Mark your calendar as Winter Fest at the OC Fair and Event Center returns this December with a family fun winter wonderland December 21st through January 6th. This year families will have additional time in the new year to enjoy more than 40,000 square feet of new attractions and brings back popular activities including an outdoor ice-skating rink, ice tubing at Snowflake Summit, real Snow Play, and so much more.

Winter Fest’s giant wonderland of family fun and date night charm is a great value with tickets available starting at only $10. Season passes are also available for all 18 days of Winter Fest to capture plenty of Instagram-worthy pictures. Every admission ticket includes:
- Unlimited ice tubing down Snowflake Summit’s 150-foot, 8 lane mountain of ice.
- Penny’s Snow Play area with real snow blown in daily – expanded this year!
- Nightly tree lighting celebration with parade of Winter Fest characters, snow flurries, fireworks and flying Santa and his Reindeer until he returns to the North Pole
- Winter Fest themed bounce houses and slides for kids
- The world’s largest walk-through ornament and rocking horse
- Craft making and games in Santa’s workshop
- Daily entertainment including live bands, magic from Jimmy H, and strolling carolers
- Arcade games
- Snowboard Simulator
Additional attractions with a fee include:
- Ice Skating on a full outdoor rink
- Candy Cane carnival with more than 30 rides, attractions and games

Winter Fest is a wonderful family fun event. I recall taking the kids through the Festival of Lights as the kids skipped along picking out their favorite light displays, then visiting the bounce houses, slides, tube runs and even playing a few of the games. We sipped on delicious hot coco and made fun crafts after watching the tree lighting that happens nightly with snowfall happens daily at 5:30pm. Near the Christmas tree are two of Santa’s reindeer, available for viewing and feeding.
New to Winter Fest This Year:
SoCal Dicken’s Village – Take a trip down memory lane through the 1800’s with holidays past, present, and future. Decorate Christmas cookies, listen to holiday storytelling, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus (through Christmas Eve), take a pony ride, and visit the new Victorian holiday shops.
Candy and Snowflake Wonderland – Step into an interactive wonderland full of candy and snowflakes with a new selfie experience that is sure to delight visitors and capture the picture-perfect Instagram moment.
Festival of Lights – Stroll through Winter Fest’s 100-foot-tunnel of two million lights to explore five lands with animated displays. For additional fun for the kids, make sure to ride through the Festival of Lights on the trackless train.
Orange Ball New Year’s Eve Celebration – Ring in the New Year not once, but twice, with a special countdown, Orange Ball drop, fireworks and an unforgettable balloon drop at both 6pm and midnight. Multiple live bands will be playing to commemorate the end of the year, and the start of a new one.
Club Winter Fest – Private, ice rink-side VIP cabanas are available nightly starting at only $69 per session, creating the ultimate destination for holiday office parties, family retreats or date nights. Enjoy the all-new lounge area with exquisite views of the nightly Christmas tree lighting ceremony featuring fireworks, snow flurries and a free drink upon entry. Tickets are limited.
Winter Fest will celebrate with a parade of winter characters each night, featuring Mayor Frost, Mrs. Claus, the Ice Princess, Penny the Penguin, carolers, Toy Soldiers on stilts, and elves. With the Winter Fest characters circled around the 30-foot-tall Christmas tree, Mayor Frost will light the tree and thrill the crowd with fireworks, falling snow, and a surprise appearance from Santa and his Reindeer flying overhead through Christmas Eve.
Winter Fest OC
OC Fair & Events Center
88 Fair Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
BUY TICKETS NOW ONLINE:
Online: Adult $15; Children $10 (4-11)
Purchasing tickets online is highly encouraged to not only save money but also ensure the desired event date is not sold out.
SEASON PASSES:
Adult $45; Children $35
Unlimited admission into all 17 days & nights of Winterfest
Advance online purchase only
Select discounts are offered for First Responders, Teachers, and Military/Veterans with proof of ID. First Responders are guaranteed free admission on Wednesday, December 26th and January 2nd, Teacher Appreciation Days are Friday, December 21st, 28th, and January 4th, and Military/Veterans are guaranteed free admission on Thursday, December 20th, 27th, and January 3rd.
Save some money and order your tickets via Groupon! (Affiliate Link:)
GIVEAWAY
Enter to win 4 tickets to Winter Fest OC
a Rafflecopter giveawayGiveaway ends December 12 , 2018 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US Residents 18 and older only. Tickets will be mailed directly to the winner’s home (or mailing) address. Winner will be selected at random and be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Not liable for unclaimed prizes or fulfillment. Blog has represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. No purchase necessary to enter or win; however you must enter for a chance to win. Purchase does not increase chance of winning. Chances of winning depend on number of entries. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter or any other social media platform are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to this blog. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. Winners can only win once per month. Not liable for unclaimed prizes or fulfillment.
For more information on Winter Fest and to apply for your community group to perform or for employment opportunities visit www.WinterFestOC.com.
This is a fantastic giveaway. My youngest grandchild has never seen snow and keeps asking me to make some for him “to try”
My daughter and I love the ice skating ⛸
Can’t wait to try the ice skating!
Would love to see the festival of lights first. Love love love Christmas!!!! ?❄?❄☃??
Love to take my wonderful family there. Thank you for this chance to win.
Ice skating for sure!
I would visit the sledding area first.
I would like to go sledding first.
Would love to take my girls ice skating for their first time!
I want to go tubing!!!
I’ve lived in southern Ca for 8 years….why did I never know about the OC winter fest?! Looks so fun!!!!
The tubing looks like so much fun!
I’d like to see the tree lighting
The ice skating!!!
I would have to say the tubing or the ice skating looks like loads of fun!
My kids love ice skating but I’d head straight for the tubing!
I’d love to do the train ride!
I would love to go ice skating
Never been here but I’m pretty sure my daughter would love to check it out! ❤️
A Southern California family’s dream! How fun!
The ice tubing! What a fun event!!
We would ice skate first!
Snowflake summit
I’d love to do tbensledding with my family.
I want to try tubing!
Sledding
The ice tubing sounds fun!
I love the festival of lights and the sledding??
Ice tubing! So much fun!
Festival of lights!
I can’t wait to see the lights and take my daughter on train.
we had so much fun sledding last year.
Sledding first
We would check out the Festival of Lights!
Absolutely the Festival of Lights. Love the train!
Snow tubing, of course!