"Festival of Trees is one of those special events that brings so many parts of our community together," Matthew Nelson, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley, told SCVNews when the club announced this year's dates.
This year, the community it brings together will meet in Valencia. The 24th annual Festival of Trees runs Friday through Sunday, Nov. 20–22, at Valencia Town Center, in the space the Canyon Club used to fill. The festival's last three editions were held at the Canyon Country Community Center. Bringing it back to Town Center pulls the valley's best-known holiday kickoff into the middle of a month already full of Valencia dates. Those dates include a marathon on the bike paths, Santa's arrival on the mall's first floor and a Thanksgiving race at College of the Canyons.
Three Years in Canyon Country, Then a Return to Town Center
In 2023, The Signal announced the festival for Nov. 17–19 at the Canyon Country Community Center. The 2024 edition was announced for the same venue. Last year, The Signal photographed the 23rd edition's decorated trees filling that same community center, with viewing hours on Saturday and Sunday.
This year Valencia Town Center is hosting the event, which honors the legacy of Don Fleming of Valencia Acura. Longtime Valencia shoppers will remember the room. The Canyon opened there in fall 2017 in a former Red Robin space and ran live shows and tribute acts until it closed in January 2023, according to The Signal. For three days this month, the former stage-and-dining room will be full of designed trees, wreaths and gingerbread houses.
Pamela and Dennis Verner are back as Festival of Trees chairs. The couple has lived in the Santa Clarita Valley for more than 35 years. Pamela serves on the club's executive board, and Dennis serves on its advisory board.
How the Festival Weekend Breaks Down
The festival has two parts: a ticketed Friday-night gala and three community days open to anyone who pays admission.
| Day | Hours | What's happening |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, Nov. 20 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | Community Day, with Senior Day during dedicated daytime hours |
| Friday, Nov. 20 | 5:30–9 p.m. | Magic of the Lights Gala with food, drinks, entertainment and a live auction |
| Saturday, Nov. 21 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Community Day with live entertainment |
| Sunday, Nov. 22 | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Community Day |
Community Days admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children, military members and seniors. All weekend there is a kids' corner with holiday crafts, and visitors can bid on the silent-auction trees. Gala guests bid on the designed trees in the live auction, along with trips and other experiences. Proceeds support Boys & Girls Club programs for young people ages 7 to 17.
Bacio di Latte, the gelato shop that held its Town Center grand opening in September in Suite 2670, is a nearby stop for families who want a treat between the trees and the parking lot.
The Two Weeks Before Start on the First Floor
The festival weekend comes after a stretch of Town Center events, most of them on the first floor near H&M:
- Santa Photos, Nov. 6 through Dec. 24. Santa's Holiday Home sits on the first floor near H&M. Reservations are encouraged, and walk-ins depend on availability. The center is closed Thanksgiving Day. Pet Photos with Santa run on select Mondays, and Sensory-Friendly Santa is Dec. 6.
- Pet adoption event, Saturday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. It's also on the first floor near H&M. Adoption fees are waived, and a $20 cash licensing fee applies.
- Santa's Arrival Celebration, Saturday, Nov. 14, 1–3 p.m. This free event at Santa's Holiday Home includes face painting, balloon twisting and hot chocolate.
- Share the Warmth Coat Drive, now through Jan. 3, 2027. It runs through the whole season.
Taken together, Town Center has holiday events on most weekends from early November on, and Festival of Trees is the largest of them.
The Sunday Before, the Bike Paths Are a Race Course
The morning after Santa arrives, the 4th annual Santa Clarita Marathon starts and finishes at Heritage Park, 24155 Newhall Ranch Road, on Sunday, Nov. 15. According to the race organizer, the course follows the bike paths with no car traffic on the course itself. The full marathon covers two loops, and the half covers one.
Start times are staggered:
- Marathon, 7 a.m.
- Half marathon, 7:15 a.m.
- 10K, 7:30 a.m.
- 5K, 7:45 a.m.
Marathoners who arrange it ahead of time can start early at 6 a.m. Water stations won't all be set up until about 7 a.m. The marathon has a seven-hour time limit, and the organizer bills the course as mostly flat and friendly to walkers. Race-day parking is at Valencia High School, 27801 Dickason Drive. If you walk or ride those paths on Sunday mornings, expect them to be busy with runners well into the day.
Online registration is closed, and there is no race-day sign-up. Neighbors who want to take part can still volunteer. The organizer is recruiting through [email protected].
Thanksgiving Week Ends With a Race at the College
Four days after the festival closes, College of the Canyons holds its 18th annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot on Thursday, Nov. 26. The three-mile course runs through the Valencia campus, KHTS reported.
- The event begins at 8 a.m.
- The kids' lap starts at 8:15 a.m. and costs $15.
- The main race starts at 8:30 a.m. and costs $45.
- Parking in Lot 8 is free.
The race finishes early enough to get home before the turkey goes in. Plan errands around the mall's holiday hours. Valencia Town Center is closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, and open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Black Friday, Nov. 27.
Where to Eat Between Events This Month
A few newer spots fit into this month's schedule. Dave's Hot Chicken opened its first Santa Clarita location on Sept. 25 at 27015 McBean Pkwy., according to KHTS. That's a short drive from Town Center on a festival afternoon. On the breakfast side, Huevo's House is taking over the former IHOP at 26135 Bouquet Canyon Road, KHTS reported. Check its status before planning a post-race brunch there.
Here's the month in order: adoptions and Santa photos open the first weekend, Santa arrives on Nov. 14, runners take the bike paths on Nov. 15, Festival of Trees fills the former Canyon Club space Nov. 20–22, and the Turkey Trot runs on Thanksgiving morning. Santa photos then continue through Dec. 24.
At Montemayor & Associates, we follow these Valencia calendar dates as closely as we follow the market, because they're part of what makes the neighborhood feel like home. If you'd like a local's view of the season, or want to talk about what the year ahead could mean for your home, contact us.
