Best Holiday Activities, Events And Celebrations In Los Angeles
(credit: Thinkstock)
Sharing the holidays with friends and families builds traditions and memories. A visit with Santa, singing Christmas carols, decorating the Christmas tree and spending quality time together is what the holidays are all about. This year, Los Angeles offers multiple options for fun and festive family time.
56th Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 972-7211
www.lacountyarts.org
Date: Thursday, December 24, 2015 from 3pm to 6pm
Perfect for the entire family, Los Angeles' largest public holiday celebration presents a diversity of music, dance numbers, choirs and other performing arts every year at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at no cost to the audience. This year, more than 20 music groups, choirs and dance companies from around LA will come to celebrate the season during this three hour holiday show.
Malibu Country Mart's Annual Winter Wonderland
3835 Cross Creek Rd
Malibu, CA 90265
(310) 456-7300
www.malibucountrymart.com
Dates: Throughout December, 2015
The Malibu Country Mart is celebrating the holiday season in style by transforming into a literal winter wonderland. Complete with festive holiday decor, the premiere shopping destination off of the Pacific Coast Highway will be offering shoppers the chance to shop among a decorated Christmas tree, a menorah, and twinkling lights. In addition, every Saturday in December prior to Christmas Eve, Santa will make an appearance with live reindeer as shoppers get the chance to pose for photos. Victorian carolers will also be strolling through the Mart singing holiday favorites while kids get the chance to take part in holiday activities like stocking and dreidel decorating, homemade cookie decorating and face painting. On Saturday, December 5th, a stocking and dreidel decorating party and holiday face painting will take place between 12pm and 4pm. The following Saturday, December 12th, come on by and take photos with Santa and take advantage of a cookie decorating party from 12pm to 4pm. And, on December 19th, Santa's Reindeer will make a visit to the Mart where kids and adults can take pictures with Santa between 12 and 4pm. Strolling carolers will be there from noon to 2pm as well.
SANTA Monica Pub Crawl
Various Locations
Santa Monica, CA
www.santamonicapubcrawl.com
Date: Dec. 12, 2015 at 5pm
One of the city's most attended events, the 7th Annual SANTA Monica Pub Crawl, benefiting the Westside Food Bank, takes place tonight at the city's best bars and restaurants. The event offering drinkers a chance to revel in holiday spirits while giving back to the community. More than 30 bars and restaurants across Santa Monica will take part in the festivities offering food and drink specials to crawlers dressed in Santa and holiday attire. A portion of all proceeds directly benefit the Westside Food Bank, who has received over $75,000 from the previous crawl's donations. To learn more on how you can participate, visit www.santamonicapubcrawl.com. Tickets are just $12 and advanced ticket purchases are suggested to avoid lines.
ICE - Downtown Santa Monica
1324 5th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 260-1199
www.downtownsm.com
www.downtownsm.com
Dates: November 1, 2015 — January 18, 2016
Each holiday season, Santa Monica turns it up a notch by turning the corner of 5th street and Arizona Avenue into an outdoor ice rink called ICE at Santa Monica. The premier outdoor ice skating rink offers 8,000 square feet of fun where residents and visitors can get a piece of winter. Hang out with friends, bring a loved one, enjoy a great first date, or even get skating lessons at this great rink. The rink is also open through the new year, meaning the fun doesn't just stop after Christmas! Additional holiday ice skating rinks are also open throughout the holidays, including at Pershing Square, the Westfield Promenade in Woodland Hills and elsewhere.
Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade
Burton Chace Park
13650 Mindanao Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 670-7130
www.mdrboatparade.org
Date: Dec. 12, 2015
For more than 50 years, Angelenos have been coming to the Marina for nautical holiday cheer, fireworks and a great parade. The evening kicks off with a traditional fireworks display that is sure to delight. If you've ever seen the Marina's Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza, you'll know that this will be just as spectacular. At 6pm, thousands of festive boats are lit up and decorated with holiday spirit ranging from Santa's, reindeer and snowmen and strings of lights, while they float their way through the main channel. Burton Chace Park is easily accessible for viewing, picnicking and lots of ooh-ing and aah-ing. Holiday music is played throughout the parade via loud speakers. The grand marshal for this year's event is Florence Henderson. In addition to fireworks, and a parade that will go from 6pm to 8pm, food trucks, music and parade announcers, a "Winter Wonder" snow in the park and more will be on deck for anyone visiting Burton Chace Park.
Holiday Sing-Along
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(323) 850-2000
www.laphil.com
Date: December 19, 2015 from 11:30am to 2:30pm
The Holiday Sing-Along really puts you in the mood with a big jolt of holiday music. After all, few things get you in the holiday spirit like a great sing along of merry holiday songs. That is what the audience is encouraged to do at the Holiday Sing-Along organized by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, which this year presents David Prather as he hosts and joins in on the fun during the jolliest holiday sing-along in L.A. Together with the Walt Disney Concert Hall's big pipe organ, a choir and a jazz combo, you'll get to sing along to favorites like "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" and more! On hand will also be a winter wonderland featuring free hot chocolate, coffee, photos with Santa and much more. At this concert, the audience is given lyric sheets with the words to some of the best-known carols, and the historically sold-out concert turns into a great event for the whole family. Andrews will recite holiday poems during the show.
Holiday Organ Spectacular
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(323) 850-2000
www.laphil.com
Date: December 18, 2015
As part of The Walt Disney Hall's LA Philharmonic holiday cheer, the venue will be putting on a holiday organ spectacular, where you'll be able to celebrate the season with the beauty and majesty of the beautiful organ as it brings devotional and festival holiday songs to life!
Fourth Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting & Block Party
Venice Sign
Corner of Windward Avenue & Pacific Avenue
Venice, CA 90291
www.venicebeach.com
Date: December 4, 2015
Light up your holiday season with a little help from the Venice Whaler! Head West to Venice Beach for the Fourth Annual Venice Holiday Sign Lighting & Block Party presented by the Venice Whaler. The historic Venice sign, which stretches high across Windward Avenue at the intersection of Pacific Avenue, will receive its annual seasonal makeover, changing the bright white bulbs to illuminating red and green lights in honor of the holiday season. Stop by to be a part of all of the festivities, including the lighting, a block party with live music, food and drinks by local sponsors including the Venice Whaler, a poster contest and much more. The Lighting & Block Party will begin with the Poster Contest Showcase at 4:30 pm, the Block Party at 6:15 pm and the VENICE Sign Lighting at 8:00 pm on the corner of Windward Avenue and Pacific Avenue.