Pasadena Christmas Events & Things to Do 2025
Your complete guide to the best christmas events in Pasadena and surrounding areas
Pasadena welcomes Christmas 2025 with grand festive events and sparkling Christmas lights across Old Pasadena and the Arroyo Seco. Catch the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game festivities, enjoy NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet, or join the Pasadena Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl as downtown venues deck the halls. Between holiday markets, parades and seasonal performances, Pasadena offers things to do for every taste — from illuminated displays to family activities that celebrate the city’s storied holiday traditions.
Find the best Pasadena Christmas happenings this year!
Start Here
Christmas Shows
15 eventsMagical Christmas ballet with international cast and European-crafted sets.
Christmas Parties
14 eventsThe Official Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl
Christmas Markets
11 eventsFilipino Simbang Gabi tradition with Archbishop-led Mass and Parade of Parols.
Christmas Lights
11 eventsWorld's largest Christmas light maze
Christmas Activities
48 eventsAmerica's New Year Celebration
Editor's Picks (6)
-
Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game
America's New Year Celebration
-
Enchant Christmas
(Los Angeles)
World's largest Christmas light maze
-
Gloria Molina Grand Park's NYELA Countdown to 2026
(Los Angeles)
West Coast's largest free New Year's Eve celebration.
-
Hollywood Christmas Parade
(Los Angeles)
93rd annual Hollywood Christmas Parade
-
Enchant Christmas at Santa Anita Park
(Arcadia)
World's Largest Christmas Light Maze
-
Holidays Made Here at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
(Burbank)
Immersive Gilmore Girls holiday celebration on studio sets.
Events Happening Soon (6)
Pasadena Christmas Events Map
See every Christmas event, light display, and market on one map.
Also Near Pasadena
Christmas Events Road Trips & Weekend Getaways
Worth the drive for more holiday events near Pasadena!
Pasadena Christmas FAQ
The Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens and the Upper Hastings Ranch holiday light displays are among the most popular annual events, drawing visitors from across the region.
Pasadena is known for its neighborhood light displays, especially in Upper Hastings Ranch, and the annual tree lighting at Pasadena City Hall, which brings the community together each December.
Upper Hastings Ranch is the most famous for its festive street decorations, but other residential areas also feature impressive holiday lights and themed displays.
Holiday markets and local makers can be found at community centers, shopping plazas, and seasonal pop-ups throughout Pasadena, especially during December.
Free activities include exploring neighborhood light displays, attending the tree lighting at Pasadena City Hall, and visiting local holiday markets and community events.
Families enjoy the Enchanted Forest of Light, neighborhood light walks, holiday markets with crafts, and seasonal performances like The Nutcracker at local theaters.