The holidays are already in full swing, and residents throughout Southern California are surely looking for winter-holiday activities to partake in, especially if they passed on some of last month’s macabre Halloween fare, which certainly isn’t for everyone. In particular, there is one soon-to-open, brand-new destination that promises to centralize the season’s festivities all in one place for families to visit in the years to come.
Beginning on Friday, November 25th, the city of Norco, which prides itself on being a town rife with equestrianism, and has no more than 27,000 residents, will host the first-annual Pluto TV-partnered holiday extravaganza dubbed Illuminate Silverlakes at the Silverlakes Sports Complex. On select dates through Friday, December 30th, individuals will have four hours nightly (between 6 and 10 pm) to thoroughly explore six distinct areas and savor live holiday music on the grounds.
One of these is the Christmas Holiday Marketplace where visitors can shop and get arts-and-crafty. Of course, no holiday event is complete without overhead lights to walk under — a necessity that is fulfilled by the second attraction: the bedazzling Illumination Trail. The third section is Toyland, a wondrous place that will put smiles on children’s faces and spark happy childhood memories in adults. From its concept to creation, Toyland has been envisaged as a larger-than-life panorama of luminescence that is enhanced by colossal presents, an endless array of toys, and shimmering backdrops.
For those who can appreciate the beaming radiance of Christmas trees adorned in lavish ornaments will especially find themselves energized by the Electric Forest, the centerpiece of which is a towering 35-foot-tall tree that comes alive in more ways than one. Fans of Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen will be drawn to the penultimate spectacle: Reindeer Grove, featuring Santa’s iridescent sleigh and, finally, Santa’s Village, which is set to culminate the evening with the naturally rosy-red warmth and green tranquility it exudes. Suffice it to say, the latter two crowd-pleasers, among the other four, are expected to entice their fair share of cheery snapshots to be shared on social media.
The six splendorous areas are designed to be arrayed around 50 light apparatuses in total, which, in addition to being enchanting from a visual standpoint, might also inspire snacking on guilt-exempt, celebratory treats, such as kettle corn, sourdough soup bowls, smoked turkey legs, tamales, roasted corn on the cob and, not to mention, specialty cocktails, hot beverages, and a plethora of desserts. The sugary confections might be, in fact, the most consumed — and for good reason — with options ranging from delectable gingerbread and Christmas-shaped cookies, to churros, caramel apples, pies, muffins, and cupcakes! Needless to say, nobody will walk away without having their candied cravings satiated, including St. Nick who would undoubtedly give his belly-chortling stamp of approval.
Lastly, just as much as one might be gratified by the sights, sounds, and victuals, the inaugural Illuminate Silverlakes event will be amplified by four musical acts: a sing-along variety show for children by the troupe, Kids Imagine Nation; trumpet player Walter Simonsen and band; jazz vocalist Renee Rojanaro; and, a capella carolers inside the VIP lounge.
Best of all, for what Illuminate Silverlakes pledges to provide visitors — with an expansive, in-depth wonderland — the tickets to attend are quite affordable, starting at $34 for children and $48 for adults. For an additional cost, a VIP package will include an exclusive entry point along with the following complimentary items: a light-up necklace, charcuterie box, hot cider, and a s’mores kit that can be roasted using a firepit inside the VIP tent.
With a myriad of activities to partake in and, more importantly, with so many memories to be made, Illuminate Silverlakes is likely destined to become a yearly Southern California holiday tradition.
For more information about Pluto TV’s first-ever Illuminate Silverlakes event, and to purchase tickets, please visit: illuminate.holiday
The site of Illuminate Silverlakes, the Silverlakes Sports Complex, is located at 5555 Hamner Ave Norco, CA 92860
