Where does the holiday season in Solana Beach end? It starts on Dec. 6 at Fletcher Cove, where the city lights its tree above the beach for the 21st year. Santa then visits twice more in the next eight days, riding through the city's streets on Dec. 11 and arriving at La Colonia Park on Valley Avenue on Dec. 13.
That last stop sits in La Colonia de Eden Gardens, which local historians describe as Solana Beach's first neighborhood. The December schedule begins on the bluffs that most visitors know and finishes where the town started.
Eight Days, Three Santa Sightings
| Date | Event | Where | Key times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | 21st annual Fletcher Cove Holiday Tree Lighting | Fletcher Cove Park | Starts 4:30 p.m.; Santa arrives about 5:20 p.m. |
| Friday, Dec. 11 | Santa's Sleigh Ride | Starts and ends at Solana Beach Fire Station, 500 Lomas Santa Fe Drive | Starts 2:30 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec. 13 | La Colonia Holiday Tree Lighting | La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Avenue | 5 to 7 p.m.; Santa arrives about 5:20 p.m. |
The City of Solana Beach hosts all three, and both tree lightings are free and open to the public. At both tree lightings, Mayor Lesa Heebner and the City Council turn on the lights. The two evenings follow almost the same program, with the same switch, the same council and the same 5:20 p.m. Santa arrival. The setting is what changes from one Sunday to the next.
Fletcher Cove Adds Snow This Year
The Fletcher Cove Holiday Tree Lighting is hosted by the City and its Parks and Recreation Commission. The listing promises sweets, treats, hot cocoa and cider, with the ocean behind the tree. New in 2026, the City has added a snow hill for sledding and a snow-play area. Santa comes in with a fire-truck escort after the lights go on.
The park around the tree is also newer than it was at last year's lighting. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in March that on March 11 the City Council approved a resolution for a notice of completion on beach-access work at Fletcher Cove. The project covered the ramp, walkway, shower, grate and park stairs. This year's crowd at the 4:30 p.m. start will be using the finished improvements.
Dec. 6 can also fill a whole day. The Cedros Farmers Market runs on Cedros Avenue every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., ending half an hour before the Fletcher Cove festivities begin. Earlier that morning, Cardiff 101 holds its free Cardiff Kringle Mingle on Aberdeen Drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's in Cardiff, just north of Solana Beach, and offers photos with Surfing Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Friday: Santa Comes to the Neighborhoods
Between the two Sundays, Santa leaves the parks and rides through town. The Santa's Sleigh Ride starts at the Solana Beach Fire Station at 500 Lomas Santa Fe Drive at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, and ends there too. Santa rides with Fire, Sheriff and Marine Safety personnel. The City posts a route map with estimated times for each part of town and asks spectators to stay on the sidewalk as the sleigh goes by. For questions, the Parks and Recreation Department's number is (858) 720-2454.
That evening, South Cedros has its own event. Christmas in the Courtyard is listed for 240 S. Cedros Avenue from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 11. It's billed as Grape + Olive x Grange Garden, and Grange Garden hosts a children's pajama night. The Eventbrite listing has the details.
Sunday the 13th: Back to Where the Town Began
The La Colonia Holiday Tree Lighting is co-hosted by the City and the La Colonia Community Foundation. It runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Avenue, with sweets, treats and Mexican hot cocoa. Santa arrives with his elves at 5:20 p.m. The City's listing calls the park "historic," and the neighborhood's dates show why.
- 1919 to 1920. La Colonia was developed for Mexican workers who tended the Rancho Santa Fe citrus groves.
- 1923. A subdivision there was named Eden Gardens.
- 1944. An expansion brought back the La Colonia name, and today the area is known as La Colonia de Eden Gardens.
- 1970s. La Colonia Park was built. Community leader Cipriana Martínez Gonzalez played a central role in establishing it.
- May 5, 1991. The La Colonia Community Center was dedicated.
- May 2024. The Coast News reported that the City opened a rebuilt tot lot after about six months of construction. The roughly $1.1 million project added play structures, rubberized surfacing, slides, swings, better drainage and accessible features.
- July 2025. Gonzalez family members joined Solana Beach council members to celebrate "Cipri's Playground," which the Civic & Historical Society records as dedicated to Cipriana Martinez Gonzalez for her advocacy for La Colonia.
The Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society keeps the longer account. The park itself holds some of that history. The Coast News has described a Tree of Life tile wall there that names historic La Colonia families. The park is also home to the Stevens House, the oldest house in Solana Beach, built in 1887. According to the Society, it now houses the Solana Beach Heritage Museum, open the first and third Saturdays of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment.
A Tradition With Its Own Character
The La Colonia lighting is younger than the Fletcher Cove event, and it has its own customs. City Parks and Recreation Commission records refer to an "Eden Gardens Tree Lighting" in December 2022, and the event has been held every December since. For the 2023 lighting, a San Diego Union-Tribune events listing mentioned aguinaldo treat bags, pan dulce and Santa.
The co-host does more than throw a holiday party. The La Colonia Community Foundation states its mission as supporting La Colonia de Eden Gardens residents and descendants through community, leadership, education and advocacy. It offers an annual scholarship to graduating seniors, college students and adults continuing their education who have La Colonia residency or family ties and a North County San Diego address.
The Park Is Still Being Planned
La Colonia Park is also in the middle of a long-range plan. In February 2025, the City Council reviewed concepts for a new youth, senior and community building on the vacant lot next to the park. The concepts also included more event space, parking, pickleball courts and possible renovations to the existing center. In July 2025, the City approved master-plan updates and interim improvements for that lot. They call for a trail, shaded seating, landscaping and an event lawn, with construction expected to begin in 2026. The same update lists planned work on the existing center, including new windows, more classroom space and a folding glass door, as well as a future three-level youth and senior center.
Those plans include a dedicated event lawn, so the lighting may have more room in future Decembers. For now, the City's listing gives the event's address as 715 Valley Avenue, and the Parks and Recreation number for this one is 858-720-4430.
Before and Between the Lightings
The rest of the season fits around those three dates.
- Friday, Dec. 4. The Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society holds its Holiday Luncheon from noon to 2 p.m. at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, with reservations due Dec. 1. Holly Smith Jones will be honored as the 2026 Distinguished Citizen.
- Sundays through December. The Cedros Farmers Market runs Dec. 13, 20 and 27 from noon to 4 p.m. The market lists Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day among its closures.
- Nov. 28 to Jan. 31. For anyone shopping a few miles north, Cardiff 101's Holiday Passport offers discounts at more than 20 Cardiff businesses.
On Dec. 13, the farmers market closes at 4 p.m., and the La Colonia tree lighting starts at 5 p.m. at 715 Valley Avenue.
The Shay Realtors team follows community calendars like this one because they shape life in North County neighborhoods. If you're coming to either tree lighting and have questions about Solana Beach, from the coast to Valley Avenue, Shay Realtors is glad to help. Talk to a local expert and schedule your free neighborhood consultation.
