All the Best Holiday Events in Lakewood, California, This Year
The winter holidays seem to come out of nowhere every year. One minute, you’re basking in the sunshine on the beach, and the next thing you know, there’s a chill in the air and swimsuits have been exchanged for sweaters. It may be hard to say goodbye to the warm sunshine, but winter has its share of upsides too. Bidding farewell to days at the beach also means saying hello to the winter holiday season.
If you have plans to spend time at home in Lakewood, California, for the holidays, or if you’re coming in for a visit, you won’t be disappointed. Lakewood has a variety of fun holiday events and activities to help you celebrate the season. You’ll find there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the season with loved ones and your neighbors in the community. If you want to check out some family-friendly entertainment or help families in need during the holidays, here are some fantastic options.
Help the Hungry
Thanksgiving memories often involve full bellies and a lot of leftover pie. But for many families in Lakewood and across the country, there aren’t many days with excess food—even on Thanksgiving. As you prepare for your Thanksgiving feast, you can help ensure hungry families in your community get the food they need.
Throughout the holiday season,
Food Finders is holding a food drive to provide meals to people experiencing food insecurity. From now through December 31, you can donate money to Food Finders, participate in a food drive, or even start a drive of your own. Along with food donations, Food Finders also needs help sorting and boxing donated food for families. For further information visit
Food Finders online or call (562) 283-1400, extensions 117 or 105.
Journey to the North Pole
Just because you live in sunny Southern California doesn’t mean your family should be deprived of a super fun winter experience. If you feel the same way, then Orange County has just the extravaganza you’re looking for. This year’s Winter Fest OC runs from November 24 through January 7 and features over 1 million glorious lights, enough holiday decor to drive one giddy, a cornucopia of thrilling activities, a snow play area, a 150-foot tubing slide, a carnival, a holiday market, and plenty of food. Whew! Any Grinch’s heart would grow three sizes just typing that previous sentence!
New this year is the North Pole Journey, a one-of-a-kind winterland experience where wide-eyed participants learn exactly how to become an elf. Winter Fest OC will be chilling at the OC Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. Tickets can be purchased here.
Celebrate with Sea Creatures
For a fun and memorable holiday activity that is especially perfect for kids, The Aquarium of the Pacific is the perfect place to go this year! At Aquarium Holidays, you’ll see festive decorations, shop for souvenirs and holiday gifts, and even get to see the Santa Diver and aquarium characters in their holiday outfits. Photo opportunities will also be available, so you can document this experience and remember it for years to come. During Aquarium Holidays, you can also participate in Hanukkah storytelling, with opportunities to play the dreidel, as well as a Kwanzaa celebration. The Aquarium’s holiday celebration runs December 2 through 23 and has many holiday experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds, so make sure you don’t miss out!
Enjoy a Tree-Lighting
Do you have Clark Griswold’s adoration for holiday lighting, but you can’t quite pull off such an amazing display yourself? You’ll love Lakewood’s annual tree lighting on December 1 next to City Hall. Enjoy food truck dining, entertainment, and carnival games with friends from the community. You may even forget you aren’t at the North Pole, with enough falling snow at the tree lighting to make your snowy holiday dreams come true.
Lakewood’s tree is the gift that keeps giving. You’ll be able to enjoy the tree lights all through December, and each night will feature an animated light show. With its amazing lights, the city tree will provide an enchanting backdrop for your greeting card photos this winter.
Celebrate Delicious Food
The holidays are all about eating the best food around. This year, treat your palate to some of the best Latin American food. Head over to the Long Beach International Tamales Festival 2023 on December 9 to enjoy a holiday fair you won’t forget. Indulge yourself with tamale recipes from around Latin America, as well as other regional dishes, drinks, and tequila tastings.
The food and beverages are plenty to keep you satisfied all day long, but this fair will have loads of other activities for people of all ages to stay busy. Enjoy live music, art workshops, performances, and shopping at this all-day event.
Spread Holiday Cheer
As you enjoy the holidays with your family and friends, you can help to ensure families in need experience a wonderful holiday season as well. Project Shepherd is a nonprofit run by the City of Lakewood and the Rotary Club of Lakewood that provides assistance to Lakewood families with the help of community members.
While it assists families throughout the year, Project Shepherd also has a special holiday program to provide families with meals and gifts. If you are able to lend a hand to these families, consider donating to Project Shepherd to help your low-income or unemployed neighbors. Those wishing to help Project Shepherd can donate money, buy items on an Amazon gift registry, or buy gifts for children on a Teddy Bear Tree. People can also sponsor or participate in virtual food and toy drives and donate grocery gift cards.
Winter Fun in Lake Elsinore
Embrace the magic of the season at
Winterfest, Lake Elsinore’s enchanting holiday kickoff event! Gather your family and friends for a day filled with joy and excitement. The festivities begin with a bustling marketplace featuring vendors, delightful entertainment, and amusements tailored for all ages.
Rock Out with a Classical Twist
The
Trans-Siberian Orchestra extravaganza is part-extravagant rock show and part-Christmas storytelling experience. TSO embarks on its annual holiday trek across North America, which makes an Inland Empire stopover at
Ontario’s Toyota Arena on Saturday, December 2. This year’s theme is “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve: The Best of TSO and More!” Prepare to have all your senses dazzled in two stunning shows at 3 and 7 p.m.
A Berry Christmas
Knott’s Berry Farm may already be a favorite destination for you and your loved ones, but during the holiday season, it just gets better! From November 17 to January 7,
Knott’s Merry Farm takes over the whole park, filling it with holiday lights, decor, food, treats, activities, and more. Knott’s Berry Farm is always fun for the whole family, and during the holiday season, it is even more memorable and magical! Check out
this teaser video for a sneak peek of Knott’s Merry Farm!
Celebrate Safely
Here at the
Lakewood Manor Apartments, we want you and your family to have a wonderful and safe holiday season. Be sure to take precautions this year to avoid holiday mishaps and injury. Cooking fires are the
No. 1 cause of residential fires, with an average of 1,700 cooking fires on Thanksgiving alone. Keep a watchful eye on the stove as you prepare holiday feasts, and never leave food cooking unattended. Make sure flammable items are away from the stove, and keep young children away from the cooking. If you’re thinking about frying a turkey, make sure it is done well away from your residence, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your frying device.
The holidays in Southern California are magical, and there is no better place to celebrate than Lakewood, California. If you are visiting our wonderful city or just enjoying the holidays at home with the people you love, you’ll find Lakewood is the best place to be this winter. Give some of these activities a try to get the most out of your celebrations with family and friends this year.
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