101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in the San Francisco Bay Area - 2024
Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve. The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If you don't already receive KidsOutAndAbout's free weekly e-newsletter for San Francisco, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2024! Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
Santa Sightings
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Holiday Tree Walk - Roaring Camp |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 30, 2024 | Santa House - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 3, 2024 | Winter Wonderland - Tilden Park Merry Go Round |
| December 6, 2024 | Holiday Night with Santa - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 7, 2024 | Santa Arrives by Helicopter - Hiller Avaiation Museum |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 7, 2024 | Breakfast with Santa - Tilden Park Merry Go Round |
| December 8, 2024 | Santa Paws - Santana Row |
| December 12, 2024 | Making Spirits Bright - Campbell Chamber of Commerce |
| December 14, 2024 | Winter on the Wharf - City of Santa Cruz |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 14, 2024 | Visit to the North Pole - Lesher Center for the Arts |
Old-Time Christmas
| Multiple date starting on Nov. 23, 2024 | The Dickens Christmas Fair - Daly City, CA |
Light Displays
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 8, 2024 | Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival - Oakland Zoo |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 9, 2024 | IlluminOdyssey - CuriOdyssey |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 16, 2024 | Holidays at Filoli - Filoli Historic Gouse & Garden |
| November 22, 2024 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| November 22, 2024 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Center City Bishop Ranch |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | All-New Light Maze - San Jose, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | GLOW 2024: Play in the Light - The Exploratorium |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | Garden of d’Lights - Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 28, 2024 | Winter Wonderland - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Holiday Lights Train - Roaring Camp |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Holidays in the Park - Six Flags Discovery Kingdom |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Holiday Magic - Gilroy Gardens |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Holiday Lights - Santa Cruz County Fair |
| November 30, 2024 | Holiday of Lights & Winter Wonderland - Downtown San Rafael |
| November 30, 2024 | Holiday Tree Lighting - Yerba Buena Gardens |
| December 1, 2024 | Los Altos Festival of Lights Parade - Los Altos, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 1, 2024 | California Christmas Lights - Various Locations, CA |
| December 6, 2024 | Tree Lighting - City of Cupertino, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 6, 2024 | Winter Lights - Downtown Santa Rosa |
| December 7, 2024 | Lighted Tractor Parade - City of Calistoga, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 7, 2024 | Capistrano Lights - Hiller Avaiatio Museum |
| December 9, 2024 | Community Tree Lighting - City of Mountain View, CA |
| December 14, 2024 | 37th Annual Lighted Boat Parade & Fireworks - Winterfest Sausalito |
Holiday Theatre
| November 23 & 24, 2024 | Smuin's The Christmas Ballet - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| November 29 - December 1, 2024 | Contra Costa's "The Nutcracker" - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| December 1, 2024 | A Merry-Achi Christmas - San Francisco Symphony |
| December 2, 2024 | Holiday Cirque - San Francisco Symphony |
| December 12 & 14 | The Muppet Christmas Carol: In Concert - San Francisco Symphony |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 12, 2024 | A Christmas Carol - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 14, 2024 | Valley Dance Theatre: The Nutcracker - Livermore Arts - Bothwell Arts Center |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 14, 2024 | Reindeer Games - Children's Creativity Museum |
| December 15, 2024 | Christmas with Ballet Roots - Firehouse Arts Center |
| December 17, 2024 | Nutcracker Magical - Luther Center for the Arts |
| December 19, 20 & 21, 2024 | Elf—In Concert - San Francisco Symphony |
| December 20 - 22, 2024 | The Biggest Gift - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| December 6 & 7, 2024 | Once Upon a Christmas - Lesher Center for the Arts |
Holiday Concerts
| December 1, 2024 | East Bay Musical Society Holiday Sing-A-Long - Firehouse Arts Center |
| December 3, 2024 | Spirit of the Row - Santana Row |
| December 8, 2024 | Deck the Hall - San Francisco Symphony |
| December 15, 2024 | Holiday Pops - Luther Burbank Center for the Arts |
| December 21 & 22, 2024 | A Christmas Carol, The Musical - Luther Burbank Center for the Arts |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 23, 2024 | Christmas Trees - Clancy's Pumpkins & Christmas Trees (7th Ave) |
| Opening Nov 23, 2024 | ABC Tree Farms |
Ice Skating
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 6, 2024 | Ice Rink - Union Square |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 8, 2024 | Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink - Center City Bishop Ranch |
Hanukkah
| November 15, 2024 | Create and Celebrate: Hanukkah Craft Party! - Oshman Family JCC |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 25, 2024 | Annual Hanukkah Community Celebration - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| December 7, 2024 | Chanukah Train - Roaring Camp |
| December 10, 2024 | Giant Menorah Lighting & Gelt Drop - Downtown San Rafael |
| December 29, 2024 | Hanukkah Celebration - Santana Row |
| January 2, 2024 | Chanukah Train - Roaring Camp |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 1, 2024 | Downtown Holiday Shopping Spree - City of Benicia, CA |
| November 22, 2024 | Pink Friday Sip n Shop & Outdoor Evening Market - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| November 2 & 3, 2024 | 44th Alameda Holiday Boutique - City of Alameda, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | The Village - Enchant: San Jose |
| November 23, 2024 | Craft Fest - Lesher Center for the Arts |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 23, 2024 | 'Tis the Season for Science - California Academy of Sciences |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 30, 2024 | The 3rd Annual Great Downtown San Rafael ELF HUNT - Downtown San Rafael |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 6, 2024 | Winter Lights - Downtown Santa Rosa |
| December 6, 2024 | Holiday Open House - City of Benicia, CA |
| December 6, 2024 | Winter Festival Marketplace - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 7, 2024 | Holiday Craft Fair - Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center |
| December 7, 2024 | Kids Night at the Museum: Stories with Snoopy - Charles M. Schultz Museum |
| December 7, 2024 | Holiday Craft Hop - Downtown Martinez & Co. |
| December 14, 2024 | Holiday Parade & Market - City of Benicia, CA |
New Year's Eve
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | New Year's Train - Roaring Camp |
| December 31, 2024 | Happy New Year, Charlie Brown - Charles M. Schultz Museum |
| December 31, 2024 | New Year's Eve Balloon Drop - Chabot Science center |
| December 31, 2024 | Noon Year's Eve - Happy Hollow |
Miscellaneous
| November 17, 2024 | Nutcracker Holiday Tea - Palo Alto Auxilary |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 22, 2024 | The Village - San Jose, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Winterfest - Six Flags Great America: Bay Area |
| Multiple dates starting on Nov. 29, 2024 | Days of Christmas - Oakland, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 3, 2024 | Flora Party: Holiday Wreaths - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 3, 2024 | Snow Showers - Santana Row |
| December 6, 2024 | Winter Festival Tea - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 6, 2024 | Annual Winter Celebration - Los Gatos, CA |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 3, 2024 | Flora Party: Holiday Wreaths - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 5, 2024 | Enchanted Elegance: Holiday Tea in the Garden House - Filoli Historic House & Garden |
| December 7, 2024 | Hometown Holiday - San Ramon, CA |
| December 7, 2024 | Hometown Holidays 18th Annual Celebration - City of Redwood California |
| December 7, 2024 | Jingle Bell 5K & Brunch - Sausalito, CA |
| December 7, 2024 | The 2024 Bah Humbug! - City of San Ramon, CA |
| December 12, 2024 | Festival Holiday Wreaths - Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden |
| December 14, 2024 | Gingerbread Doghouse Workshops - Charles M. Schultz Museum |
| December 14, 2024 | Winter Craft Day 2024 - Randall Museum |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 14, 2024 | Fairy Winterland - Children's Fairyland |
| Multiple dates starting on Dec. 14, 2024 | Winter Walk 2024 - Union Square |
| December 15, 2024 | Santa Run - Silicon Valley |
| December 21, 2024 | Winter Snowflakes with Clay - Berekeley Public Library |
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