ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - The winter season is a cherished time for Elk Grovians as it brings opportunities to celebrate with friends, neighbors and family.

The Elk Grove Citizen compiled several festivities and community-wide activities where residents can give back, gather and enjoy the holiday spirit together.

 

Camden Neighborhood Association will host its Holiday Faire from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 7, offering free seasonal festivities such as photos with Santa, hot cocoa, cookie decorating and trackless train rides along Green Belt to Cooperston Way. Photo courtesy of Camden Neighborhood Association 

Police and Fire Department Toy Project

The season of giving kicks off with the Toy Project, a long-running initiative through which the Elk Grove Police Department and Cosumnes Fire collect and distribute toys to local families in need. Both agencies will deliver the gifts directly to each family’s home, helping to create lasting holiday memories.

Donation stations are located throughout the city, including the Elk Grove Police Department Service Center on Laguna Palms Way and Cosumnes Fire stations 71 through 77.

Families seeking gift assistance must meet certain qualifications, including age of children, household income and residency within the city or fire district. Deliveries for children ages 1 to 11 will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 20.

For drop-off location details or more information, visit bit.ly/4oRz199 or call 916-478-8122.

Miracles in Elk Grove Toy Drive

Another opportunity to give back this season comes through Miracles in Elk Grove, a community-led project organized by local business owners and leaders in partnership with the Cosumnes Firefighters Community Support Foundation. The initiative aims to brighten Christmas for about 150 families in Elk Grove and Galt by providing toys, newborn essentials and full holiday dinners.

Toy donations must be new and unopened, and a wide variety of toys is encouraged, along with baby supplies such as diapers and blankets. Monetary donations go toward purchasing newborn essentials and dinners.

Old Town Plaza, 9615 Railroad St., will serve as the hub for toy collection and same-day distribution on Sunday, Dec. 21. For more details on additional drop-off locations or to make a monetary donation, visit miraclesinelkgrove.com.

 

Hosted by the Old Town Elk Grove Foundation, the Dickens Street Faire from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 along the historic Main Street is the hooray into the start of winter and Christmas festivities for the community. Photo courtesy of Old Town Elk Grove Foundation

Dickens Street Faire on Nov. 29

One of Elk Grove’s most beloved holiday traditions, the Dickens Street Faire has marked the beginning of the Elk Grove Yuletide season for 38 years. Hosted by the Old Town Elk Grove Foundation, this celebration is a hooray into the start of winter and Christmas festivities for the community.

This year’s faire will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29 in Old Town Elk Grove. It will feature youth-friendly activities such as a free kids’ craft corner from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be more than 145 vendors, local organizations and artisans lining historic Main Street (Elk Grove Boulevard), as well as food trucks and decorated storefronts for attendees to enjoy Small Business Saturday shopping.

At 5 p.m., visitors are encouraged to stick around for Christmas carols, continuous live entertainment and story time with Santa. The Christmas tree lighting will be at 6 p.m., when the town’s Christmas tree on Walnut Street will be illuminated. More information is available at oldtownelkgrove.com/dickensstreetfaire.

Illumination Festival on Dec. 6

Holiday festivities continue Saturday, Dec. 6 with the sixth annual Elk Grove Illumination Holiday Festival at District56, 8230 Civic Center Drive. Presented by Sutter Health, the event runs from 3 to 8 p.m. and includes ice skating, photos with Santa, a holiday vendor village, bounce houses, games and live entertainment.

The Holiday Parade of Lights, presented by the Elk Grove Lions Club and Sutter Health, begins at 6 p.m. and leads into a tree lighting and snowfall finale. All activities are free, although schedules can change depending on weather conditions.

 

Elk Grove’s sixth annual Illumination Holiday Festival is a free, family-friendly event from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at District56 (8230 Civic Center Drive) with winter activities such as ice skating, photos with Santa, a holiday vendor village, bounce houses and more. Photo courtesy of City of Elk Grove

Holiday Faire Dec. 7

Community members can also enjoy the Holiday Faire on Sunday, Dec. 7, which stretches from Green Belt to Cooperston Way in the Camden area. The free neighborhood gathering runs from 1 to 3 p.m. and offers photos with Santa and his elves, hot cocoa, local vendors, cookie decorating, kids’ crafts and trackless train rides.

Camden Neighborhood Association members receive priority access when checking in. Organizers remind attendees that official vendor communication will only come from the association and to watch for potential scammers. More information is available by contacting [email protected].

 

Are you a member of the Camden Neighborhood Association? Members receive priority access during the Holiday Faire from 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 7. The free neighborhood gathering offers several festive activities for the entire family. Photo courtesy of Camden Neighborhood Association

Santa & Sirens Dec. 12

Cosumnes Fire and Elk Grove Police are teaming up to offer Santa & Sirens, parading Santa throughout the city’s three ZIP codes from Friday, Dec. 12 to Sunday, Dec. 14.

A fleet of emergency vehicles, firefighters, police officers and volunteers will lead Santa through neighborhoods from 7 to 9 p.m. each night, weather permitting. Residents can view parade route maps at bit.ly/44aHrQA (case sensitive).

Christmas Classics Holiday Concert Dec. 15

Enjoy classic holiday melodies that signal the arrival of Christmas magic in Elk Grove. Conducted by Christopher J. Tootle, the Elk Grove Community Concert Band features professional, semi-professional and amateur adult musicians, along with talented Elk Grove Unified School District performers.

The free public concert will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15 at Joseph Kerr Middle School, 8865 Elk Grove Blvd. For more information, visit elkgrovecommunityband.org.

 

The Elk Grove Community Concert Band will perform a free concert featuring classic holiday melodies at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at Joseph Kerr Middle School, 8865 Elk Grove Blvd. Citizen file photo