The holidays are fast approaching and Knott’s Berry Farm has launched their Knott’s Merry Farm celebration for 2016, happening now through January 8, 2017! I was invited to experience all of the fun festivities that Knott’s “Merry Farm” had to offer for the whole family – and trust me, there is NO shortage of things to do at the park during this merry celebration! Let’s get started, shall we?
Christmas in Ghost Town and Calico
If you’re making your way through Ghost Town and Calico, make sure to visit the Christmas Crafts Village, featuring dozens of booths around every corner. From handmade pens, soy candles, and other handmade crafts, you’re sure to find a whimsical or thoughtful gift for you or your loved ones to commemorate the holiday season. You can also see artisans make some of these goods firsthand.
Stop by and see the glass blower make some beautiful glass creations or head over to the chainsaw sculptor to watch masterpieces get carved from wood.
Over at the Calico Town Hall, little ones can pen Christmas letters to Santa Claus or gather round for a special reading of the holiday classic “The Night before Christmas” by the Calico citizens. Everyone can also lend a hand around town by delivering gifts to some of the folks in Calico.
Then after sundown, make sure to get your picture in front of the beautifully lit Christmas tree, right in Calico Park. There’s also a “Snow and Glow” in Ghost Town, where snowfalls happens in the evening and the lights of Ghost Town flicker to a musical beat. (Note: I missed this due to the rain and trying to catch some of the other shows, so no photos or video unfortunately!)
Santa’s Christmas Cabin
The Wilderness Dance Hall transforms into Santa’s Christmas Cabin, where families can snap their photos with the big man himself, and indulge in delicious holiday goodies. This is an excellent place for families to unwind and grab a quick, festive snack.
What are those snacks? Well, you can get your hands on a hand-poured maple lollipop, a boysenberry-Nutella crepe, or simply indulge in Santa’s homemade cookies and a glass of milk (I went with the white chocolate macadamia nut!). There is also a coffee and hot cocoa station, and you can dress up your cocoa with marshmallows, whipped cream, and peppermint crumbles (something I should have added to my coffee!). We also enjoyed a Santa Snoopy cookie from the seasonal pastry table, which also offers flavored popcorns, seasonal cupcakes, and fruit tarts! Also, don’t skip out on the cinnamon dusted warm roasted nuts – I tried the pecans and they were a nice, not-too-sweet option if you wanted to avoid cakes and cookies.
If anyone wanted to pick up any gifts from Knott’s world famous preserves, jams, and jellies from the “Berry Market” brand (they are a berry farm after all!), there’s a kiosk inside Santa’s Christmas Cabin.
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- Booth selling Knott’s Preserves
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- Pre-wrapped holiday special!
Knott’s Merry Farm Entertainment – Shows Galore!
Don’t forget to grab an entertainment guide at the entrance – there is no shortage of entertainment through Knott’s Merry Farm – but one huge tip – many of the shows are hosted outdoors and can be subject to change without notice. If there is too much rain, performances will be canceled to protect the performers from falling or other technical difficulties!
However, one of the many musical performances you’ll see happens right in the streets of Calico, with a caroling quartet that sing a variety of tunes.
If you need something a bit more upbeat, visit The Calico Saloon Christmas show, which features can-can dancers on the stage. Over at the Bird Cage Theater, visitors can enjoy one of two shows: A Christmas Carol, or Gift of the Magi. You’ll catch these amazing performers posing for pictures after the performance.
Over at the Charles M. Schultz theatre, home to Snoopy on Ice, the show has been transformed into Merry Christmas, Snoopy, a 40-minute ice show featuring many different holiday melodies and wonderful skating routines. Snoopy himself makes an appearance on the ice alongside the skaters, with Charlie, Linus, Sally, and Lucy cameos as well. Note that the line for this can get pretty long up to 30 minutes before showtime, but there are multiple performances throughout the day.
There are two shows featuring the PEANUTS gang. The first one is called “A PEANUTS Guide to Christmas” and it is located over in the Camp Snoopy Theatre. Featuring Charlie, Snoopy, Lucy, and Linus, this performance is kid-friendly and has one of our favorite songs, a PEANUTS rendition of the ’12 Days of Christmas.”
The other show to keep your kids entertained is the brand new “It’s the Merriest Christmas Show Ever, Charlie Brown” – this show is slated for performance at the Calico Mine Stage. Unfortunately, the performance of this show was rained out, but here’s a shot of the stage in case you make the trip out!
For anyone looking to experience Knott’s Merry Farm for an entire yeara, a 2017 Season Pass is now on sale starting at just $90.00 (a limited time!). The Season Pass includes one free admission in 2016, unlimited visits in 2017 with no blackout dates, discounts on select food and merchandise, and access to exciting year-round seasonal events.
Will you be visiting Knott’s during the Merry Farm celebration? Let us know!
