Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Livermore for 2026, and here is what he found: 4 family events, 1 of them free. The magic runs from December 11 (Donuts with Santa: Friday Night Session) through December 12, with The Great Yule Log Hunt (December 12) and Donuts with Santa: Saturday Morning Sessions (December 12) along the way. 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 Livermore
- 4 Christmas events for kids in Livermore
- 1 free event, including The Great Yule Log Hunt
- Meet Santa: 3 chances, including Donuts with Santa: Friday Night Session (December 11) and Sensory Santa (December 11)
- Also on the list: 1 story time and 1 craft workshop
- Season: December 11 (Donuts with Santa: Friday Night Session) to December 12 (The Great Yule Log Hunt)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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Waiting inside
- 4 Breakfast and treats
- 3 Santa
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Story time
- 1 Free
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Free Christmas events for kids in Livermore
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The Great Yule Log Hunt
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 2 to 4 pm (Cancelled if it is raining.)
- Where: Sycamore Grove Park, 5051 Arroyo Rd, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free, register through the park district
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Ranger Eric leads the 32nd annual search for the fabled Yule Log, and silly holiday hats are encouraged. The afternoon opens with games and stories about ancient Yule celebrations, then everyone heads out on an old-fashioned hunt for the log. Afterward the group gathers by a fire for warm wassail and treats, and families make their own small Yule logs to take home.
The hunt is Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and is open to all ages. It is free, with sign-up handled through the registration link on the park district's listing. The district cancels the event if it is raining.
Parent tip: The hunt and the fire are both outdoors, so dress kids in layers and shoes that can get dirty. Check the forecast that morning, because rain cancels it.
- Host
- Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Sycamore Grove Park, 5051 Arroyo Rd, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Livermore events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Livermore daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Livermore.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 3 more Livermore 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 Livermore.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Livermore 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
- 4 Breakfast and treats
- 3 Santa
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Story time
- 1 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Livermore every week.
Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Livermore
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Santa visit
Donuts with Santa: Friday Night Session
- When: Friday, December 11, 2026, 6 to 7:15 pm (Friday evening session. Three more sessions run Saturday morning, December 12.)
- Where: Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $14 per person ages 3 and up, ages 2 and under free
- Ages: Ages 3 and up; children 2 and under attend free
Expand to see the parent tip
Kids eat a donut, play games and write a letter to Santa before posing for a photo with him at the Robert Livermore Community Center. Each child also gets to adopt one stuffed animal and takes home an official adoption certificate. The park district says it added this Friday evening session because the event has become so popular.
The session runs Friday, December 11, 2026, from 6:00 to 7:15 p.m. The cost is $14 for ages 3 and up, and every attendee has to be registered, including parents, guardians and grandparents. Children 2 and under are free and do not need a registration, and the district does not give refunds.
Parent tip: Count the adults when you register, since each grown-up needs a paid spot too. With a 6:00 p.m. start and donuts on the table, plan for a later bedtime than usual.
- Host
- Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Livermore events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Livermore daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Livermore.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Santa visit
Sensory Santa
- When: Friday, December 11, 2026, 4:30 to 5:45 pm
- Where: Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $14 per person, ages 2 and under free
- Ages: All ages; children 2 and under attend free
Expand to see the parent tip
This is a quieter Santa visit set up for children with autism and other disabilities, with softer lighting, few decorations and less background noise. Families can have holiday treats, play games, write a letter to Santa and take a photo with him. Each child may adopt one stuffed animal and gets an official adoption certificate.
It takes place Friday, December 11, 2026, from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at the Robert Livermore Community Center. The fee is $14 and the listing is open to all ages, with pre-registration required for everyone attending, adults included. Children 2 and under are free and do not need to register.
Parent tip: This is the only sensory-friendly session on the schedule, so register early if the regular Donuts with Santa sessions would be too loud or bright for your child. Sign up each sibling and adult who will be in the room.
- Host
- Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Livermore events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Livermore daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Livermore.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Santa visit
Donuts with Santa: Saturday Morning Sessions
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 8:30 am to 12:45 pm (Three timed sessions: 8:30 to 9:45 a.m., 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Register for one.)
- Where: Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $14 per person ages 3 and up, ages 2 and under free
- Ages: Ages 3 and up; children 2 and under attend free
Expand to see the parent tip
Santa spends Saturday morning at the Robert Livermore Community Center for three back-to-back sessions of donuts, games and letter writing. Kids can have a picture taken with him, then adopt one stuffed animal and collect an adoption certificate to go with it.
Sessions on Saturday, December 12, 2026, run 8:30 to 9:45 a.m., 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Admission is $14 for ages 3 and up, registration is required for all attendees including adults, and children 2 and under are free without registering. No refunds are given.
Parent tip: Pick the session that fits around naps, since each one lasts 75 minutes and you register for a specific time. The district calls this event very popular, so sign up well ahead rather than waiting for December.
- Host
- Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East Ave, Livermore, CA 94550 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Livermore events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Livermore daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Livermore.
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 Livermore Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Donuts with Santa: Friday Night Session in Livermore on December 11; 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.
- Donuts with Santa: Friday Night SessionLivermore · Dec 11
- Sensory SantaLivermore · Dec 11
- The Great Yule Log HuntLivermore · Dec 12
- Donuts with Santa: Saturday Morning SessionsLivermore · Dec 12
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 Oakland, San Jose, Stockton and San Francisco. 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 Livermore
Livermore's name sits on the periodic table: the element livermorium honors the national laboratory based in this Alameda County city, which began as a railroad town in 1869. At Christmas the focus shifts to simpler things, with Santa at the community center on East Avenue and a ranger-led Yule log hunt in the park.
How Livermore celebrates
Christmas for kids in Livermore runs largely through the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, the independent district that voters created in 1947. Its Donuts with Santa returns to the Robert Livermore Community Center on East Avenue on December 11 and 12, and the district says demand led it to add a Friday night session and a calmer Sensory Santa visit for children with autism and other disabilities. On December 12, Ranger Eric leads the 32nd annual Great Yule Log Hunt at Sycamore Grove Park, which ends around a fire with wassail and a small log to make and take home.
Fun facts about Christmas in Livermore
William Mendenhall set aside 100 acres for a townsite in 1869 and named it for his friend Robert Livermore, a rancher who had settled in the valley in the 1840s. The town was platted and registered on November 4, 1869, as a railroad town, with a Western Pacific Railroad station on land Mendenhall donated, and it was incorporated on April 1, 1876. The Centennial Light, a bulb first installed in 1901, has burned almost continuously and is kept at Fire Station 6. The 2020 census counted 87,955 residents, the most of any city in the Tri-Valley.
Traditions today
- Donuts with Santa: The park district's Santa visit at the Robert Livermore Community Center pairs donuts and games with letters to Santa and a photo.
- The Friday night session: The district added a Friday evening session of Donuts with Santa because the event draws so many families.
- Sensory Santa: A calmer session with softer lighting and less noise gives children with autism and other disabilities their own time with Santa.
- Adopting a stuffed pet: At the Santa events each child can adopt one stuffed animal and leave with an official adoption certificate.
- The Great Yule Log Hunt: Ranger Eric leads the 32nd annual hunt at Sycamore Grove Park, with silly holiday hats, games and tales of ancient Yule celebrations.
- Wassail by the fire: After the hunt, families gather around a fire for warm wassail and treats and make their own Yule logs to take home.
A fact for kids
A light bulb in Livermore was first installed in 1901 and has been burning almost the whole time since, and you can find it at a fire station. The city's name is also on the periodic table, in an element called livermorium.
Questions about Christmas in Livermore
When was Livermore founded?
William Mendenhall set aside 100 acres for a townsite in 1869, and Livermore was platted and registered on November 4 of that year as a railroad town. An earlier settlement called Laddsville merged into it after a fire in 1871. The city was incorporated on April 1, 1876.
How did Livermore get its name?
Founder William Mendenhall named the town after his friend Robert Livermore, a British merchant sailor turned rancher who received the Rancho Las Positas grant with Jose Noriega in 1839 and moved his family there in the early 1840s. Robert Livermore died in 1858, before the town was laid out.
What role did the railroad play in Livermore's history?
Livermore was registered as a railroad town. The Western Pacific Railroad built its tracks across land Robert Livermore had signed over earlier and placed a station on land donated by William Mendenhall. According to the article, the new rail connection significantly sped up the town's growth.
What is Livermore known for?
The city is home to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, established in 1952, and the California site of Sandia National Laboratories. The element livermorium is named for the lab. Livermore also sits in a wine region with wineries dating to the 1880s and hosts a rodeo that began in 1918.
What is the Centennial Light in Livermore?
It is a light bulb first installed in 1901 at a fire department hose cart house on L Street. It has burned almost continuously since then and is now housed at Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department Station 6.
How does Livermore celebrate Christmas with kids?
The park district's calendar centers on two things: Donuts with Santa at the Robert Livermore Community Center on December 11 and 12, 2026, with a Sensory Santa session for children who need a calmer setting, and the Great Yule Log Hunt at Sycamore Grove Park on the afternoon of December 12.
Who organizes Christmas events for kids in Livermore?
The events listed here are run by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, known as LARPD. It is an independent special district that voters created in 1947, governed by a five-member elected board, and it operates parks, recreation programs and special events.
Where do Livermore's holiday events take place?
Donuts with Santa and Sensory Santa are held at the Robert Livermore Community Center at 4444 East Avenue. The Great Yule Log Hunt meets at Sycamore Grove Park on Arroyo Road, where the afternoon ends around a fire. Both are on the park district's calendar.
What Christmas events in Livermore are free?
The Great Yule Log Hunt on December 12, 2026, is listed as free for all ages. Donuts with Santa and Sensory Santa cost $14 per person, adults included, though children 2 and under get in free and do not need to register.
How long has the Yule Log Hunt been held in Livermore?
The park district bills the December 12, 2026 event as the 32nd annual hunt for the fabled Yule Log. Ranger Eric leads it, starting with games and stories of ancient Yule celebrations before the search begins. It is cancelled if it is raining.
Sources
- Livermore, California, Wikipedia
- Donuts with Santa, Livermore Area Recreation and Park District
- Sensory Santa, Livermore Area Recreation and Park District
- The Great Yule Log Hunt, Livermore Area Recreation and Park District
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.
Livermore Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Livermore to start with?
Start with Donuts with Santa at the Robert Livermore Community Center, which has a Friday evening session on December 11 and three Saturday morning sessions on December 12, 2026. For something outdoors, the Great Yule Log Hunt at Sycamore Grove Park follows that Saturday afternoon from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. with games, a hunt and a fire.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Livermore?
Yes. The Great Yule Log Hunt on Saturday, December 12, 2026, is listed as free for all ages by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District. At Donuts with Santa and Sensory Santa, children 2 and under are free, while older children and adults pay $14 each.
Where can kids meet Santa in Livermore?
Santa visits the Robert Livermore Community Center at 4444 East Avenue on December 11 and 12, 2026. Donuts with Santa includes a photo with him, letter writing, games and a stuffed animal adoption. A separate Sensory Santa session on Friday, December 11 offers a similar visit in a calmer room.
Is there a sensory-friendly Santa visit in Livermore?
Yes. Sensory Santa runs Friday, December 11, 2026, from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. at the Robert Livermore Community Center. The park district sets it up for children with autism and other disabilities, using softer lighting, minimal decorations and lower background noise. Pre-registration is required for every person attending.
Which Livermore Christmas events need registration?
All of them go through the park district's registration system. Donuts with Santa and Sensory Santa require registration for every attendee, including parents and grandparents, with only children 2 and under exempt. The free Great Yule Log Hunt on December 12, 2026, also has a registration link on its listing. Donuts with Santa is nonrefundable.
What is the Great Yule Log Hunt in Livermore?
It is a ranger-led afternoon that the park district bills as its 32nd annual hunt for the Yule Log. On Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., families play games, hear tales of old Yule celebrations and search for the log, then warm up by a fire with wassail and make a small log to take home. Rain cancels it.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Livermore?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s California Christmas train rides guide. This Livermore 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.