No other park offers a Christmas celebration quite like Knott’s Berry Merry Farm. Their particular mix of down-home charm, mouthwatering munchies, and live entertainment remains a unique Southern California gem that must be experienced. Today we share what’s happening down on the farm, including the Christmas Crafts Village, The Birdcage Theatre presentations of The Gift of the Magi and A Christmas Carol, (all of which you can get into for FREE during the week). That’s not to mention the all-new Merry Christmas Snoopy Ice Show in the Charles Schultz Theatre, the nightly Tree lighting, the wonderful Christmas on Engine 41. Of course we also share news that Starbucks has landed in Knott’s and we look at the latest from the Voyage to the Iron Reef. We hope you got some good deals today on Black Friday, but now it’s time for Knott’s Berry Farm fun.
Christmas Crafts Village
Every year, Ghost Town invites a collection of merchants and artisans to set up shop in the streets of Ghost Town. The event has certainly enjoyed a gradual polish over the years, becoming a nice alternative to the cookie cutter Christmas Shopping one might find at the mall.
The Christmas Crafts Village is open every day of Merry Farm, now through January 4 (All of Knott’s Berry Farm is closed Christmas Day). Entrance to the Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village is free Monday through Thursday from November 22 through December 18. Entrance to the Christmas Crafts Village requires theme park admission Friday through Sunday and every day December 19 through January 4.
If the shopping isn’t your thing, you can still come and take in the yule-tide atmosphere that is rich with folksy appeal. Included in the FREE Admission from Monday to Thursday are the shows and attractions listed below.
Bird Cage Theatre
Set in the intimate Bird Cage Theatre, two traditional Christmas plays are performed in repertory. The cast here knows their crowd and plays to them beautifully. The Gift of the Magi & A Christmas Carol are both Christmas staples that tug at the heartstrings and deliver the proper amount of moral lessons without making you feel too guilty. Both are filled with live piano accompaniment and music too which is a wonderful plus.
Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies
At night, however, the plays end and the infectiously entertaining Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies take the stage. Yes, these are the guys that Disneyland let go unceremoniously after years of entertaining guests in the Golden Horseshoe. Now you can find the boys at Knott’s, less constrained, and having a lot more fun.
Santa’s Christmas Cabin
Another wonderful freebee during the week is Santa’s Christmas Cabin. Inside is a treasure trove of tinsel and lights, along with a meet and greet with Santa Claus himself. This is classic Christmas at its best. The air is filled with the warm smell of candied pecans and chocolate as food stands are available on the perimeter of the space which offer some pretty reasonable deals on crazy good food. S’More on a stick for $2.49 anyone? YES!!!
Calico Saloon Christmas Show
Inside the Calico Saloon there is a special Christmas presentation. Booze and Christmas is a natural fit, you know.
Calico Carolers
Wandering the streets of Ghost Town are the wonderful Ghost Town Carolers. This group of singers is wonderful and you should really try to catch them as they wander through the town.
Snow in Ghost Town
In what seems like a natural fit, Knott’s is making it snow in Ghost Town. This isn’t a new idea by any stretch of the imagination. But to actually see “Snowfall” down the original Main Street, is truly breathtaking.
As night falls, a musically synchronized show has the lights on the buildings twinkling in time and the snow begins. The Snow is great and has an enchanting effect on the town.
They use a jazzy, modern sounding song to accompany the snowfall moment. Harry Connick Jr. sings the apropos “Let it Snow.” but it is a modern arrangement doesn’t quite fit with the old west Christmas feel that pretty much everything else reinforces. This is the music that plays with the snow. What do you think?
It’s not a deal breaker by any stretch. However, the music is incongruous with everything else so beautifully presented in the area: The Carolers, The Birdcage Theatre plays, The Calico Saloon, Engine 41, Santa’s Christmas Cabin. Let’s hope that next year brings a more theme-appropriate song.
The offerings below are part of the theme park and require admission to see (you can’t use your craft village pass for these). It’s still a pretty amazing deal, especially if you do their Season Pass offer. Grab a Season Pass for 2015 and you can enter the park in 2014 for one day.
Christmas on Engine 41
Truly one of the most charming offerings at Knott’s Merry Farm is Christmas on Engine 41. Located in Calico Square, Christmas on Engine 41 takes the regular Calico Train and populates it with characters that are on their way home for Christmas. There is the actor on his way to the Birdcage Theatre, the Musician, the man looking for his bride, they are all here.
We love Christmas on Engine 41. It’s a very simple change that delivers the quintessential Knott’s experience during the holidays.
Lucy’s Wish List Show
Over in Camp Snoopy we get to hear what Lucy wants in Lucy’s Wish List stage show. It’s a show very squarely directed at the little ones. The Peanuts characters deliver a healthy dose of music and interactive fun that the we have come to expect.
Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting
The Cheese level is set at maximum as Knott’s presents a stage show dressed as a tree-lighting. Or is it a tree-lighting with a stage show tacked on? Here in Calico Square, Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting delivers song and dance and Snoopy and Santa along with the tree lighting thrown in for the finale.
The show is the same as last year, but the staging is more polished and tight. The theatre in the round elements out in the square have been removed and all of the action takes place primarily on the stage. now. The set up is that the elves are getting the work shop ready for Christmas and the big moment when Santa will arrive to deliver Christmas. This entertaining, if slightly overlong, show heaps on the Christmas cheer in an almost teeth-chatteringly cloying way. The kids will love it.
Merry Christmas, Snoopy!
The crown jewel of the Knott’s Merry Farm entertainment roster has always been the Snoopy Ice Show presented in the Charles M. Schultz Theatre. Expense is never spared and the stops are always pulled out for this big family extravaganza. This year, however, is an all new show. It is, in our opinion, one of the best Christmas shows the park has ever attempted.
The proscenium is bordered in a traditional gold frame, evoking a cherished family portrait. What plays out is a far more mature presentation than years passed. Of course there is a lot of Snoopy fun, filled with fun music and bright colors too.
On top of the Snoopy numbers, however are the more poignant moments. During the song, I’ll be Home For Christmas, a young lady sits on a bench, stage right, as ghost like memories of she and her husband skate center stage.
Things don’t get too serious, thankfully and soon enough Snoopy and the gang trot out for more eye-popping skating and acrobatics.
If you are a fan of the Snoopy ice shows, this is one that you really must not miss. It hits all the right notes without becoming too pious or preachy. The musical selections this year are entertaining, sentimental, and fun.
Show Dates
- November 27, 28, 29 & 30
- December 6, 7, 13-17, 19-24, 26-31
- January 2-4
Park News
Now that you know everything you need to know about Knott’s Merry Farm, there are some other bits of park news that we need to cover.
Starbucks
One day Starbucks quietly opened up shop inside Knott’s Berry Farm in the Boardwalk section of the park. Situated adjacent to Charleston Circle (the big fountain) the new “Gourmet Coffee hut” bears the Starbucks emblem but something feels a little unfinished.
Voyage to the Iron Reef
We next take a look at the construction site of Voyage to the Iron Reef. The new dark ride in the space previously occupied by Kingdom of the Dinosaurs and Knott’s Berry Tales, will finally be adding a level of area theme to the attraction. The storyline being that with all of the construction of new rides in the Boardwalk, a metal-hungry monster has been unearthed, seeking to destroy everything in its path.
There you go, now you have plans for the holidays. Get out to Knott’s Berry Farm right away and enjoy the yule-tide fun.