Yosemite Winter Festivals

Bracebridge Dinner

The Bracebridge Dinner has become an Ahwahnee Christmas tradition. This grand Christmas event has been held annually since the hotel opened in 1927. The Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. As tables glow with candlelight, the room is filled with the warmth and spirit of this special time of year.

The Bracebridge Dinner is an elegant and artistic four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages. Over 100 players create the roles of the Squire and his family, their servants, the Lord of Misrule, minstrels and other performers. The centerpiece of this revered event is a seven-course banquet of rich and wondrous dishes prepared by The Ahwahnee’s world-class culinary staff.

The Bracebridge Dinner is held in December, with several performances between the middle and end of the month. It lasts four hours, with a half hour of entertainment beforehand. The hotel's grand dining room is transformed into a 17th-century English manor based on a Washington Irving story of an English Christmas celebration--minstrels singing, jesters joking, and a colorful procession bearing fanciful dishes--during the seven-course meal.

This famous celebration was originally inspired by a short story in Washington Irving's book, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. Irving's collection of short stories and essays, commonly referred to as The Sketch Book, also contained some of his most well-known short stories such as "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle." In Irving's story that ultimately inspired the Bracebridge dinner, a character named Squire Bracebridge hosts a grand Yule celebration during the holiday season. The performance fills the dining room with festive energy as elegant food is served, and the ringing sound of voices reverberates off the massive walls and windows of the grand hall.

Bracebridge Lodging Packages

The Bracebridge Dinner lodging package makes it easy to celebrate this special event!

Bracebridge Lodging Packages Include:

• 2 nights lodging for two adults
• Voucher for a Bracebridge ornament redeemable at the Ahwahnee gift shop
• Portrait sitting and one portrait
• Dinner for two at the Bracebridge Celebration on the second night of your package.
• Shuttle services for the Bracebridge Dinner are provided for guests at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls and the Wawona Hotel

Restrictions and other fine print: Rates based on double occupancy. Additional costs associated with additional persons. Rates do not include taxes. Package may not be combined with other discounts, packages or special offers. No refunds for early check out or unused portions of package. Offer subject to change with NPS approval. Advance reservations are required. Package is for specific days, Bracebridge dinner celebration will be on the second night of the package. Additional person rates are available. Additional dinner tickets are available. Penalties will apply for cancellations made within 30 days of arrival date. Package rates do not apply to groups or suites.

For reservations information call:
1-866-875-8456

Vintners Holiday

Raise a glass to Vintners' Holidays at The Ahwahnee Hotel this holiday season! This is The Ahwahnee's annual celebration of fall and the bounty of top vineyards. The Vintner's Holiday Celebration began in 1982, and offers guests a spectacular setting at the Ahwahnee Hotel in which to enjoy fine wines from around the state.

Vintner's Holidays brings wine connoisseurs together to taste and learn about many different California wineries, from well-known names to smaller, lesser-known vintners. There are multiple sessions planned each year, which highlight unique flavors and creations from four different California wineries. During each session, guests are able to enjoy tasting seminars led by experts, followed by panel discussions moderated by nationally recognized wine authorities, as well as a reception where guests can meet the vintners themselves.

The sessions conclude with a five-course Gala Vintners' Dinner in the Ahwahnee Dining Room, highlighting wines from the session's participating wineries, paired with a custom gourmet menu by Ahwahnee's executive Chef Percy Whatley.

Vintners’ Holidays Lodging packages are available at both The Ahwahnee and at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. Prices vary depending on session and accommodations.

For reservations information call:
1-866-875-8456

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