Cameron Park has no town square or main street where a holiday season would usually happen. Its biggest December event comes to residential streets on a printed schedule, and a three-foot Santa sign moves around the community for three and a half months. Nearly everything else on the calendar takes place within a short drive along Country Club Drive. Planning the season here means keeping a route map and one address handy.
Fifteen Stops Over Three Nights
The Cameron Park Fire Department's 2026 Annual Santa Parade runs December 11, 12 and 13. Santa leaves Station 89 at 5:00 p.m. each night, and the parade goes ahead only if the weather allows. The banner on the Cameron Park CSD parade page carries both the CAL FIRE and Cameron Park Fire Department logos. Each night covers a different part of town, with designated photo stops along the way.
Here is the full published schedule:
| Night | Est. Time | Photo Stop |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 5:15 p.m. | Canfield Cir. @ Thoreau Dr. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 6:00 p.m. | El Norte Rd. @ Montero Rd. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 6:30 p.m. | Castana Dr. @ Covello Cir. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Chelsea Rd. @ Wentworth Rd. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 8:10 p.m. | Wentworth Rd. @ Millbrae Rd. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | 8:30 p.m. | Holly Hills Ln. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | 5:15 p.m. | Orinda Cir. @ Santos Cir. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | 6:00 p.m. | Veld Way @ Culver Ln. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | 6:50 p.m. | Mira Loma Dr. @ Rasmussen Park |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | Aquamarine Cir. @ Peridot Dr. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | 5:30 p.m. | Cimmaron Rd. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | 6:05 p.m. | Waverly Dr. @ Rolls Dr. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | 6:40 p.m. | Abbot Dr. @ Thrasher Ct. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | 7:05 p.m. | Woodleigh Ln. @ Vista Verde |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | 8:00 p.m. | Fairway Dr. @ Aeronca Wy. |
These times are estimates, and the schedule shows how far apart they can stretch. On Friday the first stop is at 5:15 p.m. and the last, on Holly Hills Lane, at 8:30 p.m., more than three hours later. Saturday has the longest single gap: an hour and forty minutes between Mira Loma Drive at Rasmussen Park at 6:50 p.m. and Aquamarine Circle at Peridot Drive at 8:30 p.m. If your stop is late on the list, the published time is a guess built on everything that happens at the stops before it. The parade page includes a route map for each night, and those maps show which streets the engine drives between photo stops.
The Fire Department calls the event "a chance to gather with friends and neighbors, sip on some cocoa, and share the joy of the season," and points people to the Santa Parade flyer for arrival times. In a town without a central plaza, the photo stop at the end of your block works as one for a few minutes.
A Santa That Keeps Moving
The parade isn't the only holiday tradition here that moves around. The Cameron Park CSD's "Santa is on the Move" scavenger hunt runs from September 2 through December 16, 2026. A three-foot "Have a Merry Christmas" Santa sign shows up at different spots around the community, and the CSD's flyer says it "won't stay in one place for long."
To enter, take a photo that shows you with the sign and enough of the surroundings to identify where you found it. Then scan the QR code on the scavenger hunt flyer, fill out the form and upload the picture. The CSD will draw three winners:
- 1st place: a CP Individual Annual Pass
- 2nd place: a one-year Lake Pass
- 3rd place: a $50 Cameron Park CSD gift certificate
The sign gets to the scattered parts of town that a December 11 to 13 schedule can't. The second- and third-place prizes are ones locals will use: a pass to Cameron Park Lake and credit at the CSD.
The One Address That Holds Everything
The holiday events that stay put cluster on Country Club Drive. The main one is the CSD campus at 2502 Country Club Drive, home of the Christmas Craft Faire on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The scale matches the season's central role. The CSD's October 2026 recreation report says the faire sold out of vendor spaces, with more than 60 vendors signed up. To fit them all, the faire will fill the gymnasium, the Assembly Hall, the social room, the dance room and the classrooms. "Santa Matt" will be there from 10:00 a.m. to noon, and staff will sell breakfast items and refreshments at the concession stand. Look for promotional yard signs around the community the week before.
That is the whole campus in use for one Saturday. If you want to see Santa, arrive in the morning: his two-hour visit ends at noon, and the faire runs until 3:00 p.m.
The same campus hosted The Great Trunk or Treat on October 16. The CSD's report credits Apple Hill and Camino donors for much of that event's support, including Delfino Farms, Rainbow Orchards, High Hill Ranch, Larsen's Bakery, Fudge Factory and Grandpa's Cellar. Those donations helped pay for event supplies, desserts and giveaways while reducing the District's costs.
Down the Street, More of December
A few hundred numbers down the road, Faith Episcopal Church at 2200 Country Club Drive hosts A Classical Christmas Candlelight Experience on Saturday, December 12. There are two performances, at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., each about an hour long, and the event is for ages 8 and up. The concert falls on the second parade night. If your stop is on the Saturday route, check its time against the show times before buying tickets.
Cameron Park Country Club on Royal Drive is the venue for the Cameron Park Rotary's Christmas Dinner and Auction on Thursday, December 10, from 5:30 to 11:00 p.m. Around Here Magazine's listing describes dinner, auctions and entertainment, with proceeds going to Rotary programs. That's the night before the parade starts.
The rest of the calendar is a short drive away:
- Friday, December 4, 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.: A free Christmas tree lighting at Christa McAuliffe Park, 2400 Merrychase Drive, according to Around Here Magazine's events calendar. The calendar itself advises checking before you go.
- Monday, December 7, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.: The 4th Annual Toys from the Bearcat at the Food Bank of El Dorado County, 4550 Business Park Drive. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, the Food Bank and the Shingle Springs/Cameron Park Chamber of Commerce are partners. Admission is free, and organizers ask guests to bring a new, unwrapped toy.
- Thursday, December 10: Rotary Christmas Dinner and Auction, Cameron Park Country Club.
- Friday through Sunday, December 11 to 13: The Santa Parade, starting from Station 89 at 5:00 p.m. each night.
- Saturday, December 12: Candlelight concert at Faith Episcopal Church.
- Wednesday, December 16: Last day of the "Santa is on the Move" scavenger hunt.
Put on a calendar, the season gets busier as it goes. After the Craft Faire on November 21, there's a two-week break. After that, every other date on this list lands in the 13 days from December 4 to December 16.
Classes for the Weeks Between
The weeks between the faire and December's busy stretch are covered by the CSD's expanded fall and winter class lineup. Its October 2026 recreation report lists recent additions: Healing Hands Meditation, Brazilian Samba, Cooking with Love, beginner pickleball, and ballet. Ballet is planned for several age groups, with Friday morning classes for young children and afternoon classes for seniors. The CSD activity guide added a Tuesday 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. meditation session alongside the existing Wednesday 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. class.
For most people in Cameron Park, December comes down to the Santa Parade stop nearest their street and the CSD campus at 2502 Country Club Drive.
If you're curious how the parade route and the Country Club Drive corridor fit with the rest of Cameron Park, Andi & Trent are glad to talk through the neighborhoods behind those fifteen stops. Get your free home valuation and consultation whenever the timing suits you.
