Jack London Square is set to light up the Oakland waterfront with its annual tree lighting extravaganza on Friday, December 4 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Published: December, 2015
JLS Tree Lighting
Jack London Square is set to light up the Oakland waterfront with its annual tree lighting extravaganza on Friday, December 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. On this special evening, a 55-foot Mount Shasta fir tree will sparkle with 5,000 white lights and 600 colorful ornaments surrounded by Santa’s grazing reindeer; merry stilt walkers; ornament making; Oakland School for the Arts holiday performances; Nutcracker snippets from the Oakland Ballet Company; world-traveling tap-dancing Christmas trees; a holiday pop-up; special treats and more. Locals and visitors are encouraged to arrive early for magical surprises while enjoying festive music and merry entertainment with holiday characters roaming the Oakland waterfront greeting children and posing for photos.
Holiday Concerts
With Christmas and Hanukkah on the horizon, Marin Symphony invites you to celebrate. The symphony is offering several Holiday Concerts to kick off this most wonderful time of the year. Holiday Choral Concerts by Candlelight will be held on Saturday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 6 at 4:30 p.m. at the Church of Saint Raphael, 1104 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael. This annual holiday celebration continues to be the traditional start of the season for many people in our community of Marin. The gathering in the Church of Saint Raphael will feature the Marin Symphony Chamber Chorus directed by Stephen McKersie, the Marin Girls Chorus and a brass quintet and percussionists from the Marin Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are on sale at the Marin Symphony Office for $30 in advance, $35 at the door. Call (415) 479-8100 for more information. Then, on Tuesday, December 15 at 7 p.m., celebrate a variety of holiday-inspired music at the popular Holiday Pops: Winter Wonderland event at the Marin Center Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. Led by Music Director Alasdair Neale, hear beloved holiday classics and traditional carols performed by the Marin Symphony, the Marin Symphony Chorus and the Marin Symphony Children’s Chorus. The program includes sing-alongs, special guests, and complimentary treats after the concert. Tickets on sale at the Marin Center Box Office starting at $45 for adults and $20 for youths. Call (415) 473-6800 or visit tickets.marincenter.org for more information.
Pet Santa
Pets are invited to partake in the holiday festivities at the Bay Street shopping center in Emeryville this season! The shopping center’s North Pole House will be Santa’s home throughout the month of December, and on Sunday, December 13 from 2 to 6 p.m., dogs and cats are invited to join him for photos. Visits with Santa are free with the option to purchase photos, and all proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Hopalong Animal Rescue. Additionally, live reindeer will join Santa at Bay Street for both children and parents to pet and feed. For more information, call (510) 655-4002 or visit www.baystreetemeryville.com.
USS Potomac Holiday Cruises
Celebrate the holidays aboard the USS Potomac with Kids Santa Cruises and the Fala-la-la-la cruise for adults. The ship will be decorated for the holidays when Santa pays a visit on Sunday, December 6 and Friday, December 11 and 18 for one-hour kids’ cruises at 4 and 6 p.m. There will be cocoa, cookies and candy canes too. Tickets are $35 for adults and $10 for children ages 2-12. On Saturday, December 12, adults are invited to see the lights of the Bay on a special two-hour holiday cruise from 7-9 p.m. There will be Christmas carolers, wine, hors d’oeuvres and good cheer for all. Tickets are $65 per person or $120 for couples. Tickets for both events are available at usspotomac.org or by calling (510) 627-1215 for more information.
Nutcracker for Kids
Mark Foehringer Dance Project/SF presents Mark Foehringer’s Nutcracker Sweets on December 12, 13, 21 and 22 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Dec 19-20, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., at Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina Blvd. and Buchanan Street in San Francisco. This is a unique 50-minute version of The Nutcracker specifically designed for families with young children. Cost: $21 and $31. For more information, visit www.nutcrackersweets.org.
Artists Aflutter
The 47th annual Winter Open Studios at the ICB in Sausalito is taking wing December 4, 5 and 6 during Winter Open Studios. This year, 80 artists at the ICB in Sausalito will be honoring the courageous act of migration. To symbolize this movement of hope, the ICB will feature an installation of thousands of butterflies hand-cut in a joint effort by resident artists under the direction of paper artist Ingrid Butler. This tribute to resilience, renewal, metamorphosis and freedom will be awe-inspiring to adults and children alike. At least 30 participating individual artists will designate a selected work for sale, with 100 percent from the sale of these pieces to benefit Doctors Without Borders. Located in the Industrial Center Building (ICB), 480 Gate 5 Road in Sausalito, the event is free from 6-9 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit www.icbartists.com.
Harvest Time, Dude
The Emerald Cup will make its highly anticipated return to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa on December 12-13. For more than a decade, the Emerald Cup has become synonymous with setting the highest standards for sustainable, sun-grown, outdoor cannabis and is the largest, most respected, organic, outdoor medicinal cannabis competition in the world, making it the definitive contest for the fall harvest. This year’s entries will once again represent the best from Northern California and beyond with more than 300 expected entrants in several categories. The Emerald Cup event is about bringing medical marijuana providers, dispensaries and patients together and for patients to view all of the entries in this year’s competition. The event includes workshops, guest speakers, panel discussions and an awards ceremony along with live music performances. The promoters are committed to strengthening the medical cannabis industry and hope that this year’s competition shows how promising the future has become. Single day tickets are $55 and weekend tickets are $100. For more information, visit www.theemeraldcup.com.
To have your event or announcement considered for the Bay Crossings Around the Bay listings, please send information or a press release to: joel@baycrossings.com.
