Christmas Events for Kids in Chino (2026)

Rally the corgi has sniffed out the Christmas events for kids in Chino for 2026, and the city has a busy December planned. Santa’s Workshop and the tree lighting open the season on December 5, the Chino Youth Christmas Parade and free carnival follow on December 12, and character Winter Pop Ups run into the school break. We check every date on the host’s own website and link straight there. For the rest of the state, see our California Christmas events for kids guide.

What Rally found in Chino

  • 3 free Christmas events for kids in Chino
  • Santa’s Workshop: Saturday, December 5, 4 pm to 8 pm, tree lighting at 6 pm
  • Youth Christmas Parade and Fair: Saturday, December 12, from 9 am
  • Winter Pop Ups: December 18, 21 and 28, 6 pm to 8 pm
  • Every date checked on the City of Chino’s site on Nov 11

Free Christmas events for kids in Chino

Tree lightingFree

Santa's Workshop and Tree Lighting

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Chino’s Santa’s Workshop fills the City Hall lawn with photos with Santa, Christmas carolers, cookie decorating, a craft corner and a table for writing letters to Santa.

At 6 pm the mayor, City Council and city commissioners gather for the annual tree lighting ceremony, the moment most families plan their evening around.

Parent tip: Do cookies and letters first, then find a spot facing the tree before 6 pm. Bring a camera for the Santa photos.

Host
City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)
Address
Chino City Hall Lawn, 13220 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)

New Chino events every week

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 2 more Chino events researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Chino.
  • Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Chino before they fill up.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
  • Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
  • One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.

Coming up on this page

  • 2 Santa
  • 2 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Shows
  • 3 Free

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Parade and fairFree

Chino Youth Christmas Parade and Fair

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Chino’s youth parade puts local kids in the spotlight, with decorated entries competing under the 2026 theme Groovin’ Around the Christmas Tree as they travel from Yorba Avenue to the Civic Center.

The free Holiday Fair at City Hall follows with carnival rides, food and craft vendors and family entertainment, while the Chino Youth Museum marks its 25th anniversary with Santa’s Village and photos with Santa.

Parent tip: The parade runs rain or shine. Watch near the Civic Center end of the route so you are steps from the carnival when the last float arrives.

Host
City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)
Address
Chino Civic Center, 13220 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)

New Chino events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Chino daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Chino.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Character nightsFree

Winter Pop Ups

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Chino keeps the season going on the City Hall lawn with evening Winter Pop Ups, each starring favorite movie characters among the holiday lights.

Buddy the Elf leads a story time on December 18, the Grinch and Cindy Lou put on a Whoville show on December 21, and Christmas Belle, Elsa, Anna and Ariel share stories and songs on December 28.

Parent tip: Each night runs just two hours, so they make an easy evening outing. Bring a camera for the character photo opportunities.

Host
City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)
Address
Chino City Hall Lawn, 13220 Central Ave, Chino, CA 91710 (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
See dates and detailsfrom City of Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation (opens in a new tab)

New Chino events every week

Rally researches Christmas events in Chino daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Chino.

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our California Christmas train rides page.

See every event on a December calendar

Plan your December

When each Chino Christmas event for kids happens

All three Chino events happen at City Hall on Central Avenue. Start with Santa’s Workshop on December 5, come back for the parade and carnival on December 12, then pick a Winter Pop Up night later in the month.

Looking further afield? Our California Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Chino Hills, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.

A story for the drive home

A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Chino Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask

What are the best Christmas events for kids in Chino this year?

Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 free Christmas events for kids in Chino for 2026, all from the City of Chino: Santa's Workshop and Tree Lighting on December 5, the Chino Youth Christmas Parade and Fair on December 12, and the Winter Pop Ups on December 18, 21 and 28.

When is the Chino tree lighting in 2026?

Saturday, December 5, 2026, during Santa's Workshop on the City Hall lawn, 13220 Central Avenue. The event runs 4 pm to 8 pm and the tree is lit at 6 pm.

When is the Chino Youth Christmas Parade in 2026?

Saturday, December 12, 2026. The parade starts at 9 am and travels from Yorba Avenue to the Civic Center, followed by a free fair and carnival until 2 pm.

Where can kids see Santa in Chino?

At Santa's Workshop on December 5, and at Santa's Village at the Chino Youth Museum, 13191 Sixth Street, from 11 am to 1:30 pm on parade day.

Who do I contact about Chino holiday events?

Chino Community Services, Parks and Recreation at 909-334-3256 or chino_cspr@cityofchino.org.

Are there Christmas train rides for kids in California?

Yes. Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s California Christmas train rides page.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked Chino on November 11, 2026. Rally is also contacting each organizer to confirm details like parking, restrooms and bad-weather plans.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

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