Annual holiday traditions at historic Mission San Juan Capistrano will resume with Capistrano Lights Returns on select evenings from December 4 through December 30, 2021. Tickets for Capistrano Lights Returns dates include all-day admission, multi-language audio tour and evening holiday programming in a safe, outdoor setting.
Capistrano Lights Returns is an enchanting holiday experience as the California Landmark grounds are transformed with festive lights, community-designed Christmas trees, large-scale nativity scene in the Ruins of the Great Stone Church (circa 1806), Dickens-era carolers and nightly 30-foot tree lighting and music at 5:00 p.m.
“On behalf of the foundation we are thrilled to bring Capistrano Lights Returns to the Mission under a new format that allows for a quality outdoor holiday experience for families. As Orange County’s very the first Christmas was most likely celebrated here, we take great pride in delivering a meaningful tradition for those looking to experience the religious, spiritual and emotional value of the season with loved ones,” said Mission San Juan Capistrano’s executive director Mechelle Lawrence Adams.
Children’s activities during Capistrano Lights include Selfies with Santa (courtesy of Farmers & Merchants Bank) along with children’s crafts and vendors on select dates. ‘Elf On A Mission,’ a daily challenge to find Sullivan the Elf on the Mission grounds, will be featured throughout December.
Other seasonal offerings include the opening of Serra Chapel during evening holiday hours, prayer candles to remember loved ones, a large-scale wreath for family photos and extended holiday shopping hours in the Mission Store.
Specific event dates, pricing and tickets are available online at www.capistranolights.com beginning November 9 for the general public and November 2 for Mission Preservation Society members. Admission on Capistrano Lights dates includes daytime access and holiday programming from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. All ticket sales are final and other attendance details are available at www.capistranolights.com. Mission San Juan Capistrano is located at 26801 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano.
About Mission San Juan Capistrano
Known as the “Jewel of the Missions,” Mission San Juan Capistrano is a historic landmark and museum that features permanent exhibits with original artifacts as well as traveling and temporary exhibits. Orange County’s only Mission, the site is home to Serra Chapel, The Great Stone Church and the original padres’ quarters of the South Wing and promotes faith, education, preservation and cultural event programming.
Founded on November 1, 1776, by Saint Junipero Serra as the seventh of 21 California missions established by Spain, Mission San Juan Capistrano is owned by the Diocese of Orange and receives no church or state funding. The Mission Preservation Foundation, comprised of business and community leaders, is its fundraising entity committed to ensuring education, preservation and its long-term historic and religious significance.
