The Top Holiday Events this Season Near Lake Forest, CA

Fun-Filled Activities

There are so many holiday activities near Lake Forest that can help you feel the holiday spirit. Here are a few of our favorites.

Winter Fest OC: Southern California’s largest winter festival will be at the OC Fair and Event Center from November 24 through January 7. Enjoy a massive tubing slide, snow play area, carnival, and market, along with more than 1 million lights at this amazing winter wonderland. Take your family on a North Pole journey, play snow games, and end the evening with a photo booth.

Christmas in the Canyons: Looking for old-fashioned Christmas cheer? Located 20 minutes up the canyon in historic Silverado, Christmas in the Canyons offers hayrides, caroling music, craft vendors, tasty food, and a Santa Claus photoshoot! This is the perfect opportunity to support local artists while embracing holiday festivities with a country twist. Enjoy a country holiday at the Silverado Community Center on Saturday, December 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Live Performances

There’s something about live performances that brings the holidays to life. Beautiful music paired with dazzling costumes and stunning scenery always makes for a great holiday event. Here are a few must-see holiday performances near Lake Forest.



Holidays Around the World: Celebrate the holidays with a multicultural experience from around the world. Musical acts and dance performances will be showcased at the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza on December 10. A variety of performances will display holiday traditions from cultures around the globe. The kids will also love doing crafts and playing in the snowfall in the Plaza.

The Nutcracker: Don’t miss American Ballet Theatre’s annual production of The Nutcracker, starting on December 8 at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa. Journey with Clara as she befriends a nutcracker prince, helps defeat the evil Mouse King, and travels to the Land of Sweets. You’ll fall in love with the choreography and live orchestra as you watch the stage transform into a winter wonderland.

Shopping Events

Don’t wait until it’s too late to finish your holiday shopping! Here are some of our favorite shopping events near Lake Forest that offer unique items and gifts. 

Mission Viejo Gifts & Goodies Holiday Boutique: For more than 50 years, Mission Viejo has been organizing Goodies Holiday Boutique every holiday season. Hosted at the Murray Community Center on November 18, this holiday extravaganza will feature specialty items, holiday decor, ornaments, and more from over 80 local artists. Enjoy free parking and admission and get ready to shop until you drop!



Christmas Tree and Holiday Market: Skip the Clark Griswold Christmas tree hunt this year and let Tanaka Farms do the hard work for you. Tanaka Farms in Irvine is your holiday destination for Christmas trees and other holiday decorations. Take your pick from a variety of Christmas fir trees straight from the farm in Oregon. Grab some wreaths for the door, garlands for the staircase, and even rustic decorations for the table.

Service Opportunities

One of the best ways to experience the holiday spirit is by serving others, but sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. If you’re interested in spreading some holiday cheer to those in need, consider one of the following events:

Santa Claus for a Cause: For our avid runners, Santa Claus for a Cause on December 16 in Huntington Beach is the perfect opportunity to help others while doing an activity you love. Register for the 5K or 10K run, and don’t forget your Santa suit or ugly sweater! Proceeds will be used to provide Christmas dinners to families in Africa and help support the ranch pets at Miss Pam’s Ranch. If you’re unable to attend the race, you can help the organization by donating toiletry items, health care products, and books. 

Orange County Food Bank: The OC Food Bank partners with over 300 charities to end hunger and malnutrition in our Southern California communities. The organization serves low-income families and individuals and distributes over 23 million pounds of food each year. If you are interested in donating or volunteering, visit their website to learn more about how you can help those in need this holiday season.

Safety Celebration Protocols

Holiday celebration is meant to be fun, and one way to ensure that your experience is positive and light is to follow safety celebration protocols. While everyone loves a pumpkin- or pine-scented candle, it’s important to light and enjoy candles safely. On average, 21 home candle fires are reported each day, and Christmas is the peak time for candle fires. We ask that you never leave a candle unattended and that you blow all flames out before leaving your home.

Additionally, live Christmas trees can also be a fire hazard. To ensure your safety, please water your tree regularly to prevent it from drying out, keep all open flames away from the branches, and turn off any decorative lights when you go out. Following these protocols will ensure that you have a happy and safe holiday season!

For those who will be spending the holidays near Lake Forest, California, refer to our holiday guide for the top holiday events nearby. Embrace the festive season by participating in local activities, watching live performances, attending holiday shopping events, and taking advantage of service opportunities. We at Crestwood Apartment Homes hope your holiday season is merry and bright!