It’s the merriest time of the year at Knott’s Berry Farm, where Christmas cheer is delivered boysenberry flavored. This year, Merry Farm hosts two new entertainment offerings, including an incredible stage show and a melodrama. While other parks are cutting back this holiday season, it’s merrier than ever at Knott’s. Let’s take a look around the park and see why.
Knott’s Merry Farm
Knott’s homey and traditional decorations cover the park. The biggest display is the Calico Christmas tree, which looms over Calico Park.
Here are some of our favorite decorations around the park.
There are decorations everywhere! Unlike other parks that don’t decorate entire lands, Knott’s is filled with thoughtful details throughout. You could spend a good portion of your day just looking at holiday decor.
Entertainment
New for 2019: Home for the Holidays
New this holiday season is an original Knott’s production, Home for the Holidays, and holy cranberries they’ve outdone themselves. This has to be one of the most extravagant stage shows we’ve ever seen Knott’s put on. The story follows the Harper family as they put on a good old-fashioned Christmas spectacular.
The cast is huge and there are multiple costume changes throughout the show. Plus, the stage is absolutely incredible. The show opens with the exterior of the Harper house while the family begins preparations for their Christmas Eve party and welcoming their friends for the holiday.
In the middle of the show, the house opens up like a dollhouse, revealing an intricate multi-story home. Pure Christmas magic.
It’s a traditional style show, but with modern pacing. At no point does the show slow down, it never misses a beat, even when the house is in the process of opening.
You won’t even realize how quickly the time has gone by. The 25-minute spectacular really raises the bar for entertainment not just for Knott’s, but any theme park.
If you’re planning on going to Knott’s this season, you can’t afford to miss this show. It alone is worth the price of admission.
Merry Christmas Snoopy!
Returning is a MiceChat favorite, Merry Christmas Snoopy! This ice skating spectacular helps bring in the joy of the season with its beautiful choreography, amazing stunts, and Christmas delight.
Each sequence has its own unique style and really lends to creating a distinctive show that is fun for both kids and adults.
We absolutely love this show starring the world’s merriest beagle. With this and Home for the Holidays, Knott’s has set themselves apart from the other theme parks in Southern California in the best way.
Christmas Tree Lighting
Every evening in Calico Park, the Christmas tree comes to life with a lighting ceremony.
The citizens come out to help celebrate the occasion, including the mayor, who brings a special ornament that lights the tree.
A Christmas Carol and Marley’s Wings (NEW!)
The Birdcage Theater is yet again hosting two melodramas for the holidays, A Christmas Carol and a new show, Marley’s Wings, which replaces the Gift of the Magi.
A Christmas Carol is very well done as always.
The performance is perfect for the holidays and a timely reminder to appreciate what we have. Although, one thing we can’t get enough of is Knott’s melodramas.
This year they’ve subtly improved the show by adding new effects. During several scenes, the backdrop is projection-mapped.
It’s not a grandiose effect, but we think that it helps add some simple magic to the show.
Be sure to check later for our coverage of Marley’s Wings. We can’t wait to tell you about it.
Snow and Glow
Also returning this year is Snow and Glow, the reoccurring snow sequence. It happens throughout Ghost Town on Main Street and School House Road. The snowfall is almost blizzard-like, but you don’t want to miss the moment and leave once it starts. While the snow falls, there’s a show full of synchronized lights and music that utilizes the whole area. It’s a quick and easy way to get in the holiday spirit.
Other entertainment includes A Peanuts Guide to Christmas in Camp Snoopy and the Holiday Calico Saloon Show. Keep your eyes peeled to MiceChat because we’ll be back later on with more photos, videos, and info on all the Knott’s Merry Farm entertainment.
Merchandise
There’s a plethora of new Merry Farm merchandise this year, and we’re excited to get our sticky peppermint covered fingers on it. Let’s take a look at a few of the offerings, starting with the Berry Market.
Knott’s has dipped into their recipe archives this year and revived Cordelia Knott’s Christmas Jam. The ingredients are simple: cane sugar, cranberries, raspberries, pears, orange peel, orange liqueur, spices, and pectin. We had a little taste and we want to put it on EVERYTHING; it would be perfect on morning toast, you could use it in thumbprint cookies, even on a charcuterie board.
As the weather shifts colder, the boysenberry cocoa will certainly be a hot item (see what we did there).
Merry Farm apparel includes spirit jerseys, beanies, and plenty of Snoopy and Belle ears. Who doesn’t want floppy ears for the holidays?
One of our favorite items returns this year, the cute Merry Farm lanterns that synchronize with the Snow and Glow show. It’s a fun way to participate in the show and also bring home a Knott’s souvenir.
There’s a lot more to see, including the Craft Faire set up around Ghost Town, so stay tuned for more about merchandise soon.
Food
Knott’s has a ton of Merry Farm food offerings this year, so many that they need their own article (coming soon). For now, we’d like to share our two favorites, one savory and one sweet.
The Turkey Dinner Bites are so incredible you’ll want to eat them by the dozen. It’s everything in a Thanksgiving dinner, turkey, cranberries, and stuffing, all rolled together in a deep-fried bundle, then covered in gravy. Just eat them and deal with the consequences later.
It’s unusual for us to pick a churro as our favorite treat, but the gingerbread churro filled with dulce de leche was Christmas joy served deep-fried. We’ll take two (plus another two for the road).
We’ll be back later on with more from Knott’s Merry Farm, you won’t want to miss it.
Bear-y Tales Coming Summer 2020
Knott’s Berry Farm has announced its newest attraction will be a sequel to the original Bear-y Tales attraction that closed back in 1987. It is set to open next summer. From the look of the concept art, this new attraction will simply replace the theming of Iron Reef to fit the new storyline.
Speaking of Iron Reef, the attraction will close for this retheming at the end of the Holiday Season. Your last chance to ride will be on January 5th, 2020.
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Well, that’s it for the Knott’s Merry Farm overview! We’ve got a lot of detailed Merry Farm coverage in the hopper, so be sure to keep your eyes open for it. What do you think about all the entertainment this year? Do you like seeing a fully decorated theme park for the holidays? Will you be heading down the Farm this holiday season?
More From Knott’s Merry Farm. We’ve published four articles about this year’s Christmas offerings from Knott’s Berry Farm:
Irresistible Knott’s Merry Farm Holiday Mirth and Merchandise