Christmas in the Park (San Jose) facts for kids
Christmas in the Park is a fun winter event held every year in downtown San José, California. It usually runs from late November until January 1st. During this time, Plaza de César Chávez Park transforms into a magical holiday wonderland.
You can see over 500 Christmas trees, each decorated by local schools and groups. There are also more than 50 musical and animated displays related to Christmas. A huge 55-foot "Community Giving Tree" stands tall, and many shops sell souvenirs and tasty treats.
More than 700,000 people visit Christmas in the Park each year. It has been a tradition in Plaza de César Chávez for over 30 years. People often call it "San Jose's biggest production." The event is free to enter, but donations are welcome to help cover the costs.
Right next to the park, you can find an ice rink. There are also about a dozen rides for kids, like a Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, and a train ride.
In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Christmas in the Park changed. It became a drive-through event at San José's History Park. Visitors could drive through from November 27, 2020, to January 3, 2021. The event was open from 4 PM to 10 PM, and you needed to buy tickets in advance. Over 160,000 new lights were added, creating glowing tunnels, snowflake arches, and more.
History of Christmas in the Park
The Christmas in the Park event started with a special display built by a man named Don Lima. In the 1950s, he created a Nativity scene in front of his family's mortuary in Willow Glen. People loved it, and he started adding more displays. As his collection grew, more and more visitors came to see it.
In the 1970s, his displays became very large. Don Lima decided to give them to the City of San José. For a while, the exhibits were set up on the lawn of San José's old City Hall. The City of San José and a non-profit group called Christmas in the Park Inc. worked together to put on this big holiday celebration.
The event moved to Plaza de César Chávez in the early 1980s.
By 2011, the City of San José found it hard to manage and raise money for the event. It was almost going to be canceled! But the non-profit group stepped up and took over. Since then, more people have attended each year. In 2017, over 700,000 visitors enjoyed the event.
Gallery
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Community Giving Tree
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Miniature train on display in the park
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Ferris wheel ride
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A view of the event
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Santa exhibit
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An exhibit of a historical costume shop
