See the essence of the festive season in Santa Clara. Our guide highlights all the key holiday events. Whether Santa Clara is your hometown or your holiday destination, our guide is your festive compass.
This season, Enchant San Jose transforms the city into a captivating wonderland, featuring luminous displays and festive activities for all ages. The Winter Walk in Union Square offers a unique shopping experience amidst charming holiday lights and local artisans. And the Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair is something you definitely don't want to miss, showcasing a variety of crafts, food, and holiday cheer. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Santa Clara
- Enchant San Jose (San Jose)
- Winter Walk in Union Square (San Francisco)
- Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair (Berkeley)
- Winter Lights (Santa Ana)
- Santa Ana Winter Village (Santa Ana)
- Menagerie Yuletide Oddities Market (San Jose)
- Festival of Winter (Fontana)
- Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico (Rancho Cucamonga)
- IlluminOdyssey (San Mateo)
- Holiday Fair
See these and even more events listed below!
Santa Clara Holiday Light Displays
Enchant San Jose
What to Expect:
Interactive light maze with a captivating original story.
Description:
Enchant San Jose features a world's largest Christmas light maze, ice skating trail, seasonal food and drink, Santa and Mrs. Claus visits, and a charming holiday marketplace.
Where: San Jose | More Info: Enchant San Jose
Santa's Landing - Enchant: San Jose
What to Expect:
Interactive holiday light maze with a captivating original story.
Description:
At Santa's Landing - Enchant: San Jose, immerse yourself in a captivating holiday tale as you navigate through 80,000 square feet of breathtaking light sculptures. Wander the maze, glide along the ice skating trail, savor seasonal food and drink, and visit Santa and Mrs. Claus. The event offers a variety of activities, including nightly caroling and mainstage entertainment, making it a memorable holiday experience.
Where: San Jose | More Info: Santa's Landing - Enchant: San Jose
Santa Clara Holiday Markets and Shopping
Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair
What to Expect:
Unique shopping experience with local artisans and live music.
Description:
The Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair offers a unique shopping experience with over 200 local artisans selling handmade art, live music, and fine food. Holiday shoppers can find a variety of gifts and original art in a festive and multicultural atmosphere.
Where: Berkeley | More Info: Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair
Menagerie Yuletide Oddities Market
What to Expect:
Unique blend of gothic culture and oddities.
Description:
The Menagerie Oddities Market is a premier event celebrating six years as the Bay Area's official oddities and curiosities event. It brings together the finest artists and obscurities on the West Coast, featuring a curated lineup of gothic home decor, fashion, makeup, dark art, and oddities.
Where: San Jose | More Info: Menagerie Yuletide Oddities Market
Holiday Fair
What to Expect:
Unique holiday shopping experience with over 350 vendors.
Description:
The SJMADE Holiday Fair is a premier winter holiday craft fair featuring over 350 makers, artists, designers, curators, workshop guides, food producers, and creative small businesses. This indoor event offers free admission and a variety of vendors selling unique handmade goods, desserts, baked goods, and packaged food items. The event also includes a holiday-themed photo booth and door giveaways for the first 1,000 attendees each day.
Where: Santa Clara | More Info: Holiday Fair
Christmas Parade & Holiday Market
What to Expect:
Local marching bands and Santa Claus procession.
Description:
The Christmas Parade & Holiday Market features a festive procession with local marching bands, dancers, and Santa Claus, followed by a holiday market offering handcrafted arts and crafts, gourmet items, and delicious foods.
Where: Benicia | More Info: Christmas Parade & Holiday Market
Winter Festival Marketplace - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
What to Expect:
Unique holiday shopping experience with local artisans and vintage treasures.
Description:
The Winter Festival Marketplace at Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden offers one-stop shopping for holiday gifts, greenery, and décor in a beautifully decorated atmosphere. Activities include a festive marketplace with vendors, Over The Garden Fence – Winter Edition, and a coffee cart serving free coffee. All ages are welcome, and children under 12 receive free admission.
Where: Palo Alto | More Info: Winter Festival Marketplace - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
Santa Clara Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Winter Lights
What to Expect:
Interactive light displays and family-friendly musical.
Description:
Winter Lights is a holiday musical and festival at Discovery Cube Orange County, featuring a heartwarming story, captivating music, and interactive light displays that blend science and holiday spirit.
Where: Santa Ana | More Info: Winter Lights
Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico
What to Expect:
Rich cultural tapestry of Mexican Christmas traditions.
Description:
Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico is a vibrant show that weaves cherished Mexican traditions into a heartwarming story of the season. Through the joyous rhythms of mariachi and colorful Mexican dance, it captures 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
Holiday Night with Santa - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
What to Expect:
Holiday celebration with Santa, ballet, and holiday shopping.
Description:
Join Gamble Garden for a holiday night with Santa, featuring photo opportunities, a ballet performance, and holiday shopping amidst beautifully decorated lights.
Where: Palo Alto | More Info: Holiday Night with Santa - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
Holiday Open House - City of Benicia
What to Expect:
Costumed carolers and live entertainment.
Description:
First Street merchants along Benicia Main Street host an open house to showcase holiday goods and offer beverages and treats while costumed carolers sing traditional Christmas tunes.
Where: Benicia | More Info: Holiday Open House - City of Benicia
Santa Clara Other Holiday Activities
Winter Walk in Union Square
What to Expect:
Pedestrian plaza with diverse food trucks and live performances.
Description:
Winter Walk in Union Square transforms two blocks into a pedestrian plaza with lush turf, diverse food truck offerings, enticing bars, and Instagram-worthy arctic-themed décor. Enjoy live performances and entertainment throughout this festive event.
Where: San Francisco | More Info: Winter Walk in Union Square
Santa Ana Winter Village
What to Expect:
Outdoor ice skating in a festive holiday setting.
Description:
The Santa Ana Winter Village is a month-long event featuring ice skating, a holiday light show, food vendors, and family-friendly activities. It includes special events like a tree lighting ceremony, breakfast with Santa, and a toy giveaway.
Where: Santa Ana | More Info: Santa Ana Winter Village
Festival of Winter
What to Expect:
Snow play and train rides in a festive 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 for kids to experience snow for the first time.
Where: Fontana | More Info: Festival of Winter
IlluminOdyssey
What to Expect:
Interactive glowing exhibits that awaken curiosity and build critical thinking skills.
Description:
IlluminOdyssey is an immersive, interactive winter light experience featuring luminous botanical geometry, rainbow refraction, and light-based exhibits that explore physical properties of light.
Where: San Mateo | More Info: IlluminOdyssey
Winter Wonderland - Tilden Park Merry Go Round
What to Expect:
Antique carousel with hand-carved wooden animals.
Description:
The Tilden Park Merry Go Round offers a classic carousel experience with hand-carved wooden animals, accompanied by calliope-style music. Enjoy buffet-style breakfast, scavenger hunts, classic Christmas movies, and unlimited rides amidst festive activities.
Where: Berkeley | More Info: Winter Wonderland - Tilden Park Merry Go Round
Selfies with Santa - City Center Bishop Ranch
What to Expect:
Interactive Santa chats with a North Pole mailbox.
Description:
Take photos with Santa in the festively decorated Alexander Square at City Center Bishop Ranch every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. Parents can capture moments of their children's chats with Santa, and a North Pole mailbox is available for shy children to write letters.
Where: San Ramon | More Info: Selfies with Santa - City Center Bishop Ranch
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- San Jose (3 miles)
- Sunnyvale (5 miles)
- Campbell (5 miles)
- Cupertino (5 miles)
- Saratoga (7 miles)
- Mountain View (7 miles)
- Los Gatos (9 miles)
- Los Altos (9 miles)
- Palo Alto (12 miles)
- East Palo Alto (13 miles)
- Newark (13 miles)
- Fremont (14 miles)
- Menlo Park (14 miles)
- Union City (17 miles)
- Redwood City (18 miles)
- San Carlos (20 miles)
- Belmont (21 miles)
- Foster City (22 miles)
- Morgan Hill (23 miles)
- Hayward (23 miles)
- Dublin (24 miles)
- San Lorenzo (24 miles)
- Castro Valley (25 miles)
- Livermore (25 miles)
- San Mateo (25 miles)
- Ashland (25 miles)
- Santa Cruz (27 miles)
- Burlingame (28 miles)
- San Leandro (28 miles)
- Millbrae (29 miles)
- San Ramon (29 miles)
- San Bruno (31 miles)
- Gilroy (32 miles)
- South San Francisco (32 miles)
- Danville (32 miles)
- Watsonville (33 miles)
- Alameda (33 miles)
- Pacifica (34 miles)
- Visitacion Valley (35 miles)
- Oakland (36 miles)
- Daly City (37 miles)
- Lafayette (38 miles)
- Mission District (38 miles)
- Noe Valley (38 miles)
- San Francisco (39 miles)
- Walnut Creek (39 miles)
- Tracy (39 miles)
- Chinatown (39 miles)
- Berkeley (40 miles)
- Pleasant Hill (41 miles)
- Brentwood (42 miles)
- Concord (43 miles)
- El Cerrito (43 miles)