Popular drive-through Christmas light show postponed this year by Santa Maria Elks
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Maria Elks Recreation has announced its popular annual "Christmas in the Country" drive-through light show will not take place this year.
Elks Recreation, the local non-profit organization that operates the Santa Maria Elks Event Center, Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade, as well as Christmas in the Country, indicated the sheer volume of community-related events held at the Event Center in 2025 was a key factor in the decision to postpone this year's event.
"This year, to fulfill those commitments, we had events all the way through November 3rd, but because some events got pushed, we just didn't have enough time to prep the way that we needed to," said Johnna McGuire, Elks Recreation Media Director.
McGuire added recent wet weather also played an important role in this year's cancellation.
"We had back-to-back rain that we needed and loved, but obviously it really hampered our efforts to prep the grounds and get them ready for Christmas in the Country," said McGuire. "It was a hard decision, but it was really just one that we just felt that if we couldn't do it to the best that it's been, we didn't want to. We would never want to disappoint people."
Created during the COVID-19 pandemic, Christmas in the Country quickly turned into a favorite holiday tradition for families in the Santa Maria Valley and surrounding communities.
"It's just so wonderful that the community has been able to create something like this," said Kim Parsons, United Rentals Branch Manager, who has participated in all of the previous years. "You have families that come out with their kids. They're dressed up in their pajamas. They have their hot cocoa. They're just looking forward to going through this. Usually, it takes about 45 minutes to drive through the event and you get to see so many just awesome setups."
Held on the 107-acre Elks Event Center property, the home site of the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo, Christmas in the Country features dozens of lighted displays created individually by local businesses, clubs, schools, organizations, families, and other groups.
"Everybody has their own different scene," said Parsons. "We have a manger with live animals that are here. You are able to see so many different lights, and so many different scenes out here. You have Elsa (From Frozen), you have the Polar Express out here. You have a scene that has the Abominable Snowman. You get to see so many awesome setups that the community does."
Similar to the Elks Rodeo held in late-May/early June, all of the proceeds generated through the sale of tickets benefits the community, helping provide funding to different programs, activities and projects, especially for the youth in the Santa Maria Valley.
With this year's event now postponed, McGuire assured the public Elks Recreation is planning to hold Christmas in the Country back next year.
 "We do look forward to having Christmas in the Country back bigger and better than ever in 2026," said McGuire. "We just always have more businesses and organizations wanting to participate and be a part of it, so we are very excited that 2026 will be great, and we just invite everybody to to hold on, and we're going to see you all next year!"
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