San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Where to get your seasonal glow on: Bay Area’s best holiday light displays
All around the Bay Area, lights are twinkling and there’s a hint of winter in the air.
Enjoy the seasonal glow on display in local shopping corridors such as Fourth Street in West Berkeley, Santana Row in San Jose, and Union Square in San Francisco with its giant Christmas tree and menorah.
There is ample opportunity to enjoy merry and bright light shows, large-scale illuminated displays, tree lighting events and more. Check out the Chronicle’s guide to the best holiday events and attractions happening through December.
Happier Holidays at Pier 39
This nightly holiday show features a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree decked out with thousands of ornaments and glittery lights with special effects synchronized to music.
Every half hour between 5 and 10 p.m. nightly. Through Jan. 7. Free. Pier 39, S.F. 415-981-7437. www.pier39.com
Glow: Discover the Art of
Light
Luminous sculptures radiate as part of the Exploratorium’s light-focused exhibition’s seasonal expansion. Explore the galleries for dramatic light art from Robin Baumgarten, Collectif Scale, Maria Constanza Ferreira, Luke Jerram, Chaco Kato, Masary Studios and Daniel Rozin and others. Complementing the exhibition’s theme will be a “Storytime Science for Kids: Glow—Garden of Delights (Nov. 26),” “After Dark: Glow at the Museum (Nov. 30)” and “After Dark: Go with the Glow (Dec. 7)” as well as “Saturday Cinema: The Art and Science of Luminous Animations” film screenings on Dec. 9, 16, Jan. 6, 13 and 20.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday; 6-10 p.m. Thursday. Through Jan. 29. $19.95-$39.95, reservations required. Exploratorium, Pier 15, S.F. 415-528-4444. exploratorium.edu
Holidays at Filoli
The historic house and garden, which recently hosted President Joe Biden and Chinese
leader Xi Jinping, transforms into a festive holiday wonderland with abundant illuminated installations and decorations inside the house and out in the garden. Fire pits and warming holiday refreshments enhance the atmosphere. Santa Days, docent-led tours and holiday tea times are scheduled for select dates.
10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Through Jan. 7. $25-$43, kids under 5 free; reservations recommended. Filoli House and Garden, 6 Cañada Road, Woodside. 650-3648300. https://filoli.org
IlluminOdyssey Interactive Winter Light Experience
Inspired by the beauty and science of light, this familyfriendly exhibition offers interactive light science and glowing art. Explore activities about light, photoluminescence, color, waves, fluorescence and more.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Through Jan. 28. $21.95$25.95, reservations recommended. CuriOdyssey, 1651 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo. 650342-7755. curiodyssey.org
Ruth Bancroft Garden of D’Lights
Using thousands of lights and lasers, the garden comes alive at night as colorful displays are formed from illuminated cacti, succulents and trees. Wander through meandering paths and experience the garden in a new way this holiday season.
5:30-8:30 p.m. ThursdaySunday through Dec. 10; Tuesday-Sunday, Dec. 12-Jan. 6. $16-$29, under 5 free; reservations required. Ruth Bancroft Garden, 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. 925-542-9444. www.ruthbancroftgarden.org
Christmas Lights at Oakland’s Temple Hill
Enjoy a large-scale holiday lights installation with city views and scheduled live theatrical, dance and music performances, including productions of “The Nutcracker,” a Handel’s “Messiah” sing-along and more.
9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Through Dec. 31. Free. Temple Hill, 4770 Lincoln Ave., Oakland. 510-3280044. https://templehill.org
Santa Visits the Square
Santa will be visiting Ghirardelli Square on Friday, Dec. 8, and during holiday concerts with Deutscher Musikverein (Dec. 17) and Homestead High School Holiday Program (Dec. 22).
Through Dec. 22. Free. Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point St., S.F. 415-775-5500. www. ghirardellisq.com
San Jose Christmas in the Park
A community favorite attraction since the 1950s, the holiday walk-through event will offer fresh light displays, a 60-foot tall Christmas tree and more. Food and drinks available for purchase. Nearby the downtown roller skating rink and Winter Wonderland offer carnival rides and family-friendly fun. A drive-thru light show is available on se
lect dates.
Noon-11 p.m. daily. Through Jan. 1. Free. Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, 194 S. Market St., San Jose. 408-271-9627. www.christmasinthepark.com
Oakland Zoo Glowfari: A Wildly Illuminating Lantern Festival
Take an illuminated stroll and experience the decked-out zoo with new themes and larger-than-life glowing animal lanterns. Top off the evening visiting with Santa and having a ride on the zoo train.
5-9 p.m. Dec. 3-23, 26-31; Jan. 1-7, 10-14, 17-21, 24-28. $22-$26, reservations required. Oakland Zoo, 9777 Golf Links Road, Oakland. 510-632-9525. www.oaklandzoo.org
Roaring Camp Holiday Lights Train
The seasonal favorite features a round-trip evening train ride with colorful lights on board and on the festively lit homes along the route. It includes a holiday sing-along with live music, hot cider and a visit from Santa.
Sunday, Dec. 3, Dec. 9-10 and Dec. 16-23. See website for departure times. $34.95-$64.95, kids under 2 free; reservations required. In front of Neptune’s Kingdom, 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. 831-335-4484. https:// roaringcamp.com
Let’s Glow SF 2023
The DowntownSF Partnership hosted annual exhibition of large-scale projective works is scheduled to return for its third year in 2023. The event will feature nightly music and visual works from local and international artists, projected onto the Ferry Building, Salesforce Tower and other Financial District buildings in celebration of the holiday season.
5-10 p.m. daily through Dec. 10. Free. 525 Market St., S.F. 415-634-2251. https:// downtownsf.org
Tree of Hope Lighting at Grace Cathedral
Emcee Donna Sachet hosts the evening event with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence blessing a “World Tree of Hope” adorned with thousands of hand-folded origami cranes and stars inscribed with wishes for the future of the world. The celebration is set to include hands-on origami with artist Linda Mihara, performances from the San Francisco Boys Chorus, pianist Tammy Lynne Hall, soprano Lerberta Loral and the Queer Chorus of San Francisco, and appearances from Manny Yekutiel and others.
6:30-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4. Free, reservations recommended. Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. www.worldtreeofhope. org
Civic Center Plaza Tree Lighting
The evening will include live entertainment, “snow” flurries, a makers village, Off the Grid food trucks, drinks from Best Beverage Catering, a book giveaway from the San
Francisco Public Library, holiday craft activities with SF Etsy, plus a toy giveaway.
Set across from an illuminated City Hall in Civic Center Plaza, the evening’s entertainment lineup, led by Boxcar Theatre’s Artistic Director Nick A. Olivero, will include performances from Tap Dancing Christmas Trees, the Topman All Stars, magician Josh Farenbaugh and singer Doris Bumpus as well as appearances by the Grinch and Santa. The lighting of the plaza’s 50-foot noble fir by Mayor London Breed will take place at 5:30 p.m.
4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6. Free, reservations recommended. Civic Center Plaza, 355 McAllister St., S.F. 415-781-4700. https:// sfciviccenter.org
‘Entwined: Elder Mother’ in Golden Gate Park
Since 2020 San Francisco artist Charles Gadeken’s outdoor installation has annually graced Golden Gate park. With twisting paths and large, illuminated tree sculptures and other nature inspired light
art, this year it will feature a 30-foot metal tree titled “Eldermother” that moves with the wind and allows attendees to control its lighting patterns.
The “Entwined” exhibition’s lights will be switched on concurrently with the citysponsored holiday tree lighting ceremony Thursday, Dec. 7, at McLaren Lodge. Monthly events will be hosted at the installation.
5-10 p.m. daily. Dec. 7-April 28. Free. Peacock Meadow, Golden Gate Park, S.F. 415-621-3260. https://sanfranciscoparks alliance.org
Petaluma Lighted Boat Parade
Illuminated boats, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards share the spotlight along the Petaluma River in a spectacle of twinkling, reflected lights.
5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. Free. Petaluma Marina, 11 English St., Petaluma. 707-7659725. www.visitpetaluma.com