Sesame Place San Diego debuts A Very Furry Christmas
On Nov. 12, 2022, Sesame Place San Diego kicked off their all-new holiday event, A Very Furry Christmas, and we were invited to experience the festivities. For the first time on the West Coast, families can enjoy holiday-themed decor, shows, activities, meet-and-greets, and a Christmas parade featuring beloved characters from the award-winning children’s TV show “Sesame Street.”
By Melanie Gable
The residents of Sesame Street—including Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo and more—have donned festive attire, and little ones can meet them in various locations around the park. “Cookie Claus” proved to be the most popular character during our visit, with guests lined up in Abby’s Garden to get pictures with Cookie Monster decked out in Santa’s red suit.
In addition to the year-round, family-friendly rides, there are brand-new shows to entertain guests of all ages. “Elmo’s Christmas Wish” is a live musical featuring Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Zoe, and Rosita sharing their holiday wishes. The performance provides thrills for the littlest guests as they see their favorite characters singing and dancing before their eyes, while adults will find humor in moments like Cookie Monster covering Mariah Carey’s ubiquitous holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” (He’s singing about cookies, natch.)
On the lawn near Big Bird’s Beach, best buddies Bert and Ernie mingle and dance with guests during the “Furry Friends Christmas Dance Party,” giving hugs and high-fives to the kids. At Rosita’s Harmony Hills, an interactive musical play area, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and other cuddly characters lead “A Very Merry Sesame Street Sing-Along” featuring well-known holiday songs. The sing-along ends with a flurry of kid-safe soap-snow to add to the cheer.
The highlight of A Very Furry Christmas is the “Sesame Street Christmas Parade.” The 14-minute parade consists of eight glittering, holiday-themed floats and a mix of classic and modern “Sesame Street” friends. The floats stop along the parade route for a dance party so Elmo, Cookie Monster, The Count, and other characters can interact with guests. The parade has one daily showing right before park closing time, which makes for a festive finale to a day at Sesame Place San Diego.
Other holiday offerings include a mini Christmas tree maze, a Spot-The-Gift Scavenger Hunt (guests can purchase hunt maps in the park), and exclusive holiday-themed merchandise for kids and adults. “Cookies with Cookie Monster” is an additional experience in which guests can book a private snack time with the big blue monster himself using the Sesame Place app.
Guests can enjoy A Very Furry Christmas on select dates at Sesame Place San Diego now through Jan. 8. For more information and show times, visit SesamePlaceSanDiego.com.
