El Segundo's Candy Cane Lane Calls for Courtesy
Changes to the wonderful community tradition come after large crowds cause issues for neighbors
 EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — (Dec. 9, 2025) — Neighbors of El Segundo’s iconic Candy Cane Lane have expressed concerns for this year’s event.
“Candy Cane Lane has been an El Segundo tradition for 75 years,” said El Segundo Mayor Chris Pimentel. “We love that visitors come from all over to enjoy this grassroots celebration of the holiday spirit. We ask in the holiday spirit that visitors respect the hard work of the residents who host this tradition and keep the area clean, behave kindly to one another, and act in the best spirit of Christmas.”
The 1200 block of East Acacia Avenue has featured brightly decorated homes, yards, and trees with beautiful seasonal displays for generations. Residents in the neighborhood spontaneously began the tradition and fully fund all the adornments.
Over the years, this small celebration has grown into a huge event, raising public safety concerns due to the high volume of visitors, large amounts of trash, not using the restroom facilities provided properly, and aggressive drivers.
The El Segundo Police Department, the El Segundo Volunteer Program and the El Segundo Recreation, Parks, and Library Department maintain safety and clean up vast amounts of trash and mess each evening. In 2024, the City's estimated cost to support this event was $63,000.
To address some of the concerns this year, the El Segundo City Council directed City staff to:
- Limit food sales to prepackaged items that adhere to County health guidelines. Vendors will only sell food on during weekends, Dec. 13-14 and Dec. 19-21.
- Barricade streets from 5 to 10 p.m. on the 1100 and 1200 blocks of East Acacia Avenue and the 900 block of California Street.
- Continue police patrols on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, though those are not official Candy Cane Lane days.
- Request that Candy Cane Lane residents shut off holiday lights at 10 p.m. so that visitors may disperse.
El Segundo’s Candy Cane Lane kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 13 with Santa’s arrival at 7 p.m. Holiday displays will be up through Dec. 23.
“We truly welcome everyone to Candy Cane Lane," explained Mayor Pimentel. “We just ask that all who visit show respect to the community that keeps this wonderful holiday tradition alive.”
Candy Cane Lane welcomes visitors from 5 to 10 p.m. every day from Dec. 13 through Dec. 23.
Traffic and Parking - El Segundo is a small community, so please plan extra time for parking or consider taking a shuttle. Blocks around Candy Cane Lane will be closed to non-resident traffic and all traffic ordinances will be enforced. Road work is being done on the I-105 ramp to Imperial Highway, and traffic will be congested. Consider other routes, if possible.
Shuttles - Free shuttle transportation will be available from Recreation Park and the El Segundo Public Library to Sycamore Park from 4:30 - 10 p.m. on Dec. 13, Dec. 14, and Dec. 19 - Dec. 23.
Waste and Restrooms - Trash cans will be available throughout the event and portable restrooms will be available at Sycamore Park from Dec. 13 through Dec. 23. Restrooms will also be available at Recreation Park.
About the City of El Segundo
The City of El Segundo is a thriving coastal community in southwestern Los Angeles County. The city’s vibrant economy includes leaders in aerospace and defense, bioscience, information technology, energy, real estate, creative media, and toys. The city has seen tremendous growth and evolution over the past several years and is home to Mattel, the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Air Force Base Space Systems Command, and the Los Angeles Chargers, Kings, Lakers, and Sparks.
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