Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Ladera Ranch for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Merry Moments with Santa (December 3) and Winter Fest (December 5). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our California Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Ladera Ranch
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Ladera Ranch
- Meet Santa: Merry Moments with Santa (December 3) and Winter Fest (December 5)
- Season: December 3 (Merry Moments with Santa) to December 5 (Winter Fest)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 2 events
Nothing matches yet. Try another kind of event, or .
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Ladera Ranch event 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 Ladera Ranch.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Ladera Ranch before they fill up.
- Start your magical Christmas season now Every event appears the moment you enter your email.
- 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.
Waiting inside
- 2 Santa
- 1 Lights
- 1 Shows
- 1 Crafts
Enter your email and all will appear instantly.
The Christmas magic awaits
Enter your email to get Christmas event notifications all season long and unlock the details on 1 Christmas event in Ladera Ranch.
- New events in Ladera Ranch every week
- Exclusive access to free events
- Your magical Christmas season starts now
- Christmas Eve Express and free advent calendar
- One-tap add to calendar
Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Ladera Ranch
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Santa and Mrs. Claus
Merry Moments with Santa
- When: Thursday, December 3, 2026, 4 to 7:45 pm (Visits run in registered time slots; 4:00 to 4:30 PM is reserved for children with autism, special needs or disabilities)
- Where: Heritage Farm, McGwire Road, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page; registration required, Ladera Ranch households only
- Ages: Families living in Ladera Ranch
Expand to see the parent tip
Santa and Mrs. Claus settle in at Heritage Farm for an evening of short family visits. Children share their wish lists with Santa and the household poses for a picture taken on their own camera. The first half hour is set aside as a calmer session for children with autism, special needs or disabilities.
It takes place Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:45 PM. Registration opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, November 16 through the community website, with one registration allowed per Ladera Ranch address covering household members only. Several families share each time slot, and the page gives no fee.
Parent tip: No photographer is provided, so charge your phone or camera before you go. Each slot holds more than one family and a short wait is expected, which matters on a school night with little ones.
- Host
- Ladera Ranch Community Services (LARCS) (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Heritage Farm, McGwire Road, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Ladera Ranch events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Ladera Ranch daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Ladera Ranch.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Ladera Ranch event 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 Ladera Ranch.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Ladera Ranch 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
- 1 Lights
- 1 Shows
- 1 Crafts
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Ladera Ranch every week.
Holiday event
Winter Fest
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 2 to 5 pm (Santa lights the park's holiday display at 5:00 PM; the Santa photo line closes at 4:15 PM)
- Where: Town Green, 28801 Sienna Pkwy, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
Expand to see the parent tip
Town Green turns into an afternoon festival with the Pop Vision Band on stage, holiday performances, inflatables, games and craft tables. A Holiday Kids Market, run with Kids Markets, lets young sellers offer things they made themselves, from soap and slime to handmade crafts. The day ends when Santa switches on the park's holiday lights.
Winter Fest is Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, with the lighting at 5:00 PM. Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus stop at 4:15 PM sharp, and ride and attraction lines may shut as early as 4:30 PM. Mercantile Way is closed between Sienna Parkway and First Street from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and pets other than service animals are asked to stay home.
Parent tip: Go to the Santa photo line as soon as you arrive, because it closes 45 minutes before the lights come on. Leave bikes and scooters at home or in the parking area, since they are not allowed on the event grass.
- Host
- Ladera Ranch Community Services (LARCS) (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Town Green, 28801 Sienna Pkwy, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Ladera Ranch events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Ladera Ranch daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Ladera Ranch.
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 Ladera Ranch Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Merry Moments with Santa in Ladera Ranch on December 3; the last runs to December 5. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Merry Moments with SantaLadera Ranch · Dec 3
- Winter FestLadera Ranch · Dec 5
Looking further afield? Our California Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for San Clemente, Irvine, Murrieta and Anaheim. 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. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Ladera Ranch
Ladera Ranch began taking shape in 1999 on part of Rancho Mission Viejo, a 23,000-acre cattle ranch that was the largest working ranch left in Orange County. Today the planned community marks Christmas with a festival and holiday lighting on Town Green and an evening with Santa at Heritage Farm.
How Ladera Ranch celebrates
Ladera Ranch Community Services, the nonprofit that runs the community's events, organizes the Christmas season here. On December 3, 2026, Santa and Mrs. Claus greet registered resident families at Heritage Farm during Merry Moments with Santa, with the first half hour kept calm for children with special needs. Two days later Winter Fest fills Town Green on Sienna Parkway with a band, holiday performances, inflatables, crafts and a Holiday Kids Market, and Mercantile Way closes to traffic for the day. Santa ends the afternoon by lighting the park's holiday display at 5:00 PM. Wikipedia lists a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and Santa visit among the events the community sponsors each year.
Fun facts about Christmas in Ladera Ranch
Ladera Ranch is a 4,000-acre master-planned community in southern Orange County, and construction started in 1999 on land from the O'Neill, Avery and Moiso families' Rancho Mission Viejo cattle ranch. It is divided into nine villages and is not a city, so the Orange County Board of Supervisors governs it. The 2020 census counted 26,170 residents. The community has 18 community parks and miles of trails that connect to Doheny Beach.
Traditions today
- Winter Fest on Town Green: Families gather on Town Green on December 5, 2026 for music, inflatables, games and crafts before the holiday lights come on.
- Santa lights the park: Santa appears at 5:00 PM at the close of Winter Fest to switch on the holiday display at Town Green.
- Merry Moments with Santa: Resident households register for a time slot to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus at Heritage Farm on December 3, 2026.
- Holiday Kids Market: Young entrepreneurs sell their own handmade goods and services at a market held during Winter Fest in partnership with Kids Markets.
- A quiet half hour with Santa: Merry Moments with Santa sets aside 4:00 to 4:30 PM for children with autism, special needs or disabilities.
A fact for kids
Before there were houses and parks in Ladera Ranch, the land was part of a giant cattle ranch. The community also has its own water park and skate park.
Questions about Christmas in Ladera Ranch
When was Ladera Ranch founded?
Construction of Ladera Ranch began in 1999. It was built on portions of Rancho Mission Viejo, a 23,000-acre cattle ranch owned by the O'Neill, Avery and Moiso families, which was the largest remaining working ranch in Orange County at the time.
Is Ladera Ranch a city?
No. Ladera Ranch is a master-planned community in unincorporated southern Orange County, just outside Mission Viejo. The Orange County Board of Supervisors governs it, and the Census Bureau treats it as a census-designated place. It first appeared in the census in 2010.
How many people live in Ladera Ranch?
The 2020 census counted 26,170 residents, up from 22,980 in 2010. It is a young community: 35 percent of residents were under 18 in 2020, and nearly six in ten households had children living in them.
Who organizes Christmas events in Ladera Ranch?
Ladera Ranch Community Services, known as LARCS, runs them. It is an independent nonprofit led by an elected five-member board, and it puts on community events, recreation programs and the LaderaLife.com website. Both Winter Fest and Merry Moments with Santa are LARCS events.
What happens at Christmas in Ladera Ranch?
In 2026 the season includes Merry Moments with Santa at Heritage Farm on Thursday, December 3, and Winter Fest on Town Green on Saturday, December 5. Winter Fest has music, inflatables, crafts, a kids market and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and it ends with a holiday lighting at 5:00 PM.
Where is Winter Fest held?
Winter Fest takes place at Town Green, 28801 Sienna Parkway, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM on Saturday, December 5, 2026. Mercantile Way between Sienna Parkway and First Street is closed from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM that day to make room for the festival.
How is Ladera Ranch laid out?
The community is divided into nine villages, including Oak Knoll Village, Bridgepark, Terramor Village and Covenant Hills, and each village holds ten or more neighborhoods. Four villages have clubhouses built around an architectural theme, and there are parks, pools and playgrounds throughout.
Can anyone attend Merry Moments with Santa?
The event is set up for Ladera Ranch households. Registration opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, November 16, 2026, with one registration per Ladera Ranch address, and it covers household members only. Space is limited and families need to bring their own camera.
What parks and trails does Ladera Ranch have?
According to Wikipedia, the community has 18 community parks, a private water park, a skate park, a dog park, six smaller neighborhood pools and many pocket parks and green belts. Miles of hiking and biking trails connect all the way to Doheny Beach.
Sources
- Ladera Ranch, California, Wikipedia
- Merry Moments with Santa, Ladera Ranch Community Services (LaderaLife.com)
- Winter Fest, Ladera Ranch Community Services (LaderaLife.com)
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every California city.
Ladera Ranch Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Ladera Ranch?
Start with Winter Fest on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM on Town Green. It has live music, inflatables, games, crafts, a kids market and Santa lighting the park's holiday display at 5:00 PM. Resident families can also sign up for Merry Moments with Santa at Heritage Farm on Thursday, December 3.
Where can kids meet Santa in Ladera Ranch?
There are two chances. Merry Moments with Santa on Thursday, December 3, 2026, gives registered Ladera Ranch households a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Heritage Farm. At Winter Fest on Saturday, December 5, Santa and Mrs. Claus pose for photos on Town Green until the line closes at 4:15 PM.
Is there a tree lighting in Ladera Ranch?
Yes. Winter Fest on Saturday, December 5, 2026 ends with Santa lighting the holiday display at Town Green at 5:00 PM. The festival begins at 2:00 PM, so families can spend the afternoon on games, crafts and performances and then stay for the lights.
Which Ladera Ranch Christmas events need registration?
Merry Moments with Santa on December 3, 2026 requires registration, which opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, November 16. It is limited to one registration per Ladera Ranch address and space is limited. The Winter Fest page on December 5 does not mention tickets or sign-up for the festival itself.
Is there a sensory-friendly Santa visit in Ladera Ranch?
Yes. At Merry Moments with Santa on Thursday, December 3, 2026, the 4:00 to 4:30 PM window at Heritage Farm is reserved for families of children with autism, special needs or disabilities. Ladera Ranch Community Services describes it as a calm, supportive time to visit Santa and Mrs. Claus.
What is the Holiday Kids Market at Winter Fest?
It is a market of child-run businesses held during Winter Fest on Town Green, Saturday, December 5, 2026. Working with Kids Markets, the organizers bring in young entrepreneurs who sell their own products and services, such as handmade crafts, soaps and slime. Children who want a booth sign up through Kids Markets.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Ladera Ranch?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s California Christmas train rides guide. This Ladera Ranch guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows 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 10, 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.