Pasadena Mayor’s Tree Lighting
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena’s Mayor lights the city’s official Christmas tree at the historic City Hall plaza on a Friday in early December — a free family evening of live performance, kids’ crafts, and Santa.
Pasadena’s Mayor lights the city’s official Christmas tree at the historic City Hall plaza on a Friday in early December — a free family evening of live performance, kids’ crafts, and Santa.
Pasadena’s Mayor’s Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony is the city’s signature civic kickoff to the holiday season. Held at the grand plaza in front of historic Pasadena City Hall on a Friday in early December, it draws families from across the San Gabriel Valley to a warm, free community evening.
Festivities begin in the late afternoon with local singers and dancers taking the stage, kids’ crafts provided by the Armory Center for the Arts, light refreshments, and a special appearance by Santa Claus. A festive photo stop and family-friendly seasonal music build the energy. As evening falls, the Mayor lights the city’s official Christmas tree, signaling the start of the holiday season for Pasadena.
Pasadena firefighters are on hand collecting donations for the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive — new unwrapped toys, sports equipment, and gift cards welcomed but never required.
Yes. The Metro A Line’s Memorial Park station is a short walk east along Holly Street or Union Street to City Hall — about four blocks. Metro and Pasadena Transit buses also serve the Civic Center. Check Metro’s Trip Planner for current routes and times.
The Mayor’s Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony is held one Friday evening in early December at Pasadena City Hall — typically the first Friday. The City of Pasadena announces the exact date each fall.
Pasadena City Hall at 100 N. Garfield Avenue. The ceremony takes place in the grand plaza on the south side of the building.
The City Hall garage and surrounding municipal garages are the closest paid options. Metered street parking is available on adjacent blocks. Arrive ahead of the late-afternoon start on event night.
The Old Pasadena Holiday Celebration — a 35-foot tree at One Colorado Courtyard and sparkling lights down Colorado Boulevard — is a few blocks west of City Hall. Walking the two together makes for a fuller Pasadena holiday evening.
Pasadena City Hall, completed in 1927, is one of Southern California’s grandest civic buildings — a Beaux-Arts and Spanish Colonial Revival landmark crowned with a domed cupola visible from across the San Gabriel Valley. Designed by John Bakewell Jr. and Arthur Brown Jr. (the architects behind San Francisco’s City Hall), the building wraps around a sunken garden courtyard and faces a broad plaza on its south side that opens onto Garfield Avenue. The plaza has long served as Pasadena’s civic gathering place — for community celebrations, civic ceremonies, and the city’s official holiday tree, which has stood on its south-side grounds each December for generations.
Old Pasadena’s historic Colorado Boulevard glitters for the holidays — a towering tree at One Colorado, sparkling district lights, snowflake projections on historic buildings, and decorated storefronts, all free to walk. Confirm this season’s tree-lighting date at oldpasadena.org.
Brian J. Cook
A multi-decade San Marino tradition — towering Italian stone pines along St. Albans Road wrapped in white lights, lit nightly through December, free to walk or drive.
Brian J. Cook
South Pasadena’s tree and menorah lighting opens the season on the Mission Street Farmers’ Market block — student musicians and dancers, a community menorah, and a tree lit by the Mayor in the heart of the city’s walkable downtown.
Brian J. Cook
San Marino’s civic tree lighting at the Huntington Drive / San Marino Avenue corner — a small Mayor’s Reception evening with photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hot chocolate, holiday cookies, and a kid’s craft table.
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.
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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.
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