Is This the Most Underrated Holiday Event in California?
You know, there is a specific feeling you get when you pull off the I-5 in Buena Park. It’s not the same polished, high-gloss anxiety you get driving into those other massive theme parks down the road in Anaheim. It feels a little more like visiting an old friend who happens to really love boysenberries. I just spent the last two days filming at Knott’s Merry Farm for the 2025 season, and honestly? I think we need to talk about how this place manages to keep its soul in an industry that feels increasingly plastic.
I walked in expecting the usual. You know the drill: fake snow, loud music, and expensive churros. And sure, we got all that. But there was something else this year. Maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been on the road for two weeks straight and just needed a win, but Knott’s really showed up.
First Impressions and The Big Tree
Let’s start with the visual anchor of the whole event. I had read the press releases before I packed my camera gear and they were hyping up this new Christmas tree in Calico Park. Usually, when a park says “new tree,” they mean they bought a taller plastic cone.
This wasn’t that.
Standing in front of it, I actually put the camera down for a second. It’s massive, sure, but the detail is what gets you. They used these vintage Victorian-inspired wood ornaments that look like they were carved by hand in a workshop somewhere, not stamped out in a factory. There are supposedly 7,000 lights on this thing. I didn’t count them, obviously, but the way they shimmer against the night sky makes the whole area feel warmer. It’s got a hundred custom-made candles flickering on the branches, and it anchors the area in a way that feels very… human. It’s not trying to be a techno-spectacle. It’s trying to be a Christmas tree.
The Food: Thanksgiving on a Stick?
Okay, look. We have to talk about the food. I feel like half my comments section is just people asking me what to eat, and I usually tell you to skip the theme park food and go to a local taco spot. But you can’t do that here.
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant is legendary for a reason, but I was more interested in the street food this year. They did this thing, the Turkey Corn Dog. I know, it sounds like a gimmick. But the batter is seasoned like stuffing. You bite into it, and it confuses your brain in the best way possible. It tastes like the fourth Thursday in November, but you’re walking around a cowboy town in December.
I also tried the Chicken Tamale Fries. It’s exactly what it sounds like, fries topped with tamale filling, and it’s heavy. Good, but heavy. You’ll want to share that. And if you have a sweet tooth, find the Gingerbread Cheesecake Dip. They serve it with Nilla wafers. It’s dangerous. I had “just one bite” for the B-roll footage and ended up finishing the whole container while waiting for the lighting ceremony.
Ghost Town is Still the King
The real reason I keep coming back to Knott’s, though, is Ghost Town. There is just nothing else like it in the theme park landscape. When the sun goes down and they trigger the “Snow and Glow” experience, the atmosphere shifts.
Is it soap bubbles? Yes. Does it look like snow? Kind of. Does it matter? Not at all.
When the lights on the buildings start dancing to the music and that white fluff starts drifting down on the dirt streets of Calico, you see people’s shoulders drop. The tension leaves the crowd. I was filming near the livery stable, and this little kid next to me was trying to catch the “snow” on his tongue, and his dad was just smiling, not looking at his phone, just watching his kid. That’s the shot. That’s the content right there.
The Ghost Town Carolers were wandering around, too. They’re a vocal quartet, dressed in full Victorian gear, just belting out classics without microphones. It sounds raw and real. It cuts through the noise of the rides.
Entertainment That Doesn’t Try Too Hard
I caught a few shows, and the lineup is solid. The Bird Cage Theatre is running A Calico Christmas Carol and The Gift of the Magi, 1885. I love the Bird Cage. It’s dusty, intimate, and the actors are right there in front of you. It’s melodrama, so you’re supposed to boo the villain and cheer the hero. It breaks the fourth wall, and it makes you feel part of the show rather than just a passive observer.
Over at the Walter Knott Theater, they have the Snoopy’s Night Before Christmas ice show. Look, I’m a grown adult. I pay taxes. I worry about my 401k. But seeing Snoopy skate? It heals something inside you. The skaters are genuinely world-class, some of the spins they were pulling off were insane, but it’s the Peanuts charm that sells it.
The “Real” Talk
Now, let’s be real for a second. It wasn’t perfect. It was crowded. If you’re going on a Saturday in December, you need to mentally prepare for the sheer volume of humanity. The lines for food can get long, and finding a table to eat your Turkey Club Jumbowich can be a competitive sport.
Also, it gets cold. I know, I know, “California cold” isn’t real cold. But when you’re standing outside in Buena Park at 9 PM and the wind picks up, you’re going to want layers. Don’t be the guy in shorts and a t-shirt shivering near the fire pit.
I also noticed that the timing for some of the shows overlaps, so you can’t see everything in one night. You have to prioritize. Do you want the ice show or the tree lighting? You probably can’t get a good spot for both unless you sprint, and nobody wants to sprint after eating stuffing-battered corn dogs.
Why It Matters
Here is the thing about Knott’s Merry Farm. It doesn’t feel like it was designed by a committee in a boardroom. It feels like a tradition that just kept growing.
There’s a grit to Knott’s that gives it texture. The wooden benches are actually wood. The history of the Berry Farm is baked into the walls. When they put up 7,000 lights on a tree, it feels like a celebration, not a marketing activation.
I wrapped up my shoot sitting on a bench near the craft village, watching a glassblower make an ornament. It was quiet for a second in that corner of the park. I watched the fire melt the glass, watched him spin it into something beautiful, and I thought, “Yeah, this is it.”
If you’re local, or even if you’re flying in, skip the perfection of the bigger parks for a day. Come here for the boysenberries, stay for the snow, and definitely eat the corn dog. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s absolutely wonderful.
I’ll be dropping the full vlog on our YouTube channel on Tuesday, so you can see that tree in 4K. But until then, go make some memories. And maybe bring a jacket. Seriously.
Catch you in the next one.
