Red, black, green, white, blue: all the colors of this special season are celebrated here in San Francisco
This time of year, we start baking, wrapping presents, eyeing the décor we’ll add to our collection and humming carols in the car. Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah really are special times of year, and San Francisco knows how to create holiday magic both with earnestness and with a little tongue-in-cheek playfulness. There won’t be snowfall (although Tahoe’s not that far) but sleigh bells can still ring nonetheless. Gorge on fantastical desserts and deck your halls, San Francisco style, at these standout Christmas and holiday events.
This year, trade the traditional holiday shows for a classic Christmas parody full of joy, love and all the holiday feels. Join the “Golden Girls”—drag queens Miss Coco Peru (Dorothy), Matthew Martin (Blanche), D’Arcy Drollinger (Rose) and Holotta Tymes (Sophia)—for a hilarious live take on two Christmas episodes from days gone by. It’s raucous fun now in its 19th year, taking place at the Curran Theatre. Tickets start at $39.
Dates: Dec 5–22
Since the 1944 American premiere of The Nutcracker, San Francisco audiences have embraced the sensational ballet as a true holiday tradition. From choreographer Helgi Tómasson, this magical adaptation of the Tchaikovsky composition will delight your family and set the tone for the festivities to come.
Dates: Dec 6–29
You’ll want to join the ice rink for its 17th magical season of outdoor skating on a pop-up rink in the heart of downtown. Special events (some of which have higher admission) include Drag On Ice (don some sequins and skate alongside Kings and Queens—see more details in our separate event entry below), Flashback Fridays (‘80s music on second Fridays), Classical Sundays (skate to classical music), Black Friday with Wild 94.9 (Jeanine da Feen plays modern hits), Silent Skate (headphones on) and Polar Bear Skate (in your swimsuit, just like a polar bear plunge). If you can’t skate and are intimidated, professional instructors will give free lessons each weekend to those who sign up in advance, limited to 50 people per day selected via lottery (open now through November 22 by registering here). Otherwise, tickets for the one-hour session, including skate rentals, are $25 for adults, and $19 for children aged 8 and under. Lockers available at $7.
Dates: Nov 6–Jan 20
Step back in time at this holiday adventure set in Victorian London which features quaint shops, costumed performers, four pubs, an absinthe bar and the aroma of roasted chestnuts. A Bay Area tradition celebrating 40 seasons this year, the Great Dickens Christmas Fair takes over the Cow Palace for several weekends every holiday season. New experiences can be found throughout the fair this year, including Port & Chocolate and Champagne Tastings, a mysterious Pub Crawl with Jekyll & Hyde and the Elixir of Madness, and the Dark Garden Corset Experience. Tickets $45 adults, $25 aged 5-12, free for under 5. Discounts for military and twilight entry. Parking is $20.
Dates: Weekends (plus Nov 29) through Dec 22
Embark on a magical night of dancing and beverages in an indoor winter wonderland as you party in the tree lot (wear cocktail attire and be aware that your shoes might get dirty from pine needles although they promise to sweep!) It’s an epic 21-plus soiree that raises funds (as do all Christmas tree sales) for more than 2,500 Bay Area at-risk youth. Tickets start at $98. Go ahead, wield your Christmas tree for good this year.
Dates: Dec 14, 8 pm-1:30am
Nothing rings in the holidays like visiting the Fairmont’s massive gingerbread house. Each year the hotel’s talented culinary and engineering teams work together to create a life-sized two-story Victorian gingerbread house. It's made with 8,000 gingerbread bricks, each placed by hand with pastry people piping the “grouting” made of icing, and more than 1,900 pounds of candy adorning its façade. Each year, new details appear on the home’s design. Wildly enough, you can book a dining experience—either a holiday dinner or a holiday tea—inside the house for up to eight guests. Tea is $155/adult, $80/child; dinner is $500/party.
Dates: Through New Year
This year, since the Castro Theatre is undergoing renovations, these beloved San Francisco concerts—always built on hilarity, togetherness and singing along—will be held at the Sydney Goldstein Theatre (December 6 and 7) and Davies Symphony Hall (two performances on December 24). You can also attend the north and east bay performances at Green Music Center in Rohnert Park (December 15) and Zellerbach Auditorium in Berkeley (December 21). This year for the first time, two limited edition VIP packages are available. Dress up and bring the kids for these family-friendly concerts.
Dates: Dec 6, 7, 15, 21, 24
Abstaining from this year’s Christmas celebrations? Grab a seat at the Imperial Palace Restaurant for the city’s longest running comedy show, Kung Pao Kosher Comedy. It’s a hilarious comedic romp that celebrates the classic Jewish answer to Christmas dinner, the Chinese restaurant. Catch the show with an early evening dinner or late evening cocktails and light dim sum.
Dates: Dec 24–26
It’s the 19th annual World Tree of Hope Celebration live at Grace Cathedral. Join ever-fabulous emcee Donna Sachet and a variety of artists, musicians and local dignitaries as they light up the night inside this neo-gothic cathedral. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will bless the tree, and the performance, sponsored by the Rainbow World Fund, will help restore your faith in humanity and rebuild your hopes for our local, national and global communities. Free.
Date: Dec 9, 6:30–8:30pm
Holiday glammed-up Drag Kings and Queens will take to the ice for an ice skating party full of glitz and glamor. Watch from the sidelines or lace up a pair of skates and join San Francisco’s fiercest for this outrageous, hilarious and heartwarming evening in Union Square. $30.
Dates: Dec 5, 6:30-8pm
Discover Time Out original video
