101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Orange County - 2023
KidsOutAndAbout is America's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar, both virtual and in-person. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
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Santa Sightings
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 16, 2023 | Santa's House & North Pole - Skypark at Santa's Village |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 16, 2023 | Photos with Santa - Westfield Topanga |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 17, 2023 | Photos with Santa - The Shops at Santa Anita |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 19, 2023 | The Polar Express Train Ride - Perris, CA |
| December 24, 2023 | Merry and Bright Santa Arrival & Christmas Tree Lighting - Manhattan Village |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Christmas Train - Irvine Park Railroad |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Santa's Village - Irvine Park Railroad |
| Multiple dates starting Nov. 27, 2023 | Letters to Santa - Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District |
| Multiple dates starting Nov. 27, 2023 | Santa Paws - The Shops at Santa Anita |
| December 2, 2023 | Cookies with the Clauses - Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District |
| December 2, 2023 | Holidayfest - City of Pasadena, CA |
| December 2, 2023 | Holidays on Main Street - Uptown Village Market |
| December 9, 2023 | Christmas Parade & Santa's Village - Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District |
| December 9, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - City of Santa Ana, CA |
| December 10, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - South Coast Plaza |
| December 16, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa - Paséa Hotel & Spa |
Old-Time Christmas
| December 2 & 3, 2023 | Holidays at Greystone - City of Beverly Hills, CA |
Light Displays
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 9, 2023 | Astra Lumina - South Coast Botanic Gardens |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 9, 2023 | Christmas Nights - 123 Farms |
| November 16, 2023 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Downtown Santa Monica |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 17, 2023 | L.A Zoo Lights - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 17, 2023 | Lightscape - Los Angeles County Arborum & Boranic Garden |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 18, 2023 | Magic of Lights - Los Angeles, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 19, 2023 | Enchanted Forest of Light - Descanso Gardens |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 19, 2023 | Festival of Lights - Mission Inn Hotel & Spa |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 23, 2023 | Holidays in the Park - Six Flags Magic Mountain |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Lighting of the Bay - Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | California Christmas Lights - Various Locations, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Hikari: A Festival of Lights - Tanaka Farms |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holiday Road - Los Angeles, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 24, 2023 | Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood - Universal City, CA |
| November 26, 2023 | 91st Hollywood Christmas Parade - Los Angeles CA |
| November 27, 2023 | L.A. County Tree Lighting Ceremony - The Music Center |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 1, 2023 | Holiday Lights Cruise - Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parase |
| December 2, 2023 | Belmont Shore Christmas Parade - Belmont Shore Business Association |
| December 2, 2023 | Tree Lighting Ceremony - City of Santa Ana, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Capistrano Lights - Mission San Juan Capistrano |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Winter Wonderland Nights - The Shops at Santa Anita |
| December 3, 2023 | Nutcracker Holiday Village & Tree Lighting - City of Anaheim, CA |
| December 4, 2023 | 42nd Annual Sprit of San Pedro Holiday Parade - City of San Pedro, CA |
| December 5, 2023 | Holiday Sing & Tree Lighting - City of Cypress, CA |
| December 7, 2023 | Cool Yuletide Tree Lighting Ceremony - Paséa Hotel & Spa |
| December 9, 2023 | 2023 Marina del Rey Holiday Parade - The Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 9, 2023 | Luminara Nights - California Botanic Garden |
| December 13 - 17, 2023 | 115th Annual Christmas Boat Parade and Ring of Lights - Newport Beach, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 13, 2023 | Winter Lights - Discovery Cube Orange County |
Living Nativities
| December 10 & 11 | Journey to Bethlehem - Purpose Church |
| December 14 - 17, 2023 | The Living Nativity - Celebrating the Virgin Birth and Deity of Jesus Christ - Granite Creek |
Holiday Theatre
| December 7 - 10, 2023 | The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker - The Debbie Allen Dance Company |
| December 2, 2023 | Nutcracker for Kids - Segerstrom Center for the Arts |
| December 8 - 10, 2023 | American Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker - Segerstrom Center for the Arts |
| December 8 - 10, 2023 | Nutcracker - Red Chair Productions |
| December 9 & 16, 2023 | Nutcracker Camp - Segerstrom Center for the Arts |
| December 19 - 23, 2023 | Dr. Suess' How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Segerstrom Center for the Arts |
Holiday Concerts
| November 17 & 19, 2023 | Mariah Carey Merry Christmas One And All! - Hollywood Bowl |
| December 1, 2023 | Jingle Ball - Kia Forum |
| December 2, 2023 | Holiday Glow (feat. Pacific Vocal - Laguna Art Museum |
| December 12, 2023 | Cirque Dreams Holidaze - City of Pasadena, CA |
| December 13, 2023 | A Chanticleer Christmas - Los Angeles Philharmonic |
| December 14, 2023 | Darden Christmas Concert - The Muckenthaler |
| December 16, 2023 | Holiday Sing-Along - Los Angeles Philharmonic |
| December 20 - 22, 2023 | Home Alone: in Concert - Los Angeles Philharmonic |
| December 21, 2023 | Hawaiian Christmas Concert - The Muckenthaler |
| December 24, 2023 | LA County Holiday Celebration - The Music Center |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2023 | Tina's Trees - Sherman Oaks, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2022 | Tina's Trees - Calabases, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2022 | Christmas Trees - Santa & Son's |
Ice Skating
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 1, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - City of Santa Monica, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 3, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - Irvine Spectrum Center |
| Multiple dates starting on December 14, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - Paséa Hotel & Spa |
Hanukkah
| December 7, 2023 | Hanukkah in Santa Monica - Downtown Santa Monica |
| December 10, 2023 | Hanukkah Festival - Skirball Cultura Center |
| December 12, 2023 | Chanukah at the Outlets - Outlets at San Clemente |
| December 13, 2023 | Hanukkah Celebration - Pretend City Children's Museum |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| November 26, 2023 | Outdoor Holiday Market - Cabrillo Marine Aqiuarium |
| December 2, 2023 | Holiday Conscious Market - Downtown Santa Monica |
| December 2, 2023 | Holiday Market - Unique Markets |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Winter Village - City of Santa Ana, CA |
| December 6, 2023 | Holiday Stroll - City of Torrance, CA |
| December 9, 2023 | Holiday Family Faire - Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum |
New Year's Eve
| December 31, 2023 | New Year's Eve with Pink Martini - Los Angeles Philharmonic |
| December 31. 2023 | Kid's New Year's Eve - Legoland |
| December 31. 2023 | Noon Year's Eve - Pretend City Children's Museum |
| December 31. 2023 | NYELA Countdown to 2023 - Grand Park |
Miscellaneous
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 1, 2023 | 'Tis the Grinch Holiday Talk Show - Westfield Century City |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 10, 2023 | CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive - Plaza West Covina |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 10, 2023 | Festival Holidays & Christmas Celebration - Disneyland Park |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 10, 2023 | Winter Frolic - Kidspace Children's Museum |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 13, 2023 | Winterland by Caruso - The Grove |
| Multiple dates startin on Nov. 17, 2023 | Knott's Merry Farm - Knott's Berry Farm |
| November 18, 2023 | Family Art Workshop: Holiday Edition - The Muckenthaler |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov, 24. 2023 | Holidays at Universal - Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov, 24. 2023 | Grinchmas - Universal Studios Hollywood |
| Nov. 28 - Dec. 3, 2023 | 40th Annual Holiday Festival - City of Torrance, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Christmas on the Farm - Underwood Family Farms |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 2, 2023 | Aquarium Holidays - Aquarium of the Pacific |
| December 3, 2023 | Celebration of Winter Holidays - Bowers Museum |
| December 9, 2023 | Holiday Boat Parade - Marina del Rey, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 15, 2023 | Yuletide Cinemaland.- Street Food Cinema |
| December 17, 2023 | Holiday Festival - The Muckenthaler |
| January 1, 2024 | 135th Rose Parade - Rose Bowl |
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