Every flyer for the 16th Annual Holiday Extravaganza shows the same date: Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 3:00 to 8:00 PM in Downtown San Dimas. The "Let It Snow" parade steps off at 4:00 and the tree lighting is at 6:00. For anyone who wants to be part of the event, though, the date that matters is in November. Parade registration closes Monday, November 16. Applications for the vendor market close Tuesday, November 24, two days before Thanksgiving.
The City runs the stages, the slides and the ticket booths. The parade groups, the craft tables, the nonprofit booths and the decorated houses come from local residents, businesses and groups, and nearly all of those sign-ups close before December starts.
The Calendar Runs Backward From December 5
As of this Thursday, November 5, here is what is still open, in the order it closes:
- Monday, November 16: last day to enter the "Let It Snow" parade.
- Tuesday, November 24: deadline for arts-and-crafts vendor applications and Elf Village nonprofit registration.
- Thursday, December 3, 5:30 PM: online pre-orders for the $15 activity wristband close.
- Saturday, December 5, 3:00 to 8:00 PM: the event itself.
- Sunday, December 13, 11:59 PM: registration for the Holiday House Decorating Contest closes.
- December 15 to 18: contest judging, then winners.
Within this list, the parade has already moved once. The application offered a $10 per-group pre-registration rate through November 3. As of November 4 the fee is $20, and it stays there until registration closes on the 16th.
Getting a Group Into the Parade
Entry is open to more than marching bands and floats. The parade application lets entrants check boxes for families, bands, service groups, businesses, clubs, religious groups, scout troops, sport teams, pets, classic cars and individuals. Equestrian groups have to submit a separate equestrian application in addition to the standard form. Groups can also register online through the City's Rec1 catalog, where the entry is listed at $20. The person registering must be 18 or older.
On parade day, check-in runs from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at Civic Center Park, 245 E. Bonita Ave. The route is about half a mile and ends at Civic Center Plaza. The application sets these rules for every entry:
- Keep about 20 feet from the entry ahead of you.
- Vehicles move no faster than 5 mph.
- Dogs stay leashed the whole time.
Once the parade is over, walking groups head north on Cataract and east on 1st Street to break up. All other entries go north on Cataract and then east on 4th Street, back toward their vehicles near Civic Center Park. For a scout troop or a youth team, that matters. Parents meeting kids after the parade should wait along those streets, not at the starting point.
The Booths Close the Same Week
The parade is one moment in the evening. The booths stay open all night, and their deadline comes eight days after the parade's.
The Holiday Vendor Market sits in Winter Wonderland. Each 10-by-10-foot space costs $80, and spaces go first-come, first-served until the November 24 deadline. A complete application has three parts: the vendor packet, photos of what you plan to sell, and a Temporary Seller's Permit that lists the Civic Center as a temporary location. Applications are emailed to [email protected] or [email protected]. The setup terms are spare. Vendors bring their own booth equipment and crew. Vehicle access is limited, so the City recommends carts. There is no electricity, and booths must be set up by 3:30 PM. According to the guidelines, edible products are generally not accepted, though the City may consider them case by case. That makes the market a better fit for a candle maker or a ceramicist than for a baker.
Elf Village is free to join. It is for 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and each booth offers children a free holiday game, craft or giveaway. There is no booth fee, and applicants send in a copy of their 501(c)(3) letter. The Elf Village guidelines set the registration deadline at Tuesday, November 24, the same day vendor applications close. A PTA, service club or youth league planning a booth will want its craft picked out before Thanksgiving week starts.
This post is general information, not legal or tax advice, so check the permit and paperwork requirements for your situation with the City's Parks and Recreation staff or a qualified professional before you apply.
A Shorter Night Along Bonita Avenue
Once the deadlines pass, what's left to plan is how you spend the evening, and this year there is an hour less of it. In 2025 the 15th Annual event ran from 3:00 to 9:00 PM on December 6. The 2026 event ends at 8:00. With the tree lighting still at 6:00, that leaves two hours after the lights come on, down from three.
The City has split the evening into four "lands" along Bonita Avenue:
- North Pole, at Walker House: crafts with Mrs. Claus from 3:00 PM, dueling snow slides, treats and games, plus free selfies with Santa from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
- Elf Village, at San Dimas Ave. and Bonita Ave.: free crafts and games run by the local nonprofits described above.
- Winter Wonderland, at Monte Vista Ave. and Bonita Ave.: the Holiday Vendor Market and the Main Stage, home to local bands, dance groups and the 6:00 tree lighting.
- Grinch-Ville, at Rhoads Park and Bonita Ave.: a Grinch photo area, storytime with the Grinch at 7:15 PM, a three-lane slide and a beer garden pouring from local breweries.
Since Santa photos and Grinch storytime both happen after the tree lighting, families who want both will be walking between Walker House and Rhoads Park in the final 90 minutes.
Admission is free, and so are many of the activities. The premium attractions are the Obstacle Course, the 17-foot High Striker, the Basketball Blow-Up and the 3-Lane Slide. A single ticket is $5, and a $15 wristband covers unlimited premium activities. On the night, the ticket booths in Winter Wonderland and North Pole are cash only and take no bills over $20. An E-Ticket Booth will be set up in Grinch-Ville. Pre-ordering a wristband online costs the same $15 and saves a trip to the ATM. Wristbands are nonrefundable, and distribution begins after the parade.
The Deadline That Lands After the Party
One way to take part stays open past December 5. The Holiday House Decorating Contest is free, limited to one entry per household, and must be entered by an adult. Registration runs until December 13 at 11:59 PM. Judges will be out December 15 to 17 between 6:00 and 9:00 PM, scoring creativity, "wow" factor, and organization and neatness. Winners are announced Friday, December 18. The winning home gets a "2026 Holiday Extravaganza House Decor Winner" lawn sign and recognition at a future City Council meeting.
The judging is about a week later than in 2025, when it ran December 9 to 11 and winners were named December 12. Last year the City also posted a self-guided driving route past the participating homes, which took about 30 minutes, and invited the public to view the displays during judging. If you register, your house could end up on a tour like that. If you don't, the judging nights in mid-December are a good time to drive around and see the lights.
Other November Dates Downtown and Beyond
The weeks between the deadlines have their own calendar. On Thursday, November 12, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, Highpoint Brewing Company at 402 W. Arrow Highway, Suite 12, hosts a candle-making night called "Wicks, Pints, & Holiday Nights." On Thursday, November 19, the San Dimas Chamber holds its After Hours Mixer at Judging by the Cover Bookstore, 152 W. Bonita Avenue, the same avenue the four lands will line. On Saturday, November 21, Radio In The Park takes over San Dimas Canyon Park, 512 Sycamore Canyon Road, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The organizers say visitors don't need a license or a club membership to stop by.
All three fall before November 24, while the vendor and Elf Village applications are still open.
If you're decorating this year, whether for the contest or just for your street, the details that make a house look good at night are the same ones that make it photograph well: even lighting along the rooflines, a clear path to the door, and nothing hiding the architecture. At Shannon Brady Realty, staging and visual presentation are part of our everyday work, and we'd be happy to talk lights and curb appeal with any San Dimas neighbor. When you're curious what your home is worth in any season, start with an Instant Home Valuation.
