OC Fair & Event Center

This Christmas-themed Costa Mesa event has been turning Orange County into a veritable winter wonderland for 11 years now. Expect a Forest of Lights walk-through, snow play, ice tubing and photo ops, visits with Santa and a new falling snow area and themed entertainment zones with live music. Upgrade your experience with carnival rides, ice skating, bounce houses, “polar putt-putt” golf and fireside igloos. Hot cocoa and seasonal treats will help keep things cozy.  When is the Christmas-themed Costa Mesa event open? Winter Fest OC runs from November 28, 2025, to January 4, 2026. It’s closed some weekdays early on in the run, as well as Sunday, December 7. The hours are 5–10pm on weekdays, 4–11pm on Saturdays and 4–10pm on Sundays, with the exception of New Year’s Eve, when it stays open till 12:30am. The fest’s extensive hours make it one of the rare holiday events you can enjoy on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day themselves. How much are Winter Fest OC tickets? Tickets start at $23 and go up to $28, depending on the date (that’s for online pricing—they’re $55 at the gate, so definitely don’t do that). It looks like this year adults and kids tickets are the same price, and ages 2 and under are free. Add-ons range from $5 for putt-putt golf to $15 for a bounce pass. Parking at the OC Fair & Event Center is $12.