At 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, runners and leashed dogs line up on the sand in front of Poseidon. The Del Mar Foundation's Red Nose Run starts and finishes there. The 3K turns around at the south end of the Powerhouse Park playground, and the 5K keeps going to 7th Street. Twenty-eight hours later and a few blocks uphill, the Village tree lights up at the Jim Watkins Amphitheater at L'Auberge Del Mar.
The Village's biggest holiday events fit between those two moments, inside a footprint you can cover on foot. What follows in December is smaller and mostly moves to one hotel and the fairgrounds. This year the Sunday tasting route includes a kitchen that opened in January.
Saturday, on the beach below Powerhouse Park
This is the 34th Red Nose Run, and the registration page lists the Del Mar Powerhouse Community Center at 1658 Coast Boulevard as the event location. Registration on the Red Nose Run site runs $25 to $50. The money goes to Semper Fi & America's Fund and San Dieguito River Park.
Two details are worth knowing before you pin on a bib. The organizer says actual distances depend on beach conditions, so the 3K and 5K are approximate on the sand. Dogs are welcome on a leash. The race FAQ asks owners to bring waste bags and to make sure their dog is comfortable around crowds. Some Village listings give a noon start, so check the organizer's posted time before you head down.
Sand conditions matter more than usual this year. The City of Del Mar started its annual sand push on Sept. 17 near the Beach Safety Center and Powerhouse Park, building berms to protect street ends and access points. In a Nov. 6 update on the City's news page, the City reported a coastal flood advisory and said streamlined permits were available for shoreline protection and storm repairs. The course runs along the same stretch of beach.
Sunday, from 15th Street uphill
Sunday is three events stacked on top of each other. The Winter Taste & Sip runs from 1 to 4 p.m. North Pole by the Sea runs from 1 to 5 p.m. with snow at St. Peter's, kids' crafts, holiday characters, letters to Santa at Del Mar Plaza and a VW bus photo stop. The Village's holiday page adds carolers. The tree lighting at 5 p.m. closes the day.
The Village Association calls the tasting route "less than half a mile." That short distance is why the logistics matter more than the walk. The event FAQ covers the practical details:
- Check-in is on 15th Street just west of Camino Del Mar. Bring your Eventbrite ticket, printed or on your phone, plus a photo ID. Everyone checks in individually, and wristbands and tasting glasses can't be picked up early.
- Tickets were listed on Eventbrite from $49.87. The Village says the event sells out every year. Any tickets left at the door will be limited and priced higher, since prices rise at 12:00 a.m. on Dec. 6.
- Timing works in favor of early arrivals. Tastes aren't guaranteed from every vendor, especially near the end.
- Kids can come with a Taste Only ticket or as non-tasting guests. Only guests 21 and older can drink at the Sip Stops.
- Dogs are welcome at the event but may not be allowed inside the shops and offices hosting Sip Stops.
- Water is on you. Bring a full reusable bottle, which any participating restaurant will refill.
- Parking at Village meters is free that day under the City of Del Mar's free holiday parking program. The Del Mar Civic Center lot is free, and Del Mar Plaza parking is paid.
The Sip Stops are inside Village businesses, including Rusty Del Mar Surf Shop, Julie's Beach Life and Shine Natural Market.
The newer kitchens on and near the route
Seventeen restaurants are listed: Adelaide at L'Auberge Del Mar, An's Hatmakers, Board & Brew, Coral Del Mar Bar & Restaurant, Haagen Dazs, Harry's, High Marea by Valley Farm, Il Fornaio, Jake's Del Mar, Monarch Ocean Pub, Queenstown Public House, Saffron and Rose, Sbicca, Seaside Yogurt, Tamarindo, The Cottage and Viewpoint Brewing Co.
High Marea is new to the Village this year. It opened alongside Valley Farm Market at Del Mar Plaza, 1555 Camino Del Mar, and held its grand opening on Saturday, Jan. 10. The San Diego Union-Tribune described it as a fast-casual, Baja-inspired seafood kitchen that cooks without seed oils, run by the family-owned specialty grocer next door.
Queenstown Public House appears on the tasting list under that name. A few blocks from 15th Street, Queenstown Del Mar opened on May 21 at 1435 Camino Del Mar, according to the Union-Tribune. Co-founders Matt Baker and PJ Lamont run the restaurant group, and chef Yohalmo Rosales runs the menu.
One of the longer-running names on the route is marking a milestone. Tamarindo opened at Del Mar Plaza in 2021, and the Union-Tribune covered its fifth anniversary in October. Monarch Ocean Pub shares the Plaza address at 1555 Camino Del Mar. With High Marea, Tamarindo and Monarch all in one building, a good share of Sunday's tasting happens at the Plaza, where North Pole by the Sea also hosts letters to Santa.
Between the last taste and the tree
The tasting ends at 4 p.m. and the tree lights at 5 p.m., so there's an hour to fill. North Pole by the Sea runs until 5 p.m. in that gap. The Plaza has another option that isn't on the tasting list. Desserts By Clément opened its second San Diego location there this year in Suite 304, serving chef Clément Le Déoré's French pastries. The shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., so it's still serving after the lights go on. Del Mar Plaza has also announced La La Land Café for the former Pacifica Breeze Café space.
Dinner after the tree lighting won't include one familiar place. Market Restaurant and Sushi Lounge on Via de la Valle closed on Sept. 21 for a remodel. The Union-Tribune reported that owners Monica and Bernd Brust, who took over in 2025, expect to reopen in spring 2027.
Where December goes after that weekend
After Dec. 6, the Village calendar narrows to one address. L'Auberge Del Mar hosts Merry Movie Nights at 6 p.m. on Dec. 12, 19 and 26 and Brunch with Santa from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 13. Its Tiki Tinsel Lounge runs through the season, at the Living Room Bar Sunday through Thursday and the Pool Bar on Friday and Saturday.
The larger draw moves to the fairgrounds. Coastal Christmas runs on select nights from Dec. 11 to 26 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, with a Holiday Light Trail, a Glice skating rink, a Holiday Market, a Holiday Wine Walk, free photos with Santa, Frosty's Fun Zone, fire pit tables and private igloos. According to the producer's September announcement, admission starts at $23 for adults and $17 for children plus fees, and tickets are on sale now. The event is produced by CBF Productions, whose founder and CEO is Vincenzo Giammanco.
Coastal Christmas lasts two weeks across select nights and needs a ticket and a drive to the fairgrounds. The Village's main events take one weekend and covers a stretch of beach and less than half a mile of Camino Del Mar. Those two days, Dec. 5 and 6, are the ones to put on the calendar now, before Taste & Sip tickets go up at midnight on Sunday.
If walking from Poseidon to the amphitheater is part of why your Del Mar address works for you, I'd be glad to tell you what that location is worth in today's market. Reach out to Valerie Zatt to request a complimentary home valuation, and I'll see you on 15th Street on Dec. 6.
