Top Holiday Events in Sacramento for Kids 2025

The Annual Santa Storytime and Pajama Party at Arden Fair takes place on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Kids can wear PJs and participate in an early holiday celebration with festive hands-on activities, a light breakfast, and storytime with Santa. 

The Annual Dickens Street Faire in Elk Grove takes place on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Old Town Elk Grove will be full of festive fun and vendors over Thanksgiving weekend. Santa will be rescued by the fire department. There will be free entertainment, a kids’ craft corner, and live performers. After the vendors close, the[…]

As part of the B Street Theatre Family Series, ‘Tis The Season: Hometown Holidays, Traditions of Sacramento & Northern California will run on select nights in December 2025 beginning November 30. The performance will bring the regions holiday traditions to life in a comedic and charming style. The show is recommended for ages 5+. Run[…]

The annual Candlelight Parade and Winter Wonderland in Davis will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2025. The Candlelight Parade will begin at 6pm from the Davis Food Co-op Parking Lot and end at G Street (between 2nd and 3rd Streets). The winter wonderland event will begin after the parade and will include horse and[…]

Elk Grove’s Historical Society Old Fashioned Christmas returns in 2025 starting on Friday, December 5, 2025. It will take place the first three weekends of December. The grounds will be decorated in holiday lights and decor, Santa will be there, and activities for families such as cookie decorating and ornament making. 

Wild Nights and Holiday Lights returns to the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary in December 2025. The zoo is transformed into a holiday wonderland with tons of twinkling lights. The Folsom Valley Railway miniature train also provides nighttime rides through holiday lights. 

The City of Galt gets into the holiday spirit with Lighting of the Night on Saturday, December 6, 2025. The free holiday festivities will include Santa photos, a tree lighting ceremony, Christmas parade, and a holiday market. 

Chug along the tracks of the Sacramento Valley Live Steamers for the Santa Train in Rancho Cordova during the 1st and 2nd weekend of December 2025. The train will take families to Santa’s Oasis where children will get to meet and take photos with Santa. Bring a letter to Santa with a return address! Kids[…]

Climb aboard the Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad (PSVRR) for Santa’s Whistlestop Adventure from Oak Station to Willow Springs the first three weekends in December 2025. A rail motorcar trip will take passengers to meet Santa. There will also be additional activities for kids and refreshments. 

Fairytale Town will turn into a Winter Wonderland from December 6-7 and 13-14, 2025. Expect a festive atmosphere with holiday-themed crafts and story times in the Story Center, a holiday scavenger hunt, games, and photo ops with Santa Claus and the Grinch. Holiday lights will dazzle visitors beginning at dusk and a nightly snowfall will[…]

Enjoy the holiday season with a horse and carriage ride to celebrate Santa’s arrival at Loehmann’s Plaza on Saturday, December 6, 2025. Carriage rides last for 5 minutes and are $5 per person with proceeds benefitting Sacramento SPCA. Advance tickets are required, and are limited. Children ages 2 and under ride free on a lap. 

The annual Illumination Holiday Festival will take place on Saturday, December 6, 2025. This favorite free holiday event in Elk Grove will have a special one day ice skating rink, Santa photo ops, bounce houses for kids, and winter carnival games. The tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6pm which will be followed by[…]

Woodland Wonderland of Lights is a brand-new holiday lights experience in 2025 in Yolo County. The experience begins on Saturday, December 6, 2025 and runs through Sunday, December 14, 2025. This is a 2-mile holiday lights car drive-thru event. 

The Old Sacramento Lighted Boat Parade floats down the Sacramento River on Saturday, December 6, 2025. This annual boat parade is put on by the Capital City Yacht Club. The parade begins at 5pm. 

Chanukah Wonderland takes place on Sunday, December 7, 2025 at the Folsom Community Center. All families are welcome to attend. There will be carnival games, interactive crafts, a build-a-menorah workshop, latkes, face painting, live shows, and more holiday fun. 

Winter at The Square at Folsom History will take place over two weekends in 2025 on December 12-13 & 19-20. There will be elf-led gold planning, a holiday postcard scavenger hunt, hot chocolate, make your own holiday gifts, and a winter wonderland with lights and decorations. Kids and adults ages 13+ can forge candy canes[…]

The Live Nativity in Rancho Cordova takes place from December 12-14, 2025. Free reservations are encouraged but not required. This is an outdoor event that’s wheelchair accessible. Walking journeys begin every 15 minutes. Last presentation takes place at 8pm. 

The Sacramento Ballet performs the timeless holiday classic, Nutcracker on select nights in December 2025. The show performances begin on Friday, December 12. The performances will be accompanied by the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera and take place at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center. The showtime runs for approximately two hours. 

This year’s Santa Parade will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This free holiday parade will circle Capitol Park beginning at 10am. Expect to see marching bands, horses, vehicles, clowns, and Santa Claus. 

The Popcorn Store in Elk Grove will have its free annual Popcorn with Santa event on Saturday, December 13, 2025. In addition to free photos with Santa, there will be free bags of gourmet white popcorn and a kids art activity table. 

Celebrate Christmas at 40 Acres on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This free community event at Guild Theater and Underground Books will have photos with Santa, hands-on activities, face painting, crafts, treats, and more. There will also be cookies and hot cocoa. While this is a free event, registration is required. 

Holidays at Koobs will take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This free holiday event in the Koobs Nature Area will have visits with Santa, and crafts for families that include ornament making, and cookie decorating. 

Muggles can attend the Holiday at Hogwarts Yule Ball on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The evening will include sweet treats from Honeydukes, crafting a wand from Ollivander’s learning potion-making, making a patronus necklace, and comraderie in the great hall. An adult/parent ticket is $20 and includes food/drink only. 

The free D1 Winter Wonderland takes place on Sunday, December 14, 2025 at North Natomas Regional Park. There will be free ice skating, games, holiday workshops, and vendors. Santa will also make an appearance. 

Enjoy breakfast with Santa aboard the Delta King Riverboat in Old Sacramento on Sunday, December 14, 2025. The morning will include visiting Santa, breakfast, writing letters to Santa, a build-your-own hot cocoa bar, and festive holiday music. 

Celebrate Posada Navideña at a free event with the Franklin Boulevard District on Sunday, December 14, 2025. Families can enjoy festive music, food, traditional drinks, kid-friendly activities, a visit from Santa, and more. 

The Chabad of Elk Grove will have its annual free Hanukkah celebration, Light Up Elk Grove on Sunday, December 14, 2025. There will be latkes and donuts, balloon twisting, face painting, cookie decorating, caricatures, a 9-ft LED menorah, and more at this free community event. 

Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland takes place on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. This holiday show will have acrobatics and aerial performances in a winter wonderland the whole family will love. Two performances at 3:30pm and 7:30pm will occur at the Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. 

The new Popcorn Store in Midtown Sacramento will have a Popcorn with Santa event on Saturday, December 20, 2025. In addition to free photos with Santa, there will be free bags of gourmet white popcorn and a kids art activity table.