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Winter Fest OC

Experience the joy and magic of the holiday season at Winter Fest OC. Winter Fest OC immerses guests in a magical holiday wonderland with oversized décor, a holiday light show with over 2 million lights with synchronized music, immersive walk-through experiences, and of course, Santa. Here are all the details on the event of the season.

Here are all the holiday skating rinks to explore this season.

Winter Fest OC

When: Select Days November 28, 2025 – January 4, 2026
For all Winter Fest OC days and hours, visit https://winterfestoc.com/hours-location

Where: OC Fair & Event Center – 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Tickets
General Admission (Snow Pass): Starts at $22.99+ Fees (Child & Adult)
Platinum Snow Pass: Starts at $110.99+ Fees (Child & Adult)
Season Pass: Starts at $54.99 (Child & Adult)
Add Ons: To Be Announced
Parking: $12 per vehicle

For updates and tickets Visit WinterFestOC.com

Winter Fest OC is a cashless event; only debit and credit cards will be accepted.

Re-entry to the event is permitted with a valid hand stamp and admission ticket. You will have to pay for parking again however, if you leave the parking lot.

For the latest updates on ticket promotions, entertainment, food and fun, follow us on Facebook, InstagramTwitter, and YouTube or with #WinterFestOC


Season Passes for Unlimited Fun

Enjoy holiday magic all season long with a Winter Fest OC season pass, providing unlimited entry for all 28 days, access to the Forest of Lights immersive walk-through experience, snow play, unlimited ice tubing rides, nightly live entertainment, evening tree lighting show, dazzling light displays, winter photo ops and more.

NEW for 2025: Platinum Pass – The Ultimate Winter Fest OC Experience

Introducing the all-new Platinum Pass, your all-access key to the full magic of Winter Fest OC! This top-tier ticket includes every attraction, including unlimited ice skating on Southern California’s largest outdoor rink, unlimited carnival rides, bounce pass, Snowflake Summit fast pass, and one round of Polar Putt-Putt mini golf. Quantities are limited and early purchase is strongly recommended.

GovX 10% Ticket Discount

This season, Winter Fest OC is wrapping up a little extra holiday cheer for our heroes. Military, law enforcement, fire and EMS, medical, government, and educators can enjoy exclusive GovX savings at Winter Fest OC with 10% off. For those who are eligible, visit offers.govx.com/event/offers/ to claim the discount.

Winter Fest OC
Courtesy of Winter Fest OC

Winter Fest OC Experiences

Holidays & VIP Experiences

New Year’s Eve Celebration: Ring in the New Year not once, but twice, with a special countdown at 9pm with confetti and 12am with fireworks. A DJ and performance from Queen Nation will be playing to commemorate the end of the year, and the start of 2026! Awarded by Reader’s Digest as one of the top New Year’s Celebrations in the U.S.

Fireside Igloos: Enjoy cozy igloos with fire pits for roasting s’mores that are perfect for date nights, birthdays, or private parties. Includes private fire pit and plush seating for up to 10 guests, private bar, a special menu with craft cocktails, and a breathtaking view of the holiday celebration. Can be reserved in 2-3 hour increments.

Experiences & Attractions

Forest Of Lights

Included in your admission, the Forest of Light is an immersive walk through experience, where you will find the Holiday Light Walk, Santa, Polar Putt Putt and more!

Winter Attractions

Experience the thrills of winter with ice skating under the stars, tubing down the 150-foot Snowflake Summit ice slide, and playing in fresh snow with the expanded Snow Play zone. Snow Play now features more snow, more slides, and more interactive fun for all ages, including a new falling snow area.

Character Meet & Greets

Kids can meet and greet some of their favorite characters like Yowie the Yeti and Pepe the Penguin, plus the snow angels on stilts, Ice Princess, Toy Soldiers, and Mayor Frost. Visit the Holiday House stage for the meet and greets!

Photos with Santa

Private meet and greet photo opportunities are available with Santa through December 24. Experiences are available for up to 8 people per group and includes one printed photo and a digital image. An additional ticket/fee is required for this experience.

Nightly Tree Lighting

Join your favorite Winter Fest OC characters each night at 5:45 p.m. as the tree lights up with music, falling snow, magic, and festive holiday cheer.

Holiday House Light Show

Experience the magic of the season as dazzling lights dance in perfect harmony with festive music running throughout the night— a must-see spectacle at Winter Fest OC!

Live Holiday Entertainment

Winter Fest OC will showcase a curated lineup of live bands and community performers throughout the season, bringing energy and holiday spirit to the stage daily. Featured performers include:

  • Redneck Rodeo – Country Band (November 28)
  • Line Dancing with DJ Cindi (November 29)
  • 24K Magic – Bruno Mars Tribute Band (December 11)
  • Orange County Song & Dance (December 13 & 19)
  • DSB – Journey Tribute Band (December 18)
  • School of Rock (December 20 & January 4)
  • Grand Sonic Theory – Dance-Rock Party Band (December 23)
  • KAYLN – Pop Singer/Songwriter (December 29)
  • It’s Britney Beep – Britney Spears Tribute (December 30)
  • Queen Nation – Tribute to Queen (December 31 – New Year’s Eve Celebration with Fireworks)
  • Flashback Heart Attack – 80s Cover Band (January 2)

Festive Food & Drink

Enjoy sweet treats or a relaxing dinner at Winter Fest OC. Find family-friendly full service dining, or snack on seasonal treats available at locations throughout the event.

Seasonal drinks and treats at Winter Fest OC include hot cocoa, hot apple cider, Mom’s Bake Shoppe cookies and brownies, Old Tyme Ice Cream, churros, popcorn, lemonade and kettle corn. Meal options range from BBQ ribs or chicken to pizza or hot dogs, and more! Holiday-inspired craft cocktails are also available for purchase.

Winter Fest OC brings you a feast of flavors and festive fun with its returning $5 Festive Flavors menu! For the first two hours each evening, guests can enjoy sample-sized portions of their favorite winter treats for just $5. This fantastic offer invites you to explore a diverse menu, featuring everything from tacos, hot dogs and pizza to popcorn, fresh-baked cookies and churros. Come savor the season’s tastiest bites and make unforgettable memories at Winter Fest OC!


For a full list of hours and more information visit Winter Fest OC

Winter Fest OC Tips

  • Re-entry is allowed with a valid hand stamp and admission ticket.
  • Winter Fest OC is a cashless event; only debit and credit cards will be accepted.
  • Winter Fest is open rain, shine, sleet or snow!
  • No outside food or drink permitted.
  • No pets are allowed. Service dogs are welcome.
  • A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

What We Love About Winter Fest OC

We have attended Winter Fest several times 2019, with kids ranging in age from 2 up to 16 and we always look forward to it. The littlest ones love meeting Santa and the snow angels on stilts, and the oldest ones can’t get enough of the tubing and carnival rides.

One of our favorite parts is walking through the lights to enjoy all the different holiday displays. It’s the best spot for cute photo ops, and there are usually a few fun activities to do as you make your way through, like the present toss, writing letters to Santa, or pictures for coloring.

Winter Fest OC has become one of our family holiday traditions. It’s a little different every year, and we always look forward to exploring the new features.

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Heidi
Deal
Heidi Deal is the author of the Newcomers Handbook to Living In Los Angeles & Orange County, and a children’s book author specializing in history and human rights. When she's not writing you can find her solo hiking and going on new adventures with her kids and pup.