It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the City of San Fernando, as the final Outdoor Market of the year kicked off the holiday season at the San Fernando Mall on Dec. 2.
What looked like white snow fell from the sky, landing delicately on the smiling faces of those walking through the garden area at Casa Adobe. A machine pumped out soapy bubbles that floated through the crisp night air, creating a winter wonderland.
The Grinch made his way past rows of parked lowriders decorated in Christmas lights. The city’s parking meters were out of commission, covered with oversized candy canes. Happy kids lined up to ride on a small train that pulled up to Santa’s workshop, as the music of classic holiday tunes in Spanish filled the night air.
A large crowd gathered for the main attraction – the lighting of a 15-foot-tall Christmas tree – officially kicking off a festive December.
An entertainment stage set up at the corner of Maclay Avenue and San Fernando Road showcased the talents of local artists. Surge LA and the children enrolled at the Las Palmas Folklorico program were crowd pleasers with their proud parents taking photos and videotaping every step.
Traditional Mexican music was provided by Los Tesoros de San Fernando and Los Tesoritos, the award-winning youth groups who are students in the city’s Mariachi Master Apprentice Program. The City of Los Angeles Community Choir, Vane Band and the Music Center of Los Angeles County also performed.
San Fernando Mayor Celeste Rodriguez, Councilmember Mary Solorio, Assemblymember Luz Rivas and a representative from LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath’s office kept the microphone warm until Santa’s big arrival, not in a sleigh, but chauffeured in a classic 1950s police car.
Once joined by Santa, the stage lights dimmed and Rodriguez led the crowd in a successful countdown as the tree lit up without a glitch.
People strolled along San Fernando Road, grabbing snacks from food trucks and shopping for holiday gifts from local vendors.
In 2021, with COVID-19 forcing the cancelation of community events, once restrictions were lifted, the San Fernando Mall Association started the San Fernando Outdoor Market, a monthly pedestrian-friendly street market held on the San Fernando Mall.
The tree lighting ceremony, previously held on Brand Boulevard, moved to the San Fernando Mall with support from the local mall association.
After previous trees planted for the occasion on Brand Boulevard did not survive, the city now uses a climate-friendly tree that local shop owner Letty Bianchi donated to the city in honor of her late father.
Christina Bernal, owner of 1984 Vintage, a clothing shop located on the mall, and president of the San Fernando Mall Association and member of the San Fernando City Chamber of Commerce, encouraged residents to support the community’s small businesses on the mall. She said the city’s tree lighting event held to coincide with the outdoor market encourages foot traffic to great local spots.
“Without these businesses’ cooperation in this mall, this [holiday event] wouldn’t happen,” said Bernal. “They [businesses] are the backbone of our community. They bring tax dollars into our little city. They hire local people in our city. So let’s support them.”
“Looks like everybody’s having a good time … in the festive mood for the holidays,” said Ernest Arcos, a long-time resident of San Fernando.
“I hope it continues,” said Arcos. “Improve it, build more, put more up and the people will come.”
Arcos said he used to attend the parade and other events that the city previously held but stopped attending them once his kids got older. Now, he gets to enjoy the festivities again with his grandkids.
The family-friendly celebration prompted Arco’s son-in-law Luis Bravo and his wife to bring their kids.
“We brought my son. He’s about to turn 3, so we brought him here so he’s able to enjoy the festivities, see the Christmas tree, see Santa Claus, [see] the snow. It’s a lot of fun,” said Bravo.
Editor Diana Martinez contributed to this article.