PINE VALLEY, CA — Camp Christmas has lit the campfire for its fourth annual holiday festival in San Diego’s East County.
The festive event in Pine Valley features all the lights and sounds of the holiday season in one place, from a colorful dancing water show to holiday photo ops, train rides and winter hayrides, as well as “Sappy,” The Talking Christmas Tree. Additionally, there’s archery, bounce houses and a game room.
Randy Rebold, director and producer of Camp Christmas, said the “tremendous variety of activities” sets the holiday festival apart from other seasonal events — including family-oriented activities “that aren’t typical.”
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“You don’t need to go to different places to see and experience the different elements,” he told Patch. “There is so much to do; it’s hard to get it all in.”
Camp Christmas made its debut in 2021.
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“The motivation behind Camp Christmas was to have a positive role in the lives of families, creating holiday memories and the celebration of Christmas,” said Rebold, whose background is in production, including for Christmas programs. “I grew up going to a cul-de-sac where the neighbors worked together to create a light show, but in retrospect, it was only 20 minutes or so. We wanted to create something that had much more depth, with lots of different activities.”
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Admission includes a variety of attractions, including a festive light show, a dancing water show, train rides, winter hayrides, a bow and arrow arcade, bounce houses, a game room, a children’s playground, a holiday theater featuring live entertainment, “Sappy,” The Talking Christmas Tree, Nativity scene, and a holiday photo booth.
For an additional fee, attendees can enjoy laser tag, a tree top climbing wall and face painting. There’s also multiple dining options.
This year, Camp Christmas features an expanded train depot that’s twice as long, Rebold said. Laser tag has also been moved to a new and bigger location. There’s also a new children’s playground.
“The whole festival is very nostalgic for families,” Rebold said.
The festive event kicked off over the weekend and will be open for several more weekends, including Nov. 22-24 and Nov. 29-Dec. 1, followed by Dec. 6-8, 13-14 and 18-22. The festival runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Camp Christmas is located at 8668 Pine Creek Road in Pine Valley.
The altitude at Camp Christmas is 4,000 feet and the evenings can be chilly. Warm clothing such as winter jackets, snow hats, scarves and gloves are recommended.
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