Rally the corgi has rolled into the Central Valley for the Christmas events for kids in Manteca for 2026. The city celebrates Christmas at the Center on December 3, then Saturday, December 5 brings Santa and kid rides to Library Park and the Christmas Parade down Yosemite Avenue at 5 pm. 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 Manteca
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Manteca, all free to attend
- Christmas at the Center: Thursday, December 3, 5:30 to 8 pm, Civic Center
- Christmas in the Park: Saturday, December 5, noon to 9 pm, Santa and kid rides
- Christmas Parade: December 5 at 5 pm on Yosemite Avenue
- Every date checked on city and Chamber sites on Nov 11
What are you looking for?
All 3 events
Nothing matches yet. Try another kind of event, or .
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Manteca 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 Manteca.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Manteca 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
- 1 Santa
- 1 Lights
- 1 Parades
- 1 Shows
- 3 Free
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 2 Christmas events in Manteca.
- New events in Manteca 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
Free Christmas events for kids in Manteca
Civic Center celebrationFree
Christmas at the Center
- When: Thursday, December 3, 2026, 5:30 pm to 8 pm
- Where: Manteca Civic Center, 1001 W Center St, Manteca, CA 95337 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Christmas at the Center is the City of Manteca’s own holiday kickoff at the Civic Center on West Center Street, traditionally built around lighting the Civic Center Christmas tree.
The Recreation Department runs the evening, and the full 2026 program has not been posted yet. It lands two days before downtown’s Christmas in the Park and parade, so it makes an easy weeknight warm-up for the big weekend.
Parent tip: Check the City of Manteca calendar in late November for the entertainment lineup, and drop off a Christmas Coloring Contest entry while you are there.
- Host
- City of Manteca Recreation Department (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Manteca Civic Center, 1001 W Center St, Manteca, CA 95337 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Manteca events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Manteca daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Manteca.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Manteca 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 Manteca.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Manteca 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
- 1 Santa
- 1 Lights
- 1 Parades
- 1 Shows
- 3 Free
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Manteca every week.
Downtown festivalFree
Christmas in the Park
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 12 pm to 9 pm
- Where: Library Park, Downtown Manteca, 320 W Center St, Manteca, CA 95337 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free entry and free Kid Zone; food and kid rides extra
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Manteca Chamber of Commerce fills Library Park with a full afternoon of holiday shopping, craft and food vendors, kid rides and a visit from Santa Claus.
The Kid Zone activities are free, kept that way by community donations, and the park sits right off Yosemite Avenue so families can stay for the evening parade. This year’s theme is Hometown Christmas in Manteca.
Parent tip: Visit Santa in the early afternoon before parade crowds arrive, then claim a curb spot on Yosemite Avenue by 4:30 pm.
- Host
- Manteca Chamber of Commerce (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Library Park, Downtown Manteca, 320 W Center St, Manteca, CA 95337 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Manteca events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Manteca daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Manteca.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Christmas paradeFree
Annual Manteca Christmas Parade
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, starts at 5 pm
- Where: Yosemite Avenue, Downtown Manteca, Yosemite Ave, Manteca, CA 95336 (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
After dark on the same Saturday, the annual Manteca Christmas Parade rolls along Yosemite Avenue with festive floats, marching bands, community groups and local businesses.
The Hometown Christmas theme ties it to the festival in Library Park just off the route, so families can hop between the two all evening.
Parent tip: Bring blankets and a thermos. Spots near Library Park fill first, so walk a block or two east for more room.
- Host
- Manteca Chamber of Commerce (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Yosemite Avenue, Downtown Manteca, Yosemite Ave, Manteca, CA 95336 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Manteca events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Manteca daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Manteca.
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 Manteca Christmas event for kids happens
Start the season at the Civic Center on Thursday, December 3. Then spend Saturday, December 5 downtown: Santa and rides in Library Park in the afternoon and the parade on Yosemite Avenue at 5 pm.
- Christmas at the CenterManteca · Dec 3
- Christmas in the ParkManteca · Dec 5
- Annual Manteca Christmas ParadeManteca · Dec 5
Looking further afield? Our California Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Stockton, Modesto, Livermore and San Jose. 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 AmazonKeep 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.
Manteca Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Manteca this year?
Rally Takes the Train has confirmed 3 Christmas events for kids in Manteca for 2026: the City of Manteca’s Christmas at the Center, and the Chamber’s Christmas in the Park and Christmas Parade.
When is the Manteca Christmas Parade in 2026?
Saturday, December 5, 2026, starting at 5 pm along Yosemite Avenue in Downtown Manteca. The 2026 theme is Hometown Christmas in Manteca.
Where can kids see Santa in Manteca?
At Christmas in the Park in Library Park, 320 W. Center Street, on December 5 from noon to 9 pm, along with kid rides and free kids’ activities.
When is Christmas at the Center in Manteca?
Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm at the Manteca Civic Center, 1001 W. Center Street.
Who do I contact about Manteca holiday events?
For Christmas at the Center, the City of Manteca Recreation Department at tmuschott@manteca.gov or (209) 456-8651. For the park festival and parade, the Manteca Chamber at chamber@manteca.org or (209) 823-6121.
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 Manteca 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.