Christmas carnivals in Long Beach.
A Christmas carnival is an event where the carnival itself wears the holiday: striped booths in red and white or green and white, warm string lights, candy-cane signs and game skins, prize games, a balloon arch, concessions, and Santa and Mrs. Claus at a photo station. This guide to Christmas carnivals in Long Beach covers how the format settles into a coastal city's parks and campuses, who books it, and what each size costs.
Long Beach gives a host a long list of places to ask: El Dorado Regional Park, Bixby Park, Recreation Park, Heartwell Park and Pan American Park, plus campuses in Long Beach Unified School District for a pre-break night. Each park has an owner, so the host confirms space and dates with the city, and each school has its own approval step through the school office.
Everything on the midway, from the booths to the snack stands to the sleigh, comes from Carnival Fun Experts.
A December midway in Long Beach.
Under a red-and-white balloon arch trimmed with candy canes, peppermint and gingerbread, guests find striped booths in a row or a loop, each marked with candy-cane signs and strung with warm lights. Ring toss, bottle ring, balloon dart and hoop shot pay out prizes. The concession booths serve nachos, pretzels, churros, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones and caramel apples.
Santa and Mrs. Claus sit in a sleigh at the photo-op station, and the walk-in snow globe inflatable gives families another picture. Nothing falls inside it. A church or a block association can run a few booths in a lot, a school can run the plan across a campus, and a city group or company can fill a park lawn. The layout shifts shape, and the carnival stays the same. A host with one church lot and a host with a whole park lawn can use the same booths.
What's typically included.
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Striped holiday booths.
Red-and-white and green-and-white booths in 10x10 and 5x5 sizes, lit by warm string lights.
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Prize games.
Four game families, booth, large-scale, sports and lawn, are picked to suit the ages in the crowd.
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Candy-cane styling.
The arch carries peppermint, candy canes and gingerbread, and the games wear candy-cane signs and skins.
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The concessions.
Nachos, caramel apples, snow cones, cotton candy, popcorn, pretzels and churros, all sold from concession booths.
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Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Carnival Fun Experts supplies both, and they sit at the photo-op station. Families shoot on phones, and the host can add the photographer.
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Snow-flocked trim.
A static finish on trim and props, plus the walk-in snow globe inflatable as a photo prop.
Typical timeline for Christmas carnivals in Long Beach.
- 1
Early fall
Choose among the five parks or a Long Beach Unified campus, name a date before winter break, ask whether it is open, and request a quote from Carnival Fun Experts.
- 2
Five weeks out
Settle the booth count and decide on Santa and Mrs. Claus. The 50% deposit reserves the date.
- 3
Final week
Confirm the headcount, send any insurance request, and walk the site with its contact.
- 4
Carnival day
On the day, the crew raises the booths and the arch, keeps the carnival running for the booked hours and clears the site afterward.
Specifics for Long Beach.
- Five named parks: El Dorado Regional Park, Bixby Park, Recreation Park, Heartwell Park and Pan American Park can each host an event. The host confirms space and dates with the city's parks department. A host unsure which of the five fits can ask the city while sending Carnival Fun Experts the guest count.
- Long Beach Unified campuses: A carnival at a Long Beach Unified School District school goes through the school office, and Carnival Fun Experts supplies a certificate of insurance if the district requests one.
- Cost bands: Neighborhood and HOA carnivals run $4,000 to $10,000. A company party costs $10,000 to $25,000. A large multi-department event costs $25,000 to $40,000 or more, and church events start from about $2,000.
- Permit paperwork: Whatever paperwork a permit asks for comes from Carnival Fun Experts, while the host files the permit itself.
- Coastal evenings: December evenings in a coastal city can turn cool. Heating belongs to the host, and a late-afternoon start keeps the string lights in play.
- Power: When outlets cannot carry the load, a Carnival Fun Experts generator powers our equipment.
Long Beach, CA.
ZIPs: 90801 · 90802 · 90803 · 90804 · 90805 · 90806 · 90807 · 90808 · 90809 · 90810 · 90813 · 90814 · 90815 · 90822 · 90831 · 90832 · 90833 · 90834 · 90835 · 90840 · 90842 · 90844 · 90846 · 90847 · 90848 · 90853 · 90899
Carnival Fun Experts delivers Christmas carnivals throughout Long Beach and the surrounding Los Angeles County area. Pin shows the city center; we cover every ZIP listed above.
Common questions.
Who books a Christmas carnival?
HOAs, churches, schools before winter break, cities and community groups, and companies for staff and families.
Does the host bring Santa?
No. Carnival Fun Experts provides Santa and Mrs. Claus.
What is the smallest event?
Custom events begin near $1,500. Church events begin from about $2,000.
What does the host cover?
The host handles tables and chairs, ticket sales, catering, drinks, heating, permits, other vendors and tents beyond our booths.
Does a larger park mean a bigger carnival?
The booth count follows the guest list and the space the city confirms. A park can hold a few booths or a full midway.
Is the snow real?
No. The snow globe inflatable is a photo prop, and the flocked trim is a static finish.
About this guide.
This local guide to Christmas carnivals in Long Beach was compiled by Carnival Fun Experts, bringing seasonal carnival productions to corporate campuses, schools, and parks across Los Angeles County.
Helpful local references: Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine · Long Beach Unified School District
Christmas Carnivals in nearby cities.
Planning a Christmas carnival in Long Beach?
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