Starting in late November, cities and towns across California will feature a variety of holiday light displays through January 2025. The events include lighted boat parades, illuminated botanical gardens, and decorated city centers.
In San Francisco, the Illuminate SF Festival of Light will run from November 24 to January 31, featuring more than 60 light-art installations across the city, including new works along the Light Art Trail.
Los Angeles’ Citadel Outlets will begin its holiday season on November 8 with the lighting of what is billed as the world’s tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree. The event will also include musical performances and nightly light shows with artificial snow.
Dana Point in Orange County will be decorated with 700,000 lights for its “Carol of the Boats” theme from November 12 to January 4. The Boat Parade of Lights is scheduled for December 12–14, with additional events such as menorah lightings and boat rides with Santa.
Beverly Hills will hold its Rodeo Drive Holiday Lighting Celebration on November 13, with displays extending from Wilshire Boulevard to Santa Monica Boulevard and including live performances and fireworks.
The USS Midway Museum in San Diego will be illuminated with 750,000 lights during the Jingle Jets Holiday Lighting Celebration from November 28 to December 30.
Redding’s Turtle Bay Exploration Park will host the Redding Garden of Lights from November 21 to January 4, offering illuminated pathways and wildlife-themed displays, as well as private igloo experiences.
The San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas will present Lightscape from November 14 to January 4, featuring a mile-long path with one million lights.
Riverside’s Mission Inn Hotel & Spa will showcase its Festival of Lights from November 22 to January 6, with over four million lights and special packages that include dining credits and holiday treats.
Filoli estate in Woodside will be decorated with more than a dozen Christmas trees and extensive garden lights from November 22 to January 11.
Other events across the state include WildLights at The Living Desert in Palm Desert, the Festival of Lights at Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg, and the Theatre of Lights in Sacramento.
Long Beach will continue its tradition of Trees on the Bay, with illuminated wooden trees dotting local waters from November 27 to January 1.
Additional celebrations include illuminated train rides in Santa Cruz, tractor parades in Geyserville and Calistoga, and numerous boat parades in cities such as Stockton, Marina del Rey, Huntington Beach, Sausalito, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, and Ventura.
The annual Night of Lights at Mammoth Lakes will feature a winter lights show with fireworks and a torchlight parade on December 13.
For those seeking events after the holiday season, the Napa Lighted Art Festival will take place from January 17 to February 15, offering light art installations by local and international artists at various locations around Downtown Napa.
Christmas Tree Lane in Fresno, a longstanding tradition since 1920, has been suspended for 2025.
Holiday light displays are scheduled throughout California’s regions, providing opportunities for residents and visitors to experience seasonal festivities statewide.
