Santa in the Village at Palisades Tahoe

Santa in the Village brings Santa to the Village at Palisades Tahoe every day from Monday, December 21 through Thursday, December 24, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Palisades Tahoe hosts it, and like all of the resort's Santa events, it is free and open to all ages.

What Santa in the Village Is Like

The days before Christmas are when Olympic Valley looks most like a holiday card. The Village fills with families between ski runs, kids clomping around in snow boots and helmets, parents with coffee in hand, and Santa making the rounds. Over the four days, there is story time, singalongs, crafts and photos with Santa himself, and Palisades' own advice is not to forget your camera. In past years, Santa has moved around through the day, with meet-and-greets at the Big Chair in the Village, book readings in Bar One and visits to the Alpine base, and holiday weeks have brought the Great Basin Carolers singing in the Village in the evenings. Because it is spread across the day and costs nothing, you can drop in after a morning on the mountain or make it the centerpiece of a non-ski day with the kids.

Event Highlights

Photos with Santa are the big one for most families, with story time, singalongs and holiday crafts filling out each day, which makes it an easy, low-key stop for little ones who are not on skis yet. The same week brings a few other holiday events at Palisades. Holiday Bingo with Rusty Reems takes over Alpine Bar on Tuesday, December 22 at 4:30 p.m., and the Christmas Eve Dinner at the Olympic Village Events Center starts at 6:30 p.m. on December 24, a separate event that needs a reservation.

2026 Schedule

Monday, Dec. 21 - Thursday, Dec. 24: Santa in the Village, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Tuesday, Dec. 22: Holiday Bingo with Rusty Reems at Alpine Bar, 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Dinner at the Olympic Village Events Center, 6:30-9 p.m. (reservations required)

Palisades notes that the schedule can change based on weather and conditions, so check the events calendar before you head over.

Cost and What to Bring

Santa in the Village is free, with no tickets or sign-ups needed. Bring a camera or a charged phone for photos, and dress for the weather, since you will be outdoors in the Village in late December. If the kids want to dress up for their Santa photo, pack a warm layer to throw on right after.

Parking and Getting There

December 19-31 is one of Palisades Tahoe's parking reservation periods for the 2026-27 season, so all four Santa days fall inside it. Reservations are required before 1 p.m., and that includes non-skiers visiting the Village. Most reservations are free and released weekly, paid spots are $30 per car per day, and a carpool of four or more still needs a reservation but earns the driver a $20 resort credit. After 1 p.m., parking is free with no reservation as space becomes available. You can also skip the car: TART's Highway 89 bus runs daily between Tahoe City and Truckee with stops in Olympic Valley, Placer County has extended free TART fares into late 2027, and the free, on-demand Mountaineer shuttle serves Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows.

See daily details on the Palisades Tahoe events page.