Shop, Stroll, and Celebrate at Encinitas’ First Holiday Village & Market
Encinitas is building a whole afternoon around its annual Heritage Tree Lighting this year. The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce is launching the first Encinitas Holiday Village & Market in a portion of the Moonlight Beach parking lot, with about 20 local vendors, carolers, and hot chocolate leading into the tree lighting.
Admission is free, and the market stays open for hours after the lights come on.
Evergreen Garlands in a Beach Parking Lot
The model here is the traditional European Christmas market, the kind built on rows of booths, string lights, and evergreen garlands. The Encinitas version puts all of that in a beach parking lot, which is about as San Diego as a holiday market gets.
The Chamber is running it alongside the Encinitas Historical Society and in partnership with the City of Encinitas, so the market and the tree lighting run as one long afternoon.
About 20 Local Makers, From Candles to Specialty Foods
Expect roughly 20 vendors, most of them local artisans and small businesses. Handmade gifts, jewelry, candles, holiday decor, boutique merchandise, wellness products, children’s gifts, specialty foods, and seasonal treats, all under booths done up in lights.
Carolers, Warm Cider, and a Gingerbread House to Decorate
Strolling carolers work the market with holiday standards. There is hot chocolate and warm cider, gingerbread house decorating for kids and families, children’s activities, and a holiday photo backdrop if the card photo still needs taking.
A Visit Encinitas and Encinitas Chamber information booth is on site too, which is a good first stop if you want the rest of the weekend mapped out before you start shopping.
Get There Before the Tree Lights at 4 PM
Tree lighting festivities start at 4 PM, right in the middle of market hours. Our move: show up at 2 PM, shop while the lot is still easy to walk, then drift over as the lights go on and come back for cider after.
The market takes up part of the Moonlight Beach lot, so parking will be tighter than usual. Overflow parking is at the Pacific View Arts Center.
It is also the front end of a three-day run in Encinitas. The Holiday Parade follows on Saturday, December 5, and Kringle Mingle closes it out on Sunday, December 6.
See you there!
Bring the kids, bring a tote bag, and plan to stay past dark. Encinitas is starting something new at Moonlight Beach, and year one is the one to be at.
📆 Friday, December 4 | 2 PM – 7 PM
📍 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas
🎟️ Free admission, no tickets needed
ℹ️ Follow along on Instagram for updates
See you there, San Diego!
