Holiday cheer ready to break loose in Cambria
The holiday season is arriving full force on the North Coast, from a free Thanksgiving dinner for all, a four-week Christmas marketplace to an annual one-night hospitality event, from a fundraiser auction of trees and wreaths to special décor and night tours at Hearst Castle and a much-loved free party for kids.
Thanksgiving dinner: All the supplies and work are donated for the Thanksgiving meal, so anybody and everybody can dine on the traditional repast for free, enjoying the holiday camaraderie, music and fun. It will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St. Diners can enjoy their meal at the hall or do take out.
The first week or so after Thanksgiving will be jampacked. Among the events happening then are:
▪ Continuing through the holiday season (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days), Christmas at Hearst Castle, with two 18-foot Christmas trees in the Assembly Room, lavish decorations and more. $24 for adults and $12 for ages 6-17. Night tours feature lavishly costumed docent-actors portraying Hearst guests and staff (Dec. 2 through 4 and Dec. 9 through 16. ($36 for adults, $18 for ages 6-17). A special limited-edition “Art of San Simeon” semi-private tour also will be offered once daily at 2 p.m. ($100 per person).
▪ Starting Friday, Nov. 25 — Cambria Christmas Market, 5 to 9 p.m., from Nov. 25 to Dec. 23 (closed Nov. 28 and 29, December 5, 6, 12 and 13). There’ll be thousands of holiday lights, many dioramas and displays, vendors, music and Santa Claus at the Cambria Pines Lodge, 2905 Burton Drive. Displays and lights also at Cambria Nursery, Burton Drive at Eton Road. Offsite parking, attendees are shuttled to the marketplace. Ticket prices vary, depending on the night, and are available online at http://bit.ly/21MNS5q.
▪ Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m. — Festival of Trees and silent auction will be at the Veterans Memorial Building, 1000 Main St. Unique, donor-decorated trees and wreaths, with all proceeds going to local nonprofits and charities. Wine and food pairings included with ticket cost, $25. A silent auction of gifts benefits the sponsoring Cambria Chamber of Commerce. For details, call 927-3624 or go to www.cambriachamber.org.
▪ Thursday, Dec. 1, 5 to 8 p.m. — Hospitality Night is a free open house thrown by Cambria businesses that are all decked out for the holidays. Those shopping and socializing will find live music, entertainment, festivities, lights and holiday décor and cheer throughout the village. According to chamber representatives, among festivities offered will be: live music and an art show at the Cambria Center of the Arts, starting at 5:30 p.m; tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. at the Cambria Historical Museum, Center Street at Burton Drive, where Santa will be available in person for photo ops. Sons of the American Legion will provide hot dogs and hot chocolate nearby at Burton and Main streets; 6 p.m., Cambria Chorale and Cambria Flash Dancers will perform at the Joslyn Recreation Center, 950 Main St. Then at 6:30 p.m., the dancers will boogie in front of the Real Estate Company of Cambria, 2080 Main St. near Burton, before heading to Main and Arlington streets soon thereafter. An Airstream trailer photo booth will be set up in front of The Love Story Project, 734 Main St.
The Cambria Trolley will run along Main Street during the event.
For details, call the chamber office at 805-927-3624.
▪ Dec. 1 through 31, Christmas in Cambria — A monthlong celebration that includes live music, gifts, raffles and discounts at many shops, galleries and lodgings. For details, call the chamber or go to www.cambriaholidays.com.
▪ Saturday, Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lions Club Children’s Christmas Party — This free yearly celebration for children at the Veterans Memorial Building and Pinedorado Grounds, provides games, clowns, stockings, gifts and Santa Claus. Rain moves most of the events inside the hall. For details, call 805-927-3366.
Catch your breath, and then consider that, among other holiday events in Cambria, are an annual holiday show and other events at the Pewter Plough Playhouse, two sold-out concerts Dec. 4 at the Old Santa Rosa Chapel, free performances of “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Cambria Center for the Arts on Dec. 10 and 11, art shows, art walks, nature walks, holiday boutique shows, lighthouse tours, a “songs of the season” singfest Dec. 10 at Fog’s End Barn and Cambria Chorale Concerts Dec. 11 and 18. For details, go to www.cambriachamber.org/dec.php.
This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 8:45 AM with the headline "Holiday cheer ready to break loose in Cambria."