Hermosa for the Holidays returns with a tree lighting and other festivities this weekend

The second annual Hermosa for the Holidays will help kick off the yuletide spirit in the South Bay this weekend with a tree-lighting ceremony and other festive events.

Hermosa for the Holidays will take place from Friday to Sunday, Nov. 18-20, and will also feature carnival rides and inflatables at Pier Plaza, a community concert, family pictures and a letter-writing station with Santa, workshops, shopping, and a storytime tent, among other events.

“We really want this to be something that the entire South Bay community really comes to treasure every year,” said Jessica Accomando, president, and CEO of the Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.

“Hermosa for the Holidays is a family fun event that will kick start the holiday season at the beach,” Mayor Mike Detoy said in a statement, “and encourage visitors to shop, dine and play in Hermosa Beach during the winter months.”The biggest change from the inaugural event last year, Accamando said, is swapping an ice skating rink with the carnival on Pier Plaza. The carnival will boast a train, a slide on the sand, and a Ferris wheel at the head of the Hermosa Beach Pier.

“When you’re on it,” Accomando said, “you have a full panoramic view of the coast.”

The tree-lighting ceremony, sponsored by Skechers, will begin around 6 p.m. Sunday, with entertainment beginning at 3:30 p.m. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is expected to bring Santa and Mrs. Claus to the event around 6:15 p.m.

Ride tickets are available for $8 per person, but wristbands are also available for unlimited rides. A one-day, all-access pass costs $40 on presale or $50 at the door.

The carnival will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.