What is happening in Beaumont and the San Gorgonio Pass in December 2026? The holiday season takes over: Beaumont's Blizzard Bash and Holiday Light Parade on December 12, the 33rd Annual Winterfest at the Cherry Valley Grange on December 4, Christmas Nights at 123 Farm glowing through January 3, the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade on December 5, and WildLights at The Living Desert on select nights through December 30. This guide rounds up the month's can't-miss dates across Beaumont, Banning, Cherry Valley, Calimesa, and the wider pass and desert, plus the seasonal things to do and where to eat and drink. Curated by Sam Silver, your local Pass Area community guide and expert.
December at a glance
Here is the month's calendar in one look, with the biggest dates up front. Full details, addresses, and organizer info live on the Beaumont Life events page.
Dec 3 · Yucca Valley Tree Lighting
The high desert kicks off its holiday season Thursday, December 3, 5:00-7:00 PM with the annual Yucca Valley tree lighting, a small-town ceremony in Old Town Yucca Valley around the library and Founders Plaza. A warm, low-key start to the season just 45 minutes northeast on Highway 62.
Dec 4 · Tree lighting & the 33rd Winterfest
The Pass Area's holiday season opens in earnest Friday, December 4: downtown Beaumont holds its community tree lighting with caroling, and the 33rd Annual Winterfest fills the Cherry Valley Grange Community Center (10478 Beaumont Ave) with school performances, Santa photos, 40+ holiday boutiques, a tree lighting, a snow hill, hay rides, and crafts. One of the most cherished hometown traditions in the pass.
Dec 5 · Festival of Lights Parade & Tamale Festival
Saturday, December 5 is a big desert day: the 34th annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade lights up Palm Canyon Drive at 5:45 PM (free, with the tree lighting at Frances Stevens Park), and the world-famous Indio International Tamale Festival runs December 5-6 at Miles Avenue Park. Banning's Cowboy Christmas parade and tree lighting also traditionally lands the first Saturday of December; watch the City of Banning website for the confirmed date.
Dec 6 · Yucca Valley Holiday Celebration
The Yucca Valley Community Center hosts its annual Holiday Celebration Saturday, December 6, 10:00 AM-3:00 PM, with a snow play zone, hot cocoa, and family activities. A delightful high desert winter-wonderland afternoon that pairs perfectly with a Joshua Tree visit on the way home.
Dec 10 · Cookie Exchange in Banning
The San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society hosts its annual Cookie Exchange Thursday, December 10 at 6:30 PM at its Banning headquarters: cookies, conversation, and community for history buffs and neighbors alike. A sweet way to kick off the holiday season with the people who keep the pass's story alive.
Dec 12 · Blizzard Bash & Holiday Light Parade
Beaumont's signature holiday celebration returns Saturday, December 12, 2:00-8:00 PM on Beaumont Avenue between 6th and 8th Streets, with the Holiday Light Parade stepping off at 5:00 PM from 12th Street and Beaumont Avenue. Holiday lights, music, food, and community cheer make it the Pass Area's biggest night of the season.
Dec 18 · Enchanted Realm Renaissance Faire
A magical Renaissance Faire takes over Dysart Equestrian Park in Banning Friday, December 18: period costumes, artisan vendors, live jousting, medieval music, and family-friendly entertainment. A one-of-a-kind holiday-season event that transports visitors back in time and caps the year in style.
Nov 25-Dec 30 · WildLights at The Living Desert
More than 3 million LED lights transform The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert into a glowing holiday wonderland on select nights from November 25 through December 30, a USA Today top-10 holiday event. Just 40 minutes east of the pass on I-10, it is the perfect family outing to open the holiday season.
Local news and developments worth knowing
The Pass Area keeps investing in its future. Here is the latest on the projects, honors, and openings shaping Beaumont, Banning, Calimesa, and Cherry Valley this season.
Downtown Beaumont passes $250K in business support
The City of Beaumont has now committed more than $250,000 through its Downtown Business Attraction and Expansion Forgivable Loan and Commercial Façade Improvement programs, approving over $210,000 for four downtown businesses and two commercial properties. The 2026 recipients include Tuscano's Pizza & Pasta, Good Intentions Bar and Restaurant, and Cornerstone Barbeque, all anchors of the 2nd Street and E 6th Street revival.
Fire insurance relief for Beaumont homeowners
Beaumont was placed on California's Fire Risk Reduction Community List (FRRCL) for July 2026 through June 2028, a state recognition of the city's proactive wildfire preparedness that can qualify residents for fire-insurance discounts. A meaningful win for homeowners at the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest and the wildland-urban interface.
Stewart Park renovation moves forward
Phase I construction at Stewart Park resumed in July 2026, and the city accepted a roughly $2.5 million federal grant to fund Phase II, which adds a secondary playground, skate park enhancements, and a relocated basketball court with pickleball striping. The park remains closed for the overhaul, so plan around it this fall and look for the finished park next year.
SR-60/Potrero Phase II and the $84M transportation package
Construction is underway on the $56 million SR-60/Potrero Boulevard Interchange Phase II widening Potrero Boulevard for Beaumont's growing areas, with completion expected in 2028, and Beaumont has locked in roughly $84 million in state transportation funding including $50.4 million for the Pennsylvania Avenue Grade Separation. Expect continued I-10 lane closures between Beaumont and Calimesa from the $146 million pavement rehabilitation project, plus street resurfacing on Champions Drive November 20 through December 1.
New playgrounds at Noble Creek & Bogart Regional Parks
The Beaumont-Cherry Valley Recreation and Park District opened brand-new playgrounds at Noble Creek Regional Park and Bogart Regional Park in 2026, giving families two fresh places to play as the holiday season arrives. Noble Creek also remains the district's flagship for sports fields, the dog park, skate park, and RV camping, while Bogart Park adds its stocked fishing pond, campsites, and the Bogart Park Ridge Trail.
The restored Plaza Theatre's holiday season
Palm Springs' landmark Plaza Theatre, reopened in 2026 after a $34 million restoration, launches its holiday lineup in late November: Christmas with The Drifters, The Platters, and Cornell Gunter's Coasters (Nov 27), Maria Bamford (Nov 28), Meow Meow's Feline Festive (Dec 2), A John Waters Christmas (Dec 3), The John Denver Christmas Concert (Dec 8), and the Gay Men's Chorus' Jingle Jangle Jazz Hands (Dec 11-13). Just 30 minutes east on I-10, it is an easy evening out from the pass.
Seasonal things to do this month
December is when the pass and the desert both dress up: holiday lights at a century-old Cherry Valley farm, hometown parades in Beaumont and Banning, high desert celebrations in Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, and a full calendar of desert lights and shows just east on I-10.
Christmas Nights at 123 Farm
The winter edition of Christmas Nights at 123 Farm in Cherry Valley runs November 5 through January 3, transforming the fields and gardens into a holiday wonderland with festive lights, seasonal music, and holiday treats. Advance tickets are required (no door sales), with weekdays 5-10 PM and weekends 2-10 PM, plus Santa's Workshop on select dates in November and December. One of the most magical holiday experiences in Southern California, right in the pass.
The Pass Area's hometown holiday calendar
From the downtown Beaumont tree lighting and the 33rd Annual Winterfest (Dec 4) to the Blizzard Bash and Holiday Light Parade (Dec 12), the pass celebrates close to home. Banning's Cowboy Christmas parade and tree lighting returns in early December (traditionally the first Saturday, with the date TBD on the city calendar), the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society hosts its Cookie Exchange (Dec 10), and the Mtn Air Stockdog Club runs a holiday herding trial series in Cherry Valley (Nov 28). The Calimesa Farmers & Community Market holds its holiday edition Wednesday, December 30 (4-9 PM at 1055 Calimesa Blvd).
High desert holidays on Highway 62
The Morongo Basin celebrates small and warm: the Yucca Valley tree lighting (Dec 3) and Holiday Celebration with its snow play zone (Dec 6), the Twentynine Palms Holiday Festival with its Holiday Light Parade, tree lighting, and holiday market at Freedom Plaza (dates posted each December), the 29 Palms Art Gallery Holiday Arts & Crafts Faire, and Santa visiting the 29 Palms Farmers Market on December Saturdays. Pair any of them with a Joshua Tree National Park visit for a full high desert day.
Desert lights, shows, and New Year's Eve
The Coachella Valley glows all month: the Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade (Dec 5), WildLights at The Living Desert (Nov 25-Dec 30), Magic of Lights at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, and the restored Plaza Theatre's holiday shows in Palm Springs. Ring in 2027 with live music at Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace in the high desert, a resort dinner in Palm Springs, or a quiet night under the stars in Joshua Tree, then catch the Palm Springs International Film Festival (Jan 7-18) to open the new year.
Where to eat and drink this month
The downtown Beaumont revival keeps adding reasons to stay local, and the rest of the pass is right there with it. The full list with links and addresses is on the Things to Do page.
Downtown Beaumont
Good Intentions Bar & Restaurant (410 E 6th St) for American comfort food and wings, Kasama Restaurant (383 E 6th St) for Filipino-Cantonese fusion, Frijoles Restaurant & Cantina (652 E 6th St) for ceviche, pozole, and chilaquiles, New York Pizzeria for slices, and Pon Pho Noodle for pho on a chilly night. Coffee is strong here too: Cafe Agape, Cafe Cultivate, and Ziggi's Coffee all pour downtown, and the newest names on the hot-and-new lists, like La Popular, keep the corridor lively.
Banning's Ramsey corridor
Johnny Russo's Italian Restaurant (1335 W Ramsey St) and Consuelo's Home Style Mexican Food (1046 E Ramsey St) are the long-standing favorites, while Farm 2 Fork Cafe & Bakery (42 W Ramsey St) is the farm-to-table newcomer and Nosotros Cafe (3505 W Ramsey St) earned Banning's first Blue Zones Project Approved designation. Chaca Tea Bar keeps the boba flowing for the younger crowd.
Calimesa & Cherry Valley
Fire Rock Burgers & Brews and The HAUS Bistro anchor Calimesa's dining scene, Flo's Country Cafe is the Cherry Valley breakfast institution, and Down Right Brewed (DRB) Espresso Cafe pours purpose-driven coffee in Calimesa. Cornerstone BBQ in Beaumont remains a favorite for smoked meats as the weather cools, and 123 Farm's holiday evenings are a great excuse to warm up with farm-fresh fare in Cherry Valley.
Holiday meals & markets this month
For special-occasion dinners, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa's Cielo steakhouse and The Marketplace by Fabio Viviani in Cabazon, plus Birba Ristorante at Desert Hills Premium Outlets, are worth the short drive. Markets keep the season stocked: the Calimesa Farmers & Community Market meets Wednesday, December 30 (4-9 PM at 1055 Calimesa Blvd), the Beaumont Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings at 6525 College St, the Banning Farmers Market is Saturdays at 5 PM as a Blue Zones Project market, and the Cherry Valley Farmers Market meets the first and third Saturdays.
From Sam Silver
A month of light and community
December is when the Pass Area truly shines: a century-old farm in Cherry Valley glowing with holiday lights, Beaumont's parade rolling down the avenue, neighbors gathering for Winterfest and the Cookie Exchange, and the desert lighting up from Palm Springs to Twentynine Palms. That warmth, shared close to home, is what makes this place special.
Beaumont Life exists to help you find these moments, whether you have lived here for decades or you are just exploring the area as a future home. If you head out this month, enjoy every minute. And if you are ever thinking about buying or selling a home in the Pass Area, I would be honored to help.
Keep exploring
Events in the Pass Area
Recurring events, festivals, and community happenings
Things to Do in the Pass Area
Parks, trails, dining, and family activities
November 2026 Pass Area Guide
Election Day, Pride, and the holiday kickoff
Veteran & Community Hero Resources
Honoring the pass's veterans and local heroes
CalDRE 01412755 · Equal Housing Opportunity. This is not intended as a solicitation if you are currently working with another real estate broker. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified.