fun Zone.
A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa
NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 24: 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.
Cookie Crawl & Polar Express Movie at Pacific City in Huntington Beach
DECEMBER 19: Enjoy cookies at various retailers and restaurants, faux snowfall, live music, followed by the Polar Express movie.
Parent’s Night Out at Columbia Space Center in Downey
DECEMBER 19: Take a night off while your kids have a blast at the Columbia Memorial Space Center after-hours! They'll enjoy three hours of engaging activities, games, and open play, plus dinner, snacks, and drinks—a stellar evening of fun and exploration!
Sweet Honey in the Rock: Celebrating the HolyDays at The Soraya in Northridge
DECEMBER 19: Described as “one of the most dynamic, versatile, and still relevant a cappella musical collectives today,” the GRAMMY©-nominated African American vocal ensemble is known around the world for its blended voices, vocal improvisations, and choral-stacked spiritual/gospel and jazz traditions. SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK® continues its 50th Anniversary tour at The Soraya with a powerful celebration of the “HolyDays.”
Festival Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker in Irvine
DECEMBER 7-24: Festival Ballet Theatre's family-friendly production of The Nutcracker features colorful scenery and dazzling costumes, making this age-old tradition sparkle like new.
American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker
DECEMBER 12-22: Southern California’s favorite holiday tradition returns with American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker. This magical treat for the whole family features an impressive cast of over 100 performers, incredible sets and costumes, and Pacific Symphony performing Tchaikovsky’s timeless score!
Winter Fantasy at the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach
FRIDAYS - SUNDAYS, NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 22: Winter Fantasy offers a festive, unique shopping experience in an enchanting winter wonderland with thousands of lights and decorations, three stages of live music, carolers, puppeteers, art classes, and daily visits with Santa Claus.
Cruise of Lights® at Huntington Harbour
DECEMBER 18-23: Join the Huntington Harbour Philharmonic Committee's Annual Cruise of Lights for a delightful evening on a 50-minuted narrated boat tour and experience the beauty of thousands of lights and animated displays on brightly decorated homes, decks, docks, and boats.
Lil’ Chef – December Workshop & Parents Night Out
DECEMBER: Gingerbread House decorating classes, sugar cookie decorating workshops, winter break camp, and parents night out.
Rapunzel’s Holiday Wish at Laguna Playhouse
DECEMBER 7-29: Based on the beloved fairytale, this hair-larious tangled tale undergoes a Holiday Panto makeover. Prepare for a spellbinding journey as Rapunzel tries to escape from from her tower with the help from her friends Dame Betty and Simple Simon, all while learning her true identity.
Snowtopia at the Palm Springs Air Museum
DECEMBER 20-22: Enjoy 60 tons of snow on the tarmac, ride a train, make s'mores, and take photos with your favorite holiday characters. Crafts and holiday shopping are inside the Miles Hangar.
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet at Wiltern Theatre
DECEMBER 20-21: Experience the international cast performing at the peak of classical European Ballet. Be transported by the magic of jaw-dropping acrobatics, larger than life puppets, and hand-crafted sets and costumes.
Family Fun Night at the Marina Park Community Center in Newport Beach
DECEMBER 20: Enjoy crafts for kids, photos with Santa, and the evening will include watching the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.
Free Miniature Train Rides at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa
THIRD WEEKEND OF EVERY MONTH: The Orange County Model Engineers offer public ride days every third full weekend of each month. To ride the trains, children must be able to walk and be at least 31" tall. A typical trip takes about 12 minutes and covers two loops of the park.
North Pole Express with Orange County Model Engineers in Costa Mesa
DECEMBER 21-22: Journey to the North Pole on a train to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus... and a possible appearance from the Grinch!
OC Autism: Breakfast with Santa in Garden Grove
DECEMBER 21: More information coming soon.
Polar Express Family Day at the San Diego Railroad Museum
DECEMBER 21: Watch the Polar Express, make holiday cards, ornaments, see Santa, and enjoy the exhibits!
Holiday Celebration at Long Beach Towne Center
DECEMBER 21: Celebrate the holidays with photos with Santa, kids' crafts, face painters, balloon twisters and snow!
Annual Parol Lantern Festival
December 21: The annual Parol Lantern Festival is a holiday event celebrating Filipino community and culture. It showcases the tradition of creating and displaying the parol, a star-shaped lantern signifying hope and joy.
Navidad en Mexico at La Mirada Theatre
DECEMBER 21: This vibrant production celebrates Mexico’s festive Christmas traditions and folklore through music, song and dance.
Winter Solstice Family Night at Muzeo in Anaheim
DECEMBER 21: Winter holidays throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from St. Lucia’s Day, St. Nicolas Day, Hanukkah to Christmas, are celebrated with light, decorations, music, and special treats. We will be learning about the Winter Solstice, and creating artistic holiday decorations while enjoying hot chocolate, singing seasonal songs, and sampling international holiday treats.
Naples Island Annual Boat Parade in Long Beach
DECEMBER 21: Twinkling lights decorate the boats that cruise the canals of Naples. Hundreds of homes and boats are festively decorated throughout the season.
Winter-Break J Camps at Merage JCC
DECEMBER 23-27 & DECEMBER 30 - JANUARY 3: Your child will be baking, crafting, singing, learning, dancing, and playing during these JCamp days... Choose just a few days, or all of them! Plus a special Snow Day on December 31!
Winter Fun Days in Long Beach
DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 3: Winter Fun Days is a drop-in program for children 5-12 years of age to be part of extended supervision recreation activities during Winter Break.
Acting Out Fall & Winter Workshops
Acting Out is offering fall and winter workshops designed to keep your young actors engaged and inspired. Veterans Day Workshop (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 25-26), Winter Break (Dec 23 & Jan 2-3).
Skatedogs Winter-Break Camp in Long Beach & Irvine
DEC 27-30 / JAN 2-5: Kids (ages 5-13) make new friends, advance their skateboarding skills, and most importantly, have fun at Skatedogs’ private skatepark! The camp includes lessons, free skate, games, competition, and prizes.
Ultimate Ninjas Winter Break Camp
DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 10: Ultimate Ninjas offers the ultimate Winter Break Camp! Ninjas learn how to tackle obstacles with structured obstacle practice, participate in conditioning exercises, plus play games and enjoy free time.
Winter-Break Excursions to SkyZone & Boomers
DECEMBER 27 & JANUARY 3: Participants, ages 6-12, can enjoy two special excursions during winter-break: Sky Zone and Boomers. Activities will be provided from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays in Cerritos
DECEMBER 29: Celebrate the holidays with the entire family in this mind-blowing spectacle featuring jaw-dropping talents, mentalism, and magic acts from acclaimed illusionists. Performances at 2 and 7 p.m. “The Illusionists … will blow your mind!” – New York Theatre Guide.
Equestfest with the Tournament of Roses
DECEMBER 29: Watch beautiful horses and talented riders perform drills and dances and demonstrate trick riding and roping. Attendees can also stroll through the stables, talk to riders and learn about the various equipment that the riders use. Learn about many different breeds of horses while enjoying the vendor court, displays, great music, food and drinks.
NYE Fireworks in Downtown Long Beach
DECEMBER 31: Spend NYE at the Long Beach Waterfront and watch the sky dazzle with a free fireworks show over the harbor.
Kids’ New Year’s Eve
DECEMBER 31: "Midnight" comes early for families at LEGOLAND California Resort, celebrating the New Year together without missing their bedtimes.
Noon Year’s Eve at Discovery Cube in LA
DECEMBER 31: Ring in the new year with a balloon drop, dance, and sip apple cider at the Discover Cube!
Fullerton’s First Night New Year’s Eve Celebration
DECEMBER 31: Ring in the New Year with an evening packed with family fun including inflatable attractions, face painting, classic carnival games, snow lane, live entertainment, and fireworks show.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks & Glow Party
DECEMBER 31: Watch the spectacular fireworks show from the park and waterfront and enjoy an evening of family-friendly fun. Enjoy lawn games, face painting, crafts, photo booth, DJ entertainment, and more.
Rose Parade Viewing Party – Southern California Children’s Museum in Pasadena
JANUARY 1: Enjoy a prime view of the parade, continental breakfast, open museum play, and fun-themed crafts.
Events at Long Beach Public Libraries
Ongoing: Explore free events at Long Beach Public Libraries, including storytimes, workshops, book clubs, and hands-on activities for all ages!
Floatfest: A Rose Parade Showcase in Pasadena
JANUARY 1-3: Experience this 2-mile showcase of Rose Parade floats and walk within a few feet of floats to appreciate the creativity and details of each display.
Disclaimer: The Kidsguide team does their best to keep event details accurate at the time of posting, but information can change without notice! Be sure to double-check with the event organizer before heading out. Kidsguide is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or changes on our calendar—we’re just here to help you find the fun!
