Tree Lighting Ceremony
An annual Idyllwild holiday tradition for more than fifty years, the Tree Lighting Ceremony should not be missed! ICC is currently in charge of the annual free ceremony, which always occurs on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend in Idy Park in the center of downtown Idyllwild. The Ceremony begins at 2:00pm with local non-profits offering information, gift items, and crafts and food booths. Live music and entertainment begins at 4:00pm, and the lighting of the trees occurs just after sundown around 5:15pm. Santa is available for visits in the town gazebo from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
Great Pumpkin Carnival
Another terrific Idyllwild tradition is the annual Great Pumpkin Carnival! Because we're located in a small mountain community, we have no sidewalks, very few streetlights, many "second homes", and our homes are spread far apart, Idyllwild holds a town Halloween carnival rather than doing typical house-to-house trick-or-treating. The Great Pumpkin Festival begins with a costume parade starting at the top of North Circle Drive at 4:15pm on Halloween, which ends in the center of town. There, kids can trick-or-treat at local businesses and attend the carnival from 5:00pm to 7:00pm that surrounds Idy Park, which includes games, food stands, costume contests for children and adults, and much more!
Easter Egg Hunt
The annual Idyllwild Easter Egg Hunt occurs on the Saturday just before Easter. Locations for the event vary, but it starts at 10:00am, and the children search for hidden Easter eggs (colorful plastic eggs with candy) in different areas designated by age group. Within each area is a special golden egg, which entitles the finders to a very special Easter basket! The Easter Bunny is always in attendance for photos and hugs! Please check our Calendar or contact us via the Contact Us Page for location and schedule information.
Summer Concert Series
The Butterfield Amphitheater and Idyllwild Town Hall are very busy outdoor venues during our beautiful mountain late spring to early fall season. For example, the Butterfield Amphitheater is now home to the Idyllwild Summer Concert Series, which has been presented by the non-profit Idyllwild Summer Concerts Organization for more than 20 years. The free concert series begins on the first Thursday after July 4th and continues every Thursday night for eight consecutive weeks.
Similarly, Idyllwild Town Hall provides the venue for the Idyllwild Art Alliance's annual "Call of the Wild" art and music festival, an annual song writers' workshop and concert event, Idyllwild Rotary's annual Memorial Day weekend Pancake Breakfast and Rotary's Labor Day weekend Deep Pit BBQ, just to name a few of the many fun happenings in Idyllwild. Please check our Calendar for additional information about public community events happening at these venues, and please contact ICC via the Contact Us Page for rental information of any ICC facility for year-round public and private events.