ELF The Musical — the Broadway stage adaptation of the beloved 2003 Will Ferrell holiday film — comes to Stage One at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom for eight performances over five days, opening Wednesday, November 4, 2026. It is the first major holiday musical of the fall season at Harris Center, and it runs out before Thanksgiving, which makes this week essentially the only window to catch it in the Sacramento area.
What Is ELF The Musical
ELF The Musical is based on the 2003 New Line Cinema film that turned Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf into a holiday icon. The stage version — book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin — follows Buddy, a human who was accidentally raised by elves at the North Pole and decides, as an adult, to journey to New York City to find his biological father. What follows is the expected fish-out-of-water story: Buddy’s cheerful obliviousness against New York’s cynicism, with a romance, a skeptical younger brother, and a father who needs convincing that Christmas still matters.
The musical debuted on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2010 and has been one of the more reliably staged touring shows of the holiday season since. It leans family-friendly — the humor tracks with the film — and the stage production adds song-and-dance numbers that give the material its own identity separate from the movie.
For families who grew up watching the film, the musical is a natural fit for an evening or matinee out. For audiences who haven’t seen it, the story is straightforward enough that no prior knowledge is needed.
Show Schedule
ELF The Musical plays eight performances over five days at Stage One at Harris Center:
| Date | Day | Showtime |
|---|---|---|
| November 4 | Wednesday | 7:30 PM |
| November 5 | Thursday | 7:30 PM |
| November 6 | Friday | 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM |
| November 7 | Saturday | 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM |
| November 8 | Sunday | 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM |
The Friday and Saturday matinees at 2:00 PM are good options for families with younger children who don’t do well with evening showtimes. The Sunday morning performance at 10:00 AM is unusual for a theatrical production — it’s early enough to make a full day of Folsom afterward. The evening performances on Wednesday and Thursday tend to have a more adult mix in the audience.
Tickets and Box Office
Tickets are available online at harriscenter.net/elf. The Harris Center box office can be reached by phone at (916) 608-6888 or by email at TicketOffice@harriscenter.net. Prices vary by seat location and are shown during checkout on the Harris Center website. Harris Center does not publish a flat price list on its event pages.
Parking
Harris Center requires a parking pass for all events. Passes can be added when purchasing tickets online, purchased at the Harris Center box office during business hours, or bought at on-site kiosks on the day of the performance — note that kiosk purchases carry a small additional fee, as do box-office purchases. The venue is at 10 College Parkway on the Folsom Lake College campus. Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes before curtain; the campus access roads can back up before evening performances.
The Details
- What: ELF The Musical — Broadway holiday musical based on the 2003 film
- Where: Stage One at Harris Center for the Arts, 10 College Parkway, Folsom, CA 95630
- When: November 4–8, 2026
- Showtimes: Wed/Thu 7:30 PM; Fri/Sat 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM; Sun 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM
- Tickets: harriscenter.net/elf or (916) 608-6888
- Parking: Required; add on when ordering online or purchase at box office or on-site kiosk
Bottom Line
Eight performances in five days gives Sacramento-area families a reasonable number of scheduling windows, but the run ends November 8 — before the Thanksgiving rush and well before December’s heavier holiday event calendar. If ELF The Musical is on your family’s list for this season, this week is the only window. The Sunday morning 10:00 AM show is particularly worth noting for families who want to make a full day in Folsom around it: the historic district and the Folsom area have plenty to do afterward, and the early curtain time gives you the rest of the afternoon.
Harris Center is also bringing The Wiz to Folsom on November 12 — the two shows make for a strong back-to-back musical theater week if you’re planning ahead. For a broader look at what’s happening this holiday season in the Sacramento area, the Sacramento Christmas events guide for 2026 has the full picture.
