This year, getting into the holiday spirit may be a bit of a struggle. We miss our friends, family, and celebrating the holiday traditions that bring us all together. But even though these traditions are on hold at the moment, you can find the yuletide spirit at the Night of Lights OC, a drive-thru holiday light show at the Orange County Fair & Events Center.
My family attended, and the 40-minutes of family-friendly socially distanced fun gave us a good dose of that good ol’ holiday cheer!
Upon arrival, our vehicle was ushered into a lane according to our ticket* and guided by friendly attendants. I highly recommend tuning into the radio station as instructed by the signs you’ll see along the way. The festive Christmas soundtrack of holiday tunes will really put you in the mood—and may even get you singing along!
As we entered Toyland Carnival—the first of many themed holiday scenes—we were greeted by a lineup of toy soldiers and snow fairies on stilts. It was so festive and colorful that you could almost believe that the 1,000,000 lights featured throughout the event were all displayed here!
As we continued on the mile-long route, we came across a fun snow flurry with an adorable penguin waving us through, snow princesses elegantly waiving at us from elaborate icicle thrones, and Santa greeting us from his holiday adorned platform. Throughout the event, there are other special effects like bubbles and animated light shows, as well as humongous Christmas trees that make you feel as if you were in a scene of the Nutcracker!
For a fun, safe holiday event, I highly recommend attending. Families who may not be able to gather in person for safety reasons may consider caravanning to experience the fun together. The giggles and cheers I heard from the families and children in other cars—as well as my own—are confirmation that this event is kid-approved!
Night of Lights goes on through January 10. And if you’re looking to add a little flavor to your experience, you can preorder in-car holiday food treats like hot cocoa, cinnamon sugar donuts, Mom’s Bake Shoppe cookie buckets, and more before entering the event.
*Entry to the event is through online ticket purchases only at NightOfLightsOC.com. Entrance begins at 5 p.m. with time sessions available until 9:30 p.m. Limited reservations are available. Early Bird general admission starts at $39.99 per vehicle (up to five people) on select nights. Larger vehicle tickets (six to nine people) start at $59.99 on select nights.
