What to Know
- Old-Fashioned Holiday at the Los Angeles Arboretum & Botanic Garden
- Arcadia
- The daytime to-do is included with admission
- Dec. 7, 8, 14, and 15
- 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Our architecturally amazing region is rife with remarkable houses, including those abodes that grandly rose in the late 1800s.
You can pass many of these magnificent homes on your daily errands, but one celebrated structure is found on the grounds of a vast San Gabriel Valley garden, a lush space that is populated by a fabulous flock of peacocks (and, yes, very rarely, a bear or two).
It's the Queen Anne Cottage at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, of course, and if you've strolled through the sylvan Arcadian destination, you've likely admired its gingerbread-ish edging, generous porches, and a tower that feels more at home in a fairy tale than the real world.
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Former owner Lucky Baldwin's 1885 home is a Victorian gem, in short, and you can admire it from up-close during an "Old-Fashioned Holiday," the LA Arboretum's 2024 seasonal event.
The glad-hearted gathering is happening on the spacious lawn of the handsome house, giving a sunny dimension to this December delight.
"Lightscape," the evening light display spectacular that has shimmered at the garden in recent years, is not happening in 2024, but this daytime delight will give visitors the opportunity to listen to carolers, chat with Santa, and soak in other alfresco offerings, like dancing and a holiday market.
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Something especially sweet?
Arboretum enthusiasts are invited to contribute an ornament for the holiday tree.
There are a few things to know, but here's something lovely: Your ornament might grace future trees at the garden, something fun to anticipate in the years to come.
Don your best ye olde fashion, or come as you are, over the first two weekends of December. The merriment will shine outdoors midday, so a painted parasol or fancy hat, with lace or a big brim, may be just the ticket.
