Your Guide to a Fun-Filled Presidents Day Week in Southern California
Updated: February 2025
Are the kids out of school for a long weekend or maybe even the whole week?
Presidents Day week is packed with family-friendly adventures, from thrilling monster trucks to charming theater performances, cultural celebrations, and even a Bulldog Beauty Contest (yes, really).
Whether you’re looking for history, science, outdoor fun, or just a unique way to spend a long weekend, we’ve got you covered.
🏮 Cultural Celebrations & Festivals
February 15-23: Lunar New Year at South Coast Botanic Garden (Palos Verdes Peninsula)
Celebrate the Year of the Snake in a garden bursting with blooms, culture, and festive fun! Make kites, craft snake puppets, stroll through the Zodiac Walk, and snap pics at the 360 photo booth. Lion dancers, drummers, and cocktails? Sounds like a perfect weekend!
February 15: Black History Festival (Pasadena)
This year’s Black History Festival is all about community strength and recovery following the Eaton Fire. While the parade and car show are on pause, the celebration at Robinson Park is still bringing music, family activities, food, and community resources—all free to the public.
February 15: Lunar New Year at 2ND & PCH (Long Beach)
Looking for a seaside celebration? Head to 2ND & PCH for live performances and festive fun—set against the backdrop of waterfront views and plenty of great eats nearby. Maybe grab a boba or two while you’re there.
February 15-16: K-Play Fest at Fairplex (Pomona)
K-pop fans, this one’s for you! Celebrate Korean pop culture with live performances, dance contests, and exclusive merch.
February 16: Afro-Latinx Festival at MOLAA (Long Beach)
Experience the rhythms, flavors, and traditions of African and Latin American cultures at the Museum of Latin American Art. Expect dance, music, food, and an all-around vibrant atmosphere.
February 22: Pacific Symphony’s Lantern Festival (Costa Mesa)
Celebrate with a day of music, dance, crafts, and cultural fun! Decorate lanterns, enjoy live performances, solve riddles, and watch the dazzling dragon danc
February 22-23: African-American Festival at Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach)
Celebrate African American culture with live music, drum circles, breakdancing, and storytelling. Explore historical displays, visit interactive booths, and catch the Heritage Award ceremony—all while hanging out with the Aquarium’s coolest residents (hello, sea otters!).
🏛️ History & Heritage
February 15-16: California Days at Calico Ghost Town (Yermo)
Step back in time at this Wild West celebration with gunfight shows, games, and history displays. Churn butter, toss horseshoes, and enter the beard contest—because nothing says frontier spirit like impressive facial hair!
February 17: Kingdom Day Parade (Los Angeles)
The largest MLK parade in the country, this event is packed with floats, marching bands, and a whole lot of inspiration. This year’s theme is “Peace and Unity, Let it Start with Us.”
February 17: Presidents Day at the Nixon Library (Yorba Linda)
What better way to spend Presidents Day than at a presidential library? Meet past presidents (sort of) and snag a free cherry pie shooter (if you’re one of the first 500 guests there).
February 17: Presidents’ Day Celebration at Reagan Library (Simi Valley)
Or take a drive to the Reagan Library, where there’s live musical performances, family-friendly activities, and presidential lookalikes. Kids can enjoy crafts and games, while history buffs can explore exhibits, including a look inside Air Force One.
February 22: Riverside Dickens Festival (Riverside)
Charles Dickens fans, rejoice! This Victorian-themed festival brings literary history to life with costumed characters, performances, and old-timey fun.
🐠 Science & Nature Adventures
February 14-15 & 23: Tidepool Hike at Ocean Institute (Dana Point)
Grab your water shoes and get ready to meet some real-life sea creatures. This guided hike takes you through Dana Point’s tidepools, where anemones, sea stars, and tiny crabs are waiting to say hello.
February 15-16: Whale of a Weekend at Heal the Bay Aquarium (Santa Monica)
Learn all about the massive, majestic whales migrating along the coast with hands-on exhibits, activities, and maybe even a chance to spot a real one offshore.
February 16: Family Science Sundays at Marine Mammal Care Center (San Pedro)
Seals, sea lions, and science experiments? Yes, please! Get up close with rescued marine mammals and learn how conservation works in action.
💾 Unique & Offbeat Fun
February 15-16: Vintage Computer Festival (Orange)
Take a trip down tech memory lane and introduce the kids to what computers looked like before touchscreens and emojis. Perfect for retro gamers and tech lovers alike.
February 16: Bulldog Beauty Contest (Long Beach)
If you think bulldogs are cute on a regular day, wait until you see them strutting their stuff in this adorable contest. Categories include Best Senior Dog and Most Handsome—a guaranteed good time!
February 20-22: Long Beach Expo: The Collectibles Show (Long Beach)
From rare coins to pop culture memorabilia, this expo is a collector’s dream. You never know what treasure you’ll find!
February 22: Kids’ Pet Parade & Expo (San Juan Capistrano)
Kids get to dress up their pets and parade them through town. And it’s not just cats and dogs, we’re talking reptiles and ducks too. Need we say more?
🎭 Live Shows & Performances
February 15-16 & 22-23: Cinderella at Santa Monica Playhouse (Santa Monica)
This reimagined Cinderella musical brings a fresh, high-energy twist to the classic tale with a feisty Cincerella, silly stepsisters, and a Steampunk Fairy Godmother.
February 15 & 22: Storybook Theatre’s The Princess and the Frog (Los Angeles)
Little ones will love this charming retelling of the classic tale, complete with interactive moments and catchy songs.
February 18-23: Annie at Segerstrom Center for the Arts (Costa Mesa)
The sun will come out this Presidents Day week! This Broadway classic is hitting the OC stage, so get ready for a night of toe-tapping fun.
February 23: Doktor Kaboom at Irvine Barclay Theatre (Irvine)
Science + comedy = one explosive show! Doktor Kaboom brings hilarious experiments and audience participation to make STEM exciting for kids.
🚂 Fun & Thrills
February 15-16: Free Miniature Train Rides at Fairview Park (Costa Mesa)
Choo-choo! Hop aboard a real miniature train for a free ride through the park. Perfect for little engineers and train lovers.
February 15-16: Monster Jam at Angel Stadium (Anaheim)
Loud engines, flying trucks, and gravity-defying stunts—Monster Jam is the ultimate adrenaline rush.
February 16: Harlem Globetrotters at Intuit Dome (Inglewood)
Basketball meets comedy with the legendary Globetrotters, who’ll be dazzling the crowd with trick shots, slam dunks, and plenty of laughs.
February 17: Wings Over San Diego (San Diego)
Meet real pilots, build your own parachutes, and watch hawks show off their flight skills—because even birds have a need for speed. Plus, if you’re taking advantage of San Diego Museum Month’s half-price admission, you can explore the museum while you’re there!
February 21-23: Pokémon GO Tour: Unova at Rose Bowl Stadium (Pasadena)
Gotta catch ‘em all—IRL! This huge Pokémon GO event lets players hunt for rare finds, trade with other trainers, and compete in special challenges.
There you have it—tons of ways to make the most of Presidents Day week, whether you’re looking for adventure, culture, or just some good old-fashioned fun. Which event is calling your name? Let us know!
Find even more events at kidsguidemagazine.com/calendar.
Categories: Blog
This post was written by Kidsguide
