The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus is putting on a holiday showcase on Christmas Eve. Photo courtesy of San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.
Get cozy on the couch, grab your favorite holiday treat and take in all that this week has to offer. There are a lot of great ways to celebrate the holidays, whether by song, dance, theater, comedy, or even rock ‘n roll. Happy holidays and Happy New Year! We’ll see you in 2021!
Editor’s Note: Please wear a mask and keep a physical distance of at least six feet while riding the trains or at an in-person event. Before you go, use our Trip Planner to get estimated travel times. See BART’s 15-step plan to safely welcoming riders here.
Virtual
The Great Dickens Christmas Fair at Home | Through Dec. 24
In lieu of gathering in person this year, The Great Dickens Christmas Fair invites you to enjoy the simple pleasures of “Dickens Fair at Home” as their holiday gift to you. Each weekend in December through Christmas Eve, they will release new content. Invoke the spirits of Christmas Past and Christmas Present with “A Christmas Carol” read by Mr. Dickens himself. Gather to sing in the parlour, or dance in the kitchen! Find favorite Fair music, videos, and the one and only Coventry Carolers in spirited song. Discover delicious recipes from merry old England and serve up holiday favorites with Dickensian flair. Entice your creative spirit (and young hearts) to make playful holiday gifts with instruction from Fair artists. See the full schedule.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: At Home for the Holidays | Dec. 24
Celebrate three decades of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus performing this annual holiday tradition. This year, experience the virtual holiday showcase safely at home. See performances and appearances by Laura Benanti, Bianca Del Rio, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, Jessica Bejarano & the SF Philharmonic, Matt Nathanson, and more! Tickets start at $25. Ticket buyers will be sent a private link on Dec. 24 giving them access to the program for 72 hours.
Join Comedy Oakland for a hilarious night of comedy from the comfort of your living room. Photo courtesy of Comedy Oakland.
The year seems to get crazier and crazier, so we need laughter more than ever before. Comedy Oakland is here to help and is not stopping for the holidays. On December 25, they’ll declare war on Christmas with a lineup of some of the funniest Jews And Muslims (JAM). Order your own Chinese food, and jam with JAMs for free on Christmas! The show starts at 7pm and is free to watch on Zoom.
The Village Project and community partners will celebrate their 15th annual Kwanzaa celebration with seven days of virtual events starting Dec. 26 and running through Jan. 1. Exciting and enriching cultural programs will be presented through social media and will be intended to both entertain and engage the entire family. There will also be blues bands, dance performances, spoken word, and keynote speakers. Each event is free and will stream daily at 6pm.
San Francisco City Hall is illuminated with different light combinations for the holidays. Photo courtesy of Time Out.
San Francisco City Hall Lighting | Through Dec. 31
Every evening at sunset, over 220 state-of-the-art LED lighting fixtures illuminate City Hall’s exterior. Normally, a soft white glow shows off the play of light and shadow on the full façade and dome. Frequently, special plaza façade lighting schemes honor or celebrate events, seasons, and holidays. Through Dec. 25 the lights will be red and green, on Dec. 26 black will be added for the first night of Kwanzaa, from Dec. 27-30 the lights will go back to red and green, and then on New Year’s Eve the lights will be gold!
SF Ballet’s “Nutcracker” | Through Dec. 31
Watch SF Ballet’s spectacular Nutcracker stream in HD, tour the virtual opera house full of fun activities, send downloadable holiday snaps to your friends and family, enjoy historical highlights of San Francisco Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” and learn steps from the choreography. You can even check off items on your gift list with a visit to SF Ballet’s online Holiday Shop! The show runs through Dec. 31. Tickets are $49 for 48-hour access.
American Conservatory Theater’s A Christmas Carol: On Air | Through Dec. 31
For the first time in its 44-year history, the Bay Area’s favorite holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, will come to life as A Christmas Carol: On Air from the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.). It’s an enthralling radio play that the whole family can enjoy from the comfort of their home. The show runs through Dec. 31 and tickets start at $40.
Lucinda Williams plays tribute to The Rolling Stones on New Year’s Eve. Photo courtesy of Yahoo.
Freight & Salvage presents: Lu’s Jukebox – It’s Only Rock and Roll: A Tribute to The Rolling Stones | Dec. 31
On New Year’s Eve, Lucinda and her band tear through the material of The Rolling Stones in a way that only one irreverent, Honky Tonk Woman can. As a bonus, she’ll introduce an occasional Lu-rarity or new song. End the year with a bang! The show begins at 5pm and tickets start at $20.
ODC’s “The Velveteen Rabbit” | through Dec. 31
This feel-good musical tale tells the iconic tale of a boy and his beloved stuffed rabbit. Brimming with wit, festive costumes, madcap characters and a good dose of holiday cheer, don’t miss the digital presentation of The Velveteen Rabbit performed by contemporary dance company, ODC/Dance. Performances run on-demand through Dec. 31. Tickets start at $35 with the option of a “Bring the magic home” package full of goodies to elevate the at-home viewing experience.
Christmas at Grace Cathedral | Through Jan. 5
Celebrate the 25 days of Christmas from San Francisco’s magnificent church atop Nob Hill as it opens its virtual doors for three 50-minute concerts through “Twelfth Night” (Jan. 5). “A Cathedral Christmas”, “Soulful Joy”, and “A Merry Christmas” will add sparkle to your holiday season with all the seasonal favorites featuring sing-alongs, the beloved Choir of Men and Boys, the famous 7,466-pipe organ, and more. Tickets run $15-100 – confirmation email with link to streamings following ticket purchase.
Faultline Artspace hosts 10xTEN Art Show | Ongoing
Faultline Artspace is an East Oakland organization that provides a workspace for local artisans, and around this time of year, they typically open their space for an art show and a kick-off to holiday shopping. Since this year looks a little different, they’ve partnered with 10xTEN to host a virtual art show featuring 100 talented and creative women artists from the Bay Area. The event will run on Faultline Artspace’s Instagram account that can be accessed here and will run through the holidays.
Round out 2020 with a trip to the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market. Photo courtesy of CUESA & The Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market.
In-person
San Francisco Chinatown Walkway Weekends | Through Dec. 27
SF’s Chinatown’s iconic Grant Avenue will be closed off to traffic and cars for a pleasant walkway every weekend (11am-5pm) through Dec. 27. Enjoy a historic street stroll, outdoor dining, and a cultural shopping experience. Take BART to Montgomery St and walk four minutes to the Grant Avenue Chinatown entrance.
New Year’s Eve Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market | Dec. 31
Get ready for a healthy New Year at a special Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Thursday, Dec. 31, from 10am-2pm. You’ll find the regular Thursday farms along with some special pop-ups to help you get a fresh and delicious start in 2021. Thank you for supporting local farmers and food crafters year-round, rain or shine! To get there, take BART to Embarcadero and walk four minutes to the Ferry Plaza.
San Jose Berryessa Flea Market | Multiple dates
The San Jose Berryessa Flea Market is steps from our Berryessa/North San José Station. The Flea Market is a not to be missed San Jose tradition where “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” With over 120 acres of shopping, activities, and food vendors, there’s bound to be fun around every corner. The market is currently open from Wednesday, Friday-Sunday, 8am-5pm. Walk-in admission is $2-3 depending on which day you go, and the entrance is located near Garden at the Flea and the East Lot.
Let’s get social.
What are you doing for the holidays? Let us know via social media, @SFBARTable #SFBARTable! Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see all of the best BARTable (virtual) events, places to eat (grab take out from) and have fun (outside) around the Bay.