Fashion Island Tree Lighting Ceremony 2014

The beautiful Fashion Island Shopping Center in Newport Beach was transformed into a holiday wonderland for the Tree Lighting Ceremony featuring Mickey & Friends and a glorious 90 ft Christmas tree. This was the first year in at least a decade that I have been able to attend since in previous years I've worked or had a prior engagement during the tree lighting. I was very thrilled to get to view the spectacular show from the media viewing area in front of Bloomingdales and was just enraptured by the magical Disney performance from beginning to end (if you didn't know, I'm a TOTAL Disney fan) while enjoying pomegranate mimosas, sweet treats from Sweet & Saucy Shop, and appetizers from Bloomingdale's 59th & Lex Cafe. I enjoyed singing Christmas classics and bobbing along to new tunes; the icing on the cake was not only the illumination of the tree but snow fall that made everything seem just oh so magical. If you didn't get to attend the tree lighting ceremony this year or want to re-watch it, it was recorded by KTLA5 and will be televised on Thanksgiving Day at 7:30pm on Channel 5! See more holiday happenings hosted by the Irvine Company's retail spaces here, and visit the beautiful tree and Santa's House at Fashion Island before it's gone!

Tips for the Fashion Island Annual Tree Lighting

Are you planning on visiting the Fashion Island Shopping Center for the highly anticipated and local favorite, Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony? I wanted to share a few tips with you if you plan on going since I didn't quite make it to the event last time due to poor planning. This time around, I'll be doing an early dinner and get some holiday shopping done with a couple girlfriends before the lighting ceremony. I'm super excited to experience holiday cheer and get to bundled up in real winter wear for this occasion.
What: Fashion Island's Annual Holiday Tree Lighting hosted by Mickey Mouse & Friends from the Disneyland� Resort
Where: The complimentary event will be held in the Neiman Marcus - Bloomingdale's Courtyard
When: 6:00pm on Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15 with exclusive performances and holiday greetings from "The Merriest Place on Earth".
Sing along to festive wintertime tunes as Fashion Island's towering Christmas tree twinkles to life with a custom light display from Disneyland� Resort along with magical snowfall on both evenings.
In addition to the tree lighting ceremony, every night at 5:00pm from November 16 through January 4, 2015, enjoy the lighting of Fashion Island's towering tree, Disney style, as it twinkles to life with custom Disney holiday music and glittering lights.
Tips for Fashion Island Tree Lighting:

• Arrive early - Guests arrive as early as 11 a.m. to stake out their seats on the Bloomingdale�s/ Neiman Marcus court lawn.

• Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to reserve their spots.

• Be sure to dress warmly and comfortably for the cooler evening temps. There is even a chance of �snow� in the forecast!

• 10,000 guests are expected to arrive for the Tree Lighting each night; another note to arrive early for parking.

• The show will last 20 minutes and starts promptly at 6 p.m.

• Courtesy trams and shuttles will be operating throughout the evening to take guests to their parking spots.

Image via The Irvine Company