El Segundo Tree Lighting
El Segundo, CA
El Segundo’s official multicultural tree lighting at City Hall Plaza and Main Street — Santa’s Village, candy cane kid zone, multicultural dance performances, kids’ train rides, and food trucks.
El Segundo’s official multicultural tree lighting at City Hall Plaza and Main Street — Santa’s Village, candy cane kid zone, multicultural dance performances, kids’ train rides, and food trucks.
Joy Around the World: Festival of Holidays and Tree Lighting is El Segundo‘s official civic kickoff to the holiday season — a multicultural community evening at City Hall Plaza and the 300 block of Main Street. The event reflects the city’s character: small, neighborly, and deliberately built around community participation rather than spectacle.
The afternoon-into-evening program runs from mid-afternoon into the evening, with the tree lighting ceremony as evening falls. Musical performances and cultural dance performances fill City Hall Plaza, and a Candy Cane Kid Zone offers free activities, face painting, arts and crafts, and games. Santa’s Village lets kids visit Santa Claus and pick up a gift; kids’ train rides circle through the venue; food trucks line Main Street with multicultural cuisine; craft-making stations run throughout.
For families in El Segundo, Manhattan Beach’s east edge, and the broader South Bay, this is the season’s official opening — the kind of small-city civic event where everyone knows everyone, and the holiday calendar truly begins.
At El Segundo City Hall Plaza (350 Main Street) and the 300 block of Main Street, in downtown El Segundo.
The festival runs from mid-afternoon into the evening. The tree lighting ceremony takes place as evening falls.
Yes — the festival is free. Musical and cultural performances, Santa’s Village, the kid zone, train rides, and craft stations are all complimentary. Food trucks are paid on-site.
Yes — Santa visits and gift giveaways are part of Santa’s Village throughout the festival hours.
El Segundo’s downtown lots and the surrounding residential streets are the most reliable. Main Street itself is partially closed; expect to walk in a few blocks.
El Segundo City Hall Plaza stands at 350 Main Street — the civic anchor of downtown El Segundo, a beach-edge South Bay city with a population of about 17,000. The 300 block of Main Street that runs in front of City Hall is the city’s compact, walkable downtown corridor, with locally-owned restaurants, boutiques, and the historic Old Town Music Hall a short walk away. The city itself is famously “unlike a beach city” — a small-town pocket between LAX and Manhattan Beach.
El Segundo’s 60-plus-year community Holiday Parade — floats, marching bands, dance troupes, and community organizations down Main Street through the heart of downtown.
Brian J. Cook
A whole block of El Segundo homes transforms into a wonderland of candy canes, glowing reindeer, and twinkling lights — a neighborhood holiday tradition that’s been bringing families together since 1949.
Brian J. Cook
The South Bay’s official start to the holiday season — the mayor flips the switch to light the Manhattan Beach Pier in the evening, while downtown shops, restaurants, and carolers fill the streets for a single combined evening.
Brian J. Cook
A 35-plus-year-old afternoon-to-night festival at the Manhattan Beach Pier — snow play, live music, carolers, Hanukkah programming, and a beachfront fireworks show — drawing roughly 40,000 attendees each December.
Brian J. Cook
Southern California’s holiday lights and festive outings are pure magic — but nothing compares to Santa Claus himself stepping through your own front door. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded, professionally trained Santa to homes and gatherings across SoCal for an intimate live visit your family will treasure for years.
Check Availability
Have a date in mind? Tell us when and where, and we’ll let you know whether Santa is open. House of Kringle brings a real-bearded Santa Claus to Live Visits and Group Experiences across Southern California, and December fills quickly, so the sooner you check, the better your odds of locking in your first choice.
This is a quick availability check, not a booking. Nothing is reserved and nothing is owed until we’ve confirmed your date and you’ve placed your retainer.