The holidays are upon us, and whether that fills you with dread, joy, or both, you still need to figure out what to do with yourself. It even gets kinda, sorta cold in LA (a little), so it may be a wintry holiday after all! So what if there’s no snow? Here’re the essential holiday events you need to hit in LA, from caroling festivals to Santa-tastic pub crawls and the city’s biggest free NYE party!
DEC 2: KNOCK OUT YOUR SHOPPING AT THE UNIQUE LA HOLIDAY MARKET
DOWNTOWN
The pop up market always goes balls-to-the-walls for the holidays, this year with more than 400 vendors to peruse. DJs, food, free drinks, art installations, free DIY project demos, a photo booth, and lounges await at this so-much-better-than-the-mall shopping option.
Cost: $15-$35
DEC 2: GET ALL HOLLY JOLLY AT THE FESTIVAL OF CAROLS
DISNEY HALL
Are you the one in the friend group who just can’t get enough Christmas Carols? Spoiler alert: Everybody who pretends not to understand your obsession really does understand, and will probably also want to get tickets to the Festival of Carols, where over 100 classically-trained carolers will be hitting you with the classics. Also on December 9.
Cost: $39-$129
DEC 9: TRY TO SURVIVE SANTACON
ALL OVER LA
Let’s be honest: SantaCon is a huge nightmare. The streets are filled with stumbling Santas at every corner, most of whom are just a bit too merry — but is there a part of you that yearns to be one of those stumbling, merry Santas? Yes. Yes there is.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
DEC 9: DRINK ‘TIL YOU’RE JOLLY AT THE BREW HO HO
THE PHOENIX CLUB (ANAHEIM)
It’s just like the beer fests you know and love, but this time featuring all of those OC breweries you miss, like Noble Ale Works, Bottle Logic Brewing, and more. Holiday ales and specials will be the name of the game, and as per usual, the ticket grabs you unlimited tastings from every brewery on site.
Cost: $55
Cost: $55
DEC 13-JAN 7: CHILL AT CHILL
LONG BEACH
The Queen Mary’s winter wonderland launches December 13, with classics like ice skating, the winning North Pole Village, a zipline, and a 140-foot ice tubing slide. There’s also an Ice Bar this year, where you can grab a parka and have the coldest drink you’ll drink all year.
Cost: $30
Cost: $30
DEC 13-17: LOOK AT THE EXCESS WEALTH OF THE NEWPORT BEACH CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE
NEWPORT BEACH
Over a million viewers will be posting up for the 109th annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade December 13-17, so why not be one of them? The harbor will be alive with boats, yachts, and canoes, many of them sporting over $500,000 in decorations. Oh, rich people. Bless their hearts.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
DEC 16: DON A RED SUIT AT THE SANTA MONICA PUB CRAWL
SANTA MONICA
If you’re looking to drink your way through the holidays (and who isn’t) a good place to start is at the Santa Monica Pub Crawl. You’ll have four crawlable routes, so choose wisely — though if you want our advice, choose the Pier Route, as the bars are bigger and you’ll have an easier time getting a drink. Also, uh, don’t forget to eat.
Cost: Early bird tickets are as low as $15
DEC 24: RING IN THE SEASON AT THE LA COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
DOWNTOWN
Bands, choirs, and dance companies will be spreading the cheer during this free, three-hour Christmas Eve show at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
Cost: Free
Cost: Free
DEC 31: KISS 2017 GOODBYE AT THE GRAND PARK NYE CELEBRATION
DOWNTOWN
LA’s biggest free party (and maybe LA’s biggest party, period) is Downtown’s non-alcoholic rager (yes, that’s a thing) at Grand Park, which includes food for sale, photo booths, art, and three stages of TBA live music.
Cost: Did we mention the free part?
Cost: Did we mention the free part?
Schedule provided by Thrillist.
