What to Know
- 92nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
- Sunday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.
- The U-shaped parade travels east along Hollywood Boulevard, south on Vine Street, and west on Sunset Boulevard; it starts near the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and ends at Orange Drive and Sunset Boulevard
92nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade: So many super-snazzy vehicles roll along Hollywood Boulevard, but it is a rare evening when you can wave at Santa in his sleigh. Mr. Claus is one beloved luminary at this venerable procession, a party that always features big stars — Jeremy Renner is the 2024 Grand Marshal and Mario Lopez is the Humanitarian of the Year — floats, oversized balloon characters, and rousing marching bands, too. It all rolls Dec. 1 in the heart of Hollywood.
Metrolink Holiday Express Trains begin: These charming toot-toot-taculars have become favorites of families around Southern California in recent years, so much so that Metrolink added additional trips in 2024. Those adorable outings are happening over the next few weeks, with the first round-trip ride departing from Anaheim Nov. 30. Santa sightings, station activities, and a convivial sweetness make these merry trips something special (but do get your tickets soon).
Lighting of the Bay: Several sparklers are already shimmering around Southern California, with the Mission Inn in Riverside and various trees (like, yep, The Grove) showing their full and shimmery splendor. Now this waterside whimsy will start to shine next to Newport Dunes, thanks to several tree-cool sculptures. A kick-off party is on the schedule, but the bay display will glow nightly through Jan. 5.
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Holiday Road opens: King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas always has quite the cinematic atmosphere, but that feeling grows during the season of glimmer thanks to numerous light displays. This stroll-by experience is back at the outdoor destination, all to give visitors the chance to soak in creative holiday lights. Themed sips, a souvenir store, and other touches add to the twinkle over several weeks beginning Nov. 29.
Bob Baker's "Nutcracker" opens: It's true that a famous troupe of marvelous marionettes calls Highland Park home, but sometimes the puppets of the Bob Baker theater, which has been a sweet Southern California staple for over six decades, go on the road. The Sierra Madre Playhouse will host this playful production over a few weeks, if you're a "Nutcracker" fan, but take note: "Holiday on Strings," another marionette-packed show, is romping concurrently in Highland Park.
