By Kristen Nevarez Schweizer
November 21, 2025
December Nights – Balboa Park
Dec 5 & 6, 2025
The city’s largest holiday festival: lights, live music, food vendors, and all-ages fun across Balboa Park.
Local Mama Tip: Go for a family moonlit walk on Thursday night, Dec 4, for a quieter preview before the actual event—the lights are already up, and you’ll catch live rehearsal soundchecks with plentiful parking.
Mission Bay Parade of Lights
Dec 13, 2025
Mission Bay Yacht Club has organized and hosted the holiday boat parade of lights for decades. Kick off this holiday tradition with SeaWorld’s spectacular fireworks and enjoy the festive holiday boats parade on the bay from designated spectator viewing areas along the parade route.
Local Mama Tip: If you’re doing a boat parade, sit south-facing—less wind, better visibility. Bring layers—even if it’s 75° at 2 pm. Coastal nights get unexpectedly freezing. Scarves are not performative; they’re survival. Bring chairs + blankets and camp early—prime spots can fill up two hours before the first boat appears.
45th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration
Dec 26 – 29, 2025 (each night at 6:00 PM)
Hosted by WorldBeat Cultural Center, this multi-night event honors Kwanzaa’s heritage with ceremonial candle-lighting, drumming, poetry readings, celebrations of the Nguzo Saba (seven principles of Kwanzaa), and community fellowship.
Local Mama Tip: Arrive early and park toward the zoo side of Balboa Park—WorldBeat fills quickly and post-event traffic bottlenecks fast, so even though you have to walk, you’ll still get out faster.
Christmas Card Lane – Rancho Peñasquitos
Throughout December
Drive or walk through this neighborhood light-display tradition: over 200 homes decked out in festive scenes. Free, casual, and charming.
Local Mama Tip: Attend on weeknights as weekends turn into a full-scale motorcade of minivans. Park once—use a wagon or stroller to walk the whole route. Bring cash for the cocoa stands or pack your own thermos. (Also, Clairemont, Santee, Point Loma, and Carmel Mountain all have pockets of coordinated displays. Use SD Family’s interactive light-map.)
La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival
Dec 7, 2025
Free community parade (bands, horses, even a camel!) and holiday festival—perfect for younger kids and laid-back festive vibes. Santa’s Workshop runs 11:30 AM–4 PM, and Santa’s Village runs 1:30–4:30 PM. The Christmas Parade kicks off at 1:30 PM.
Local Mama Tip: Claim a spot near Girard & Kline—great views, quicker exit afterward, and closer to bathrooms for small-kid logistics. Hit the first hour or the last hour of events if your goal is fewer crowds, more photos, and less stroller rage.
La Mesa Holiday in the Village
Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 12 – 9 pm
Stroll through historic downtown La Mesa: live music, craft vendors, kids’ zone, fires and holiday movies.
Local Mama Tip: Put Dollar Store glow necklaces on your kids like tracking devices so you can find them when the crowd reaches sardine-mode after sunset.
Gaslamp Pet Parade
Dec 13, 2025 – 11 am – 4 pm
Free fun for all ages—and pets! Dress-up furry friends parade down the street in the Gaslamp Quarter. Quirky, festive, and photo-worthy.
Local Mama Tip: Park east of 10th Ave and stroll in—parking garages near the core get gridlocked at exit.
Liberty Station Hanukkah & Menorah Lighting
Dec 14, 2025
Liberty Station, in partnership with The Chabads of Downtown San Diego and Pacific Beach, will host a public menorah lighting at Liberty Station’s Central Promenade next to the Rady Children’s Ice Rink.
Local Mama Tip: Make a post-event exit plan: choose where you’re walking before the crowd floods the street. It saves 30 minutes of chaos.
Poway Christmas in the Park
Dec 13-14, 2025
Tree lighting, live performances, train rides, craft fair, and more—all low cost or free in a welcoming suburban setting. Bring patience and a sense of adventure, as free events are full of atmosphere, but the lines can be long.
Local Mama Tip: Bring cash. Some community events and home crafters still run on the economics of a homemade cookie stand.
