"Due to the City's current financial situation, all events traditionally sponsored by the City have been put on hold until further notice. However, several local non-profits have committed to sponsoring and hosting many of these community events!"
That notice sits at the top of the City of Orange special events page. Below it is a short list of handoffs. Kiwanis of Orange has Concerts in the Park. Orange Plaza Traditions has Treats in the Streets and the Christmas Market and Tree Lighting. The Community Foundation of Orange has the Veterans Day Tribute at the Field of Valor.
The handed-off events are still free and still in their usual places. One date needs planning weeks ahead, and it comes from Irvine Park Railroad, which runs its own holiday operation inside Irvine Regional Park. If you can only put one alarm on your phone this fall, set it for Monday, November 2, at 10 a.m.
The Season, Sorted by Who Runs It
| Date | Event | Host | Ticket needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Oct. 29, 4 to 7 p.m. | Treats in the Streets, Orange Plaza | Orange Plaza Traditions | No, free |
| Nov. 7 through noon Nov. 12 | Field of Valor, Handy Park | Community Foundation of Orange | No admission price listed |
| Monday, Nov. 2, 10 a.m. | Christmas Train tickets go on sale | Irvine Park Railroad | Online only |
| Nov. 27 to Dec. 23 | Christmas Train | Irvine Park Railroad | Yes, reserved in advance |
| Nov. 27 to Dec. 30, closed Dec. 24 and 25 | Santa's Village | Irvine Park Railroad | No, free entry |
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | Christmas Market and Tree Lighting, Plaza Park | Orange Plaza Traditions | No, free |
| Dec. 26 to 30 | Train of Lights | Irvine Park Railroad | Yes, reserved in advance |
The nonprofit events are walk-ups. The two train rides are the only items on the list that need a reservation, and the railroad says both will sell out.
Tonight on the Plaza, the Handoff Gets Its First Big Test
Treats in the Streets runs today, Thursday, October 29, from 4 to 7 p.m. Orange Plaza Traditions describes it this way: "the streets surrounding the Plaza are closed to traffic, creating a safe, walkable space where children and families can enjoy trick-or-treating, Halloween activities, and plenty of community fun in the heart of Old Towne Orange." The event centers on Plaza Park and stretches along Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street, and admission is free.
According to an event listing on VillaPark.co, Orange Plaza Traditions took on production and financial responsibility for Treats in the Streets, the Christmas Market and Tree Lighting, and the Orange International Street Fair in 2026. That makes tonight the first Halloween the group has produced since the City stepped back. The organizer's page lists tabs for parking, maps and accessibility, and says more details will be posted as Halloween gets closer. Check it before you drive in, because the streets around the Plaza are closed for the event.
If the kids wind down by seven and the adults don't, the Musco Center has its Big Band & Jazz Combo concert tonight at 7:30 p.m. Gaby Moreno plays there Friday, October 30, at 7:30 p.m.
Handy Park Carries Veterans Day
The next handoff moves east, to Handy Park at 2143 E. Oakmont. The Community Foundation of Orange is hosting the 2026 Field of Valor. It says "more than 1,200 full-sized American flags will be displayed, each with a personal tribute to a service member."
The Foundation's schedule:
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 11:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies
- Tuesday, Nov. 10, 11 a.m. Marine Corps Birthday Celebration with the Orange Police Department
- Wednesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m. Veterans Day Celebration with lunch for veterans
- Thursday, Nov. 12, noon The field closes
The Guide Orange County lists noon for the November 7 opening. The Foundation's own page says 11:30, so plan for 11:30. The Foundation says the event aims to raise money for veterans groups, reach school-age children with education programs, and offer a place of healing. The same page has links for volunteers and sponsors.
The field is open around the clock for most of a week. You can stop by on a weekday walk without timing it to a ceremony.
The Events City Hall Never Ran Are the Ones That Sell Out
Irvine Regional Park sits at 1 Irvine Park Road, in Orange's 92869 zip code. Its holiday season is run by Irvine Park Railroad, which keeps its own calendar and ticketing. City budget decisions don't affect it, and its demand doesn't depend on anyone handing it off.
The railroad runs three holiday attractions, and people mix them up:
- Christmas Train, Nov. 27 to Dec. 23. Riders leave the train station and are dropped off at the North Pole to visit Santa and take a photo. The ride back passes the "Tunnel of Lights." Reservations are required, and the railroad states plainly: "Yes. The Christmas Train will sell out."
- Train of Lights, Dec. 26 to 30. This is a ride through thousands of lights on a 1-mile loop with no stops. It also needs advance online tickets, and the railroad says it will sell out too.
- Santa's Village, Nov. 27 to Dec. 30, closed Dec. 24 and 25. Entry is free and no reservation is required. Activities include Ice Fishing, Blizzard Ball, Rudolph Racers, cookie decorating and a Craft Corner for ornaments. Activity tickets cost $8 each, or $100 for a book of 15.
You have to ride the Christmas Train to meet Santa. The railroad's FAQ says: "Christmas Train tickets must be purchased in advance to visit Santa and to take a photo with him." Santa's Village offers lights, games and hot chocolate to anyone who shows up. The visit with Santa is behind the reservation.
Getting into the park costs extra. The entrance fee is $3 per vehicle on weekdays, $5 on weekends and $7 on holidays. Parking is free after 6 p.m. Santa's Village is open 4 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, so a weeknight visit after six skips the entrance fee. Daytime hours start on December 14.
Monday, November 2, at 10 a.m.
Christmas Train tickets go on sale online only on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. Here's how the sale works, according to the railroad's FAQ:
- No phone or box-office sales. "Tickets cannot be purchased in person or over the phone." Once a date and time sell out, no more tickets are sold for that slot.
- Up to eight tickets per order, if that many are left in the time slot.
- A $5 online fee per ticket. The railroad says riders asked for online sales so they could lock in a time without waiting in a long line.
- Children under 24 months ride free and don't need a ticket.
- Tickets are sold by the hour. Get in line within 30 minutes of the start of your hour. For a 4 to 5 p.m. ticket, that means by 4:30.
- Print tickets if your group is arriving separately. Tickets arrive by email and can be shown on a phone. The railroad suggests printing them and handing them out ahead of time.
- Santa's Village activity tickets can't be used for the Christmas Train or the Train of Lights.
Weekday rides run 4 to 9 p.m. and weekend rides run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. From December 14 through 23, rides run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. Those last ten days line up with winter break, so if your calendar is flexible, pick the dates you want before ten o'clock on November 2.
Early December Puts Everything Back Near the Plaza
The first full weekend of December brings the season back near the Plaza. Orange Plaza Traditions lists the Christmas Market and Tree Lighting for Sunday, December 6, 2026, centered on Plaza Park, with free admission. The organizer says more details will be added closer to the holidays. A VillaPark.co listing shows the market running 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the program running 5:15 to 7 p.m., with carols, an orchestra, a candlelight choir procession and the tree lighting. Treat those times as tentative until the organizer confirms them. The same listing says local nonprofit groups will sell food for a small charge.
Two nights earlier, the Musco Center starts its 62nd Annual Holiday Wassail Concert, with shows Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. The next weekend it presents Campana Sobre Campana: Christmas in Mexico, on Saturday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 13, at 2 p.m. If you want to make a weekend of it, you can see Wassail on Saturday night and the tree lighting the next evening, a short drive apart.
From then until Christmas, the only things on Orange's holiday calendar that can sell out are the railroad's train rides. Santa's Village stays free all month, and the Plaza tree stays lit after December 6. Christmas Train seats for the second half of December go fastest, since those days get the longest hours.
Questions about Orange, from where to park on tree-lighting night to what homes near Handy Park have been selling for, are always welcome with Kevin Kott. If you'd like to know what your own place is worth heading into the new year, get your free home valuation.
