If it's going to be uncomfortably cold, then there better be some snow to make the wintry temperatures more tolerable. Of course, that's kind of an impossibility in L.A.: 60 degrees is our threshold for "freezing" and seeing snow below 6,000 feet is a fantasy. But one annual tradition in the Valley is making a Southern California snow day a reality.
The Winter Family Festival will transform Studio City into a snowy playground for the sixth year in a row. More than 70 tons of snow will chill the grounds of the Studio City Recreation Center on Sunday, December 11, with opportunities for sledding and snowman making.
The family-friendly festival will also host holiday crafts, gingerbread house decorating, live music and an opportunity for pictures with Santa. You can pick up food samples from local outposts of spots like Lemonade and Mendocino Farms—and make sure to bring your own canned good or toy to donate for the on-site "Festival of Giving."
If you miss out on the event, you'll find other opportunities to play around in the snow this holiday season. Kidspace hosts its annual Snow Days the week after Christmas, while Snow Los Angeles has turned an entire section of Elysian Park into a snow tubing winter wonderland. If you're willing to put in the miles, you can step in some fresh powder: both Mountain High and the slopes around Big Bear are within two hours of L.A. Ride the ski lift at Mt. Baldy for a snowy escape within an hour of the city. Or, if you simply want to roll up a few snow balls, follow the Angeles Crest Highway for about 45 minutes—just past Newcombs Ranch—and you'll find plenty of turnouts brushing up against snowy hills.
The Winter Family Festival takes place on Sunday, December 11 from 1 to 4pm at the Studio City Recreation Center, a.k.a. Beeman Park (12621 Rye St). Free. Free parking and shuttle service is available at the CBS Studio Center (4024 Radford Ave).
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