Hanukkah Events & Celebrations in Orange County

We are so excited to be bringing you a list of Hanukkah events and celebrations in Orange County, due to popular demand!

For ease of use, these Hanukkah events in Orange County list is organized by city in alphabetical order. Take a look and let us know if we missed one of your favorite Hanukkah holiday events! Email ([email protected]) or message us on Facebook.

In case you are not familiar with Hanukkah, it is a very important 8-day Jewish festival that takes place in December and is also known as the “Festival of Lights.”

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Every night, there is a menorah lighting, special prayers and eating special foods such as “latkes” (potato pancakes). It celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple and this year it will begin on the evening of Wednesday, December 25, 2024, and end on the evening of Thursday, January 2, 2024.

Hanukkah Events & Celebrations in Orange County

IRVINE
Hanukkah | Pretend City
December 20, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Celebrate Hanukkah with Rabbi Sender at Pretend City with a special celebration! Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.  

LADERA RANCH
Menorah Lighting | Town Green, 28801 Sienna Pkwy
December 15, 2024 | 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Join us as we celebrate Hanukkah as a community at the Ladera Ranch Festival of Lights.  This year, LARCS is partnering with local organizations, including Temple Beth El South Orange County, to create an evening of community with music, dancing, dreidels, crafts, candle lighting, and traditional Hanukkah snacks!

MISSION VIEJO
Jewish Festival of Lights | Village Green, 24932 Veterans Way
December 18, 2024 | 3:00pm – 5:00pm
The Chabad of Mission Viejo will celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights with Chanukah music and entertainment, games, activities, bounce house, creative crafts, face painting, cookie decorating and so much more! Come to experience all the wonderment of Chanukah with the lighting of the menorah, singing traditional holiday songs, eating latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (jelly donuts). Experience spinning the dreidel of joy at this citywide celebration of the winter holiday of miracles!

NEWPORT BEACH
Menorah Lighting | Fashion Island
December 7, 2024 | 5:30pm
Newport Beach Grand Menorah Lightings at Fashion Island and the Back Bay – Community  Concert by the renowned Moshav group, the great Chanukah Gelt drop, entertainment, crafts and gifts for children with lots of other fun to go along with it!

SAN CLEMENTE
Menorah Lighting | Outlets at San Clemente
December 31, 2024 | 5:00pm
Celebrate with Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente for a menorah lighting in front of MetroLux Theatres.

OUTSIDE OF ORANGE COUNTY

Riverside

Chanukah Festival 2024 | Riverside County Historic Courthouse- 4050 Main St
December 30, 2024 | 6:00pm-8:00pm
Grand Menorah Lighting | Traditional Food
Live Music | Fun Activities for the Whole Family!Free Admission

Los Angeles

Hanukkah Festival | Skirball Cultural Center- 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd
December 15, 2024 | 12:00pm-5:30pm
Gather with family and friends to make new memories at the Skirball! Beloved klezmer rockers Mostly Kosher return to headline this year’s festival with support from dublab DJ Callie Ryan. Skirball Storytellers bring the Hanukkah story to life with a theatrical performance featuring music and puppetry.

Whether you identify as Jewish or not, we hope you take the time to learn about other cultures and their traditions because it is the appreciation of diversity that will make us a stronger community.

For more Jewish celebrations of Hanukkah, we invite you to visit this list of Orange County Jewish synogagues to inquire about how they’re celebrating. Happy Hanukkah!

Originally published on November 18, 2024. Last Updated on November 18, 2024 by Pattie Cordova