Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade

Are you ready to really swing into the holiday spirit?? Looking for something that is fun to do and absolutely free?? Look no further and mark the dates on your calendar. The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is celebrating it's 101th year and better than ever.
 
Watching the parade is one of my family's favorite Christmas traditions. The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is a definite must see. The parade begins on Wednesday Dec 16thand ends on Sunday December 20th. The parade starts off at Bay Island at 6:30pm and ends there at approximately 9:30. 
 
 Just a couple of tips to make your evening as enjoyable as possible.
 1. Dress warmly. I forgot to bring gloves last year and I will make sure not to forget them this year. I also will remember to bring a blanket for each of my kiddos.
 2. Arrive as early as possible. Traffic is horrible and arriving early will assure you a spot and less congestion. 3. Be prepared to pay for parking. Whether you are parking in one of the state lots to an improvised private lot make sure to bring at least 10 dollars for parking. If you want to save on parking make sure to bring good walking shoes and park a little further away from the bay area.
4. Bring something warm to drink . We bring something warm to drink and lots of fun treats!
5. Some of the best viewing spots are the Balboa Peninsula/Ferry area and Balboa island. You can't miss at any of these two spots.
6. If you would like to view the parade in luxury many of the waterfront restaurants along the parade route have dinner/viewing packages. Check to see if your favorite restaurant is offering a deal.
7. check out this website for additional information.
 
I know that your family will enjoy this as much as my family does!! I promise!!! Don't forget to enter one of the giveaways!
 

Sawdust Winter Family Art Festival

We love the  Sawdust Festival and their Winter Family Art Festival starts this Saturday November 21st.  The festival grounds will be transformed into a winter wonderland where exhibitors create, display and sell original creations.

You can oarticipate in a 60-90 art or craft class with the Winter Art Series (Classes included painting & wreath making). They also will offer FREE to  low-cost art projects for the kiddos. When I mean low cost- I'm talking about $1 art projects that your kiddos will love!

There will also be  demonstrations by artists  which include glass-blowing, holiday entertainment, community performances, four outdoor cafés, and visits with Santa!New this year will be a small farm animal petting zoo presented by Zoomars, where guests can get up close and personal with their favorite furry friend.

The classes and projects are amazing and most are Free. Trust me you will absolutely love the Sawdust winter festival!

for additional info head over here.

Show Dates


Open weekends only:

November 21 & 22

November 27*, 28 & 29 (*open Friday after Thanksgiving)

December 5 & 6

December 12 &13



Hours

10 am - 6 pm weekends only (open rain or shine)





Admission



$6.00 Adult one-day

$5.00 Senior one-day (65+)

$3.00 Children (6-12)

FREE Children (5 & under)

$9.00 Season pass

Irvine Park Christmas Train and Giveaway

Our family loves Irvine Park and although it is only the first week of November, we are super excited about Irvine Park's Annual Christmas Time. The train will depart from the brightly-lit Train Station and drop passengers off at Santa’s Village.Christmas Train tickets may be purchased to board the train between 5:00 - 6:00, 6:00 - 7:00 or 7:00 - 8:00 PM -- get in line when it is your time to board the train. Tickets may be purchased online beginning Monday, November 2rd. Visit http://www.irvineparkrailroad.com/ for details. The Christmas Train begins Friday, November 27th.



While waiting to board the train, there are many activities for the kiddos to enjoy in Santa’s Village located next to the train station.



 Story Time with Mrs. Claus

 Christmas Cookie Decorating

 Carnival Games

 Santa Claus Moon Bounce

 Christmas Coloring Corner

 Picture Stands

You can take your own pictures with Santa or you can purchase a picture taken by Irvine Park Railroad. When visiting the Christmas Train, remember to dress warmly, bring a camera and arrive early to avoid crowds.

The Irvine Park Railroad Christmas Train is open from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on the following dates:
November 27th, 28th and 29th
December 4th, 5th and 6th
December 11th – `8th
December 19 and December 20- 2-8pm
December 21st, 22nd and 23rd -5pm to 8pm



The cost to ride the Christmas Train is $8.00 per person. Children younger than 24 months ride free.
The parking for Irvine Regional Park is $3.00 per vehicle on weekdays and $5.00 per vehicle on weekends. Parking for the Christmas Train is free after 5:00 PM.

It's giveaway time! Leave a comment sharing what you are looking forward to this Holiday Season and you are automatically entered to win a family pack of tickets. Here is what you will win - 6 train tickets ($8 each) and 12 activity tickets($4each )= ($98 value!). You have until Sunday November 15 to enter. Good luck!

Wild Animal Park’s Festival of Lights

The 2008 holiday season is the last opportunity to enjoy the glow of the Wild Animal Park’s Festival of Lights! Next year, the event will move to the Zoo under the new name "Jungle Bells." So this December, on the 20th anniversary of the first winter lights at the Park, gather the family and visit for the final Festival of Lights celebration. Brand-new holiday and animal-themed light features created specifically for the Wild Animal Park will set the atmosphere for family fun, which includes Snow Hill (open daily from 4–8:30 p.m.), new craft activities, a Light Magic Show in Discovery Station, and a Black Light Puppet Show in Benbough Amphitheater. Dates and Times: From 4 to 9 p.m., December 13–23 and 26–30, 2008; January 2 and 3, 2009 More information: SanDiegoZoo.org

Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade

Are you ready to really swing into the holiday spirit?? Looking for something that is fun to do and absolutely free?? Look no further and mark the dates on your calendar. The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is celebrating it's 100th year and better than ever. Watching the parade is one of my family's favorite Christmas tradition. The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade is a definite must see. The parade begins on Wednesday Dec 17 and ends on Sunday December 21st. The parade starts off at Bay Island at 6:30pm and ends there at approximately 9:30. This year in celebration of the parade's 100th anniversary fireworks will be set off at at 6:25 from the Balboa Pier. Just a couple of tips to make your evening as enjoyable as possible. 1. Dress warmly. I forgot to bring gloves last year and I will make sure not to forget them this year. I also will remember to bring a blanket for each of my kiddos. 2. Arrive as early as possible. Traffic is horrible and arriving early will assure you a spot and less congestion. 3. Be prepared to pay for parking. Whether you are parking in one of the state lots to an improvised private lot make sure to bring at least 10 dollars for parking. If you want to save on parking make sure to bring good walking shoes and park a little further away from the bay area. 4. Bring something warm to drink. I forgot to do this last year and I ended up paying a small fortune for hot chocolate and donuts in Balboa island. 5. Some of the best viewing spots are the Balboa Peninsula/Ferry area and Balboa island. You can't miss at any of these two spots. 6. If you would like to view the parade in luxury many of the waterfront restaurants along the parade route have dinner/viewing packages. Check to see if your favorite restaurant is offering a deal. 7. check out this website for additional information. I know that your family will enjoy this as much as my family does!! I promise!!! Don't forget to enter the Disney on Ice giveaway. To enter click here