In the News!

‘Tis (almost) the Season for the Christmas on Euclid Experience: See what’s in store this year!

(ONTARIO, California, November 28, 2024) – The stage is being set for the region’s must-see holiday event – the Christmas on Euclid Experience – once again offering visitors a journey into a whimsical winter wonderland of festive light displays, community events and a 12-part Nativity scene that has been a seasonal tradition for more than half a century.

The Christmas on Euclid Experience is a holiday showcase unlike any other – an opportunity for the community to come together to revel in the season, purchase one-of-a-kind crafts, enjoy great food, and participate in events ranging from a tree lighting ceremony to the hugely popular Holiday Light Parade and 5k Reindeer Run.

Work is underway on the 12 Nativity scenes that date back to 1958, when the first one was displayed on the center median of Euclid Avenue. By 1976, the tradition had expanded to 12 scenes, which have been displayed together every holiday season since then.

The treasured pieces of art were the creation of Rudolph Vargas, a well-known Los Angeles artist and sculptor, and are on display from Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Day.

The 12 scenes have undergone restoration, and new crèches were built in 2018, but it is an ongoing effort to maintain, restore and preserve them.Donations to support these efforts can be made on the website or mailed directly to Christmas on Euclid Experience, in care of the Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764.

In the meantime, mark your calendars for the events that have made the Christmas on Euclid Experience such a popular tradition for thousands of visitors and the community:

Thanksgiving thru New Years Day:Stroll along the Euclid Avenue median starting just north of the Band Stand at “C” Street.Enjoy the twelve historic Nativity Scenes depicting the life of Jesus. A video and self - guided tour is available on the website at ChristmasOnEuclid.com

Saturday, December 7: Holiday Light Parade and the annual tree lighting ceremony, 6:30-9 p.m., Euclid Avenue and the Ontario Town Square.

Saturday, December 14: Annual craft faire and festival, 10 a.m. -5 p.m., Ontario Town Square. Vendors can sign up here.

Saturday, December 14: Ontario 5K Reindeer Run!, 8 a.m. Register at ontarioca.gov/5kReindeerRun.

Saturday, December 16: Community Sing-A-Long, 6-9 p.m., R. Jack Mercer Bandstand, Euclid Avenue and “C” Street.

Saturday, December 26: Menorah Procession, 6:30 p.m., Ontario Town Square.

Experience the magic of the holiday season at the annual Light Parade and tree lighting, Dec. 7

(ONTARIO, California, November 30, 2024) – Looking for a magical, family friendly way to welcome the holiday season? There’s no better place than the Christmas on Euclid Experience, a winter wonderland in the heart of Southern California that has become a holiday traditional for thousands of visitors each year.

On Saturday, December 7, the Christmas on Euclid Experience will bring back one of its most popular events, the annual tree lighting at the Ontario Town Square, featuring cookie decorating, food vendors and the arrival of Santa. The festivities will follow the 3^rd annual Holiday Light Parade, brought to you by the City of Ontario, on Euclid Avenue, which begins at 6:30 that evening.

“We’re excited to welcome families and friends from Greater Ontario and beyond as we celebrate the start of the holiday season. The Christmas on Euclid Experience offers something for everyone. The parade and tree-lighting ceremony are such a wonderful way to share the excitement of this magical time of year,” said Michael Krouse, President and CEO of Greater Ontario California (GOCAL).

In addition to the parade and tree lighting, visitors also will have the opportunity to enjoy another downtown Ontario tradition – the12 near-life-size Nativity scenes that have appeared each year along the Euclid median for more than half a century.

Other upcoming Christmas on Euclid Experience events include the annual craft faire and festival at Ontario Town Square, (Saturday, December 14, 10 a.m. -5 p.m.); the Ontario 5K Reindeer Run! (Saturday, December 14, 8 a.m., register at ontarioca.gov/5kReindeerRun); the Community Sing-A-Long (Saturday, December 14, 6-9 p.m., R. Jack Mercer Bandstand, Euclid Avenue and “C” Street); and the Menorah Procession, at Ontario Town Square (Thursday, December 26, 6:30 p.m.).

The Christmas on Euclid Experience hosts its annual community sing-a-long on December 14

(ONTARIO, California, December 7, 2024) – The Christmas on Euclid Experience once again will host its annual craft faire and festival, an holiday tradition for thousands of visitors each year.

This year’s craft fair and festival takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Ontario Town Square located on historic Euclid Avenue.Everyone is invited to enjoy the holiday market, crafts, snow play and ice skating, live performances and Santa of course.Thousands of people descend on Euclid Avenue to shop, enjoy food, holiday music, carnival rides, and reindeer games.

Throughout the day several live performances will entertain the crowd at Ontario Town Square including local high school bands and dancers plus holiday music.

Celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, with the annual Menorah Procession in downtown Ontario

(ONTARIO, California, December 22, 2024) – The entire community is invited to participate in the annual Menorah Procession next Thursday, December 26, in celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.

The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with the lighting of the Menorah, Jewish music, crafts, traditional latkes and sufganiyot, followed by a procession of Menorah-mounted vehicles winding brightly through neighborhoods before returning to the Town Square.

The procession is an annual highlight of the Christmas on Euclid Experience, an inclusive celebration of the holiday season that attracts thousands to downtown Ontario. Hanukkah starts the evening of December 25, and ends on the evening of Thursday, January 2. During those eight days, Jews commemorate the holiday by lighting an eight-branch candelabrum, or Menorah.

Over the past three decades, the practice of community Menorah processions has drawn a worldwide following. The event is intended to promote Hanukkah’s concept of instilling light in the darkness. The Menorah’s unique design endures as a symbol of spreading divine light to the world.