Holidays

Fa, la, Lake Avenue: Enjoy music and activities at this free ‘Holidayfest!'

Meet Santa and enjoy kid-fun activities along the famous shopping thoroughfare.

South Lake Avenue Business Association

What to Know

  • Holidayfest! on South Lake Avenue presented by Logix Federal Credit Union
  • Pasadena
  • Free
  • Saturday, Dec. 7
  • Noon to 6 p.m.
  • Live music, Santa appearances, holiday characters, and in-store promotions are hallmarks of the long-running festivity

Lake Avenue always has a variety of buzzy things going on, thanks to the avenue's restaurants, shops, the stately ship-like mid-century structure that is home to Macy's, and Burlington Arcade, where local Anglophiles go to "visit" London by way of Pasadena.

But the celebrated shopping thoroughfare's biggest party of the year lands in early December when a colorful cavalcade of holiday characters show up to adorably frolic along Lake.

It's "Holidayfest!," a free afternoon-long festivity that features live music, store promotions, and yes, the chance to chat with Santa about all of your Very Important Wishes (or, you know, the weather or whatever is on your mind).

Santa's arrival at "Holidayfest!" on Lake Avenue in Pasadena is always a merry moment. (photo: South Lake Avenue Business Association)

Snapshots with Santa are free, sweet, as are the bevy of activities to try (think cookie-decorating and opportunities to festoon ornaments).

If you'd like to savor some live tunes, head to Santa's Village for performances by The Baby Goats, Quitapenas, DJ William Reed, and Twisted Gypsy, a band that will rockingly roam the Fleetwood Mac catalog.

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And if you're seeking out the raffle scene, keep an eye out for The South Lake Avenue Holidayfest! Shop, Dine, and Win Event, where "amazing prizes" aplenty will be up for gleeful grabs.

There's plenty more afoot — or perhaps we should say, "ahoof," given that this is Christmastime — at the six-hour celebration: Check out the extreme yuletide-ness happening at the popular event.

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