The temperature may be cooling down but the number of happenings is heating up with the arrival of the holiday season.
Every year Santa Monica hosts a series of holiday events and activities that light up Downtown, bringing a festive holiday spirit to the city.
In fact, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. has managed to engineer some true holiday magic, turning a busy urban corner into a magical winter wonderland with the annual ICE at Santa Monica skating rink, which opened Nov. 1 and operates daily through Jan. 20.
Other events this year include the Santa Monica Place Holiday Kick Off Party with HGTV held last month, which is home to a two-story gingerbread house created in partnership with HGTV.
Santa will make a special appearance to help light the City of Santa Monica’s tree on Thursday, Dec. 12 at 7 pm on Third Street Promenade near Wilshire Boulevard. Santa will arrive in time to help light the tree and local students from Green Brooms Music Academy will provide musical entertainment.
And Downtown’s menorah will also be lit each night of Chanukah at sundown, which began Wednesday.
Visitors and residents are invited to join in the holiday fun in Downtown Santa Monica:
ICE at Santa Monica
Now through Jan. 20. Every holiday season, Downtown Santa Monica brings a little ice skating to the beachside community and transforms the corner of 5th Street and Arizona Avenue into ICE at Santa Monica, a premier outdoor ice skating rink. The 8,000 square foot rink by the beach offers residents and visitors a little taste of winter without the bite. The cost is $12 per person (including skate hire).
Chanukah Menorah Lighting Nov. 27 – Dec. 5
Each sundown, a local synagogue will light the menorah each night of Chanukah at Third Street Promenade near Arizona Avenue.
City of Santa Monica’s Official Tree Lighting Ceremony
Dec. 12 at 7 pm at Third Street Promenade, South of Wilshre Boulevard.
Free Kid’s Crafts: Holiday Puzzle Decorating
Dec. 21 from noon to 3 pm at the Third Street Promenade’s Center Court.
Best Toy Drive Ever for Police Activities League (PAL)
Now through Dec. 11 donate an unwrapped gift. Drop off location at ICE at Santa Monica at 1324 5th Street.
Santa’s Little Savers
Dec. 21-24 throughout Downtown Santa Monica. Shoppers visiting Downtown Santa Monica may be pleasantly surprised at the register by one of Santa’s elves offering to pay for their purchase up to $100.
For more information on these event and more, visit downtownsm.com/winterlit.
