A fun-filled day of exciting activities has been planned to celebrate Christmas in Los Olivos on Saturday, December 7, 2019 which will include a fun day for the entire family with a variety of attractions for the kids and an abundance of Christmas shopping (and Christmas Cheer!) for the adults.
The day-long holiday happening begins at 12:00 PM with the opening of this year’s Artisan Holiday Market, an open-air holiday shopping opportunity showcasing gift-able goods by nearly two dozen artists and vendors. Christmas carolers will stroll the village’s main streets, while open houses at businesses throughout town – such as Los Olivos’ generous array of wine tasting rooms, wine and beer bars, plus restaurants and boutiques – will treat guests to special deals, live music, mulled wine and other holiday nibbles and tipples through extended evening hours, with doors open until at least 7:00 PM.
OLDE FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
The Summerset Farm & Dale’s “Train” will transport kids, and their parents, through the twinkling town (2:00 PM-7:00 PM), and the official lighting of the Los Olivos “Christmas Tree” at the flagpole in the center of all of the action, is set for 6:00 PM, with accompanying Christmas music in the adjacent park.
Food trucks and gourmet snack vendors will be stationed throughout “downtown” Los Olivos, with a concentrated food court near Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.’s Los Olivos taproom, where street food favorites like The Doggy Door hotdogs, California Tacos, and Arne’s Aebleskiver will join holiday-time, foodie memory-makers such as roasted walnuts and kettle corn.
“Olde Fashioned Christmas is a locals-favorite event, year after year, but it also provides visitors with a family-friendly day of celebration in a town most known for wine tasting activities. It’s a snapshot of what life – and holiday festivities – might have been like around the time of the town’s founding. Simpler times. Los Olivos’ Victorian architecture gets dolled up for the holidays, and our pedestrian-friendly country roads make for an atmospheric Christmas scene brimming with unique shopping opportunities, lots of food, cheer, and family fun,” said Sandee Sanger, President of the Los Olivos Chamber of Commerce.
GINGERBREAD WONDERLAND
St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church & Preschool and the non-profit Arts Outreach invite the public to attend the seventh annual “Gingerbread Wonderland” benefit event at St. Mark’s campus located at 2901 Nojoqui Avenue in downtown Los Olivos starting at 4pm on December 7. Admission is free for all ages. The church’s Stacy Hall will be transformed into a Gingerbread Wonderland featuring dozens of hand-crafted gingerbread houses on display created by local schoolchildren, families, organizations and businesses. Guests can vote for and enter to win their favorite gingerbread house creations using $1 raffle tickets available for purchase at the event.
According to event organizers, several messages from the North Pole have been received that Santa Claus will be in the St. Mark’s church common room from 4:00-8:00 p.m., providing a cozy place for kids to share their Christmas wishes with the jolly man and take their own pictures. Plus there will be opportunities for children to create anddecorate Christmas ornaments and crafts in the church courtyard.Diane Byington and her Solvang Conservatory students accompanied by St. Mark’s music director Beverly Staples will be providing seasonal music to enhance the merriment along with performances by Valley Glee. For those who would enjoy some delicious food and beverages during Gingerbread Wonderland, the courtyard at St. Mark’s will have complimentary coffee, hot apple cider as well as baked goods and food available for purchase.
SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY
- 12:00 – Holiday Market – holiday gifts, artisan goods, face painting and more!
- 2:00 – Food Truck Court near Community Craft
- 1:00 – Summerset Farm Christmas Train – the train loads near the flagpole, $5 per child per ride, one parent can ride for free with their child or group of children.�
- 2:00 - Live Music by Bear Redell at Community Craft
- 2:00 – Holiday petting zoo for the kids
- 3:00 – Holiday treats and carolers through town
- 4:00 – Gingerbread Wonderland at St. Mark's-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church
- 4:00 – Santa Claus in St. Mark’s Parlor
- 5:30 – Santa Ynez Jazz Band at the flagpole
- 6:00 – Official Lighting of the Christmas Tree at the flagpole
Olde Fashioned Christmas is produced by the Los Olivos Chamber of Commerce, a volunteer organization which funds town services such as maintenance for the village’s central flagpole, public restroom facilities and trash removal.
For more information visit https://www.losolivosca.com/los-olivos-olde-fashioned-christmas/ or the event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/593562431136396/
