Bay Area 2023 Holiday Markets
Fairs & Festivals, Holidays
Bay Area 2023 Holiday Markets
Shop for the holidays and visit pop-up shops, holiday strolls & xmas markets in San Francisco and all around the Bay.
MCD's Free Museum Weekend (December 9-10)
Freebies, Get Out: Events, Museums / Cultural Institutions, Only in San Francisco, Partner, San Francisco, Sponsored
MCD's Free Museum Weekend (December 9-10)
SF's Museum of Craft and Design hosts a rare free weekend (Dec. 9-10) to celebrate the timely exhibition Designing Peace + 10% off the museum store.
Golden Gate Park's Iconic "Stow Lake" Getting A New Name
Bay Area Favorites, Only in San Francisco, Outdoorsy, Parks & Beaches
Golden Gate Park's Iconic "Stow Lake" Getting A New Name
SF released list for 14 potential new names for gorgeous GG Park lake that was originally named after an avowed 19th century anti-semite
SF’s Cult Fav “Rosamunde Sausage Grill” Reopening Dec. 8
Bay Area Updates, Eat & Drink, Good News, Reopening, San Francisco
SF’s Cult Fav “Rosamunde Sausage Grill” Reopening Dec. 8
Thanks to new owner & longtime bartender, Rosamunde reopens December 8, 2023 at Mission and 24th Streets
Here's Which SF Parks Are Closed for Winter 2023
Bay Area Updates, Outdoorsy, Parks & Beaches, San Francisco
Here's Which SF Parks Are Closed for Winter 2023
Four SF parks will shutter this winter for their turf to rest and recover ahead of spring 2024

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

9:00 am   Alameda Sun Liquidation Sale Extended (Dec. 4-9)   FREE
9:00 am   Free Admission Hour “Japanese Tea Garden” at Golden Gate Park (SF)   FREE*
*Free hour, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 10am. Otherwise non-resident admission is $10 - $13 depending on the season. San Francisco residents are always free with valide ID
10:00 am   “Pay What You Can” Wednesday at SF’s Museum of Craft and Design   FREE*
*Pay What You Can. Visitors are welcome to pay what they can every Wednesday
11:00 am   SF’s GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday   FREE*
*Free tickets are not available for reservation online on free days; all visitors will be welcomed to the museum as long as there is capacity on a first-come, first-served basis.
2:00 pm   Pacifica Coastside Farmers’ Market (April 5 – December 20)   FREE
4:00 pm   SF’s Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting 2023   FREE*
*Please RSVP
5:00 pm   Ferry Building 2nd Annual Holiday Open House (2023)   FREE*
*RSVP Required
5:00 pm   Free CJM Museum Night: Live Neon Bending + Opening Celebration for Glass & Neon Exhibit (SF)   FREE*
*Free with advance RSVP

Pick Date

Wednesday, December 6

“Pay What You Can” Wednesday at SF’s Museum of Craft and Design
Wednesday, December 6 – 10:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Pay What You Can. Visitors are welcome to pay what they can every Wednesday
| Museum of Craft and Design
"Pay What You Can" Wednesday at SF's Museum of Craft and Design

There’s no better time to visit the Museum of Craft and Design than on Pay What You Can Wednesday. MCD’s Pay What You Can Wednesday initiative strives to keep art accessible to all by giving visitors the opportunity to experience the latest exhibitions for whatever ...Every Wednesday

SF’s Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting 2023
Wednesday, December 6 – 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Please RSVP
| Civic Center Plaza
SF's Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting 2023
The Civic Center Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting — a free, family-friendly event — returns Wednesday, December 6, 2023, 4-7pm! This festive event features holiday entertainment, “snow” flurries, festive bites and drinks, free candy canes, free holiday crafts from community organizations, and a toy giveaway for 400+ children! The night ...
SF’s Gameshow-Style Pub Trivia (Every Wednesday)
Wednesday, December 6 – 7:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Black Hammer Brewing
SF's Gameshow-Style Pub Trivia (Every Wednesday)

No pens, no paper. Join us for three rounds of fast-paced gameshow-style pub trivia in our taproom every Wednesday at 7PM. Free admission, with bonus points for fastest answer and a live scoreboard. Gameshow-Style Pub Trivia at 7pm Black Hammer Brewing, 544 Bryant ...Every Wednesday

SF Symphony’s “Cirque Nutcracker” (Dec. 5-6)
Wednesday, December 6 – 7:30 pm | Cost: $25*
*Tickets start at $25
| Davies Symphony Hall
SF Symphony's "Cirque Nutcracker" (Dec. 5-6)

Join the San Francisco Symphony for two nights on December 5 & 6 at Davies Symphony Hall for Cirque Nutcracker! Troupe Vertigo’s acrobats, jugglers, and high-flying aerialists delight the imagination in a program set to Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Bring the whole family to Davies Symphony ...

“Wolfman Jeff Trivia” Night at SF’s Willkommen Beer Garden (Every Wednesday)
Wednesday, December 6 – 7:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Willkommen
"Wolfman Jeff Trivia" Night at SF's Willkommen Beer Garden (Every Wednesday)
Sincere Earth greetings! Our advanced collective has run infinite models through some of our most working superb-computers and we’ve determined this to be the absolute most perfect trivia night for anyone advanced enough to read this message. Congratulations! Willkommen Wednesdays w/ Wolfman Jeff Trivia (night)™ Ltd Every Wednesday ...
“HellaSecret” SF Outdoor Comedy Night & Secret Beer Garden (Marina)
Wednesday, December 6 – 8:00 pm | Cost: $10*
*Get $5 off Tickets - Early Bird tickets $10 adv w/ code FUNCHEAP (otherwise $15-20).There is a two drink minimum
| Secret Beer Garden in The Marina/Cow Hollow
"HellaSecret" SF Outdoor Comedy Night & Secret Beer Garden (Marina)

We’ve got a new covered secret beer garden to introduce you to for HellaSecret – a new series of pop-up live outdoor comedy shows at unique spots all across the bay. We’ll take over a venue and you’ll get an email with the secret location. This ...Every Wednesday

30% Off Tix to Cult-Hit Musical “RUTHLESS!” in SF (Dec. 1-Jan. 7)
30% Off Tix to Cult-Hit Musical “RUTHLESS!” in SF (Dec. 1-Jan. 7)

A wickedly sharp satire wrapped in a hard candy shell, this cult-hit musical is a deliciously diabolical look at fame, ambition, and the perils of musical theatre through the eyes of a talented 8-year old with a tiny homicidal streak. RUTHLESS! runs Dec. 1 – Jan. ...

Alameda Sun Liquidation Sale Extended (Dec. 4-9)
Wednesday, December 6 – 9:00 am | Cost: FREE | Alameda Sun Newspaper
Alameda Sun Liquidation Sale Extended (Dec. 4-9)
Due to the success of the first two days, the Alameda Sun Liquidation Sale is extended all week. Visit M-F 9am to 1pm and Sat 9am to 3pm for more office supplies, desks, chairs, file cabinets, book shelves, local history books & mementos!
SF’s GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday
SF's GLBT History Museum: Free First Wednesday

Located in SF’s Castro District, the GLBT Historical Society Museum is the first full-scale, stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States. The museum celebrates 100 years of the city’s vast queer past through dynamic exhibitions and programming. Normally admission is $10, but on ...Monthly

Ferry Building 2nd Annual Holiday Open House (2023)
Wednesday, December 6 – 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP Required
| Ferry Building
Ferry Building 2nd Annual Holiday Open House (2023)
FERRY BUILDING HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Celebrate the holidays and shop locally – the Ferry Building halls are decked out! Enjoy warm drinks, cookie decorating, holiday crafts, and festive vibes from 5:00pm – 7:00pm inside the Marketplace. Show your Eventbrite RSVP at the interior info booth and receive ...
Free CJM Museum Night: Live Neon Bending + Opening Celebration for Glass & Neon Exhibit (SF)
Wednesday, December 6 – 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with advance RSVP
| Contemporary Jewish Museum
Free CJM Museum Night: Live Neon Bending + Opening Celebration for Glass & Neon Exhibit (SF)
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 | 5-8pm Come together with community to celebrate “First Light: Rituals of Glass and Neon Art,” an exhibition by She Bends, at The CJM. Enjoy an evening of drinks, conversation, and two live glass bending demonstrations while exploring light, spirituality, and craft ...
Chinatown Holiday Lights Festival 2023
Wednesday, December 6 – 6:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free
| Chinatown - San Francisco - 1000 Grant
Chinatown Holiday Lights Festival 2023
Enjoy dazzling lights along California Avenue to Broadway Street in Chinatown and a grand illumination ceremony on Wednesday, December 6th at 6PM with performances and music as the Chinatown Merchants Association launches their Holiday Lights Festival! Chinatown, the heart of San Francisco’s cultural vibrancy, will transform ...

Thursday, December 7

“Puff Puff Laugh” SF’s Cannabis Lounge Comedy Show
"Puff Puff Laugh" SF's Cannabis Lounge Comedy Show

Barbary Coast upholds a tradition of “higher” quality in San Francisco. For the first time ever, HellaFunny is taking over SF’s premier cannabis lounge, Barbary Coast, for a night of “Puff Puff Laugh.” That’s right… it’s the first comedy show in San Francisco where you can (legally ...Every Thursday

“HellaSecret” Free Thursday Night Comedy Show @ Secret Bar (Oakland)
"HellaSecret" Free Thursday Night Comedy Show @ Secret Bar (Oakland)

Get ready for our “HellaSecret” speakeasy comedy show in Oakland. A series of pop-up (and socially distant) live comedy shows at unique spots all across the bay. We’ll take over a venue and you’ll get an email with the secret location. This HellaSecret comedy show ...

FREE TIX: HellaFunny’s Brand New North Beach Comedy Blast (Thursday Nights)
Thursday, December 7 – 8:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free with code FUNCHEAP (limited tickets)
| Tope Lounge
FREE TIX: HellaFunny's Brand New North Beach Comedy Blast (Thursday Nights)

After a two-month remodel, Tope Lounge in North Beach has finally reopened and is kicking off with a brand new HellaFunny comedy night on Tuesdays w/ $2 off all specialty cocktails and wine plus a great lineup of comics who you’ll regularly see at Cobbs, Punchline, SF Sketchfest and ...Every Tuesday

30% Off Tix to Cult-Hit Musical “RUTHLESS!” in SF (Dec. 1-Jan. 7)
30% Off Tix to Cult-Hit Musical “RUTHLESS!” in SF (Dec. 1-Jan. 7)

A wickedly sharp satire wrapped in a hard candy shell, this cult-hit musical is a deliciously diabolical look at fame, ambition, and the perils of musical theatre through the eyes of a talented 8-year old with a tiny homicidal streak. RUTHLESS! runs Dec. 1 – Jan. ...

Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum
Thursday, December 7 – 11:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Free admission to galleries. Film programs are excluded. No advanced tickets required, but subject to capacity limits
| Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive
Free First Thursdays at Berkeley Art Museum

The UC Berkeley Art Museum is the visual arts center of the University of California, Berkeley. Through art and film programs, collections, and research resources, the University aspires to be locally connected and globally relevant, engaging audiences from the campus, community, and beyond. Through art and ...Monthly

SFMOMA’s “Free First Thursdays” Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)
SFMOMA's "Free First Thursdays" Free Museum Day for Locals (2023)

All residents of the nine Bay Area counties are invited to spend a day at the museum on us! From 1–8 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month, Bay Area residents can enjoy SFMOMA’s galleries filled with lively and inspiring art and related events ...Monthly

SFMOMA Small Press Book Bazaar 2023 + Free Admission Day for Locals
Thursday, December 7 – 1:00 pm | Cost: FREE | SFMOMA
SFMOMA Small Press Book Bazaar 2023 + Free Admission Day for Locals
This holiday season, support the Bay Area creative community by shopping this special pop-up sale featuring local presses, zine publishers, artists, and more. From artist books and zines to posters, T-shirts, and mixtapes, you’re sure to find something unique for everyone on your list — ...
SF’s 2023 Chanukah Festival: 25-Foot-Tall Menorah in Union Square (Dec. 7-14)
Thursday, December 7 – 3:30 pm | Cost: FREE | Union Square Park
SF's 2023 Chanukah Festival: 25-Foot-Tall Menorah in Union Square (Dec. 7-14)

Lighting it up since 1975! This is our 48th Year! Chanukah In Union Square Dec 7th – Dec 14th The First Giant Public Menorah outside of Israel has inspired thousands of Menorahs around the world! Union Square Menorah Lighting Schedule: December 7th through December 14th ...

SF’s 1st Annual Yerba Buena “Under the Lights” Night Market (Dec. 7-10)
Thursday, December 7 – 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
SF's 1st Annual Yerba Buena "Under the Lights" Night Market (Dec. 7-10)

The first annual Yerba Buena Art & Makers Market Holiday Edition, a showcase of local artists, food purveyors and performers, will take place between Dec. 7-10 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts at 701 Mission Street. Jingle, mingle, dance and shop at the three-day free ...

2023 Thrive City “Winter Wonderland Hanukkah Celebration” (SF)
Thursday, December 7 – 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*RSVP required
| Thrive City Plaza (at Chase Center)
2023 Thrive City "Winter Wonderland Hanukkah Celebration" (SF)
Date: Thursday, December 7, 2023 Time: 4pm – 7pm West Plaza, Thrive City, Chase Center There will be extra security and police presence. Description: Guests will experience a menorah lighting ceremony with live entertainment, Ice Skating Rink, Jewish cuisine & drinks, kids festive art + crafts, & concert Live Music ...
94th Annual Golden Gate Park Tree Lighting + Holiday Festival (2023)
Thursday, December 7 – 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE | JFK Promenade
94th Annual Golden Gate Park Tree Lighting + Holiday Festival (2023)
Mark your calendars! Rec and Park will host its 94th annual holiday tree lighting event along the JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park on Thursday, December 7, 2023 from 4 to 8 p.m., featuring carnival rides, arts and crafts, live entertainment, cookie decorating and, of course, the ceremonial lighting of ...
21st Annual Montclair Village Holiday Stroll w/ Tap Dancing Xmas Trees (Oakland)
Thursday, December 7 – 4:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Montclair Village
21st Annual Montclair Village Holiday Stroll w/ Tap Dancing Xmas Trees (Oakland)
The Montclair Village Association (MVA) will host the 21st Annual Montclair Village Holiday Stroll on Thursday, December 7, from 4-8pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to create lasting memories with loved ones while lighting up the Village with festive cheer and shopping for unique holiday gifts ...
Bernal Heights Holiday Stroll 2023
Thursday, December 7 – 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Cortland Avenue
Bernal Heights Holiday Stroll 2023
Join us for a festive evening of live music, shopping and dining along Cortland Ave. in Bernal Heights for our annual Holiday Stroll! – Visit Santa at the BHNC for photos and treats – Stop by Or Shalom to celebrate Hanukkah – Explore the Bernal Village Marketplace for ...
Golden Gate Park’s Illuminated Forest Returns (Dec. 7 – April 28)
Thursday, December 7 – 6:00 pm | Cost: FREE | Golden Gate Park (Peacock Meadow)
Golden Gate Park's Illuminated Forest Returns (Dec. 7 - April 28)

San Francisco’s popular “Entwined” Lighted Forest in Golden Gate is back* from December 7, 2023 – April 28, 2024. *Pending permit approval, of course! The Entwined installation is still pending approval. It was reviewed at Wednesday’s Visual Arts Committee meeting, and next will be up ...

Cal Academy of Sciences’ Nightlife Holiday Market (2023)
Thursday, December 7 – 6:00 pm | Cost: $24.75*
*Prices can fluctuate with demand
| California Academy of Sciences
Cal Academy of Sciences' Nightlife Holiday Market (2023)
Santa Claude is comin’ to town! Shop your heart away at our merry marketplace of gift-worthy treasures. Featuring over 45 local vendors, from San Francisco Bazaar, Sunset Mercantile, and more! Thursday from 6-10 pm. Last entry into the building is 9 pm. All guests must be 21+ with ...
SF’s Drag Bingo Extravaganza + $5 Beer
Thursday, December 7 – 6:30 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Free bingo card upon entry, and get more cards to play with purchase of drink
| DACHA Kitchen & Bar
SF's Drag Bingo Extravaganza + $5 Beer
An upscale-casual drag bingo extravaganza, complete with elevated food offerings, delicious $10 craft cocktail specials, and ice-cold $5 beers in a beautiful venue. Special guest Bonita Rose will guide our bingo festivities. Get ready to shake the dice and steal the rice (or win a ...
SF’s Drag Queens on Ice 2023 (Union Square)
SF's Drag Queens on Ice 2023 (Union Square)
Don’t miss out on the City’s most popular event of the holiday season—Drag Queens on Ice. Be a part of the fun, frivolity, and fabulousness on the ice! If you dare, skate with the Queens as they mingle and warm-up for their entertainment performances, or ...

Friday, December 8

Laurel Burch Studios 2023 Holiday Sale & Celebration (Dec. 8-10)
Friday, December 8 – 11:00 am | Cost: FREE*
*Free gift with purchase at checkout if you mention FUNCHEAP
| Laurel Burch Studios Flagship Store
Laurel Burch Studios 2023 Holiday Sale & Celebration (Dec. 8-10)

Live Colorfully. Give Colorfully! Come shop our Laurel Burch Studios holiday sale. You’ll discover a holiday collection aglow with brilliant gift ideas for spreading joy this season: vibrant art to wear, jewelry, accessories, crafts, and new products including our 2024 Laurel Burch calendar and ornaments, ...