Let it Glow: LA’s Best Holiday Celebrations
LA is all aglow with holiday celebrations this season. Live performances are back. LA Phil and LA Master Chorale are decking the halls with festive programs guaranteed to put some sparkle in your schedule. Spectacular light displays are making spirits bright, many just a short distance from The Pearl. Need some inspiration for your gift list? The Grove and Beverly Center have it all wrapped up with great shopping options and fun holiday events. Check websites for health & safety protocols.
LA Master Chorale Handel’s Messiah
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Dec 19 The Messiah is so much more than the Hallelujah chorus. Almost three centuries since its debut, Messiah still “strikes like a thunderbolt,” as Mozart put it. The dramatic arias and rousing choruses sweep us up in the mystery of the resurrection and convey all the heartbreaking sorrow and rapturous joy that we feel through this timeless story. Hear it like never before with the Los Angeles Master Chorale.
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
A treasured L.A. tradition, Deck the Hall offers outstanding holiday programming for a wide variety of tastes at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Make sure to arrive early for drinks and merriment in the fun-filled Winter Wonderland. The program includes guest artist performances, and a New Year’s Eve performance by Pink Martini. Snowshoes not required!
Ahmanson Theatre
The Music Center
135 N Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Winner of five Tony Awards, this New York Times Critics’ Pick welcomes theatre goers of all ages into an immersive experience that is brimming with Christmas spirit, featuring dazzling staging, moving storytelling, and 12 cherished Christmas carols including Joy to the World, Silent Night, and It Came Upon the Midnight Clear. Entertainment Weekly says A Christmas Carol is “so infectious you’ll leave the theatre with a heart full of joy and light.”
Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Dr.
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Enchanted Forest of Light is an interactive, nighttime experience unlike anything else in Los Angeles, featuring a one-mile walk through unique lighting experiences in some of the most beloved areas of Descanso Gardens. New this year will be an entire town of magical stained glass creations built in the Rose Garden by contemporary sculptor Tom Fruin. Popular returning favorites returning include sparkling, swirling installations from HYBYCOZO on the Main Lawn, Flower Power on the Promenade, and exquisite lighting effects in the Ancient Forest.
LA Aboretum
301 North Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
Direct from a sold-out run in London, Lightscape makes its West Coast debut at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The internationally acclaimed Lightscape is the must-see holiday event for 2021. Wander through the magnificent Winter Cathedral and experience the breathtaking Fire Garden and more. Lightscape transforms the Arboretum into a night of wonder and light for an unforgettable holiday event for family and friends.
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
L.A. Zoo Lights returns for the 2021-22 season with more glowing animals and an unforgettable nighttime journey that includes the world’s largest illuminated pop-up storybook, a magical disco ball forest, giant glittering snowflakes, and a twinkling tunnel filled with dynamic swirls of color. L.A. Zoo Lights is a not-to-be-missed holiday light experience and has glowed brighter each year since its debut in 2014. This year’s event features more light animals than ever before, spectacular new additions – both hand-crafted and high-tech – and returning favorites.
1000 Vin Scully Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
The Los Angeles Dodgers are hosting a Holiday Festival in the beautiful, newly-renovated Centerfield Plaza, the warning track, and both bullpens. Enjoy nightly entertainment, scenic and light displays, holiday-themed food and beverage, and an opportunity to take photos with Santa. For the first time ever, Dodger Stadium offers an illuminated, open-air ice skating experience constructed across the outfield.
189 The Grove Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Come celebrate the magic of the holiday season and see The Grove transform into a Winter Wonderland. Snow falls every evening at 7 & 8 pm through December 25. Need some inspiration for your holiday shopping? The Grove is your one-stop destination for the best clothing, accessories, beauty and more. With its fashion-forward collection of stores and ever-changing pop-up shops, The Grove delivers a dynamic shopping experience unlike any other in Los Angeles.
Beverly Center
8500 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
The Immersive Nutcracker is an all-new walk-through holiday fairytale experience combining the best in theatre, VR, and projection from the producers of the Russian Ballet Theatre, bringing Tchaikovsky’s timeless music to life. Located on Level 8, the experience will consist of four different rooms, from the mysteries of Drosselmeyer’s chest to the Tannenbaums’ Grand ballroom, from glittering and magical Christmas trees to the magnificent Kingdom of Sweets. The show will celebrate the beloved holiday tradition, spread cheer, and reveal the beauty of storytelling.
The Bloc
700 W 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Experience the season of joy with a magical holiday light show as 18 million hues of lights illuminate the night and synchronize to festive tunes. Sparkle DTLA at The Bloc will take you through an unforgettable nighttime journey that includes one of LA’s largest multi-colored interactive holiday displays. Safely capture your perfect photo-op moments at this ultimate holiday experience. Sparkle DTLA is free to attend and is open to all ages. Furry friends are also welcome!
Photo credits:
Photo #1: Los Angeles Union Station
Photo #2: LA Master Chorale
Photo #3: LA Phil/Pink Martini
Photo #4: Center Theatre Group
Photo #5: Descanso Gardens
Photo #6: LA Arboretum
Photo #7: L.A. Zoo
Photo #8: Los Angeles Dodgers
Photo #9: The Grove
Photo #10: The Immersive Nutcracker/Beverly Center
Photo #11: The Bloc