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Solvang Julefest Begins November 28 through January 4
More than a Month of Solvang Julefest Holiday Festivities include Daily Light, Music & Snow Shows Concluding with Snowfall, Miracle – The Christmas Cocktail Pop-Up Bar, and More Entertainment, all in One of America’s “Best Christmas Towns”
Solvang, California, also known as “The Danish Capital of America,” has announced new facets to its annual holiday celebration, Solvang Julefest (www.SolvangUSA.com/things-to-
Solvang Julefest stretches for more than a month, with daily highlights that entertain midweek visitors as well as weekenders. Included in this festive roster are Solvang Julefest’s nightly Light, Music & Snow Shows in Solvang Park (corner of Mission Drive and First Street), which run this year from November 28 through January 4. The holiday themed, choreographed light and music display, right in the center of Solvang’s historic village, features two different 10-minute shows that will alternate on the hour each evening. Showtimes will be 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, and 9:00 PM, and at the end of each show, Solvang Park will be dusted with a flurry of seasonally-appropriate snow. A New Year’s version of the shows will run December 26-January 4.
One of the new daily occurrences throughout Solvang Julefest will be located within Solvang restaurant and bar, Craft House At Corque, as they host MIRACLE – The Christmas Cocktail Pop-Up Bar, from November 18, 2025, through January 4, 2026. Miracle, as described on the concept’s website, “is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday cocktails in a festive setting. With kitschy holiday décor, professionally-developed cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is sure to get even the grouchiest grinch in the holiday spirit.” Craft House At Corque is taking reservations for the holiday cocktail conversion via Tock, with two different reservation options, “Miracle Family,” during “Family Hours,” and “Miracle 21+,” with reservations available at any time. Information will also be posted to Instagram: @miracleatcrafthouse.
New, and returning, special or one-time Solvang Julefest events will include the 42nd Annual Solvang Nativity Pageant, this year scheduled for Sunday, December 14 (5:00 PM), at the Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church (1825 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang). The Solvang Nativity Pageant tells the “Christmas Story” with live animals, live music, and a cast of actors.
Also new to this year’s Solvang Julefest lineup are storytime sessions with local authors, Adam and Kate McHugh, as the couple launches their first children’s book, Ferd and the Magic Hat: A Solvang Christmas Story. The new release, illustrated by Allie Daigle, spins a whimsical and joyful Christmas tale for children and their “grownups” who read along, as it celebrates the community, the heritage, the “hygge,” and the bright welcome of Solvang during the holidays. The book pays homage to Solvang’s Ferd Sorensen, who was knighted by the Queen of Denmark for his contributions as the “father of Danish architecture in Solvang.” The McHughs will hold book signings and storytimes at The Book Loft in December (dates TBA).
“Every year we try to find new ways to add just a bit more charm to our enchanting Danish village holiday celebration, Solvang Julefest. Julefest’s fun festivities provide entertaining options for all ages, for our locals and our visitors, with new daytime events and extra evening magic,” said Randy Murphy, Solvang City Manager. “Consider this the season when storybook Solvang takes a Christmas turn, making this one of the most celebrated winter holiday destinations.”
Solvang has received top honors as one of the nation’s “Best Christmas Towns,” while its Danish roots make it a domestic “destination dupe” for travelers looking for a European-style holiday getaway without the transatlantic travel and associated expense. An ideal Christmas vacation for families, friend groups, and solo travelers, Solvang is once again up for voting in holiday-themed Readers’ Choice Awards contests – this year, on two different platforms and in different categories. Readers may currently vote for Solvang as one of the “Best Christmas Towns in the U.S.” in this year’s TZR (The Zoe Report) Readers’ Choice Awards Contest, as well as in the Newsweek Readers’ Choice Awards in two categories, “Best Christmas Town” and “Best Christmas Market.”
Additional, daily Solvang Julefest activities include the annual Nisser Adventure, where, between November 28 and January 4, participants of all ages join in a city-wide hunt for the mysterious Solvang Nisser (Christmas elves) which have hidden themselves throughout downtown Solvang. Once participants have found each Nisse, they may return to the Visitor Center to receive a special Solvang keepsake.
Solvang Julefest also provides cheerful holiday shopping opportunities with a Makers Market in Solvang Park, happening three Wednesdays in December (December 3, 10, 17; 3:00 PM-7:00 PM). Previously named one of “6 U.S. Christmas markets [that] feel like a fairy tale,” the open-air night market is fashioned after traditional European Christmas markets, with a village of crafters and local artisans offering one-of-a-kind holiday gift ideas, seasonal treats, and more.
Solvang Julefest tour options include the evening Solvang Julefest Candlelight Tours offered on select dates, complete with Christmas carols and an entertaining education about some Danish traditions and Solvang history. The tours’ daytime counterpart, Solvang Jul Daylight Tours, are morning experiences (10:00 AM start) also led by a local Dane dressed in traditional folk garb. Returning to this year’s Solvang Julefest is the Solvang Trolley Christmas Light Tour, whisking hot chocolate-fueled Trolley riders through the Santa Ynez Valley for a nighttime glimpse of local light displays. Details and ticket sales for each tour will be available online.
The first weekend in December features the Solvang Julefest Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for Friday, December 5, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Solvang Park (tree lighting occurs at about 6:30 PM), and the 2025 Solvang Julefest Parade (Saturday, December 6, 11:00 AM) with marching bands, horses, classic cars, plus more parade floats and entries, all traveling along Solvang’s main streets. Post-parade, Julefest boasts an opportunity to meet Mr. Claus in Solvang Park.
Solvang Julefest Santa meet-and-greets and photo ops will happen Saturdays and Sundays – November 29 and 30, then December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21 – from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM in Solvang Park, while a merry band of carolers, Christmas Matters, will sing throughout downtown Solvang from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Saturdays, November 29, then December 6, 13, and 20 (weather permitting).
Now in its second year, Solvang Julefest’s New Year’s event, “Copenhagen Countdown,” parties in Solvang Park on Wednesday, December 31, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, with a family-friendly countdown to New Year’s in Denmark (3:00 PM Pacific). The event will feature live music by the Molly Ringwald Project, children’s activities, and varied food and beverage vendors in the beer, wine, and spirits garden (further details TBA; also weather permitting).
Solvang Julefest’s unofficial conclusion is marked by the annual Solvang Christmas Tree Burn, usually held in early January, and considered to be one of the largest fire safety demonstrations along the California Central Coast. The 2026 Tree Burn is currently scheduled for Friday, January 9, 5:00 PM (weather permitting).
Solvang, known for its Danish-American ambiance, architecture and design details, pastries and bakeries, and array of wine tasting options, also boasts dozens of unique boutiques, restaurants and gourmet food purveyors. Carefully-curated indie booksellers and high-end home goods suppliers mingle with fairy tale-like children’s stores and museum gift shops. Solvang’s foodie destinations offer everything from elevated street cuisine – like locally-sourced fish tacos on hand-made tortillas, and comforting ramen noodles – to European-style pretzels and sausages, to Italian standbys or iconic Danish dishes, to elevated new-Californian fare in the form of MICHELIN-honored menus. Solvang visitors sip small-batch, locally-roasted coffee, shop for exotic, hand-bottled spice blends, or enjoy Tiki cocktails and craft beer, all part of an indulgent and one-of-a-kind holiday shopping and playing escape.
Dog-friendly and ideal for kids, Solvang Julefest promotes family fun and adventure through traditional, holiday-favorite activities, with the addition of more-adult, wine country entertainment.
Solvang Julefest 2025 is produced by the City of Solvang (www.CityofSolvang.com). All Solvang Julefest events are open to the public with either free or paid admission. More information and event updates will be available at www.SolvangUSA.com/things-to-
Questions, media requests for interviews, visits and/or photos, may be directed to Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing, at 1.877.327.2656 or solvang@stilettomarketing.com.
About the City of Solvang:
Referred to as “The Danish Capital of America,” the City of Solvang is located in the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County, California. Founded by a group of Danish-Americans in 1911 and incorporated in 1985, Solvang offers a taste of Denmark in Southern California. Danish design and Old World charm fill Solvang’s numerous interior courtyards, cozy communal spaces, and open-air venues, where vacation itineraries for all unfold. The walkable town features plentiful free parking options for locals and visitors, and more than 20 lodging options for staycation-ers, weekenders and midweek travelers, from classic comfort to luxury-level. The Solvang Visitor Center, located at 1639 Copenhagen Drive, is open daily, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM (closed briefly for lunch). For more information, including travel itinerary ideas and inspiration for things to do, where to eat and drink, and places to stay, follow our adventures on Instagram (@SolvangUSA) and Facebook (facebook.com/VisitSolvangUSA)