By Christine Almarines | Updated November 2026
Looking for holiday events in Orange County this season? Here’s a current guide to boat parades, light displays, holiday markets, theater and family activities for 2026 — with confirmed dates where organizers have published them, and an honest note where they haven’t yet.
Quick answer
The big ones this year: the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade runs December 16–20, Winter Fest OC opens November 27, and Knott’s Merry Farm starts November 20 right here in Buena Park. The Buena Park city tree lighting is Friday, December 4, and it’s free.
Some December organizers won’t publish dates until October or November. Events in that situation are listed below and clearly marked, rather than left out.
Closest to Cerritos and Buena Park
If you’d rather not drive an hour, start here. These are all roughly twenty minutes or less.
| Event | City | 2026 dates | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knott’s Merry Farm | Buena Park | Nov 20 – Jan 3 | Park admission |
| Buena Park Tree Lighting | Buena Park | Fri, Dec 4, 6pm | Free |
| Cerritos CPA holiday concerts | Cerritos | Dec 16–20 | Ticketed |
| Fullerton Winter Market | Fullerton | December, TBA | Free |
| The Muck Holiday Festival | Fullerton | Sun, Dec 13 | Free |
Knott’s Merry Farm — Buena Park
The park-wide holiday overlay: Snoopy’s ice show, snowfall on Ghost Town, and the Christmas Crafts Village. November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027, included with park admission. Knott’s events
Buena Park Christmas Tree Lighting & Toy Drive
At Buena Park City Hall, Friday, December 4 at 6pm, with rides and food from 5pm. Free. This is the easiest holiday outing on the list if you live nearby. buenapark.com
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Home for the Holidays on December 16, Dave Koz Christmas December 18–19, and the LA Symphony on December 20. Check the venue calendar for individual show times. ccpa.cerritos.gov
Confirmed Holiday Events in Orange County for 2026
Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade & Ring of Lights
The 118th annual parade — around 100 decorated boats on a 14-mile harbor route, with opening-night fireworks on December 16 and nightly drone shows. December 16–20, 2026. Free to watch from shore; Marina Park is the largest free viewing area. christmasboatparade.com
Holiday lights harbor cruises
If you’d rather be on the water than watching from it, both Davey’s Locker and Newport Landing run 75-minute narrated cruises nightly through December, roughly $20–40. Book early for parade week.
Winter Fest OC — Costa Mesa
Snow play, ice tubing, skating and 30+ rides at the OC Fair & Event Center. November 27, 2026 through January 3, 2027 on select dates. Early-bird tickets are already on sale. winterfestoc.com
Sawdust Winter Fantasy — Laguna Beach
The 35th annual edition: 180+ artists, artificial snow, carolers and Santa. November 20 through December 20, 2026, Fridays through Sundays, 10am–7pm. Ticketed. sawdustartfestival.org
A Christmas Carol at South Coast Repertory — Costa Mesa
The long-running production, November 28 through December 27, 2026. There’s a sensory-friendly performance on December 1 and an ASL-interpreted performance on December 5, which is worth knowing if you need either. scr.org
Laguna Playhouse holiday panto
This year’s Lythgoe family panto is Aladdin & Yasmin’s Winter Wish, running December 4–27, 2026. If you’ve been before, note the show changes annually — it isn’t the Cinderella production from past seasons. lagunaplayhouse.com
Capistrano Lights — San Juan Capistrano
Mission San Juan Capistrano lights up with a tree lighting, Dickens carolers, a nativity and a new projection show. December 18–30, 2026 on select days. Tickets are online only and went on sale in August. missionsjc.com
Cruise of Lights — Huntington Harbour
The 64th annual 50-minute narrated boat tour through the decorated harbour, benefiting Philharmonic Society music education. December 12–13, 2026. Reservations required. cruiseoflights.org
Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train — Orange
The Christmas Train and Train of Lights run November 27 through December 23, 2026, roughly $22–37, with tickets that went on sale November 2. Santa’s Village is free. Reliably one of the best picks for younger kids. irvineparkrailroad.com
Sugar Plum Holiday Festival — Costa Mesa
A large family-owned craft show at the OC Fair & Event Center. November 6–8, 2026 — note that’s considerably earlier than everything else here, so put it on the calendar now if you shop the craft fairs. ocfair.com
Holiday Events in Orange County With Dates Still Pending
These run every year and are very likely to return, but had no 2026 dates posted as of mid-September. Some now list dates, noted below; the rest still hadn’t posted as of November 2, so bookmark the links and check back.
- Christmas Market OC at Old World Village, Huntington Beach — German-style market, listed daily November 15 through January 3. christmasmarketoc.com
- Fullerton Winter Market — 50+ artisans, Santa and train rides in Downtown Fullerton Plaza. Free. fullertonmuseum.com
- The Muck Holiday Festival — free music, art workshops and a makers market at the Muckenthaler in Fullerton, listed for December 13. themuck.org
- Noon Year’s Eve at Pretend City, Irvine — midday countdowns for kids who won’t make it to midnight. pretendcity.org
- Christmas Nights @ the Casa — lit gardens, cocoa and live music at Casa Romantica, San Clemente, listed for Friday, December 11, 5-7 PM. Good date night. casaromantica.org
- Farmakis Farms Christmas tree lot, San Juan Capistrano — opens Friday, November 27, daily 10 AM-8 PM. farmakisfarms.com
What’s Changed Since Last Year
This is the part most roundups get wrong, because they copy last year’s list forward. Several holiday events in Orange County are genuinely different in 2026:
- Night of Lights OC no longer exists as a separate event. It was a drive-thru created during COVID and has been folded back into Winter Fest OC — its old website now redirects there. If you see it on another list, that list is out of date.
- Camino Real Playhouse moved. It left its longtime downtown San Juan Capistrano home when the city sold the building and reopened on Plaza Drive in September 2026. The old address is wrong, and no December show is confirmed yet.
- Old World Huntington Beach rebranded. The market now runs as Christmas Market OC with its own site; older “Old World Christmas Market” links may not resolve.
- Santa Ana Zoo has no holiday event listed for this winter — only its October event appears on the calendar. Worth re-checking in November before planning around it.
- Laguna Playhouse’s panto changes title every year, so search the playhouse rather than last year’s show name.
Free Holiday Events in Orange County
Plenty of this season costs nothing:
- Watching the Newport Beach Boat Parade from shore — Marina Park is the biggest free viewing spot
- The Buena Park tree lighting on December 4
- Fullerton Winter Market and The Muck Holiday Festival
- Santa’s Village at Irvine Park Railroad, free even though the train is ticketed
- Bowers Museum runs a free family festival on first Sundays — a December date fits the pattern, but confirm on their site
Planning Tips
- Book boat cruises early. Parade week sells out, and both operators fill up fast.
- Watch the on-sale dates. Irvine Park Railroad tickets went on sale November 2; Capistrano Lights went on sale in August and is online only.
- Check dates again in November. A few holiday events in Orange County listed here, such as the Fullerton Winter Market and Noon Year’s Eve at Pretend City, still had no 2026 dates posted as of November 2.
- Sugar Plum is early. November 6–8, weeks before everything else.
Looking further afield? The California fall colors map is worth a look before the leaves go, and there’s more to do around Orange County year-round.
Holiday Events in Orange County: FAQ
When is the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade in 2026?
December 16–20, 2026, with opening-night fireworks on December 16 and nightly drone shows. It’s free to watch from shore, and Marina Park is the largest free viewing area.
What holiday events are near Buena Park and Cerritos?
Knott’s Merry Farm in Buena Park (November 20–January 3), the free Buena Park city tree lighting on December 4, holiday concerts at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in mid-December, and the free Fullerton Winter Market and Muckenthaler holiday festival, both about twenty minutes away.
Are there free holiday events in Orange County?
Yes. Watching the Newport Beach boat parade from shore, the Buena Park tree lighting, the Fullerton Winter Market, The Muck Holiday Festival, and Santa’s Village at Irvine Park Railroad are all free.
What happened to Night of Lights OC?
It no longer runs as a standalone event. Created as a drive-thru display during COVID, it has been folded back into Winter Fest OC at the OC Fair & Event Center, and its former website now redirects there.
What are the best holiday events in Orange County for young kids?
Irvine Park Railroad’s Christmas Train, Winter Fest OC, Knott’s Merry Farm, the Laguna Playhouse panto, and Noon Year’s Eve at Pretend City in Irvine, which holds midday countdowns for children who won’t stay up until midnight.
When does Winter Fest OC open in 2026?
November 27, 2026, running through January 3, 2027 on select dates at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Early-bird tickets are on sale.
Happy Holidays from CA Real Estate Group
If you spot an event that should be on this list — or one that’s moved again — let me know and I’ll add it.
And if a move is on your mind for the new year, whether you’re upsizing before the next round of family holidays or finally downsizing, I’m always glad to talk it through.
If you’d like to talk about your next move in Southern California real estate, I’d be happy to help.
