Mad Hatter Holiday Festival Returns to Vallejo with Immersive Wonderland Experience
TL;DR
The Mad Hatter Holiday Festival offers a unique competitive advantage for Vallejo by attracting thousands of visitors and boosting local tourism and business revenue.
The festival follows a structured schedule starting at 2:00 PM with events including a parade at 4:30 PM and tree lighting at 6:00 PM in downtown Vallejo.
This festival creates community togetherness by bringing families together for joyful celebrations that revive nostalgic memories and strengthen social bonds.
Experience fire-shooting mutant vehicles, a restored 1900s train, Storm Troopers with Darth Vader, and giant flaming feathers in this unique Wonderland fantasy parade.
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The Mad Hatter Holiday Festival returns on Saturday, December 6, 2025, transforming Vallejo's historic downtown district into a fantasy world that attracts thousands of visitors with its creative lighted and fire-shooting Wonderland recreations. This unique holiday celebration stands apart from other festivals in the region, offering an immersive experience that blends classic holiday traditions with imaginative elements from Lewis Carroll's Wonderland.
The festival features a spectacular parade led by larger-than-life Wonderland characters, including the Mad Hatter and his marvelous tea party guests. The procession includes award-winning Burning Man mutant vehicles of serpents, dragons, and rhinos, all shooting fire, alongside a classic restored 48 and 8 Train from the early 1900s. Additional parade participants include Storm Troopers led by Darth Vader from the Golden Gate Garrison 501 Legion, Aladdin's Lamp, Maritime Cadets in their Blues, dancing groups of children ballerinas, and a dancing Grinch with his followers. Cultural dancing groups, hip-hop performers, and lighted floats complete the diverse lineup that captivates attendees of all ages.
Two announcing stages enhance the festival experience, including one created for Burning Man as a Starway to Heaven that elevates announcers fifteen feet above the parade route. The second stage hosts a Hatter's Queen Court that crowns young princesses and Queens before the parade begins. Festival grounds are surrounded by holiday gift and food vendors, live musical performances, and unique photo opportunities between two giant flaming feathers. All the Hatter's Characters line the festival grounds to interact with the public, while a bell-ringing lighted holiday train provides rides for children around the festival grounds and by the dazzling glow of the holiday tree.
The event schedule includes the Mad Hatter Holiday Festival starting at 2:00 PM, Queen's Court at Sacramento Street at 2:30 PM, the Mad Hatter Holiday Parade at 4:30 PM, and the Holiday Tree Lighting Program at 6:00 PM. The evening concludes with the Vallejo Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade at 6:30 PM. The tree lighting ceremony features a countdown by the Mayor and Grand Marshals Freddie Stone of Sly & The Family Stone, along with Community Grand Marshal Amanda Williams. The sparkling Christmas Tree, adorned with over three thousand lights, stands 50 feet tall, making it one of California's largest holiday trees. A massive constructive Victorian Ship with a 30-foot colorful blimp on its top hosts the staging for the performing program that culminates with the tree lighting.
Hyperion Community Partners LLC produces two major holiday events in partnership with the City of Vallejo, including The Mad Hatter Holiday Festival, Parade & Tree Lighting on the first Saturday of December every year, and The Mad Hatter's July 4th Waterfront Celebration. Additional information about the festival can be found at HatterVallejo.com and http://facebook.com/MadHatterHolidayVallejo. A YouTube video produced by WhatSF provides additional visual documentation of the event's growing popularity.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
