Pick a Saturday (10 am to 8 pm) if you want the festival after dark and a 6 pm feast; pick a Sunday (10 am to 6 pm) for a daytime visit with a noon feast; and book early on whichever day you choose if you want feast seats or premium parking.
The short answer
All four days of the 2026 Yuletide Medieval Festival share the same ticket prices and the same setting: England in 1420 at El Monte County Park in Lakeside. The real differences are the hours, whether you will be there after dark, and when the St. Nicholas Day Feast is served.
Choose Saturday for a long day that ends in the dark with a 6 pm feast. Choose Sunday for a shorter daylight day with a noon feast. Choose the first or second weekend based on your own December calendar, and book early either way if you want a limited ticket.
The four 2026 festival days at a glance
- Saturday, December 5: 10 am to 8 pm, feast at 6 pm
- Sunday, December 6: 10 am to 6 pm, feast at noon
- Saturday, December 12: 10 am to 8 pm, feast at 6 pm
- Sunday, December 13: 10 am to 6 pm, feast at noon
Why choose a Saturday
Saturdays give you ten hours on the grounds, two more than Sundays. Sunset is around 4:30 pm, so the last few hours run after dark, which changes the feel of the encampments and the marketplace.
The Saturday feast is at 6 pm, which makes it a natural holiday dinner. You can spend the afternoon watching the knights in tournament, the battle pageant and the King’s Procession, then sit down to five courses with King Henry V and St. Nicholas of Myra presiding.
- Good for: couples, groups of adults, anyone who wants an evening out.
- Plan for: colder air after sunset, a walk back in the dark, a later drive home.
- Bring: warm layers and a small flashlight.
Why choose a Sunday
Sundays run 10 am to 6 pm. Most of the day is in daylight, and the festival closes not long after sunset.
The Sunday feast is at noon, so it works as a long holiday lunch in the middle of your visit. That suits families with younger children, who may be ready for a seated meal by midday, and visitors with a long drive home.
A Sunday visit also leaves the evening free. If you are coming from Temecula or Orange County, closing at 6 pm means a shorter stretch of the drive home in the dark than on a Saturday, when the festival runs until 8 pm.
- Good for: families with young children, visitors driving in from farther away, anyone who prefers daylight.
- Plan for: a slightly shorter day, so arrive early if you want to see a lot.
- Bring: a jacket and rain layer, since the festival runs rain or shine.
First weekend or second?
The festival publishes the same hours, prices and feast times for both weekends. It does not publish a daily show schedule, so do not assume one weekend has a different program; call (858) 864-0020 if a specific performance matters to you.
In practice, decide by your calendar. The first weekend (December 5 and 6) leaves more time afterward for holiday plans. The second weekend (December 12 and 13) sits closer to Christmas. Either way, the festival runs rain or shine.
Limited tickets can sell out
Admission is sold per day, and some tickets are limited. Feast seats are capped at 100 per day, with 20 Kids Feast seats, and Fairgrounds Premium Parking is limited. Once a day’s limited tickets are gone, your choice of day may be made for you.
If the feast or premium parking is part of your plan, choose your day and book those first. General Shuttle & Parking ($10) is the published alternative to premium parking.
What stays the same every day
Whichever day you pick, you get the same setting and the same kinds of attractions: knights in tournament, a daily battle pageant by the guilds, the King’s Procession, minstrels, jesters, musicians and storytellers, guild encampments with historical demonstrations, and the artisan marketplace with “shops from weapons to whimsy.”
St. Nicholas, Father Christmas and Krampus appear at the festival, but the festival does not publish when each appears on a given day. Food vendors sell turkey legs, meat pies and vegetarian options, and pets are welcome on a leash no longer than 6 feet on every day.
A quick decision guide
- Want dinner at the feast after dark: a Saturday.
- Want lunch at the feast and home by evening: a Sunday.
- Bringing children under 10: call (858) 864-0020 about their admission, then consider a Sunday.
- Coming with friends for a long day out: a Saturday.
- Want to see a particular show: call, since the daily schedule is not published.
Questions
What are the Yuletide Medieval Festival hours in 2026?
Saturdays, December 5 and 12, run 10 am to 8 pm. Sundays, December 6 and 13, run 10 am to 6 pm.
Is the festival open after dark?
Yes, on Saturdays. Sunset is around 4:30 pm and Saturdays run until 8 pm, so the evening hours are after dark. Sundays close at 6 pm.
Are ticket prices different on different days?
No. The published prices are the same on all four days: $35 Adult Admission, $30 Military or 65+, and $110 General Admission with the Feast.
Is there a show schedule for each day?
The festival has not published a daily show schedule. Call (858) 864-0020 or email info@yuletidemedievalfestival.com if you are planning around a specific event.
Sources
- Events and tickets, Yuletide Medieval Festival
- St. Nicholas Day Feast, Yuletide Medieval Festival
- Plan Your Visit, Yuletide Medieval Festival
