Around Town: Snoopy House holiday festival returns to Costa Mesa City Hall Dec. 15 through 22

The popular and long-running holiday festival Snoopy House will make its annual return to Costa Mesa City Hall on Dec. 15, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and will run nightly through Dec. 22.

Participants can enjoy holiday light displays, free train rides and sledding, stage performances from Kids Imagine Nation, food vendors and more. Photos with Santa will be offered each night from 6 to 8 p.m.

A special sensory-friendly event, with no lights, music, loud noises or animatronics will be offered on Tuesday, Dec. 19, from 3 to 5 p.m. with the regular programming commencing at 5:30 p.m.

For more information, including sledding requirements, visit costamesaca.gov/snoopyhouse or call (714) 754-5300 during regular business hours.

Veterans to be honored as part of National Wreaths Across America Day

At 8:30 a.m. Dec. 16, the Newport Beach Country Club Dew Sweepers and other volunteers will visit Pacific View Mortuary and Memorial Park in Corona del Mar to place wreaths on the graves of an estimated 4,000 veterans buried there.

Pacific View is located at 3500 Pacific View Drive. To sponsor a wreath, volunteer or for more information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/163510/Overview.

Costa Mesa issues open call for Holiday Lights Contest entries

The city of Costa Mesa is encouraging residents to participate in the second annual Holiday Lights Contest, sponsored by Kendra Fisher from Torelli Realty, by emailing a photo or video of their decorated home or business by Dec. 13.

Contest entries and requests for assistance with lights and decorating may be emailed to tatiana.madrid@costamesaca.gov. For more information, call Parks and Community Services at (714) 754-5300.

Newport Beach PD Mobile Cafe at Roger’s Gardens

The Newport Beach Police Department will host one of its mobile cafes on Thursday, Dec. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. The event will be held at Roger’s Gardens, 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road, where the department has returned $8,000 worth of stolen items.

Police will be on site to greet shoppers and help carry trees and items out to cars.

Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue collecting toys for Annual Toy Drive

Those interested in making the holiday season brighter for area children in need are encouraged to drop off any new, unwrapped toys or sports equipment, in their original box or packaging, to Costa Mesa City Hall or any local Costa Mesa fire station by Dec. 23.

Toys to consider include board and card games, craft activities, art kits, building blocks, dolls, infant toys and youth sports equipment. Stuffed animals, clothing, personal care items and blankets cannot be distributed and will not be accepted.

For more information on the event or donation guidelines, contact (714) 327-7400.

Laguna Art Museum offers interactive story time on Dec. 16

Children are invited to visit Laguna Art Museum at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 for an interactive story-time and art-making experience.

The day’s featured story is “What to Do With a Box,” by Jane Yolen and Chris Sheban. In partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, children will use their imagination and creativity to think of inventive ways to use a box. Using teamwork and engineering, they will construct a cardboard box fort in the museum’s STUDIO/Lab art-making space.

Laguna Art Museum is located at 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach. For more information visit lagunaartmuseum.org.