Get into the holiday spirit by attending the largest holiday chocolate festival in the Bay Area.
Published: November, 2009
Ice, Ice Baby
While San Francisco rarely sees snow, there are several opportunities to experience a cool holiday tradition at three ice skating rinks in the city:
Holiday Ice Rink at Embarcadero Center:
Nov. 11 – Jan. 3
Ice skating returns to Justin Herman Plaza with the Holiday Ice Rink at Embarcadero Center presented by Hawaiian Airlines. Delighting families, couples and ice skating enthusiasts for over 20 years, the Embarcadero Center’s rink will be open to the public for eight weeks. Admission: $9.50 for adults; $6 for seniors and children 10 years and younger on weekdays after 6 p.m. and weekends. Admission on weekdays until 6 p.m. is $9 for adults; $5.50 for seniors and children 10 years and younger. For more information, visit www.embarcaderocenter.com/ec/Holidays/2009rink.html.
Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square:
Nov. 11 – Jan. 18
The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square debuts this holiday season under the festive Union Square holiday tree. Sessions are 90 minutes and start on the even hour. Admission: $9 for adults; $4.50 for children eight and younger Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. and $9.50/$5 after 6 p.m. and on weekends. Open Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Note that the rink will close at 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. For more information, call (415) 781-2688.
Yerba Buena Ice Skating - All Year-round
Yerba Buena offers ice skating all year long, but this time of year, the view of the city from the rink’s wall of windows is especially charming. Located in an urban rooftop garden at Yerba Buena Garden, 750 Folsom St., the skating rink is open for public skating 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Admission: $6.25 - $11. For more information, visit www.skatebowl.com or call (415) 777-3727.
Light Up for the Holidays
Embarcadero Center’s Building Lighting: Nov. 20:
Stop by Embarcadero Center’s 2009 Building Lighting Ceremony to get a sneak preview of Disney On Ice Presents Worlds of Fantasy, a one-of-a-kind production, prior to its stint in the Bay Area February 24-March 7. As San Francisco’s “Official Kick Off to the Holiday Season”, as declared by Mayoral Proclamation in 2002, Embarcadero Center is brightening the holidays this year on Friday, November 20th, with the Building Lighting Ceremony that they are so famous for. The Ceremony takes place at the Holiday Ice Rink in Embarcadero Center and will begin at 6 p.m. In addition to the ultimate mega mix of skating, dancing and the songs you love from Disney On Ice, the event will include performances by local musicians brought to you by KDFC and a spectacular pyrotechnic show finale which will dazzle the City’s skyline. All this exhilarating entertainment has been designed to complement the highlight of the evening, the initial lighting of Embarcadero Center’s dramatic office towers which illuminate San Francisco’s skyline with 17,000 lights throughout the holiday season. Preceding the Ice Show and Building Lighting is the Winter Carnival, which is a perfect event to share with the family. It will feature a host of fun activities for the kids such as carnival games, interactive arts and crafts booths, card making, balloon twisters, musical performances and more! Come and visit with Santa to give him your holiday wish list! For those wanting to get a jump start on their holiday shopping, Embarcadero Center retailers will offer holiday gift ideas and special discounts you will not want to miss, with four hours of free parking from 4 p.m.
PIER 39/Fishereman’s Wharf Tree Lighting: Nov. 22:
PIER 39’s Holiday Tree Lighting will feature Bay Area groups performing seasonal favorites. PIER 39’s majestic tree, adorned with glistening ornaments, bows and twinkling lights will be lit at 5:30 p.m. in the Entrance Plaza. The festivities are from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m. and are free to the public.
Hornet Recognizes Veterans
In recognition of their service to our country, military veterans wearing their unit jackets, hats, or showing proper identification at the ticket desk will receive complimentary admission to the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda from November 9 to 15. American veterans will be honored during a public ceremony on the historic aircraft carrier on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, November 11, beginning at 11 a.m. with guest speaker Randall J. Ramian, Chief Executive Officer of the USS Hornet Museum. Music will be provided by the USS Hornet Band. The Color Guard will be provided by Boy Scouts Troop 152 and Adventure Scouts Unit 152 from Oakley who are led by a former crew member of the USS Hornet. Admission is $6-$14 for the general public, and there is ample free parking across from the pier.
Second Annual REI Ridge Trail Service Day
The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, REI and local park agencies will team up again for the 2nd Annual REI Ridge Trail Service Day on Saturday, November 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each of the 10 Bay Area REI stores will partner with a local park agency, land trust or open space district to build, improve, or restore a section of the Ridge Trail, and REI is supporting an 11th project in Napa County. No experience necessary; tools and supervision provided. Projects vary at each site. Morning refreshments provided by REI, Peets Coffee & Tea, and the Council. Advance registration required. For more information on each project, and to register, visit: http://ridgetrail.org/about/news_detail.cfm?id=182 or call the Council at (415) 561-2595. With 11 different projects, there’s sure to be one near you, so pitch in, get dirty and help build the Ridge Trail!
San Francisco Holiday Chocolate Show
Get into the holiday spirit by attending the largest holiday chocolate festival in the Bay Area. Come sample and purchase artisanal chocolates from over thirty of the Bay Area’s finest Chocolate Makers and Vendors on Saturday, November 14 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason Center. San Francisco Firefighters will also be on hand to collect new unwrapped toys for their annual toy program. Admission is $20 for adults in advance and $25 at the door, $10 for children 6-12 and free for two children under 6 per adult. For more information, call (510) 913-4107.
New York City’s “The Johnson Girls” to Perform Aboard Historic Ship
On Saturday, November 14, at 8 p.m., The Johnson Girls, a sea music band from New York, will perform a concert aboard the historic sailing ship Balclutha, berthed at Hyde Street Pier on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. The Johnson Girls have performed at festivals and concert halls across the United States, in Canada, England, Wales, the Netherlands and Portugal. With a sound that has been called haunting, uplifting and full of harmony, this group gives powerhouse performances from their extensive repertoire of chanteys and other songs of the sea. The concert is presented by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Tickets are $14 for the public and $12 for members. For tickets and information call (415) 561-6662, ext. 33. The Park is located at the west end of Fisherman’s Wharf, in San Francisco. The park includes a magnificent fleet of historic ships, visitor center, Aquatic Park Historic District, and library.
Bikers Ball in Marin
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) is celebrating its continued success in advocacy and on-the-ground achievements with the “Bikers Ball” on Saturday, November 14. Enjoy dancing to live music by Graffitti, appetizers, dessert, wine, beer, cash bar, and silent and live auctions. This year’s gala is from 7 p.m. to midnight at Servino Ristorante with its beautiful waterfront views, located at 9 Main Street in downtown Tiburon. Tickets are limited so get yours today – $65 for MCBC members, $75 for non-members. For tickets or to check out the complete Bikers Ball details, visit the MCBC website, www.marinbike.org.
