Sensorio
Large, commercial, holiday light displays have become very popular during late autumn and early winter. They are found in ball parks, arboreta, fair grounds, theme parks, neighborhoods, even a mountain resort. Though the most evocative of California’s landscape is Sensorio in Paso Robles.
Sacramento area color spotter Claudia Cram visited recently and shares these images. Created by artist Bruce Munro, Sensorio has two major features: the Field of Light which undulates over several acres of terrain with blooms of colored lights spreading around a foot path and the Light Towers, a tribute to Paso Robles’ wine country with 69 towers made from over 17,000 wine bottles that are illuminated by fiber optics and that respond to a musical score.
The Field of Light is best at dusk when oaks are silhouetted against the Paso Robles hills, though it is dramatic when glowing against the inky-black Central California sky.
Listed here (in date order) are several of California’s largest recurring holiday light displays. Entry fees apply to most, and some benefit charities.
- Sensorio, Paso Robles – Through Dec. 31
- Enchant, Sutter Health Park, West Sacramento – Through Jan. 1
- Winterfest, Great America, Santa Clara – Through Jan. 1
- Holiday in the Park, Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo – Through Jan. 1
- Illuminate SF, San Francisco – Through Jan. 1
- Holiday in the Park, Magic Mountain, Valencia – Through Jan. 1
- Imaginarium, CalExpo, Sacramento – Through Jan. 2
- Lightscape, LA County Arboretum, Acadia – Through Jan. 8
- World of Color, Disneyland, Anaheim – Through Jan. 8
- Christmas Celebration, Sea World, San Diego – Through Jan 8
- Festival of Lights, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens – Through Dec. 16
- Wildnights at the Living Desert, Palm Desert – Through Dec. 24
- Mission Inn Festival of Lights, Riverside – Through Jan. 4
- Stockton Lighted Boat Parade – Dec. 1
- Lighting of the Snowmen, Sonoma – Dec 1
- Christmas Tree Lane, Fresno – Dec. 1-25
- Capistrano Lights, San Juan Capistrano – Dec. 1 – Jan. 6
- Lighted Boat Parade, Morro Bay – Dec. 3
- Roaring Camp RR Holiday Lights Train, Santa Cruz – Dec. 3-4, 10-11, 17-23
- Boat Parade of Lights, Dana Point Harbor – Dec. 7-8, 14-15
- Snow Wonder and Holiday Boat Parade, Marina Del Rey – Dec. 8
- Parade of Lights at the Harbor, Santa Barbara – Dec. 9
- Harbour Boat Parade, Huntington Beach – Dec. 9 – 10
- Bay of Lights, San Diego – Dec. 9, 16
- Fisherman’s Wharf Lighted Boat Parade, San Francisco – Dec. 14
- Zoo Lights, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens -Dec. 14 – 30
- Night of Lights, Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes -Dec. 15
- Christmas Boat Parade, Newport Beach – Dec. 19 – 23
