San Diego County is a lot of small towns and neighborhoods, and each one has its own way of celebrating the season. Here is a sampler from the coast to the South Bay, with dates and times checked on each organizer’s page.
Downtown, Little Italy and Balboa Park
Balboa Park December Nights
When: Friday, December 4, 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturday, December 5, noon to 10 p.m. · Where: Balboa Park
The City of San Diego’s largest free holiday festival. City of San Diego.
Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village
When: Saturday, December 5, 4 to 8 p.m., tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. · Where: Little Italy
Two decorated trees, a Christmas village and a visit from Santa. Little Italy Association.
Bella Vita Fest
When: Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 · Where: Little Italy
Chalk art, food, wine and music (Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Times of San Diego.
Old Town and the bay
Día de los Muertos in Old Town
When: Saturday, October 31, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, November 1, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. · Where: Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
A free celebration with music, altars and food. Event details.
San Diego Veterans Day Parade
When: Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11:30 a.m. · Where: Harbor Drive, downtown
Marching bands, historic units and vintage vehicles, honoring the 35th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. USS Midway Museum.
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
When: Sundays, December 13 and 20, procession starts at 5:30 p.m. · Where: San Diego Bay, to the Coronado Ferry Landing
Decorated boats travel from Shelter Island past the Embarcadero. Watching from public spots is free. Route and viewing areas.
Coronado
Coronado Island Film Festival
When: Starting Wednesday, November 4 and running through the weekend · Where: Venues around Coronado
Screenings, filmmaker appearances and panels. Festival listing.
Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting
When: Friday, December 4, parade at 6 p.m. · Where: Downtown Coronado and Rotary Plaza
Free. The 120-foot tree glows with 18,175 lights. Coronado Chamber.
Chula Vista and EastLake
Downtown Chula Vista Día de los Muertos
When: Monday, November 2, 3 p.m. · Where: Memorial Park Bowl, 373 Park Way
Free community altars, contests and music. Event listing.
Starlight Parade and Festival
When: Saturday, December 5 · Where: Third Avenue, Chula Vista
The 62nd annual holiday parade. Starlight Parade.
Dazzling Holiday Light Show and Snowfall
When: Fridays to Sundays from November 29 through December 20, shows at 6 and 7 p.m. · Where: Village Walk at EastLake, Chula Vista
Two free 15-minute shows a night. Village Walk 2026 events.
North County
Carlsbad Village Street Faire
When: Sunday, November 1, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. · Where: Downtown Carlsbad Village
About 900 booths, an international food court and a stage. Carlsbad Village Street Faire.
Rotary Holiday Tree Lighting
When: Sunday, December 6, 2 to 4:30 p.m. · Where: 300 Carlsbad Village Dr
Free, with Santa arriving on an antique fire truck. Event details.
And the big game
Holiday Bowl
When: Monday, December 28, 2 p.m. · Where: Snapdragon Stadium
The 47th Holiday Bowl. The matchup had not been announced at the time of writing. Holiday Bowl.
Thinking about making San Diego County home? Rudy would be glad to talk it through. The four-question Home Strategy Quiz takes about a minute, and he will follow up personally.
Dates and times were checked on the organizers’ and cities’ own pages on October 3, 2026. Events can change or sell out, so open the linked page before you head out. This site is not affiliated with any event listed here.
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