The folks at SellingSF are pleased to bring this holiday filled calendar and wish you and yours all the best this holiday season.
DECEMBER 1
NOE VALLEY WINE WALK
Merchants in Noe Valley will be enticing you with wine tastings and hors d’oeuvres inside their stores to extend a holiday greeting from Noe Valley. The welcome mat will be rolled out on 24th Street between Church and Diamond Streets, and also along Castro near 24th Street. We hope you’ll be able to stop by and say hello at our Zephyr office at 4040 24th St., which is also sponsoring a free raffle for a ginormous gift basket. Pre-event tickets are $20 via the website or $25 at the parking lot between Noe and Castro during the event. The ticket gets you a wine glass, a genuine wristband, and a map to the guzzling locations. A great way to meet neighborhood merchants. 4-8 pm rain or shine. 800-310-6563 for more info. www.sresproductions.com
DECEMBER 2
PAC-12 2016 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
An important event for all college football fans, featuring the Washington Huskies (the Pac-12 North champion) versus the Colorado Buffaloes (the Pac-12 South champion). Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara. 408-579-4449. www.pac-12.com
DECEMBER 2-24
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Charles Dickens’ classic comes to A.C.T.’s Geary Theater, featuring a big cast and musical score. 415 Geary Street. For all performances, no children under five years old permitted (humbug!). Evening performances 7 pm. Weekend matinees 1 or 2 pm. www.act-sf.org
DECEMBER 3
SWEDISH CHRISTMAS FAIR
Swedish folk music and dancing in costumes, Swedish crafts, mulled wine, and Swedish food (think open-faced shrimp sandwiches, meatballs, waffles with strawberry jam, and cinnamon rolls … got the picture?). The ever-busy Santa will be making an appearance. St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1111 Gough St., 9 am – 4 pm. sanfrancisco.swea.org/christmas-fair/
DECEMBER 3
UNION STREET FANTASY OF LIGHTS
Costumed characters, merchant open houses, and activities for children launch the holiday season along Union Street between Van Ness and Steiner. Santa will rush here from the Swedish Christmas Fair, arriving at the Cudworth Mansion (2040 Union St.) at 5:30 pm, and he will be available for pictures until 7 pm. There will be elves, jugglers, live ponies cross-dressing as reindeer, face painters, balloon artists, costumed characters, singers, and live entertainment. The horse-drawn carriages sally forth from 3 to 5:30 pm. 800-310-6563. www.sresproductions.com
DECEMBER 3‒4
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET: MERCATINO di NATALE
The delightful Museo Italo Americano at Fort Mason hosts this event featuring live entertainment, aperitivo, authors, a raffle, and, of course, Italian food. 2 Marina Blvd., Building C. Sat. and Sun. 10 am- 6 pm. www.museoitaloamericano.org
DECEMBER 3-18 (WEEKENDS)
THE GREAT DICKENS CHRISTMAS FAIR
This fair revives the traditions of an old English Victorian Christmas with theaters, a music hall, dance parties, taverns, shops, stalls, food, street vendors, and period costumes. Cow Palace, 415-897-4555. www.dickensfair.com
DECEMBER 4 (FIRST SUNDAY)
FREE ADMISSION DAY Asian Art Museum
RUN WILD SAN(TA) FRANCISCO: THE SANTA HAT RACE
This is a 5K run/walk, plus a 100-yard Kids Dash, in which participants will receive a Santa hat and T-shirt upon entry. Many runners dress in holiday costumes. Proceeds benefit the San Francisco Firefighters Toy program. East Beach at Crissy Field out to Fort Point. 6:30 am: Check-in for the 5K. 8 am: 5K race starts. 8:30 am: Post-race festivities begin. 9 am: Kids Dash. 9:15 am: Awards Ceremony. www.runwildsf.com
DECEMBER 6 (FIRST TUESDAY)
FREE ADMISSION DAY
Conservatory of Flowers, Contemporary Jewish Museum, DeYoung Museum, Legion of Honor Museum, Museum of Craft and Design, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
DECEMBER 10-29
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET NUTCRACKER
The great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet “Nutcracker” will once again be performed by America’s oldest and one of its most respected ballet companies at the War Memorial Opera House. They’re the company that premiered it in the USA! 415-865-2000 (tickets). www.sfballet.org
DECEMBER 11
SANTA SKIVVIES RUN
What a perfect opportunity to channel your exhibitionism into something charitable and even socially sanctioned. You know, Professor Freud probably took a dim view of exhibitionism … but he never had a chance to participate in a benevolent romp through the Castro District in his skivvies. The run will be followed by a block party on Noe Street in support of the SF AIDS Foundation’s free HIV testing, prevention, and support services. Popular wardrobe choices include briefs, Speedos, bras—pretty much anything red. Open to persons of all genders, persuasions, and inclinations. The 1-mile run (nothing strenuous, please!) starts at 11 am. Registration and (clothing) check-in from 9:30 am – 10:45 am at The Lookout, 3600 16th St. 415-487-3114. www.santaskivviesrun.org
DECEMBER 18
SFMade HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR
The non-profit SFMade presents its 6th Annual Holiday Gift Fair, held at California College of the Arts’ San Francisco campus. The Fair features locally made gift items from over 60 different SFMade vendors, including jewelry, bags, chocolate, wine, other gourmet gifts, home items, apparel, body products, children’s toys, holiday cards and decorations, and stationery—all from local manufacturers and artisans who make their products in San Francisco. California College of the Arts, 1111 Eighth St. (south of Mission Bay). 10 am – 5 pm. Free admission. www.SFMade.org
DECEMBER 31
NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS
San Francisco New Year’s Eve official fireworks are launched from barges south of the Ferry Building. One popular place to watch them is along the Embarcadero between Mission and Folsom. Midnight fireworks are usually preceded by a cavalcade of bands performing in tents. There is a no-alcohol zone from Mission to Howard St., and a variety of things with which to amuse the kids while you wait. Fireworks bursting over the illuminated Bay Bridge? Eat your heart out, Times Square. If you prefer the Ferry Building, it is suggested that you encamp on the south side of the building to get a good view and make sure you get there early. Keep in mind that nearby Justin Herman Plaza has an outdoor ice skating rink open until 11:30 pm.