The Fontana area has 3 Christmas events for kids we could confirm for the 2026 season, from Tree Lighting Ceremony in Fontana on December 3 to Festival of Winter in Fontana, on December 12. 2 of them are free, and every listing links straight to the host. It is one stop on our guide to Christmas events for kids in California, part of our guide for every state.
The short version
- 3 kids’ Christmas events confirmed in Fontana for 2026, in Fontana
- First: Tree Lighting Ceremony, Fontana, December 3. Runs latest: Festival of Winter, Fontana, through December 12
- Free: Pictures with Santa and Festival of Winter
- Checked on each host’s own page; each listing links straight to it
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Christmas events for kids in Fontana
3 confirmed events for kids in Fontana, soonest first.
Tree lighting
Tree Lighting Ceremony
- When: Thursday, December 3, 2026, 6 pm
- Where: Miller Park Amphitheater, Fontana
- Cost: Check the host's page
Details, tips and host
The City of Fontana opens its holiday season with a tree lighting ceremony at the Miller Park Amphitheater on the evening of Thursday, December 3. The city describes it as a family event with live entertainment, light refreshments and activities, along with a visit from friends from the North Pole before the tree is lit.
The city page does not list a price, registration or an age range, and it does not give a street address for the amphitheater, so check the page or call before you go if you need those details. It is a short weeknight evening event, which can suit families with younger children who want a taste of the season without a full day out. Questions go to the city's Special Events Division at Events@FontanaCA.gov or (909) 349-6979.
Parent tip: The event starts at 6 pm on a Thursday; contact the Special Events Division at (909) 349-6979 for details the page does not list.
- Host
- City of Fontana (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Miller Park Amphitheater, Fontana, CA
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visitFree
Pictures with Santa
- When: Fri December 4 (5 to 7 pm) and Sat December 5 (10 am to noon), 2026
- Where: Jessie Turner Center, Heritage Center and Don Day Center, Fontana
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages are welcome
Details, tips and host
The City of Fontana hosts three free Pictures with Santa sessions at its community centers. The first is Friday, December 4, from 5 to 7 pm at the Jessie Turner Center. On Saturday, December 5, Santa appears from 10 am to noon at both the Heritage Center and the Don Day Center, so families can choose the location closest to home.
Each session includes a chance to meet Santa and take pictures, along with festive crafts, candy, music and a station for writing letters to Santa. The city says all ages are welcome, which makes this an easy, low-cost outing for toddlers through older kids. The page does not list street addresses for the centers or mention registration, so contact the center or the Community Services Department at (909) 349-6900 with questions before you go.
Parent tip: Saturday sessions run at two centers at the same time, so pick the closer one. Call (909) 349-6900 for center addresses and details.
- Host
- City of Fontana Community Services Department (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Jessie Turner Center, Heritage Center and Don Day Center, Fontana, CA
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Santa visitFree
Festival of Winter
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11 am to 4 pm
- Where: Miller Park Amphitheater, Fontana
- Cost: Free
- Ages: Something for all ages
Details, tips and host
Festival of Winter is the City of Fontana's free daytime holiday festival at the Miller Park Amphitheater on Saturday, December 12, from 11 am to 4 pm. The big draw is sledding on more than 40 tons of snow, and the day also includes rides and attractions, live entertainment, vendors, activity booths and photos with Santa.
A dedicated Tot Lot gives the youngest children their own space, and the city promises something for all ages. Admission is free. The Fontana Christmas Parade runs the same morning at 10 am along Sierra Avenue, so families can make a full day of it. The page does not list a street address for the amphitheater, parking details or registration, so check with the Special Events Division at Events@FontanaCA.gov or (909) 349-6979 if you need more information.
Parent tip: Dress kids for snow play if they plan to sled. The Fontana Christmas Parade runs the same morning at 10 am along Sierra Avenue.
- Host
- City of Fontana (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Miller Park Amphitheater, Fontana, CA
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Fontana? Bring Rally home.
Rally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. It makes a cozy bedtime story after a big day with Santa. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Every event above was confirmed on the host’s own page, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (sign-ups, ages, what is included). Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our California Christmas train rides page.
Fontana Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 3 confirmed for 2026
- Cities
- Fontana
- Season
- December 3 to December 12, 2026
- Free events
- 2
- Kinds of events
- Santa visit and tree lighting
- Last checked
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Fontana Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Tree Lighting Ceremony in Fontana on December 3; the last runs to December 12. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Tree Lighting CeremonyFontana · Dec 3
- Pictures with SantaFontana · Dec 4 to Dec 5
- Festival of WinterFontana · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our California Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, Bakersfield, Riverside, Long Beach, Oakland, Anaheim, Irvine, Stockton, Modesto, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Santa Rosa, Palm Springs, Simi Valley, Victorville, Indio, Chico, Santa Clarita, Escondido, Temecula, Visalia, Thousand Oaks, San Clemente, Santa Cruz, Madera, Gilroy, Hanford, Delano, Oceanside, Salinas, Murrieta, Santa Maria, Vacaville, Hesperia, Redding, Hemet, Merced, Yuba City, Porterville and Watsonville. 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.
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 Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November: unlock the list and we'll email you as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Fontana
In Fontana, snow arrives by the truckload. Each December this Inland Empire city turns a park into a winter hill with more than 40 tons of fresh snow, and its parade, tree lighting and Santa visits have been bringing neighbors together for years.
How Fontana celebrates
Fontana kicks off the season with a tree lighting ceremony at City Hall, followed by a Christmas parade on Sierra Avenue hosted by the Fontana Exchange Club. In 2011 the parade drew volunteers from more than 60 local organizations. The city's Festival of Winter was already in its 12th year in 2011, which means it began around 2000. That year's theme was Fontana's Ski Lodge, with a skating rink, bounce houses and stage shows. Over the years, families have also lined up for free photos with Santa at neighborhood community centers.
Christmas last year in Fontana
In 2025 the tree lighting took place on Thursday, December 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall. It was hosted by the Fontana Chamber of Commerce with the City Council, with live entertainment, light refreshments, activities and visitors from the North Pole. Kids could bring a Christmas wish list and send a letter to Santa. On Saturday, December 13, the free Festival of Winter filled the Miller Park Amphitheatre from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with sledding on more than 40 tons of fresh snow and a Tot Lot where little ones could play in snow for the first time.
Fun facts about Christmas in Fontana
Fontana is a Southern California city where it almost never snows, so the Festival of Winter brings over 40 tons of snow in for sledding. The parade has had a new theme each year, such as Christmas Around the World in 2022. The town was called Rosena until 1919, and the name Fontana is Italian for fountain. It began as a farm town of citrus orchards, vineyards and chicken ranches, and it was incorporated on June 25, 1952. In 2018 families could even take underwater pictures with Santa at the Fontana Aquatics Center.
Trains and Christmas near Fontana
Trains have long been part of Fontana life. A Pacific Electric freight depot was built here in 1915, and a Metrolink station still runs through the center of town. Train rides have also been part of the Festival of Winter, including in 2018 and 2023. For a closer look at real rolling stock, RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona lets kids climb into locomotive cabs, and the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris has the West's largest collection of locomotives and streetcars.
- RailGiants Train Museum: The closest big train museum to Fontana, where kids can climb into the cabs of giant locomotives one weekend a month.
- Southern California Railway Museum: The West's largest collection of locomotives, streetcars and rail artifacts, with train and trolley rides on weekends.
- Fullerton Train Museum: Six vintage railcars right beside a busy station, so kids can watch real trains go by.
Traditions today
- City Hall Tree Lighting: An evening of live entertainment, refreshments, activities and North Pole visitors, with letters to Santa for kids.
- Fontana Christmas Parade: Hosted by the Fontana Exchange Club, the parade starts at Sierra Avenue and Arrow Boulevard at 10 a.m. with a new theme each year.
- Festival of Winter: A free day of sledding on more than 40 tons of fresh snow, plus a Tot Lot, rides, live entertainment and Santa photos.
- Pictures with Santa: Free photo evenings and mornings at neighborhood community centers, a tradition that has also included Breakfast with Santa.
- Letters to Santa: Kids bring a Christmas wish list to the tree lighting and send their letter to the North Pole.
- Holiday Follies: A revue-style holiday show at the Center Stage Theater that ran throughout December in 2018.
A fact for kids
In Fontana, a park turns into a snow hill! The Festival of Winter brings in more than 40 tons of fresh snow so kids can go sledding, even though it hardly ever snows in town.
Questions about Christmas in Fontana
How long has Fontana had a Christmas tree lighting?
Fontana's tree lighting is an annual tradition that was already running in 2011, when it took place in the City Hall courtyard. In 2025 it included live entertainment, refreshments and visitors from the North Pole. Our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's details.
Where is the Fontana tree lighting ceremony held?
Historically the tree lighting has been held at Fontana City Hall on Sierra Avenue, in the courtyard in front of the building, including in 2011, 2018 and 2025. Because locations can change from year to year, check our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page for this season's confirmed place and time.
What happened at the 2025 Fontana tree lighting?
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, families gathered at City Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. for live entertainment, light refreshments and activities. Visitors from the North Pole stopped by, and kids could bring a Christmas wish list and send a letter to Santa. The Fontana Chamber of Commerce hosted the night with the City Council.
Who runs the Fontana Christmas Parade?
The Fontana Exchange Club hosts the Fontana Christmas Parade. It is described as a long-running family tradition, and in 2011 volunteers from more than 60 local organizations and groups helped. Floats and community groups travel through the downtown area on Sierra Avenue, and the parade steps off at 10 a.m. on a Saturday in December.
Where does the Fontana Christmas Parade start?
The parade starts at the corner of Sierra Avenue and Arrow Boulevard at 10 a.m. and runs south on Sierra Avenue through downtown. It has used this route in the years we checked, including 2018 and 2023. For this season's date and any changes, see our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page.
Does the Fontana Christmas Parade have a theme?
Yes, the parade picks a new theme each year. In 2022 it was Christmas Around the World, and in 2026 the listed theme is Toys In Action. Themes give floats and community groups an idea to build around, and they are a fun way to talk with kids about what they notice along Sierra Avenue.
When did the Fontana Festival of Winter begin?
The Festival of Winter began around the year 2000. We know this because the 2011 festival was billed as the 12th annual, which puts the first one about a dozen years earlier. It has stayed a free, family day at a city park with Santa photos, entertainment and vendors.
Does it really snow in Fontana at Christmas?
Not naturally. Fontana sits in the warm Southern California valley, so the city brings in more than 40 tons of fresh snow for the Festival of Winter. Kids can go sledding on it, and the Tot Lot gives the youngest children a safe spot to touch and play in snow, often for the first time.
What was the Fontana's Ski Lodge theme?
Fontana's Ski Lodge was the theme of the 12th annual Festival of Winter on December 10, 2011, held at Veterans Park. Instead of real snow, that year offered a skating rink, a game zone, arts and crafts, bounce houses and stage performances.
What is the Tot Lot at the Festival of Winter?
The Tot Lot is a play area at the Festival of Winter made for young children. It lets little ones play in snow, often for the first time. It has been part of the festival in recent years, including 2023 and 2025, alongside more than 40 tons of snow.
How can I explain the letters to Santa tradition to my child?
Tell your child that at the tree lighting, visitors from the North Pole come to Fontana to collect wish lists. Kids bring or write a letter to Santa and send it north. It is a good way to practice writing and to talk with your child about what they hope for and what they might give to others.
How did Fontana get its name?
Fontana is Italian for fountain or water source. The town was called Rosena from 1890 until 1919, when it took the Fontana name. It was founded by Azariel Blanchard Miller, and it became an official city on June 25, 1952.
What was Fontana like before it grew into a big city?
Fontana began as a farm town with citrus orchards, vineyards and chicken ranches along old Route 66, which is now Foothill Boulevard. During World War II, Henry J. Kaiser built a steel plant just outside the city limits, which changed the area. The city grew from about 129,000 people in 2000 to more than 208,000 in 2020.
What is Fontana's motto?
City of Action is listed as Fontana's motto, though we did not find when it began. It fits the city's busy December, when parades, a tree lighting, Santa photo days and a snow festival all happen within a couple of weeks. Our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page has the current dates.
Where can kids meet Santa in Fontana?
Fontana has a long habit of free Santa photo days at community centers, such as the Jessie Turner Center, Heritage Center and Don Day Center, and Santa also appears at the Festival of Winter. Past years even included Breakfast with Santa and underwater photos at the Aquatics Center. See our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page for this season.
Has there been a train ride at the Fontana Festival of Winter?
Yes. Train rides were listed as part of the Festival of Winter in 2018 and again in 2023, along with other rides, live entertainment, vendors and Santa photos. The festival is free to enter, and it takes place at Miller Park on Arrow Boulevard in recent years.
Is there a Christmas parade in Fontana this year?
Yes. Fontana keeps its Christmas parade every December, and the city lists the 2026 parade for Saturday, December 12 at 10 a.m. on Sierra Avenue, with the theme Toys In Action. For updates on times and street closures, see our Fontana Christmas events guide on this page.
Which train museum is closest to Fontana?
RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona is the nearest train museum on our list. It sits at the LA County Fairgrounds and is free one weekend a month, and kids can climb into the cabs of giant locomotives such as Union Pacific No. 9000 and a Centennial diesel. Big Boy No. 4014 lived there for 52 years.
Where can kids see big steam and diesel trains near Fontana?
The Southern California Railway Museum in Perris has the West's largest collection of locomotives, streetcars and rail artifacts, with free admission and parking Tuesday to Sunday and train and trolley rides on weekends. It is within a day trip of Fontana, and it makes a good winter outing for train fans.
Is there a railroad history site in Fontana itself?
Yes, in a small way. A Pacific Electric Railway freight depot was built in Fontana in 1915, and it is now known as the Art Depot. A Metrolink station also runs through the center of town. Kids who love trains can watch for passing commuter trains downtown.
Sources
- Tree Lighting Ceremony and holiday events, City of Fontana
- Fontana Chamber Tree Lighting Ceremony 2025, MyGovTools
- Festival of Winter 2025, MyGovTools
- Christmas Parade and Festival of Winter will be held in Fontana on Saturday, Dec. 9, Fontana Herald News
- 12th Annual Festival of Winter Fontana's Ski Lodge, Inland Empire Community Newspapers
- City of Fontana started holiday season with tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 1, Fontana Herald News
- Tis the Season for Many Fun and Festive Events in Fontana, Inland Empire Community Newspapers
- Fontana, California, Wikipedia
- RailGiants Train Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Southern California Railway Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Fullerton Train Museum, Rally Takes the Train
Fontana Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Fontana this year?
We confirmed 3 for the 2026 season, and 2 of them are free. Good places to start: Festival of Winter (Dec 12), Tree Lighting Ceremony (Dec 3) and Pictures with Santa (Dec 4 to Dec 5). Every event on this page has the times, the cost and a link to the host.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Fontana?
Yes, 2 of the 3. Some free events still need a reservation, so check the listing before you go.
Where can kids meet Santa in Fontana?
2 events here include a visit with Santa. Bring your own camera; most visits allow photos.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Fontana?
Yes, but they have their own guide. Santa trains and holiday train rides are listed in our Fontana Christmas train rides guide, so this page sticks to story times, Santa visits and other events off the rails.
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 every listing on November 4, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
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.