IF YOU HAD TO DESCRIBE THE HOLIDAYS... in two different ways, at least the modern, go-go-go holidays, those non-stop occasions involving shopping and browsing and the stuffing of stockings and the Doing of Many Things, would you call them A) pricey and B) rushed? Many might (and many do). Which means that finding an outing that is neither can be as tricky as adding a little slow-slow-slow to the go-go-go of December. And while that festive push forward can be fun now and then during the month, a quieter evening, one that's unhurried and pleasant and visually lovely, is a welcome development, too. Those evenings will be popping up around Solvang on every Saturday in December 2017, and they'll be wonderfully free to join. The specific dates? Think Dec. 9, 16, 23, and 30, and if you're now wondering if this has something to do with Julefest, the multi-week merriment found in the Santa Ynez Wine Country burg, you'd be right. But these special evenings, outings with oodles of atmosphere, serve as a mellower side of that merriment. It's the...
JULEFEST CANDLELIGHT TOUR, and the 75-minute saunter-about will be led by "a costumed tour guide" to lend extra Solvangian flavor. In the guide's hand? An LED candle, upping the flavor more. You'll burnish your knowledge of the historic town thanks to the guide's shared knowledge, and you'll encounter a few seasonal sights and sounds along the way, too. No admission is required, but you'll want to be at the Visitor's Center ahead of the 5 o'clock start time (maybe a bit ahead, actually, as there are only 20 people per tour). Need more info on all of the Julefest doings, from the sips to the sounds to the famous January Christmas Tree Burn? You got it.
