Experience the magic of the holiday season in Roseville, CA, where festive traditions come alive through a variety of captivating events. The Holiday Craft Fair transforms the community center into a bustling hub of creativity, featuring handcrafted treasures from local artisans. Join Santa himself for Santa's Sing-Along, where classic carols and contemporary holiday hits fill the air with joy.
Don't miss the Roseville Holiday Parade, a spectacular procession that brightens the streets with dazzling floats and performances. These cherished events, and many more, ensure that both locals and visitors will find something to celebrate this Christmas season in Roseville.
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The Top Christmas Events in Roseville
See these and even more events listed below!Roseville Holiday Markets and Shopping
Holiday Craft Fair
What to Expect:
Showcases handmade crafts from local artisans
Description:
Roseville's Holiday Craft Fair transforms the community center into a bustling marketplace of creativity. Local artisans display their handcrafted wares, from intricate jewelry to rustic home decor. Visitors can watch live demonstrations of traditional crafting techniques, connecting them to the region's rich artistic heritage. The air fills with the scent of cinnamon and pine as you browse unique gifts. This fair has been a cornerstone of Roseville's holiday season for over three decades, supporting local makers and fostering community spirit.
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Roseville Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Santa's Sing-Along
What to Expect:
Interactive caroling experience with Santa
Description:
Santa's Sing-Along in Roseville brings a harmonious twist to holiday celebrations. This interactive event invites participants to join Santa in belting out classic carols and contemporary holiday hits. A live band accompanies the singers, creating a joyful atmosphere that resonates throughout the venue. Children can learn the history behind their favorite holiday tunes from Santa himself. The event honors Roseville's musical roots, dating back to the town's first community choir established in 1902. You'll leave with a songbook to continue the caroling at home.
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Roseville Other Holiday Activities
Roseville Holiday Parade
What to Expect:
Showcases local community groups and businesses
Description:
Roseville's Holiday Parade illuminates the streets with a procession of dazzling floats and performances. Local businesses and community groups showcase their creativity through elaborately decorated entries. Marching bands fill the air with festive tunes, while dance troupes perform along the route. This parade has been a Roseville tradition since 1961, evolving from a small procession to a major regional event. Spectators can participate by voting for their favorite float via a mobile app, adding an interactive element to this cherished community celebration.
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Nearby Events
Folsom Christmas Craft Fair (Folsom)
What to Expect:
Focuses on eco-friendly and sustainable crafts
Description:
The Folsom Christmas Craft Fair stands out with its emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable crafts. Artisans present unique items made from recycled materials, upcycled goods, and locally sourced natural elements. Visitors can participate in workshops on creating their own sustainable decorations. This event reflects Folsom's commitment to environmental stewardship, a value that has shaped the community since its early days as a gold rush town. The fair's green focus offers a refreshing alternative to mass-produced holiday goods, allowing you to celebrate the season responsibly.
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Christmas in the Park (Rocklin)
What to Expect:
Interactive holiday-themed installations
Description:
Christmas in the Park transforms Roseville's central green into a winter wonderland of interactive installations. Visitors explore larger-than-life holiday scenes, each offering a unique photo opportunity or hands-on experience. The event features a towering musical tree that responds to visitors' movements with light and sound. This innovative approach to holiday displays reflects Roseville's forward-thinking spirit, blending technology with tradition. The park's layout is inspired by Victorian-era garden designs, adding a touch of historical charm to the modern attractions.
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Polar Express Train Ride (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Immersive storytelling experience on a real train
Description:
The Polar Express Train Ride brings the beloved children's book to life on the rails of Roseville. Passengers board a vintage train, transformed to mirror the iconic story. Professional actors lead an immersive journey to the "North Pole," complete with hot chocolate service and a reading of the tale. The experience culminates with a special gift from Santa himself. This event pays homage to Roseville's rich railroad history, utilizing restored cars from the early 20th century. You'll feel transported not just to the North Pole, but back in time to the golden age of rail travel.
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Sacramento Ballet's The Nutcracker (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Incorporates local historical elements into the classic ballet
Description:
Sacramento Ballet's rendition of The Nutcracker infuses the classic tale with local historical elements. The production features set designs inspired by Sacramento's Gold Rush era architecture and costumes that nod to the region's diverse cultural heritage. Dancers glide across the stage, bringing to life not just Tchaikovsky's vision, but also the spirit of Northern California. This unique adaptation has been a regional tradition for over 50 years, evolving each season to reflect the changing face of the community. Audience members can spot references to local landmarks woven seamlessly into the familiar story.
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Sacramento Ballet's The Nutcracker
Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Combines light show with historical reenactments
Description:
The Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights illuminates the historic district with a dazzling fusion of past and present. This innovative light show incorporates projections onto 19th-century buildings, bringing their facades to life with animated scenes. Historical reenactors in period costume mingle with the crowd, sharing tales of Sacramento's colorful past. The show pays tribute to the city's role in the Transcontinental Railroad, with a spectacular finale featuring a holographic steam engine. Visitors can download an app that provides augmented reality experiences at key points throughout the district, deepening their engagement with local history.
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Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights
Fairytale Town Winter Wonderland (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Fairy tale characters in winter scenarios
Description:
Fairytale Town's Winter Wonderland reimagines classic stories with a frosty twist. Beloved characters appear in whimsical winter scenarios throughout the park. Children can help Cinderella build a snowman or join the Three Little Pigs in their cozy, snow-covered brick house. The event features ice sculpture demonstrations, showcasing the art of transforming blocks of ice into crystalline fairy tale figures. This winter adaptation builds on Fairytale Town's 60-year legacy of nurturing imagination and literacy in Sacramento's youth. Visitors can participate in a scavenger hunt that weaves together elements from various winter-themed stories.
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Fairytale Town Winter Wonderland
Auburn Festival of Lights Parade (Auburn)
What to Expect:
Combines parade with town-wide light festival
Description:
Auburn's Festival of Lights Parade kicks off a town-wide illumination celebration. Floats adorned with thousands of twinkling lights wind through the historic downtown, followed by the simultaneous lighting of displays throughout the city. The parade route passes by Auburn's iconic clocktower, which becomes the centerpiece of an elaborate light show. This event honors Auburn's gold rush heritage, with many floats featuring mining themes. Spectators can participate by wearing light-up accessories, becoming part of the moving light display. The festival continues after the parade with illuminated art installations scattered throughout the town.
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Auburn Festival of Lights Parade
Nevada City Victorian Christmas (Nevada City)
What to Expect:
Authentic Victorian-era holiday experience
Description:
Nevada City's Victorian Christmas transports visitors to a 19th-century holiday celebration. The historic downtown transforms into a living postcard of the Victorian era, complete with gas lamps and horse-drawn carriages. Costumed docents roam the streets, sharing tales of Christmas past. Visitors can sample traditional Victorian holiday treats like roasted chestnuts and wassail. This event has been a cornerstone of Nevada City's cultural preservation efforts since 1978, helping to maintain the town's remarkable collection of Victorian architecture. You'll feel as though you've stepped into a Dickens novel as you stroll the gas-lit streets.
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Nevada City Victorian Christmas
Grass Valley Cornish Christmas Celebration (Grass Valley)
What to Expect:
Celebrates Cornish mining heritage
Description:
Grass Valley's Cornish Christmas Celebration honors the town's unique Cornish mining heritage. The event features traditional Cornish carols, pasty-making demonstrations, and performances of Cornish folk dances. Visitors can try their hand at "tin streaming," a miniature version of the mining technique that brought Cornish settlers to the area in the 1800s. The celebration takes place in the historic downtown, where many buildings still bear the marks of Cornish architectural influence. This event has been a Grass Valley tradition for over 50 years, helping to preserve the cultural legacy of the town's founding community.
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Grass Valley Cornish Christmas Celebration
Sacramento Santa Run (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Combines fitness with holiday giving
Description:
The Sacramento Santa Run blends holiday cheer with fitness and philanthropy. Participants don Santa suits for a 5K run through the city's scenic riverfront. The sea of running Santas creates a striking visual spectacle against Sacramento's urban landscape. Each registration includes a donation to local children's charities, turning every step into an act of giving. This event began as a small community run in 2012 and has grown into one of the largest charity runs in Northern California. Runners can opt for a "reindeer division," wearing antlers and red noses for an extra festive touch.
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Holiday River Lights Cruise (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Combines river cruise with light show
Description:
The Holiday River Lights Cruise offers a unique perspective on Sacramento's festive displays. Passengers board a riverboat adorned with twinkling lights for a journey along the Sacramento River. The cruise features narration on the river's role in local history, from the Gold Rush to modern times. As the boat glides past the shoreline, passengers witness elaborate light displays set up along the banks, visible only from the water. This event pays homage to Sacramento's maritime heritage, utilizing restored riverboats that once plied these waters in the 19th century. You'll experience the city's holiday spirit from a vantage point few ever see.
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El Dorado Hills Christmas Tree Lighting (El Dorado Hills)
What to Expect:
Community-decorated tree with personal ornaments
Description:
El Dorado Hills' Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony centers around a unique community-decorated tree. Residents bring personalized ornaments to hang on the massive tree, creating a tapestry of local stories and memories. The lighting ceremony includes a reading of the tree's "biography," detailing its journey from forest to town center. This event has been a cornerstone of community building in El Dorado Hills since its incorporation in 1982. Visitors can participate in a scavenger hunt to find specific ornaments, each linked to a piece of town history or a local family's story.
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El Dorado Hills Christmas Tree Lighting
Placerville Festival of Lights (Placerville)
What to Expect:
Incorporates gold rush themes into light displays
Description:
Placerville's Festival of Lights illuminates the town's gold rush heritage through creative light displays. The historic Main Street transforms into a glowing tribute to the area's mining past, with light sculptures depicting gold pans, pickaxes, and other mining tools. Visitors can pan for "gold" using illuminated water features scattered throughout the festival. The event culminates in the lighting of a massive "gold nugget" atop the town's iconic Bell Tower. This festival has been evolving since its inception in 1967, growing from a simple tree lighting to an immersive historical experience. You'll gain a new appreciation for Placerville's nickname, "Old Hangtown," as you explore the luminous displays.
Website:
Placerville Festival of Lights
Holiday Ice Rink (Sacramento)
What to Expect:
Eco-friendly synthetic ice surface
Description:
Roseville's Holiday Ice Rink brings winter fun to the California climate with an innovative twist. The rink utilizes a synthetic ice surface, allowing for skating without the need for energy-intensive refrigeration. This eco-friendly approach aligns with Roseville's commitment to sustainability, initiated by the city's Green Living program in 2007. Skaters glide across the surface, which mimics the feel of real ice while conserving resources. The rink features themed nights, including "Disco on Ice" and "Superhero Skate." You can participate in curling demonstrations, introducing visitors to this lesser-known winter sport.
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Loomis Holiday Craft Bazaar (Loomis)
What to Expect:
Focuses on agricultural-themed crafts and goods
Description:
The Loomis Holiday Craft Bazaar celebrates the town's agricultural heritage with a unique focus on farm-inspired crafts and goods. Local artisans showcase items made from repurposed farm equipment, fruit crate art, and handcrafted preserves. Visitors can participate in wreath-making workshops using locally grown materials. The bazaar takes place in the historic train depot, a nod to Loomis's origins as a fruit-shipping hub in the early 20th century. This event has been supporting local craftspeople and farmers for over 25 years, evolving from a small church fundraiser to a major regional attraction. You'll find the perfect gift while connecting with the area's rural roots.