Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina starts its Fire & Lights Festival and the 36th annual Lighting of the Bay on Friday, November 27, 2026, in Newport Beach. The festival runs through Sunday, January 3, 2027.
The Lighting of the Bay puts more than 50 floating holiday displays on the water, lit at dusk each evening. Opening night runs 4 to 9 p.m., and Santa is expected to stop by.
For families
Activities include fire pits with s’more kits, and inflatables such as the Toboggan Tunnel, the Gingerbread Slide and a 40-foot Snowzilla. Wild Fire Arts Collective performs fire dancing on Fridays and Saturdays at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Santa poses for photos on Saturdays, 5 to 8 p.m., through Christmas. The Igloo Bar sells hot chocolate and apple cider.
Cost and parking
Entry is free. Parking, inflatables and concessions cost extra, and inflatable prices haven’t been posted yet. Parking is free for the first 30 minutes, $15 for up to two hours and $20 for up to four hours.
The resort lists differing holiday closure dates, so call Newport Dunes at (949) 729-3863 before planning a visit around Christmas or New Year’s. Activities other than the lighting depend on the weather. The resort is at 1131 Back Bay Drive.
Sources
Featured photo: CharleBernardo via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. The photo shows Upper Newport Bay in Newport Beach, not the Newport Dunes festival.
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