December 2016 – Knott's Network

The countdown to the New Year is on at Knott’s Merry Farm! With special fireworks, live entertainment, and extended hours, plus Knott’s signature rides and attractions, Knott’s New Year’s Eve celebration is the place to celebrate and ring in 2017.

Special one-night-only entertainment serves up family fun for a variety of ages and interests, including a family friendly comedian, swing dancing and more! Count down the New Year with festive music, party hats, noisemakers, friends and family. Knott’s Sky Cabin, towering over 200 ft. in the air, will dramatically rise to the top of the “K” tower as special lighting effects help countdown the final moments of 2016. When the cabin reaches the top at the stroke of midnight the skies above Knott’s will be ablaze with colorful fireworks!

Adding to the line-up of can’t miss entertainment are:

Jumpin’ Joz Band and Memories Swing Dancers invite guests to jump, jive & swing to the sounds of Jumpin’ Joz. The resident “swingers” are always looking to teach some of their signature dance moves!
THE REFLEXX the ultimate 80’s party band around, cover classics from bands such as: Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Tears for Fears, New Order, A-Ha, The Cure, Duran Duran, Flock of Seagulls, Devo, and more.
DJ Howly brings the party to the farm for a special New Year’s celebration, with high energy music and dancing taking place at the Calico Mine Stage. Family friendly comedian, Chipper Lowell, brings his hilarious comedy, magic and audience participation to the Wagon Camp.
Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies, four country boys from deep in the hills of Anaheim will have the crowd’s toes tappin’, hands clappin’ and guts bustin’. The best darn tootin’ entertainment this side of the Santa Ana freeway. The comical and musical number can be seen at the Birdcage Theatre.
OPA OPA Salsa Band, rich rhythms, remarkable unique vocals and vibrant music performed by an energetic salsa band will have guests dancing and enjoying the New Year’s celebration in Fiesta Village.
Midnight Fireworks Spectacular, guests can ring in the New Year with a bang as the park’s skies wonderfully light up for an aerial fireworks display that will leave the young and young at heart in awe. A New Year’s Eve celebration is not complete without a delicious meal. Spur’s Restaurant is serving up a special New Year’s Eve buffet from 4pm-10pm; prices are $34.99+tax for adults, $29.99 for Seniors (62 and over0 and $18.99+ tax for kids (11 and under).

This New Year’s Eve, offers an exciting day on the Farm with Knott’s Merry Farm’s festive lineup of entertainment, delectable foods and holiday shopping! A few of this year’s seasonal highlights include:

Merry Christmas, Snoopy!, in this exciting show filled with whimsy and spectacular ice skating, Snoopy enjoys all of the best parts of the season, including trimming the Christmas tree, awaiting Santa’s arrival and attending the festive Christmas Ball!
When the sun sets on the farm, the buildings and paths in Ghost Town twinkle brightly to the beat of a holiday favorite as snow gently falls on all guests. Park guests can enjoy more of the nightly snow and glow experience in most of Ghost Town, from School House Road to the Saloon and down to the Assay Office.
For the first time ever, the bustling streets of Calico are overflowing with seasonal joy as its gleeful citizens, from this summer’s Ghost Town Alive!, help guests celebrate the holidays with Christmas in Calico.
Another nighttime tradition at Knott’s Merry Farm is the joyous Tree Lighting Ceremony, and this year it takes place at the recently added Calico Park. This all-new Calico Tree lighting Ceremony features the Calico Bell Choir and the Citizens of Calico as they join together around the tree for an illuminating Christmas celebration.
The holiday season celebration continues at Camp Snoopy, with an all-new show debuting at the Camp Snoopy Theatre, A Peanuts Guide to Christmas, features delightful mash ups of holiday songs with a cheerful and heartwarming dose of the Peanuts gang.
In the intimate setting of Ghost Town’s historic Bird Cage Theatre, catch a live performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol or O. Henry’s A Gift of the Magi.
Savor the ultimate comfort foods with Knott’s world-famous holiday treats. Santa’s Christmas Cabin serves up holiday delights like Santa’s homemade cookies, mouthwatering pastries, winter wine, craft beer, and more. Guests can also enjoy the fresh made-to-order, churros from the Churro Factory, cakes, cookies, muffins, as well as the legendary cooking at Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.
Relax and unwind in Knott’s Christmas Crafts Village, as Ghost Town transforms into a shopping wonderland filled with dozens of local artisans selling their unique gifts.

Knott’s New Year’s Eve Celebration is included with regular daytime admission. Park hours on New Year’s Eve are 10am to 1am. A 2017 Knott’s Season Pass is a great way to visit on New Year’s Eve. 2017 passes offer a year of family fun and includes one free visit in 2016, including the New Year’s event.

And for a limited time, Season Passes can be purchased online starting at $90.00, the best price of the year. To purchase Season Passes or tickets, or for more information about Knott’s Berry Farm, visit www.knotts.com or download the Knott’s mobile app for your smartphone today. And join the conversation using #KnottsNYE

Knott’s Berry farm announced that the beloved scale models of California’s historic Missions have returned to the park on Wednesday, November 30. This project reflects Knott’s continued appreciation and preservation of California’s rich history.

Scaled models of the original California Missions boarder the same midway between Silver Bullet and the south entrance of Fiesta Village, as it did previously for many years. Twenty-year veteran of Knott’s Berry Farm’s woodshop and current Knott’s craftsman, Bob Weir, has been meticulously restoring the missions for over three years, for a new generation of guests to appreciate.

“Knott’s Berry Farm prides itself in celebrating California’s rich, living history, and the California Mission models hold as much educational value as they do sentimental value for many of our guests,” said Knott’s general manager, Jon Storbeck. “We know that grade school curriculums in California include lessons on the California Missions, so we’re pleased that Knott’s Adventures in Education programs will allow students a unique and authentic learning experience that can only be found at Knott’s.”

In addition to the return of the historic missions, Knott’s is hosting its Early California History Day on March 15, 2017, in which students will have the opportunity to visit and tour the displayed models within the park, as well as have the opportunity to display a mission of their own. One homemade mission model will be selected to represent an individual school and enter into the California Missions competition. The winning models will be awarded special Knott’s Berry Farm prizes.

History
In the 1950’s as Knott’s Berry Farm grew in popularity, Walter Knott needed a way to keep park guests off of the stagecoach trail between the train depot and the northern end of the park for safety reasons. In keeping with the spirit of Knott’s – attractions both entertain and educate – Walter commissioned Leon Bayard de Volo to create scale models of all 21 California Missions. The missions were displayed in lit cases along the midway running between the Calico Railroad and what is now the south entrance to Fiesta Village.

The area was named El Camino Real (“The King’s Highway”), in honor of the actual California highway that connects all 21 missions. On the North and South ends of El Camino Real stood two full-size double-arch “ruins,” which were built and installed at Knott’s in 1955 and 1956, respectively. Today, the double-arch ruin that originally marked the entrance to Mission row near the train station can be found near the Ghost Town General Store and the Indian Trails Stage. The northern most double-arch is still standing in its original location, behind Wave Swinger in Fiesta Village.

Observe replicas of the historic California Missions such as:

· Mission Santa Barbara
· Mission San Gabriel
· Mission Santa Cruz
· Mission San Diego
· Mission San Buenaventura
· Mission San Carlos Borromėo
· Mission San Luis Obispo
· Mission San Antonio
· Mission Santa Clara
· Mission La Purisima Concepción
· Mission San Miguel Arcángel
· Mission San Luis Rey
· Mission Santa Ines
· And more

A 2017 Knott’s Season Pass is the best way to experience the historic scale models with the family. New 2017 Season Passes include one free admission during the 2016 season to Knott’s Berry Farm and unlimited visits in 2017 with no blackout dates, discounts on select food and merchandise, and access to exciting year-round seasonal events. 2017 Season Passes are now available at the best price of the year for a limited time on knotts.com.

The park will install all 21 mission models within the coming months. For more information about the missions and Early California History Day, visit knotts.com, and join the conversation on social media using #Knotts