By Breeana Greenberg
The Dana Point Entertainment and Arts Council (DPEAC) is celebrating Christmas in July with four raffles, giving away special prizes during the city’s Concerts in the Park events.
The nonprofit, which aims to bring more arts-focused events and projects to the city, is looking to raise awareness and holiday spirit for its inaugural Holiday Crawl at the July 10, 17, 31 and Aug. 14 concerts at Sea Terrace Community Park.
“We’re bringing Christmas in July.” DPEAC Executive Director Todd Wallin said.
“Elves” will be registering concertgoers for the “naughty or nice” contest—a raffle in which participants will have a chance to win a suite at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa, VIP passes to the DPEAC Holiday Crawl, dinner at the Craft House, and a harbor cruise.
VIP passholders will receive discounted prices on food and beverages, access to raffles during the Holiday Crawl event and access to VIP parking and restrooms as well.
“We’re doing this to bring awareness, let everybody know that there’s something really big going on in Dana Point in the fourth quarter,” Wallin said. “We want everyone to know that we’re doing a community event that really is to support the local vendors and the other local businesses in Dana Point.”
On Dec. 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Dana Point Holiday Crawl will feature more than 100 local shops, street food, games and prizes, themed cocktail bars, live music and a pet costume contest.
“There’s going to be elaborate lights on Del Prado,” Wallin said. “We’re going to be over the top, beautiful, really cool, over-the-top Christmas lights, pop-up shops; we’re even doing the vendor booths in a really beautiful way.”
The City of Dana Point and the Arts Council are partnering with the Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary, the Pop-Up Shoppes and Cueva Entertainment, which will perform the live music.
“We’re going to have over 100 local shops and Christmas booths in there, and then we’re also going to have live music and Christmas caroling on the corners,” Wallin said. “We’ve got lots of local food and real holiday-type food booths all down Del Prado.”
“We have tons of prizes and games for the kids to play,” Wallin continued. “We have Christmas-themed cocktail bars, and we’ll be doing the first annual Christmas pet costume contest.”
Wallin said he hopes that the inaugural Holiday Crawl will bring “a sense of goodwill and Christmas cheer to all the residents in Dana Point.”
“The pet parade is going to be funny, Christmas caroling on the corners . . . the whole place is going to be lit up; we’re going to have the biggest coastal Christmas event in Southern California,” Wallin said.
DPEAC is still looking for volunteers to help with the Dana Point Holiday Crawl and vendors to participate. Those interested in volunteering or holding a booth at the event can email Wallin at toddwallin@dpeac.org.
Breeana Greenberg
Breeana Greenberg is the city reporter for the Dana Point Times. She graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor of arts degree in English. Before joining Picket Fence Media, she worked as a freelance reporter with the Laguna Beach Independent. Breeana can be reached by email at bgreenberg@picketfencemedia.com
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