Experience the best of the holidays in Arcadia with our comprehensive holiday guide. Whether you're a resident or a visitor, this guide is your pathway to the holiday enchantment of Arcadia.
One of the highlights of the season is the Anaheim Ballet’s Nutcracker, where timeless music and stunning choreography invite you into a magical winter wonderland. Another notable event features spectacular floats and festive performances during the Hollywood Christmas Parade, a vibrant celebration of the season. And the Drumline Live Holiday is something you definitely don't want to miss, showcasing high-energy rhythms that will surely get you into the holiday spirit. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Arcadia
- Hollywood Christmas Parade (Hollywood)
- Anaheim Ballet’s Nutcracker (Anaheim)
- LA Zoo Lights (Los Angeles)
- The Polar Express Train Ride (Perris)
- State Street Ballet’s The Nutcracker (La Mirada)
- Drumline Live Holiday (Cerritos)
- Enchanted Forest of Light (La Cañada Flintridge)
- Holiday in the Park (Valencia)
- Festival of Winter (Fontana)
- Winter Lights (Santa Ana)
See these and even more events listed below!
Arcadia Holiday Light Displays
Christmas Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
After-hours presidential museum experience with Christmas carolers.
Description:
Celebrate the holiday season with a sparkling Christmas tree lighting at the Richard Nixon Library, featuring photos with Santa, ornament crafting, and hot cocoa. Enjoy an after-hours presidential museum experience with Christmas carolers.
Where: Yorba Linda | More Info: Christmas Tree Lighting
LA Zoo Lights
What to Expect:
Immersive landscape with wildlife-inspired lantern displays and interactive experiences.
Description:
LA Zoo Lights: Animals Aglow is a nature-focused holiday celebration featuring dazzling new lantern sculptures of animals among blooming flowers, towering trees, and glowing rivers. The event includes all-new wonders like the magical Holiday Forest with majestic pine trees and snow-loving animals, spectacular holiday photo spots, and the return of Santa himself. It offers various special experiences, including sensory-inclusive evenings and all-ages Pride Nights.
Where: Los Angeles | More Info: LA Zoo Lights
Enchanted Forest of Light
What to Expect:
Interactive light installations in a botanical garden setting.
Description:
Descanso Gardens transforms into a vibrant, illuminated botanical artscape with interactive light installations, including stained glass houses, geometric sculptures, and ambient musical soundscapes.
Where: La Cañada Flintridge | More Info: Enchanted Forest of Light
Arcadia Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Anaheim Ballet’s Nutcracker
What to Expect:
World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes.
Description:
Anaheim Ballet's Nutcracker is a heartwarming tale of Clara and her Nutcracker Doll, transforming a woeful winter into a fanciful feast in Candyland. The full-length ballet, presented with the Symphony Irvine, features staging and choreography by Sarma Lapenieks Rosenberg. It is a cornerstone of seasonal family entertainment and tradition, showcasing a towering Christmas tree, waltzing flowers, battling toy soldiers, and menacing mice.
Where: Anaheim | More Info: Anaheim Ballet’s Nutcracker
Drumline Live Holiday
What to Expect:
Soulful holiday classics with a marching band twist.
Description:
Drumline Live Holiday features soulful renditions of chart-topping holiday classics with a marching band twist, blending Gospel, Jazz, Soul, Motown, and Hip-Hop. Dazzling vocalists, talented musicians, energetic choreography, spectacular lighting, and beautiful holiday costumes come together to create a festive atmosphere.
Where: Cerritos | More Info: Drumline Live Holiday
State Street Ballet’s The Nutcracker
What to Expect:
World-class ballet performance with elaborate sets and costumes.
Description:
State Street Ballet's The Nutcracker features opulent sets and costumes, brilliant comedic moments, and the beloved tale of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, delighting audiences of all ages.
Where: La Mirada | More Info: State Street Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Hollywood Christmas Parade
What to Expect:
Star-studded celebration with iconic floats and marching bands.
Description:
The Hollywood Christmas Parade is a cherished tradition that brings the Hollywood community together with dazzling floats, marching bands, and performances. It features legendary celebrities and a profound charitable mission supporting Toys for Tots and other important organizations.
Where: Hollywood | More Info: Hollywood Christmas Parade
John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Christmas
What to Expect:
Tribute performance to John Denver's music with holiday classics.
Description:
Rick Schuler, America's Top John Denver Tribute, performs an intimate holiday show featuring all your favorite Denver hits and heartwarming inspirational carols, taking audiences back to the '70s with John Denver's music.
Where: Anaheim | More Info: John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Christmas
Winter Lights
What to Expect:
Interactive science exhibits and original holiday music.
Description:
Winter Lights is a holiday musical spectacle featuring an original story, captivating music, and interactive science exhibits. It transforms Discovery Cube OC into a dazzling display of lights, decorations, and science, blending hope, resilience, and magic.
Where: Santa Ana | More Info: Winter Lights
Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico
What to Expect:
Vibrant celebration of Mexican Christmas traditions through music and dance.
Description:
Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar and Ballet Folklorico del Rio Grande present Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico, a vibrant show weaving cherished Mexican traditions into a heartwarming story of the season. The event features the joyous rhythms of mariachi and colorful Mexican dance, capturing the spirit of Posadas, the majesty of the Reyes Magos, and the thrill of breaking piñatas.
Where: Rancho Cucamonga | More Info: Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico
The Polar Express Train Ride
What to Expect:
Live theatrical onboard entertainment with Santa and his helpers.
Description:
Relive the classic holiday story of The Polar Express aboard a real train, featuring live entertainment, hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa.
Where: Perris | More Info: The Polar Express Train Ride
Holiday in the Park
What to Expect:
Winter lights and seasonal entertainment.
Description:
Six Flags Magic Mountain transforms into a vibrant winter spectacle with millions of lights, seasonal eats, and entertainment.
Where: Valencia | More Info: Holiday in the Park
Arcadia Other Holiday Activities
Festival of Winter
What to Expect:
Snow play and train rides in a festive community setting.
Description:
The Festival of Winter at Miller Park features train rides, rides and attractions, live entertainment, photo opportunities with Santa, and a variety of vendors and activity booths. It also includes snow play and a Tot Lot where children can experience snow for the first time.
Where: Fontana | More Info: Festival of Winter
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Monrovia (2 miles)
- Temple City (3 miles)
- Duarte (3 miles)
- Rosemead (5 miles)
- El Monte (5 miles)
- San Gabriel (5 miles)
- Baldwin Park (6 miles)
- Alhambra (6 miles)
- South El Monte (6 miles)
- Pasadena (6 miles)
- Altadena (6 miles)
- South Pasadena (7 miles)
- West Puente Valley (7 miles)
- Monterey Park (7 miles)
- Azusa (7 miles)
- West Covina (7 miles)
- Valinda (8 miles)
- Covina (9 miles)
- La Puente (10 miles)
- La Canada Flintridge (10 miles)
- Glendora (10 miles)
- Montebello (10 miles)
- Hacienda Heights (11 miles)
- Whittier (11 miles)
- East Los Angeles (11 miles)
- Pico Rivera (11 miles)
- West Whittier-Los Nietos (11 miles)
- South San Jose Hills (12 miles)
- Boyle Heights (12 miles)
- Glendale (13 miles)
- Walnut (13 miles)
- South Whittier (13 miles)
- San Dimas (13 miles)
- Los Angeles (13 miles)
- Rowland Heights (14 miles)
- Echo Park (14 miles)
- Maywood (14 miles)
- Bell Gardens (14 miles)
- Silver Lake (14 miles)
- Bell (14 miles)
- Downey (15 miles)
- Diamond Bar (15 miles)
- Cudahy (15 miles)
- La Habra (15 miles)
- Huntington Park (15 miles)
- La Mirada (15 miles)
- La Verne (16 miles)
- Burbank (16 miles)
- Koreatown (16 miles)
- South Gate (16 miles)
- Tujunga (16 miles)
- Norwalk (17 miles)
- Florence-Graham (17 miles)
- Hollywood (17 miles)
- Pomona (17 miles)
- Brea (17 miles)
- Lynwood (18 miles)
- Universal City (18 miles)
- Claremont (18 miles)
- Bellflower (18 miles)
- Paramount (19 miles)
- Chino Hills (19 miles)
- Buena Park (19 miles)
- West Hollywood (19 miles)
- Cerritos (20 miles)
- Fullerton (20 miles)
- North Hollywood (20 miles)
- Willowbrook (20 miles)
- Compton (20 miles)
- Montclair (20 miles)
- Westmont (21 miles)
- Lakewood (21 miles)
- Studio City (21 miles)
- Placentia (21 miles)
- Beverly Hills (21 miles)
- Yorba Linda (22 miles)
- Chino (22 miles)
- Inglewood (22 miles)
- Anaheim (22 miles)
- Culver City (22 miles)
- Cypress (22 miles)
- Upland (22 miles)
- Ontario (23 miles)
- Lennox (23 miles)
- Gardena (23 miles)
- Stanton (23 miles)
- Sherman Oaks (24 miles)
- Hawthorne (24 miles)
- Van Nuys (24 miles)
- Valley Glen (24 miles)
- San Fernando (25 miles)
- Lawndale (25 miles)
- Rancho Cucamonga (25 miles)
- Carson (26 miles)
- Garden Grove (26 miles)
- Westminster (26 miles)
- Venice (26 miles)
- West Carson (26 miles)
- Orange (26 miles)
- North Hills (27 miles)
- Encino (27 miles)
- Long Beach (27 miles)
- Torrance (27 miles)
- Santa Monica (27 miles)
- Manhattan Beach (28 miles)
- Seal Beach (28 miles)
- Redondo Beach (28 miles)
- Lomita (29 miles)
- Santa Ana (29 miles)
- Northridge (29 miles)
- North Tustin (29 miles)
- Eastvale (30 miles)
- Tustin (30 miles)
- Fountain Valley (30 miles)
- Palmdale (31 miles)
- Norco (31 miles)
- Jurupa Valley (31 miles)
- San Pedro (32 miles)
- Canyon Country (32 miles)
- Canoga Park (32 miles)
- Corona (32 miles)
- Woodland Hills (33 miles)
- Glen Avon (33 miles)
- Huntington Beach (33 miles)
- Chatsworth (33 miles)
- Santa Clarita (34 miles)
- Rancho Palos Verdes (34 miles)
- Fontana (34 miles)
- Calabasas (35 miles)
- Irvine (35 miles)
- West Hills (35 miles)
- Costa Mesa (35 miles)
- Newport Beach (36 miles)
- Bloomington (37 miles)
- Rubidoux (37 miles)
- Rialto (38 miles)
- Riverside (39 miles)
- Valencia (39 miles)
- Lancaster (39 miles)
- Lake Forest (39 miles)
- Agoura (40 miles)
- Laguna Hills (41 miles)
- Colton (42 miles)
- Agoura Hills (42 miles)
- Rancho Santa Margarita (42 miles)
- San Bernardino (43 miles)
- Mission Viejo (43 miles)
- Aliso Viejo (43 miles)
- Simi Valley (44 miles)
- Laguna Beach (44 miles)
- Loma Linda (45 miles)