Christmas carnivals in Downey.
A Christmas carnival is a holiday carnival run as the main event, with striped red-and-white and green-and-white booths, warm string lights, candy-cane game skins, a balloon arch, concessions and Santa and Mrs. Claus at a photo station. Christmas carnivals in Downey can be fitted to a school courtyard, a church lot or a city park, and a host who books one decides which of those the midway will take over.
Downey can look to Apollo Park or Wilderness Park for public ground, to the Downey Civic Center area for city events, and to Downey Unified School District campuses for school ones. The host asks the city or the district for the date and the space, and the carnival is drawn around the answer.
Carnival Fun Experts delivers the booths, the games and prizes, the arch, the seven concessions and Santa and Mrs. Claus for Downey Christmas carnivals.
The Christmas midway, drawn for Downey.
Families come in through the balloon arch, a red-and-white frame of candy canes, peppermint balloons and gingerbread figures. The striped booths run in a loop, an L or two facing rows, which keeps the aisles clear on a courtyard as well as on a wide field. Ring toss, bottle ring, milk can toss and the other games wear candy-cane skins and give out prizes, and the string lights overhead make the lane glow as the early evening arrives.
Concession booths sell caramel apples, nachos, snow cones, popcorn, pretzels, churros and cotton candy near the gate, where there is space to queue. Santa and Mrs. Claus sit at the photo-op station at the far end, so families walk the full midway to reach them. A walk-in snow globe inflatable adds a photo prop (nothing falls inside it), and snow-flocked trim dresses the props. The host takes care of seating, drinks, meals, extra tents and heating, and any civic program on the day.
What's typically included.
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Striped booths.
Red-and-white and green-and-white 10x10 booths dressed for Christmas, with string lights across the lane.
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Games with prizes.
Traditional and large-scale carnival games in candy-cane skins, with prizes for every player who wins.
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Balloon arch.
A holiday arch of candy canes, peppermint balloons and gingerbread figures marks the entrance and doubles as a photo backdrop.
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Food booths.
Seven items in all, among them churros, caramel apples, nachos, snow cones, popcorn, pretzels and cotton candy.
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Santa and Mrs. Claus.
The pair come from Carnival Fun Experts and sit at the photo-op station. Phones work for families, and the host can add the photographer Carnival Fun Experts offers.
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Snow globe and flocked finish.
A walk-in snow globe inflatable serves as a photo prop, and trim and props carry a snow-flocked finish.
Typical timeline for Christmas carnivals in Downey.
- 1
Choose the ground.
Pick a courtyard, a lot or a park, and have the school, church or city confirm the date and space.
- 2
Set the booth count.
How many booths and concession stands fit is a question for the guest list and the ground.
- 3
Lock the date.
A 50% deposit locks it in, and Carnival Fun Experts provides the certificate of insurance or the paperwork a permit asks for.
- 4
Open the lane.
Carnival Fun Experts builds the midway, staffs its games and concessions, and gets Santa and Mrs. Claus seated.
Specifics for Downey.
- Apollo Park and Wilderness Park. City parks that can host a Christmas carnival once the city confirms the date, the space and any permit.
- Downey Civic Center. A civic event here starts with the city confirming dates and where the midway can go.
- Downey Theatre and Columbia Memorial Space Center. A host who wants either as a setting asks the venue about dates, space and vendor rules before planning a layout.
- Downey Unified campuses. A school can run a Christmas carnival ahead of winter break after the school and district approve the date and the space.
- Cost bands. Church events start from about $2,000, neighborhood carnivals run $4,000 to $10,000, company parties $10,000 to $25,000, and large events $25,000 to $40,000 or more. A Downey event at the low end of the range begins near $1,500.
Downey, CA.
ZIPs: 90239 · 90240 · 90241 · 90242
Carnival Fun Experts delivers Christmas carnivals throughout Downey and the surrounding Los Angeles County area. Pin shows the city center; we cover every ZIP listed above.
Common questions.
Is a park an option for a Downey Christmas carnival?
Apollo Park and Wilderness Park can host one once the city has confirmed the date and the space. The host files for any permit, and Carnival Fun Experts provides the paperwork a permit asks for.
How does a Downey school book one?
The school and Downey Unified confirm the date and the campus space, and Carnival Fun Experts fits the booths to the courtyard or field.
Could a tree lighting share the evening?
It could. The host brings the tree and runs the lighting, and the booths and Santa station operate alongside.
What if power is limited?
Carnival Fun Experts can run generators for its own equipment where venue power falls short.
Can guests enter free?
The host decides. Tickets are sold and collected by the host, or the carnival stays free.
What does the host provide?
Guest seating, drinks, meals, tents beyond the booths, heating, permits and any other vendors are arranged by the host or the venue.
About this guide.
This local guide to Christmas carnivals in Downey was compiled by Carnival Fun Experts, a division of My Little Carnival. Carnival Fun Experts supports carnival-style school, civic, nonprofit, workplace, and private events across Los Angeles County.
Helpful local references: Downey Unified School District · City of Downey Parks & Recreation
Christmas Carnivals in nearby cities.
A Downey Christmas carnival starts with a date
Tell Carnival Fun Experts the site, the day and the guest count. Custom events begin around $1,500.
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