Several holiday events, including parades, tree lightings and free concerts to celebrate the season, are scheduled throughout Santa Barbara County in December.
Santa Barbara
The Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department is hosting two holiday concerts in December. The Santa Barbara Strummers are set to perform at the Plaza del Mar Band shell from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. On Dec. 12, the Treble Clef Women’s Chorus will perform from noon to 1 p.m. at the Alameda Park Bandstand in Pershing Park.
Paseo Nuevo will host plenty of events throughout the holiday season, which started with a tree-lighting ceremony on Sunday.
Shoppers can enjoy live holiday music every Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. until Dec. 21.
From Sunday to Dec. 22, Santa will be around to take selfies with shoppers at the Peppermint Parlor from noon until 4 p.m.
The City of Santa Barbara will host a sustainable holiday open house from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at 801 Garden St., Suite 200. The event will include carols from the Santa Barbara High School Madrigals, holiday treats and drinks, holiday craft stations, and pictures with Santa.
El Encanto will host a tree lighting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday on the Pacific Lawn with music and canapes.
The annual Downtown Tree Lighting will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday in front of the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St.
The 38th annual Holiday Parade of Lights is set for 5:30 p.m. Sunday with 30 illuminated boats making their way from Leadbetter Beach down the coast to the Cabrillo Pavilion, then back along the coast to Stearns Wharf.
The parade will be followed by a brief fireworks show starting at 7 p.m. The best viewing locations for the boat parade and fireworks include Stearns Wharf, the breakwater, West Beach and East Beach.
There will be a tree-lighting ceremony at 5 p.m., before the parade, on Stearns Wharf with performances from the Dos Pueblos High School Jazz Choir.
Goleta
The Old Town Goleta Holiday Parade is planned for 6 p.m. Saturday along Hollister Avenue from Orange to Kinman avenues.
The best viewing area will be on the south side of Hollister Avenue, and parking is available in the Yardi parking lot, 430 S. Fairview Ave.
Local businesses are invited to join in on the holiday fun by participating in a window decorating contest. Any businesses wanting to participate can send an email to mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org so photos can be taken of the displays for the city’s social media accounts. A panel will judge the windows and announce the winner next Monday.
The Goleta Valley Historical Society is hosting Holiday at the Ranch at Stow House, 304 N. Los Carneros Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can meet Santa and his “rein-goats,” enjoy tractor rides, crafts, music and food. Tickets are $5 for kids ages 2 through 12 and $10 for adults.
Montecito
The Montecito Association is hosting a car parade and sip and shop on Dec. 14 in the Upper Village.
Starting at 3 p.m., local shops will be open with special offers and refreshments. At 5 p.m., the holiday magic car parade will roll through Montecito.
A tree lighting with Santa will be held on Coast Village Road from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday with hot chocolate and carolers.
Santa Ynez Valley
The Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden in Buellton will hosts its third annual holiday lights festival over three weekends from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. this Friday until Dec. 22.
Festival-goers can enjoy holiday lights and decorations, a marketplace with beer and wine, a kids zone with rides and entertainment, food trucks and a local artisan market. Click here to buy tickets.
The Buellton Winter Fest is set for Sunday with events available all day at the Buellton Rec Center and River View Park. The day will start with a ticketed breakfast at the Rec Center, then a free holiday village will be at the park from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The village will include 20 tons of snow, live music, food and drinks. The day will wrap up with a tree-lighting ceremony at 7 p.m.
For a more rustic Christmas experience, Cowboy Christmas offers kids a chance to interact with animals and enjoy hot cocoa. Every Friday and Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. until Dec. 21, guests can enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, a mechanical bull and more. Tickets are $19.95 per person, or families with two adults and three kids can get the family pass for $64.95. Children age 2 or younger can enter for free.
Los Olivos is hosting its Old Fashioned Christmas downtown from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. The day will include cookie and ornament decorating, photos with Santa, and a tree lighting at the flagpole at 6 p.m.
Solvang
Solvang will be going all out this holiday season as part of Solvang Julefest.
Solvang Park will have nightly music and light shows until Jan. 5 starting at 5 p.m.
The Solvang Trolley Christmas light tour will give guests a tour of lights in the Santa Ynez Valley, passing through neighborhoods on a Solvang trolley. Tickets are available every Thursday through Sunday throughout December.
The Solvang Julefest tree-lighting ceremony will be at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Solvang Park and will include ballerinas, caroling and more live entertainment.
The Julefest parade with the theme of “gingerbread dreams” will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday. The parade will feature marching bands, horses and floats with a chance to meet Santa in Solvang Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
A daily Julefest activity includes the Nisser Adventure, where participants can join a citywide hunt for Christmas elves hidden throughout downtown Solvang. Hunters can visit the Solvang Visitor Center until Jan. 5 for a list of clues to the various hiding spots. Once they find the elves, they can return to the visitor center to receive a Solvang keepsake.
Click here to learn more about Julefest and holiday events.
Lompoc
The Lompoc Recreation Division is hosting a parade at 6 p.m. Friday at Pine Avenue and H Street. Afterward, there will be a tree lighting in Centennial Square with hot chocolate, cookies and a visit from Santa.
Santa Maria
The Santa Maria Parade of Lights is scheduled for 5:20 p.m. Saturday — rain or shine! The parade will ride through Broadway Street from West Enos Drive to East Main Street.
The Santa Maria Elks are hosting a “Christmas in the Country” drive-through light show every Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m. at 4040 Highway 1 in Santa Maria. Purchase tickets here for $50 per vehicle.
Orcutt
The Old Town Orcutt Christmas Parade will be held at noon Dec. 14, weather permitting. There will be a few changes to the parade this year to address safety concerns, including fewer entries, a shorter route and officers in charge of traffic control.
