Christmas carnivals in Santa Monica.
A Christmas carnival is a full carnival midway built with a December look: red-and-white and green-and-white striped booths, warm string lights, candy-cane signage and game skins, a holiday balloon arch and Santa and Mrs. Claus at a photo station. Christmas carnivals in Santa Monica are planned by school groups in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, congregations, neighborhood associations and companies, each starting from the site they have reserved.
Santa Monica gives a carnival host five named parks to ask the city about: Virginia Avenue Park, Reed Park, Joslyn Park, Marine Park and Palisades Park. A park carnival needs the city's go-ahead on space and date, and a school carnival needs the district's. Neither answer comes from Carnival Fun Experts, which supplies the equipment and the paperwork each side asks for.
Carnival Fun Experts produces Christmas carnivals across Los Angeles County and sizes each Santa Monica event to its site.
The look of a Christmas carnival in Santa Monica.
A carnival at a Santa Monica park starts at an entrance marked by the holiday balloon arch: red-and-white balloons, candy canes, peppermint balloons and gingerbread figures. Beyond it, striped booths in red and white and green and white form the midway, and a lit ring-toss marquee draws guests in as the light changes. Warm string lights run over the booths, and the games carry candy-cane skins so the whole row reads as one set.
The seven concessions sit together or spaced along the route: churros, pretzels, popcorn, cotton candy, nachos, snow cones and caramel apples. The walk-in snow globe inflatable is a photo prop, and nothing falls inside it. Snow-flocked décor is a static finish on trim and props. Santa and Mrs. Claus sit at the photo-op station, and the host chooses whether families use their own phones or the host books the photographer Carnival Fun Experts offers. The host also handles tables, chairs, drinks and any heating.
What's typically included.
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Holiday booths.
Red-and-white and green-and-white striped 10x10 booths with warm string lights.
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Games and prizes.
Traditional carnival games, each with prizes, wearing candy-cane skins.
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Balloon arch.
Candy canes, peppermint and gingerbread at the entrance or the photo station.
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Concessions.
Seven concessions run from one-, two- and three-machine booths.
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Santa and Mrs. Claus.
A photo-op station for families, with the snow globe inflatable as a prop.
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Equipment and COI.
Carnival Fun Experts delivers and removes the equipment and provides the certificate of insurance a city park or school office requests.
Typical timeline for Christmas carnivals in Santa Monica.
- 1
Ask the owner
Contact the city about a park or the school district about a campus, and ask which dates are open.
- 2
Build the quote
Choose booths, concessions and the Santa station with Carnival Fun Experts. A 50% deposit holds the date.
- 3
Paperwork
The certificate of insurance goes to the city or the district. Generators run Carnival Fun Experts equipment when venue power falls short.
- 4
Carnival day
The booths go up, the string lights come on, and the host puts its tables, tents and drinks beside the midway.
Specifics for Santa Monica.
- Park sites: Virginia Avenue Park, Reed Park, Joslyn Park, Marine Park and Palisades Park are named sites. The host confirms space and dates with the city, and Carnival Fun Experts provides the paperwork a permit asks for.
- School groups: The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District runs the campuses, and a PTA asks the district office about winter dates.
- Layout options: A single row, a loop or an L can fit a lawn or lot, and Carnival Fun Experts draws the plan once the host knows the space.
- Cost bands: Neighborhood or HOA carnivals run $4,000 to $10,000, and company events run $10,000 to $25,000. Large multi-department events run $25,000 to $40,000 or more. Church events start from about $2,000, and the smallest custom event starts around $1,500.
- Early dark: December sunset comes early, so a carnival that runs into the evening depends on the string lights and any lighting the venue provides.
- Host's side: Tables, chairs, meals, drinks, extra tents, heating, Christmas trees and other vendors belong to the host or the venue.
Santa Monica, CA.
ZIPs: 90401 · 90402 · 90403 · 90404 · 90405 · 90406 · 90407 · 90408 · 90409 · 90410 · 90411
Carnival Fun Experts delivers Christmas carnivals throughout Santa Monica and the surrounding Los Angeles County area. Pin shows the city center; we cover every ZIP listed above.
Common questions.
Which Santa Monica parks can host a carnival?
Virginia Avenue Park, Reed Park, Joslyn Park, Marine Park and Palisades Park can each be asked about. The city decides what a carnival may use.
Can a church host one?
Yes. Church events start from about $2,000, and the church confirms space on its own property.
Does Carnival Fun Experts handle permits?
Carnival Fun Experts provides the paperwork a permit asks for. The host files the application with the city.
Do we need a Christmas tree?
Only if the host is also running a tree lighting. The host supplies the tree, and Carnival Fun Experts builds the midway beside it.
Can the carnival run into the evening?
Yes. The string lights stay on over the booths, and generators run Carnival Fun Experts equipment if venue power falls short.
Is Santa extra?
Santa and Mrs. Claus are added to the carnival quote as a photo-op station and are never sold on their own. The smallest custom event starts around $1,500.
About this guide.
This local guide to Christmas carnivals in Santa Monica was compiled by Carnival Fun Experts, providing event production for corporate gatherings, school festivals and community celebrations across Los Angeles County.
Helpful local references: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District · City of Santa Monica Parks
Christmas Carnivals in nearby cities.
Planning a Christmas carnival in Santa Monica?
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