Learn about Ontario International Airport's award-winning annual holiday festival, including how it came to be and how you can join in on the fun.

At Ontario International Airport, the holidays aren’t just about travel — they’re about creating joy, connection and unforgettable moments for everyone who walks through our terminals. Enter So Cal. So Jolly Fest!

We are turning up the holiday spirit once again at ONT with the return of our award-winning So Cal. So Jolly Fest! — a monthlong celebration of music, magic and merry moments for travelers and guests alike.

From December 1st through Christmas Day, ONT's doors will transform into a winter wonderland of festivities, featuring live entertainment, games, seasonal treats and surprise performances designed to delight passengers and ONT+ Visitor Pass registered visitors.

"So Cal. So Jolly Fest! isn't just another holiday celebration; it's our way of igniting warmth, joy and true community spirit for everyone who passes through our terminals," shared Atif Elkadi, Chief Executive Officer of ONT. "Traveling or not, we want ONT to feel like your home for the holidays."

Origins and Growth of the Fest

As the airport’s customer base continues to grow, part of our mission is to create a true “sense of place” at ONT — and what better way to do that than by celebrating the holidays in authentic Southern California style?

“With our well-loved tagline, ‘So Cal. So Easy.’, it felt natural to play off that and bring a festive twist to the season,” said Tiffany Sanders, Director of Customer Experience at ONT. “That’s how So Cal. So Jolly Fest! was born: a celebration designed to infuse the terminals with warmth, fun and unmistakable SoCal energy during one of the busiest travel months of the year.”

What began as a handful of small December pop-up activations has grown into one of ONT’s most beloved and longest-running holiday traditions. Over the years, So Cal. So Jolly Fest! has expanded in size, scope and recognition — not just among passengers, but among airport partners, concessionaires, employees and even the aviation industry.

A Festival of Daily Joy

The festivities kick off December 1st with ONT’s cherished tree lighting ceremony and the return of the ever-popular hot chocolate bar — a sweet start to a season of joy.

“It’s an all-inclusive event where our chief goal is to bring surprise and delight for all our travelers during the holidays,” said Kareli Caballos, ONT’s Customer Experience Coordinator.

Today, So Cal. So Jolly Fest! hosts surprise-and-delight events nearly every day in December — and on some days, two events — ranging from customer giveaways and gift-wrapping stations to holiday performances and cultural activations.

“The heart of this program is about creating memorable, shareable moments,” Tiffany explained. “Whether it’s a child meeting the Paw Squad, a traveler enjoying live music or an employee laughing during Awkward Family Photo Day, these experiences remind us that airports can be places of joy.”

Performer Highlight

We caught up with one of our So Cal. So Jolly Fest! performers, Chrissy Ras of the award-winning, all-female rock band Pulp Vixen.

“It is such an honor to perform for the Ontario International Airport," Chrissy said. "Our reason for being so excited to participate is we get to play inside the airport’s terminal, performing for all the merry travelers headed to the Hawaiian Islands and other hot spots… It doesn’t get better than that.”

With world-class talent, dynamic stage presence and a repertoire that blends pop, rock, R&B, jazz and more, Pulp Vixen is set to deliver an unforgettable live musical experience on Tuesday, December 16th from 6 to 8 a.m. inside Terminal 2.

“We are full-time musicians. This is what we do," Chrissy said. "So, to see that Ontario International Airport supports live music booming through their terminals means so much to us."

Community Spirit and Recognition

So Cal. So Jolly Fest! has become a magnet for community participation. Local school bands, nonprofits, volunteers and airport partners join each year — many returning annually because of the joy and visibility the event brings. This year, for the first time ever, one of ONT’s concessions partners joined as a co-sponsor, a sign of how deeply the program resonates across the airport community.

Recently, So Cal. So Jolly Fest! was honored with the ACI-NA MARCOM Award for Best Overall Customer Experience Program — Medium Airports, recognizing airports that demonstrate meaningful enhancements to the passenger experience through new or expanded customer service programs.

“This award is a point of real pride for our Customer Experience team,” Tiffany said. “It shows how far we’ve come in just a few years, and it highlights why customer experience matters so deeply to the culture and success of ONT.”