The Ritz-Carlton Next to Mirada Has a Long Holiday Calendar. Only Two Events Openly Invite the Neighbors.

On the evening of Sunday, November 29, the tree on Springs Lawn at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage lights up between 5:30 and 7 p.m. There will be light refreshments, local carolers and what the resort calls "a special surprise guest." For households in Mirada Estates and Mirada Villas, the resort sits right next door on the hillside off Frank Sinatra Drive. This year its holiday page lists Thanksgiving buffets, Santa breakfasts, Candlelight concerts, chestnut roasting, a gingerbread workshop and two New Year's menus.

Only two of those events say in writing that the local community is welcome. Both are free, and both require an RSVP. Everything else is a paid reservation or is described for resort guests and families. For a neighbor, the season really starts with those two invitations and the dates to claim them.

Two Invitations, Both in Writing

The first is the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony, which the resort calls "a cherished Rancho Mirage tradition." The booking page lists it as complimentary and states the access plainly:

"This complimentary festive event is open to both resort guests and members of the local community. RSVP is required."

The second is the Menorah Lighting Ceremony on Wednesday, December 2, at 5 p.m. in the lobby, led by a visiting rabbi. The booking page also lists it as complimentary, with "advanced reservations required." It uses nearly the same wording as the tree lighting: "We welcome resort guests and members of the local community to gather in celebration and reflection."

Both events are free, open to neighbors and booked through the same reservation system. They fall three days apart, on a Sunday and a Wednesday.

The RSVP Is the Ticket

Since both community events need a reservation, the useful part of the calendar is a short list of booking steps:

1. Tree Lighting, Sunday, Nov. 29, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Springs Lawn. RSVP on the resort's Tree Lighting booking page. The page invites you to "bring your family and friends."
2. Menorah Lighting, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 5 p.m., lobby. Reserve on the Menorah Lighting booking page.

The tree lighting is 17 days away, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. That weekend tends to bring out-of-town family, so it's worth deciding the guest count before you RSVP.

The Rest of the Calendar Runs on Reservations

The other events on the Ritz-Carlton's holiday page are paid and booked like any restaurant table. Prices range from a $45 concert seat to a $325 New Year's Eve dinner.

The Candlelight Concerts in the Ritz-Carlton Ballroom run on a separate ticketing system. Fever's venue listing currently shows seats from $45.36. Its current lineup includes a Fleetwood Mac tribute (Nov. 20 to Jan. 22), Vivaldi's Four Seasons (Nov. 28 to Jan. 22), The Lord of the Rings (Nov. 28), Michael Jackson and Queen vs. ABBA tributes (Dec. 6), and Christmas Carols on Strings (Dec. 18).

The spa is following the season too. The Ritz-Carlton Spa is offering a Pumpkin Latte Hydration Masque and a Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel, along with Yvonne E. White fragrances "inspired by a winter in the California desert."

Two Family Events Without the Community Line

Two more family events are open in December, but their pages don't include the "local community" wording that appears on the tree lighting and menorah lighting.

Chestnut Roasting & Lawn Games runs on Springs Lawn from December 18 through January 3, 4 to 6 p.m. The booking page lists it as complimentary and says "We invite you to gather." It describes the evening in terms of guests enjoying it. Letters to Santa at Santa's Village turns the Lobby Atrium into a holiday display with a train and a North Pole mailbox for children's letters. The hotel describes it as a family activity and lists no price.

Before bringing children over for either one, a quick call to the resort will confirm whether neighbors are welcome. The tree lighting and menorah lighting are the two events where the invitation is already in writing.

Thanksgiving Thursday, Hour by Hour

Thanksgiving is the one day when the resort's restaurants line up almost back to back, because it falls on a Thursday. That timing matters for The Edge Steakhouse. Its posted weekly schedule closes the restaurant Monday through Wednesday and opens it Thursday through Sunday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. State Fare opens daily at 7 a.m., closing at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

On November 26, a household could plan the whole day on the hill:

• 7 a.m. The Desert Turkey Trot Hike sets out on the resort's "surrounding desert trails," with views over the Coachella Valley toward the Santa Rosa Mountains. It ends at Mountainside Concourse with a mimosa.
• Noon The Ballroom brunch buffet opens and runs until 4 p.m. The menu includes freshly shucked oysters, sage-roasted turkey and glazed ham.
• 3 p.m. State Fare begins its Thanksgiving specials, with last seating at 9 p.m.
• 4:30 p.m. The Edge opens its Thanksgiving dinner an hour earlier than its usual 5:30 start and serves until 8:30 p.m. The menu includes butternut squash dishes, harvest salads, steaks and seafood.

Three days later, the free tree lighting closes out the holiday weekend on the same lawn.

The Free Route That Needs No RSVP

The $50 Turkey Trot is a guided walk in the foothills. Mirada residents also have a city trail that starts right at the neighborhood. The City of Rancho Mirage's trail guide describes the Chuckwalla Trail, accessed from Frank Sinatra Drive west of Highway 111, as a 1.58-mile route with about 200 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. It "circles the Mirada Villas, continues through the foothills, and intersects with the Roadrunner Trail," and the city notes its "exceptional panoramic views of the valley."

The Roadrunner Trail is shorter and steeper. It runs 0.34 mile with 300 feet of gain, rated easy to moderate, and connects the Mirada Fountain to Chuckwalla along Frank Sinatra Drive. Together the two trails make a loop that starts from the neighborhood. You can walk it Thanksgiving morning or any other day without a reservation, a mimosa or a service charge.

What the Council Approved in January

The resort next door is also planning beyond this season. The Desert Sun reported on January 16, 2026, that the Rancho Mirage City Council had approved changes to the hotel's development agreement at its January 15 meeting. The changes cover a long-planned expansion with 106 condos, an event space and a restaurant on the hillside property. The item passed on the consent agenda, without separate discussion. That plan would add a restaurant and an event space to the same hilltop that hosts this year's tree lighting.

The Downs Team follows what changes on the Frank Sinatra Drive hillside, from the resort's holiday calendar to the expansion approved next door. If you own in Mirada Estates or Mirada Villas and want to know how that activity factors into your home's value this season, request a complimentary home valuation and we'll go over it with you.