Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina is celebrating the holiday season with the return of its Fire & Lights Festival, held Thursday through Sunday evenings from 4 to 9 p.m. through January 4, 2026. The annual Lighting of the Bay glows nightly at dusk with more than 50 floating trees and festive waterfront displays.
Festival Highlights
• Fire Dancing: Free fire performances by The Wild Fire Arts Entertainment every Friday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Photos with Santa: Complimentary photos with Santa every Saturday through Christmas from 5 to 8 p.m.
• Igloo Bar: Seasonal sips and snacks including hot chocolate, cider, hot toddies, and soup du jour.
• Fire Pits and S’mores: Marshmallow roasting by the bay under sparkling lights.
• Giant Inflatables: Toboggan Tunnel, Giant Snowzilla slide, and Gingerbread Slide with unlimited wristbands or single-ride tickets. Height, weight, and sock requirements apply.
Admission to the Fire and Lights Festival is free. Fees apply for parking, inflatables, and concessions. The Lighting of the Bay runs nightly through January 4, 2026.
Santa’s Garden Holiday Tree Lot
Fresh Noble, Nordman, Grand, and Douglas trees, plus wreaths and garlands from northern Oregon. Custom flocking, trimming, loading, and home or business delivery available. Open daily through December 21. Sunday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Make It a Stay
Guests can enjoy the views from RV campsites or Beach Cottages. RV rentals can be delivered directly to campsites. Back Bay Bistro offers waterfront settings for holiday parties and private events. Visit NewportDunes.com or call 949-729-3800.
Parking and Location
1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach
Parking: 0–30 minutes free; 30 minutes–2 hours $15; 2–4 hours $20; 4–8 hours $25; 8–24 hours $30.
For festival updates and details, visit NewportDunes.com/fire-and-lights-festival. Book resort stays at NewportDunes.com or call 949-729-3863.
The Latest from greer's oc
BUILD Brings the Heavy Lifting to Newport Beach
BUILD, the strength-focused concept from the team behind BURN, has opened its second location inside BURN Newport Beach. The studio, which launched in August as BURN’s first location outside Los Angeles, now offers BUILD’s dedicated strength classes alongside its…
Sushi Ii Enters a New Chapter as Sushi Suhama in Newport Beach
Sushi Ii, the intimate Japanese restaurant on Newport Beach’s Mariner’s Mile, has entered a new chapter as Sushi Suhama.
The new name nods to both the restaurant’s Japanese roots and the coastline it calls home. Suhama is an ancient Japanese…
Sushi-Ten USA opens Sushi Blissba in Cypress
Sushi Blissba, the newest concept from SUSHI-TEN USA, has opened in Cypress. The group also operates Sushi Nigiriba in Culver City and Huntington Beach, and it created this latest restaurant with the Cypress community in mind.
The name pairs…
Foodie Heaven at The CAMP in Costa Mesa this Fall
Costa Mesa’s signature community dining experience is back for a Fall Edition on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 6-9 p.m. Hosted by small local businesses at The CAMP, Community Dinner is an immersive foodie event where you can sit back and…
Follow Greer on Pinterest
from the blog
- 10.20.26 – BUILD Brings the Heavy Lifting to Newport Beach
- 10.20.26 – Sushi Ii Enters a New Chapter as Sushi Suhama in Newport Beach
- 10.20.26 – Sushi-Ten USA opens Sushi Blissba in Cypress
- 10.13.26 – Foodie Heaven at The CAMP in Costa Mesa this Fall
- 10.13.26 – Gaby Moreno Brings Her Bilingual Sound to Musco Center
- 10.12.26 – Treehouse on PCH Casts A Halloween Spell
- 10.12.26 – Jerry Douglas Brings His Band’s Genre-Bending Sound to Musco Center
- 10.12.26 – Howl-o-ween Pup Pop-Up Comes to The LAB Anti-Mall
- 10.11.26 – Where to Eat Around the Newport Beach Film Festival
- 10.07.26 – Pups & Pours Pairs Premium Pours With Senior Dogs
- 10.04.26 – Ben Bliss and Christopher Allen Bring an Evening of Song to Musco Center
- 10.04.26 – Microbiome Scientist, AI Author Headline Library Lectures
- 09.28.26 – Surfing Heritage & Culture Center Opens New Laguna Beach Home
- 09.28.26 – Levain Bakery Brings Peanut Butter Cookie to Fashion Island
- 09.28.26 – Puesto Pours a Wellness-Minded Margarita With Cymbiotika
- 09.26.26 – Pete’s Spookeasy Returns to Huntington Beach This Fall
- 09.23.26 – SAVOR 2026 Set to Honor Orange County Legends Before Anticipated Sold-Out Crowd
- 09.22.26 – Ruin Bar Celebrates 10 Years at The LAB
- 09.21.26 – QUA Debuts Afternoon Tea With a Chinese Twist
- 09.21.26 – ENC Wine Walk Returns to Support Environmental Education
More Daily Doses
- 10.20.26 – Ambitious Ales Brings Its Award-Winning Craft Beer to Costa Mesa
- 10.20.26 – FARM Rio Brings Brazilian Style to Fashion Island
- 10.14.26 – Russ Bendel and Partners Open Creekside in Rancho Mission Viejo
- 10.12.26 – Tony Gilroy’s ‘Behemoth!’ to Close Newport Beach Film Festival
- 10.10.26 – Wild Strawberry Cafe’s Monster Cookies for National Cookie Month
- 10.06.26 – Newport Beach Film Festival Opens With ‘Frampton’
- 10.04.26 – Honda Center Serves Up New Eats and Big Shows
- 10.04.26 – StyleWeekOC Returns to Fashion Island Oct. 14-18
- 09.28.26 – NBFF International Spotlight Films Announced
- 09.28.26 – Pacific Airshow Celebrates 10 Years in Huntington Beach
- 09.18.26 – Roger’s Gardens Unveils Moonlight Masquerade for Halloween
- 09.18.26 – Get RELISH Ready: OC’s Premier Food and Wine Weekend Returns to Newport Beach
- 09.16.26 – Newport Beach Film Festival Turns 27, and the Lineup Is Stacked
- 09.15.26 – Purrs in Paradise Opens Its Doors at The CAMP
- 09.14.26 – Katella Commons Adds Five More Reasons to Get Hungry at OCVIBE
- 09.13.26 – Musco Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary Jubilee! With a Decade of Its Own Talent
- 09.09.26 – Maleza Brings Modern Mexican Flavor and Mezcal to The CAMP in Costa Mesa
- 08.30.26 – Zov’s Mediterranean Restaurant Set to Open on 17th Street in Costa Mesa
- 08.29.26 – Sweet Arrival: Levain Bakery Opens First Orange County Location at Fashion Island
- 08.26.26 – OCAPICA’s Tastemakers of Orange County Celebrates 10 Years of Community-Driven Cuisine
