san diego holiday events

2019 HOLIDAY EVENTS IN SAN DIEGO

December 2, 2019 by Danielle Negroni Leave a Comment

The holidays are here! Looking for something fun to do? Check out some of these great holiday events happening throughout San Diego County!

Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

When: Nov 10th – Dec 29th

Where: The Old Globe

1363 Old Globe Way

San Diego, CA 92101-1696

About: Catch a holiday show at the Old Globe Theatre! This whimsical musical is based on the classic Dr. Seuss book. This is the 22^nd year it’s being performed, and in addition to a wonderful performance, the Old Globe Theatre is also being decorated to be transformed into snow-covered Whoville!

Click here to Buy Tickets

Holidays at One Paseo

When: November 30^th– December 22^nd

Where: One Paseo

3725 Paseo Place

San Diego, CA 92130

About: Enjoy live music performances, visits from Santa, and festive photo opportunities while snow cascades from the rooftops at One Paseo! Salt & Straw is even providing complimentary s’mores by the Firepit every Saturday!

Click Here to Learn More

Hullaballoo for The Holidays

When: Dec 5^th, 12^th, and 19^th

Where: Del Mar Highlands Town Center

12925 El Camino Real Suite J-28

San Diego, CA 92130

About: This is a great event to get your kids into the Holiday spirit! This free event includes a fun sing-along and special visits from Santa too! Be sure to check Santa’s scheduled appearances.

Click Here to Learn More

December Nights at Balboa Park

When: Dec 6th – 7th

Where: Balboa Park

House of Hospitality

San Diego, CA 92101

About: Start the holiday season with December Nights at Balboa Park! This free holiday festival is in its 42nd year and still going strong! Come with friends and family to enjoy the festive lighting, delicious cuisine, and holiday cheer. Additionally, all Balboa Park museums are free from 5-9 PM!

Click Here to Learn More

Little Italy’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

When: Dec 7th 4:00 PM – 8:00 PMitt

Where: Little Italy

India St & W Fir St

San Diego, CA 92101

About: Head downtown for the 21^st Annual Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village! Check out the unique Christmas tree made of over 1000 Poinsettias and meet Sant Claus at Santa’s Living Room on India Street. Additionally, there will be vendors selling holiday goodies and stocking stuffers!

Click Here to Learn More

Encinitas Holiday Parade

When: December 7^th 5:00 PM- 7:30 PM

Where: Downtown Encinitas

Coast Hwy 101

About: Head to downtown Encinitas on December 7^th for the Annual Encinitas Holiday Parade! This family-friendly event will host thousands of people on floats rolling down Coast Highway 101. Come cheer them on and celebrate the season!

Click Here to Learn More

Santa by the Sea

When: December 8^th 3:00 PM- 5:00 PM

Where: Del Mar Village

NW Corner of Camino Del Mar & 15^th Street

About: Come say “Hi” to Santa at the Del Mar Village! Holiday treats, refreshments, and crafts for the kids will be available all afternoon. Plus, stick around for the annual Tree Lighting ceremony at 5:00 PM.

Click Here to Learn More

56th Annual North Park Toyland Parade & Festival

When: Dec 8, 2019 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Where: University Avenue

San Diego, CA 92104

About: Get into the holiday spirit at the Annual North Park Toyland Parade! With vintage cars, marching bands, dance groups, beauty queens, city officials, and—of course—Santa Claus, this parade has something for everybody! Come by at 11AM to enjoy the parade in all of its glory.

Click Here to Learn More

Port of San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

When: December 8th & 15th, 2019 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Where: Port of San Diego

3165 Pacific Highway

San Diego, CA 92101

About: Check out the 47^th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. The parade proceeds from Shelter Island past Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, Pier at Cesar Chavez Park, and the Ferry Landing in Coronado. This year’s theme is Comic-Con on the Bay, which is sure to delight kids and parents alike!

Click Here to Learn More

Oceanside Harbor Parade of Lights

When: Dec 14th 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Where: Oceanside Harbor

Oceanside, CA 92054

About: Check out this annual Oceanside parade! Fishing boats, sail boats, yachts, kayaks, and dinghies will all be dressed up in holiday swag for the parade of lights. There will even be boats featuring people dressed as Santa! Tip: hang out near the fishing dock and police station for a chance to see the parade twice!

Click Here to Learn More

Nutcracker Holiday Tea

When: December 22^ndand 23^rd

Where: Fairmont Grand Del Mar

5300 Grand Del Mar Ct., San Diego, CA 92130

About: Enjoy a Nutcracker Holiday Tea this season! The Scripps Performing Arts Academy will perform Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. Your ticket also comes with scrumptious tea sandwiches and French pastries to enjoy!

Buy Your Tickets Here

Hanukkah Menorah Lighting 2019

When: December 29^th 4:00 PM- 7:00 PM

Where: Flowerhill Promenade Del Mar

2720 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, CA 92014

About: Come celebrate Hanukkah at Flowerhill Promenade! Sing along while Rabbi Earne lights a beautiful ten foot tall Menorah. The menorah lighting will take place at 5:30 PM.

Click Here to Learn More

What holiday activities are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below!

San Diego Holiday Events 2018

November 24, 2018 by Danielle Negroni Leave a Comment

The Holidays are here! And if San Diego isn’t awesome enough, there are so many fun, festive events to celebrate. I’ve made a list of a few of my favorite holiday activities around San Diego County for you and your family to enjoy!

Skating by the Sea

November 22^nd– January 1^st

Hotel Del Coronado

Skating by the Sea returns to Hotel del Coronado for the 14^th year! The ice rink is located on the front lawn of the hotel, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Coronado beach. Now if this doesn’t scream Southern California Christmas, I don’t know what does!

Garden of Lights

December 1st- 30^th

Botanic Garden Encinitas

As the sun goes down in December, the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas will be transformed into a dazzling winter wonderland with sparkling lights throughout the garden for a magical holiday experience. This is the perfect holiday activity for those who want to avoid the large crowds that some of San Diego’s other seasonal attractions draw!

Toyland Parade

December 1^st

North Park

The famous Toyland Parade in North Park features marching bands, dance groups, vintage cars, and even Santa on a fire truck! This is a great event for families of all ages and after the parade is done, you can finish your holiday shopping at some of North Park’s great local businesses.

Encinitas Holiday Parade

December 1^st

Downtown Encinitas

The Encinitas Holiday Parade will take place on December 1^st from 5-7:30pm. Enjoy festive floats and music as the parade rolls down Coast Highway 101. The parade officially gets started at 5:30, with a tree lighting ceremony at the lumberyard taking place at 5pm.

Little Italy’s Tree Lighting Ceremony

December 1^st

Little Italy

Celebrate the season during Little Italy’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and see the unique Christmas Tree – a 25-foot tower of 1,100 Poinsettias! Enjoy the neighborhood’s festive decorations, live music and entertainment, snacks, holiday beverages and more.

Santa by the Sea

December 2^nd

Del Mar Village

Celebrate the Holidays with Santa! The Del Mar Village continues the tradition of Santa by the Sea, a free event filled with carols, holiday crafts, and a chance to take pictures with Santa. The annual tree lighting ceremony will take place at 5 pm.

Hanukkah Celebration & Menorah Lighting at Liberty Station

December 3^rd

Liberty Station

Celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah at Liberty Station from 5-9pm on Monday December 3rd! In addition to the Hanukkah celebration, The Rady Children’s Ice Rink will be open after the menorah lightning and guests can purchase tickets to go ice skating under the stars.

Jungle Bells

December 8^th– January 1^st

San Diego Zoo

From December 8^th – January 1^st, the San Diego Zoo will be transformed into a wonderland of lights, merry performances, and festive food. It’s the perfect experience for the whole family to enjoy!

December Nights

December 7^th & 8^th

Balboa Park

December Nights is one of San Diego’s most loved holiday traditions. Balboa Park truly comes alive with twinkle lights, live performances, and festive food and drink available throughout the park. Be sure to take public transportation if you can or leave early – this event attracts thousands of San Diegans!

San Diego Boat Parade of Lights

December 9^thand 16^th

San Diego Bay

If you’ve never been to the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, make plans to check it out this year. Grab some blankets, a thermos of hot cocoa, and find a seat by the bay to see the parade of dozens of sailboats and powerboats covered in Christmas lights! This year’s theme is “Tropical Island Christmas.”

New Years Eve Beach Party

December 31^st

Catamaran Resort in Pacific Beach

Ring in the New Year at the Catamaran Resort in Pacific Beach, San Diego. This Annual New Years Eve celebration features a hosted bar, appetizers, and a boat ride around Mission Bay at midnight! This is a ticketed event so be sure to plan ahead for this NYE party.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful time of year with your family and friends! Happy Holidays!

11 Fun Holiday Events Happening in San Diego

November 27, 2017 by Danielle Negroni Leave a Comment

There’s always something to do in San Diego and the holidays are no exception! Here are eleven of the most exciting events happening across the county this year:

Global Winter Wonderland

November 19^th-January 7^th

SDCCU Stadium (Formerly Qualcomm Stadium)

Global Winter Wonderland arrives in San Diego for the first time this holiday season! Featuring a lighted display with over 50 scenes from around the world, this is one-of-a-kind event also offers entertainment in the form of acrobatic performances, music, rides and games, food, and a holiday market. Kids can also write a letter to Santa and get their picture taken! Learn more about the Global Winter Wonderland here.

Coronado Skating By the Sea

November 23^rd-January 1^st

Hotel Del Coronado

A uniquely San Diego event, go ice skating in the shadow of the famous Hotel Del Coronado while feeling the sea breeze and smelling the salt air. Open from Thanksgiving through New Years, Skating By The Sea is $30 per person and includes skate rental. A portion of the proceeds from this year’s event will go to Make-A-Wish San Diego. For ice rink hours, click here.

December Nights

December 1^st-2^nd

Balboa Park

It’s safe to say that Balboa Park’s December Nights is one of San Diego’s favorite holiday events! Thousands turn out every year to kick off the holiday season in the park. With two days of incredible entertainment, food, shopping, music, and fun, if you go to one event this holiday season, let this be it! You can find out more about Balboa Park’s December Nights on their website.

Encinitas Holiday Parade

December 2^nd

Downtown Encinitas

One of North County’s best-loved traditions, the Encinitas Holiday Parade will take place on December 2^nd from 5-7:30pm. Enjoy festive floats and music as the parade rolls down Coast Highway 101. The parade officially gets started at 5:30, with a tree lighting ceremony at the lumberyard taking place at 5pm. Rumor has it that Santa will be there!

Holiday Celebration at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center

December 6^th

Del Mar Highlands Town Center

Celebrate the holidays in Carmel Valley! The Del Mar Highlands’ event includes falling “snow”, a laser light show, a caroling quartet, photo ops with Santa and Mrs. Claus, performances from the local schools, and more. The event starts at 5pm on December 6^th.

Atomic Groove’s Twilight Xmas Show

December 7^th

The Belly-Up

Local favorite, Atomic Groove, will be at The Belly-Up on Thursday December 7^th for a fun holiday show. They’ll be playing all of your favorite dance floor grooves with a holiday twist, so put on your dancing shoes for a night of fun! Each person receives a free raffle ticket to win some great prizes, but if you’d like to double your chances with an extra ticket, bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys For Tots. Tickets are available here.

Jungle Bells

December 8^th-January 1^st

San Diego Zoo

Celebrate the holidays at the San Diego Zoo! After dark, the zoo is transformed into a twinkling, winter wonderland with festive food, light sculptures, music, and entertainment. Meet Santa, learn more about the residents of the zoo during animal encounters, participate in the Reindeer Games, and listen to a zoo version of the classic poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Jungle Bells activities are included with your zoo admission ticket (unless noted). For more details about the event, visit the San Diego Zoo’s website.

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

December 10^th & 17^th

San Diego Bay

Over eighty decorated boats will sail San Diego Bay on the evenings of December 10^th and 17^th. There are multiple viewing opportunities along the parade route, which stretches from Shelter Island to Seaport Village and over to the Coronado Ferry Landing. For more information on the best viewing locations and approximate timing of the parade, click here.

Menorah Lighting at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center

December 17^th

Del Mar Highlands Town Center in Carmel Valley

Kick off Hanukkah by attending the Menorah Lighting at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center, hosted by Congregation Beth Am! The event starts at 6pm and refreshments will be available.

Nutcracker Holiday Tea

December 23^rd

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar

Now in its ninth year, The Grand Del Mar’s Nutcracker Holiday Tea is one event you won’t want to miss. The Scripps Performing Arts Academy will perform an abridged version of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker”, while you enjoy tea, sandwiches, and French pastries. $10 of each ticket sold will go to Isabella’s Giraffe Club, a non-profit organization that supports parents with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. You can find more information about the Nutcracker Holiday Tea, including ticket pricing, on the Grand’s website.

New Years Eve Yacht Party

December 31^st

San Diego Bay

Ring in the New Year in style aboard a yacht on San Diego Bay! Enjoy an open bar, three levels of music and dancing, and panoramic views of San Diego Harbor as you wait for the midnight countdown! Tickets are available here.