The holiday season is here in Orange County and events for the family are back! From ice skating to tree lightings, Santa visits to holiday pop-ups, there’s plenty to fill your heart with the holiday spirit this season. With bright lights and sparkling sights, the second annual Night of Lights OC is taking place at the OC Event Center.
Guests are invited to experience a mile-long magical and interactive drive through a winter wonderland of lights from the safety of their own vehicle. Featuring more than a million lights, the course takes passengers through a 30 minutes drive through winter wonderland, complete with a live soundtrack of contemporary Christmas carols and concluding with a visit from the big guy.
Some helpful tips if you plan to attend:
- Tickets are only sold online. You will be turned away without a ticket.
- Entry and wait times vary based upon the speed guests enjoy the experience. If you’re hoping to get the kids to bed on time, arrive a little early and hope the line moves fast.
- In the very beginning, choose the far right lane when accessing the drive-thru course. This will give you a slightly closer view of the illuminated attractions in many areas.
- VIP entry gives guests access to the course, along with a digital in-vehicle photo and holiday 3D glasses which were a fun accessory during less eventful moments.
- You can tune into the event’s pre-programmed radio station, opt for a custom Spotify playlist, or change the station to local favorite KOST 103.5 like we did.
- While the event offers festive food and beverages for order, we chose to bring our own hot chocolate from home and dressed the kids in their pajamas for a special kick-off to the holiday season.
- You can purchase souvenirs but we brought our own from the dollar store which were a hit and grabbed the kids special attention from many of the performers.
- Guests are encouraged to wear masks when interacting with staff. If you have all the windows rolled down like last year, masks are optional.
- While many families took advantage of their vehicle’s sunroofs, letting passengers peep their heads out for a better view, guests are supposed to keep inside their vehicle with their seatbelts on for safety and in keeping with California law.
- If you get sick or something pops up, changes to tickets can be made up to 48 hours before your ticketed time by emailing [email protected], though some fees may apply.
Night of Lights OC runs now through January 2, with Santa appearing until he leaves for his worldwide tour on December 24. Families can also make the events an opportunity to give back to the community with a toy donation collection for The Power of One Foundation until December 12.
Visit NightofLightsOC.com for more info and see you under the lights!
There are so many fun events happening over the holidays in Orange County. Be sure to check out OC Mom Collective’s OC Mom’s Guide To The Holidays for the latest tips on events, gift guides, local giving opportunities, and more!
